Hungry Bass in the Beaver Pond

Government biologists tell me that this isn't fish habitat

Doing what I do, both at work and in my (rare) spare time, puts me in contact with lots of other similarly minded people.  Or at least similarly trained people.

One group really gets under my skin - I call them armchair ecologists.  These are folks who aren't fond of strapping on some waders and getting out to understand the resource.  They are fond, however, of making bold proclamations not based in reality, like, "beaver dams are a fish migration blockage!" and "I'm not sure this stream restoration can be permitted - better to leave it as this ditch full of livestock."

Aww.  They are so cute.  On that first topic, I wonder if fish can ever migrate up through beaver dams, into beaver ponds?  It seems so impossible!

This was just a short selection - caught that weird pumpkinseed/green sunfish hybrid and 9 largemouth in about 90 minutes.  The barometer was bottoming out right before a cold front, and the fish were hunting on the edges of weed beds.  Not extremely aggressive, but aggressive enough.   I've fly fished this beaver pond before - mistake.  I've also fished deeper lures here before - mistake.

The winning recipe on this day - my most successful of 4 fishing "trips" here to date - were silver floating minnows and pin minnows, Joe's Flies black muddler with gold spoon, and beetle spins in black and white with gold spoons.

I guess I should forget it all, though.  Fish can't migrate up here anyway.