Strange pay lake

[catman529]

Saw this pay lake today, not far from Franklin. I was headed to another spot to fish with a buddy. The lake had 2 gates and signs with pay boxes and the rules posted. 5 bucks per adult, no night fishing, etc. Looks like you could just go there and fish, pay on the honor system. My friend told me that sometime it dries up in the summer, but it is right next to a creek that floods it and brings more fish into it. I bet it is stocked too. But the darn lake is so shallow, there was at least one blue heron standing in the middle of the lake, not swimming, but standing on the bottom and the water was barely past the legs. I'm sure there are deeper spots but it seems like a terribly shallow lake and I wonder what kind of fish are in there. Seems strange for a pay lake doesn't it? Probably about 15-20 acres.

 

[easy45]

Sounds like a waste of $5

 

[SilverFox]

I fished 2 lakes like this back in SC all the time. $2.00 a day or yearly for $50.00. Both were filled with fish... But you had to figure them out. Once I did, it was hard to go anywhere else. Awesome fishing... Huge bass and bream.

$5.00 seems high to me... But it may be worth it. Might see if they have a yearly deal.

 

[LA man]

Sounds like a waste of $5

if it goes dry and is that shallow ide stay away from it

 

[stik]

might be worth the $5 to check it out.

 

[catman529]

might be worth the $5 to check it out.

if I had a whole day and little flat bottom boat and lots of bait and tackle, heck I may try that some day. Not in the dead of winter though. The fact that there were multiple blue herons mean there were lots of fish. Just no telling what size fish, gotta fish there to find out. It makes me curious but I hate shallow ponds. Someday I think curiosity will get the better of me, it'll cost more gas money to get there and back than it will to fish.

 

[jb3]

Catman, this time of year you'd be better off using the $5 on gas and going to Montgomery Bell. Feburary is a great month for catching some big mouths and even though I haven't done it in years, there is suppose to be good crappie fishing there as well.

 

[catman529]

Catman, this time of year you'd be better off using the $5 on gas and going to Montgomery Bell. Feburary is a great month for catching some big mouths and even though I haven't done it in years, there is suppose to be good crappie fishing there as well.

Or hit one of the ponds or creeks in the area... fishing sucked yesterday but I did catch a couple of small crappie in a pond that I was fishing for the first time. I cant wait to fish there in the spring. Maybe I will have to check out montgomery bell some time, are you allowed to take fish home?

 

[go_okfishin]

I fished it a few years ago after a local told me there were crappie in there. Caught nothing. Doesn't mean they aren't in there but like you said it is extremely shallow. I fished at the mouth of the creek.

 

[catman529]

I fished it a few years ago after a local told me there were crappie in there. Caught nothing. Doesn't mean they aren't in there but like you said it is extremely shallow. I fished at the mouth of the creek.

you talking about the one off carters creek pike?

 

[B.D.]

The fact that there were multiple blue herons mean there were lots of fish.

Not necessarily. The herons might be eating tadpoles for all you know. Maybe the lake dried up to just some puddles, but toads or frogs filled the puddles with eggs, and now the herons are chowing down on the tadpoles since it's January and abundant food in shallow water is hard to come by. Or it could be minnows from the creek - interesting to the herons but not to you.

If the lake goes completely dry from time to time, and it's that shallow, I wouldn't pay $5 to fish it unless I talked to someone in advance and they confirmed what fish were stocked, how much stocking the pond gets, and when it was last stocked. Otherwise, it's a sucker bet.

I might make an exception if there were crowds of people fishing the pond all the time - that might be a sign that there's something there worth trying. But if I had to guess, if it's on the "honor system" and it isn't fished much, then most likely the pond owner doesn't put much time into it and just keeps a "money box" out in case gullible passers by like yourself decide to check it out.

Really shallow ponds have a lot going against them. If they go dry, obviously all the fish are dead. In the hot summer, they can lose all their oxygen and have a die-off even if the pond isn't dry. They have algae blooms. In the winter, if they freeze over, they can become oxygen-depleted and "winter kill" (though that shouldn't be a problem this year since we keep ticking along about 15 degrees above normal average temperature for this time of year). I'd avoid this one unless you have a convincing reason to think otherwise, or you just have so much money that you can kiss $5 goodbye without a worry.

bd

 

[timberjack86]

The fact that there were multiple blue herons mean there were lots of fish.

Not necessarily. The herons might be eating tadpoles for all you know. Maybe the lake dried up to just some puddles, but toads or frogs filled the puddles with eggs, and now the herons are chowing down on the tadpoles since it's January and abundant food in shallow water is hard to come by. Or it could be minnows from the creek - interesting to the herons but not to you.

If the lake goes completely dry from time to time, and it's that shallow, I wouldn't pay $5 to fish it unless I talked to someone in advance and they confirmed what fish were stocked, how much stocking the pond gets, and when it was last stocked. Otherwise, it's a sucker bet.

I might make an exception if there were crowds of people fishing the pond all the time - that might be a sign that there's something there worth trying. But if I had to guess, if it's on the "honor system" and it isn't fished much, then most likely the pond owner doesn't put much time into it and just keeps a "money box" out in case gullible passers by like yourself decide to check it out.

Really shallow ponds have a lot going against them. If they go dry, obviously all the fish are dead. In the hot summer, they can lose all their oxygen and have a die-off even if the pond isn't dry. They have algae blooms. In the winter, if they freeze over, they can become oxygen-depleted and "winter kill" (though that shouldn't be a problem this year since we keep ticking along about 15 degrees above normal average temperature for this time of year). I'd avoid this one unless you have a convincing reason to think otherwise, or you just have so much money that you can kiss $5 goodbye without a worry.

bd

Tadpoles in jan? I might be stupid but I have never seen a tadpole in January.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

I know the place. I wouldn't fish there. I tried before and you would better off putting the $5 in your tank and driving to Williamsport.

 

[catman529]

The fact that there were multiple blue herons mean there were lots of fish.

Not necessarily. The herons might be eating tadpoles for all you know. Maybe the lake dried up to just some puddles, but toads or frogs filled the puddles with eggs, and now the herons are chowing down on the tadpoles since it's January and abundant food in shallow water is hard to come by. Or it could be minnows from the creek - interesting to the herons but not to you.

If the lake goes completely dry from time to time, and it's that shallow, I wouldn't pay $5 to fish it unless I talked to someone in advance and they confirmed what fish were stocked, how much stocking the pond gets, and when it was last stocked. Otherwise, it's a sucker bet.

I might make an exception if there were crowds of people fishing the pond all the time - that might be a sign that there's something there worth trying. But if I had to guess, if it's on the "honor system" and it isn't fished much, then most likely the pond owner doesn't put much time into it and just keeps a "money box" out in case gullible passers by like yourself decide to check it out.

Really shallow ponds have a lot going against them. If they go dry, obviously all the fish are dead. In the hot summer, they can lose all their oxygen and have a die-off even if the pond isn't dry. They have algae blooms. In the winter, if they freeze over, they can become oxygen-depleted and "winter kill" (though that shouldn't be a problem this year since we keep ticking along about 15 degrees above normal average temperature for this time of year). I'd avoid this one unless you have a convincing reason to think otherwise, or you just have so much money that you can kiss $5 goodbye without a worry.

bd

When I said there must be fish in there, I was guessing it would be minnows There's a city park lake that is loaded with good fish, which are fed by plentiful gizzard shad, all about 2-3 inches long in schools. Herons stalk up the schools and eat the shad all the time. There were even a couple seagulls there the other day eating shad.

I was guessing that this shallow pay lake probably just has a lot of minnows and 3 inch bream from the creek or something, but never thought of tadpoles. If I had to guess I'd say it's a bunch of little fish. Maybe I will check out the pond and only pay if I catch a fish

oh and about the shallow water causing oxygen problems... makes perfect sense. One of the ponds I fish for grass carp has a deeper end with a fountain for aeration, and a shallow muddy flat on the other end. During the heat of the summer, you'll see tails or surface-feeding grass carp in the shallows that's less than 2 feet deep. The water is hot, nasty, low in oxygen, and you have to get the fish back in quickly or they die. Different story in spring and fall when it rains and the water level is up.

I know the place. I wouldn't fish there. I tried before and you would better off putting the $5 in your tank and driving to Williamsport.

Yes Williamsport is on my list. Probably will wait till spring or summer for crappie or cats. Or heck maybe find the grass carp in there.

 

[Hollar Hunter]

It aint worth your time there...

 

[Football Hunter]

Id say there are no smallmouth,so why bother???

 

[go_okfishin]

I fished it a few years ago after a local told me there were crappie in there. Caught nothing. Doesn't mean they aren't in there but like you said it is extremely shallow. I fished at the mouth of the creek.

you talking about the one off carters creek pike?

Yes

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Catman, this time of year you'd be better off using the $5 on gas and going to Montgomery Bell. Feburary is a great month for catching some big mouths and even though I haven't done it in years, there is suppose to be good crappie fishing there as well.

Or pay a little bit at Marrowbone.

 

[catman529]

Id say there are no smallmouth,so why bother???

cause I threw all my smallmouth up on the bank and there are none left so I'm fishing for other fish now

 

[eyeseeker]

There are some nice crappie in there. Used to fish it before it changed owners and became pay to play.

 

[Mossy Oak]

Heck I would try it for $5. Even if you don't catch anything, it will be a fun trip. Can't really go wrong.

 

[catman529]

Maybe in the spring I'll go look for a bush or two and see if there are crappie in there. But for now I'll go with what others have said and put the $5 in the tank. The west harpeth which runs right by the lake looks a lot more promising.

eyeseeker, I shoulda guessed you have fished there.

 

[eyeseeker]

If it is water and anywhere near franklin...I have probably fished it ! Been kicked off every golf course in the area more times than I can count (when i was younger)

 

[catman529]

Oh and speaking of which, me and a buddy fished the crappie pond by the river in a golf course we had talked about. Caught a couple small crappies, lost a couple, and watched 2 or 3 grass carp moving around in the middle of the pond.

Imma see if I can find a spot around here where you haven't fished. lol... doubt that would be easy.

 

[B.D.]

Tadpoles in jan? I might be stupid but I have never seen a tadpole in January.

They are around. A few different species of frogs have tadpoles that overwinter before they change into frogs. Green frogs can do it, and bullfrogs usually do too. I vaguely remember that there's at least one species of toad with overwintering tadpoles but I can't recall what it is.

The tadpoles will go almost into suspended animation and will hibernate in the leaf litter at the bottom, but predators like herons or raccoons can fish them out.

bd