Great report and great-looking combo Paul.
I had a report from a couple of weeks ago, and if you don't mind, I'll just add it to your thread.
Of course I was fishing my bench freespool synchro reels and short kayak rods.
6' graphite MH frogger (top), 5' glass MM and 5-1/2' glass ML (bottom)
In the TX hill country, it's tough to find water - we're in the 3rd year of drought, but the real problem is big-city sprawl encroaching hill country watersheds. (In the last census, 20% of US population growth was in the TX hill country)
To get away from the latter, Josh, Will and I drove 140 mi to explore a headwater fork - new water for me, and my buddy Josh had only fished this far away 3 times in the last decade.
We're still the only place that can flash flood and still be in trought.
Since I came from the east, we drove separately, and met at the first crossing. After the previous two days flooding, we found near-chocolate water. We fished the deep water here for 2 hours, all the gear worked great, but the fish weren't cooperating, compounded by N wind.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Pxt5btU.jpg)
Decided to take our exploration farther upriver, hoping to find less-turbid water - less chert in the run-off.
We loaded boats, drove 5 miles up a dirt road. crossed the river 5 times -- two of those on the wet flagstone - and found a wide spot in the flagstone where we could see the structure.
The sun was also breaking, wind flip-flopping NE, E, SE and back, and the fish turned on for us.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/QB1ZsdL.jpg)
This time it paid off.
My first cast, right after Josh said, "first fish gets a dollar"
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/aEULbga.jpg)
Josh snapped this photo of me.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/tNn17VH.jpg)
I was fishing the pink/brown 4-g inline keel spinner on the ML
(keels single-hook-up, and bottom-bounces on the flagstone - it's kinda like cheating).
Everyone caught fish here, we paddled as far as we could, and got out to explore farther.
A native cichlid here made Josh's day - these guys strobe-light half-black and half-white when hooked.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/TOvvaW2.jpg)
With the long drive home, we were out of time and had to blast back at 1:30.
Josh didn't invite me until 7pm the night before, so I only had time to load - no time for provisions.
Good thing Josh brought IPAs and jalapeno-cheese sausage to share.
Great group and great time.
A maiden voyage for my new truck. Got to use the 4WD, and the 10-sp transmission was a jewel climbing the divides on the interstate in cruise control.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Lig9MEv.jpg)
We're hoping recent rains will open up some of our favorite western rivers, suffering the blight of San Antonio sprawl and "hill country acreage homesites."
But we'll keep this place in our back pocket, and return when we can find our usual clear water.
adding a ps - looks like you have a really healthy bass population in your pond.
Around here, stunting in "tanks" (ponds) is a population of 2-3" green sunfish, with nothing larger to prey on them.