# Croton pond



## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

I haven't fished that water (soft) in many years and decided to try it yesterday morning, The water temps were 55 deg with a much colder air temp.I was trying to go after crappie and wasn't sure how them waters are for catching them, all I ended up catching after a couple of Hours were 1- 22" pike, 1- 7 1/2" bluegill and my trolling motor, I remember someone saying they had been on there and to watch out for floating logs, well i was flying across the lake and hit a small one, after that i noticed quiet a few more so watch it :yikes:

Is there a good numbers of crappie there


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Try the small pond - river channel edges - use to get quite a few while chasing perch.


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

Look for some small bays or cuts especially up the river this time of year should be great.


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## eyesforever (Mar 8, 2004)

Westlakedrive said:


> Look for some small bays or cuts especially up the river this time of year should be great.


the stumps in the lil pond, weed edges w/ drops.


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## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

thanks for the good tips


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Westlakedrive said:


> Look for some small bays or cuts especially up the river this time of year should be great.


I don't know about Wes' abilities....
:evilsmile


eyesforever said:


> the stumps in the lil pond, weed edges w/ drops.


But Dave _knows _what the hell he's doing.....

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

All right I cant dispute the above post:
Having caught a Master angler crappie as recently as November (I actually fish for them sometime) should qualify me. 
Also camped on Hardy Pond last year during Memorial Day weekend and if you hit the right cove it was loaded with crappie.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

ya can't miss Dave..he's the guy who's knees are buckling from the weight of the limits he pulls from that pond!!!!:evilsmile


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

shametamer said:


> ya can't miss Dave..he's the guy who's knees are buckling from the weight of the limits he pulls from that pond!!!!:evilsmile


When you get to be Dave's age I am not sure if you can tell for sure why his knees are buckling. :lol:


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

Westlakedrive said:


> When you get to be Dave's age I am not sure if you can tell for sure why his knees are buckling. :lol:


I dunno..you see him at the casino when he hits a royal or 3 diamonds..he makes mike vick..look old,crippled and slow:yikes: robert(walleye champeen and west coast legend) on the other hand, we know is buckled and bowlegged from all the electronics he carries and he runs with!


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## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

doe he know Croton well or all lakes


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

dave=eyesforever...croton is his 'home' water


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## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

shametamer said:


> dave=eyesforever...croton is his 'home' water


and i thought he was someone that could walk on water, lol


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Westlakedrive said:


> All right I cant dispute the above post:
> Having caught a Master angler crappie as recently as November (I actually fish for them sometime) should qualify me.
> Also camped on Hardy Pond last year during Memorial Day weekend and if you hit the right cove it was loaded with crappie.


It's not like we've fished against each other competitively or anything....
Anybody can catch 'em from th' frEEk....Even ED!!
:lol:
Hardy - is NOT Croton and many folks (including Dave) will tell you they DO NOT fish the same.




ready2fish said:


> and i thought he was someone that could walk on water, lol


On Croton , he probably CAN.
:mischeif:


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

I dont think that you can say they dont fish the same. The same techiniques work for certain species regardless of the lake you are fishing. 
This allows anglers to pattern species from lake to lake. 
Hardy water is different from Croton water thats obvious. 
However, if you find a certain water temp/depth/clarity environmental conditions that hold crappie on Hardy then find the same environmental conditions on Croton they will both hold the same type of fish. Its a biological certainty.


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

About the only thing certain about fishing, i don't care the species be it bass, walleye, pike, perch or gills, if you don't GET YOUR LINE WET YOU WONT GET BIT!

Nuff said! LOL


BD


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Westlakedrive said:


> I dont think that you can say they dont fish the same. The same techiniques work for certain species regardless of the lake you are fishing.
> This allows anglers to pattern species from lake to lake.
> Hardy water is different from Croton water thats obvious.
> However, if you* find a certain water temp/depth/clarity environmental conditions that hold crappie on Hardy then find the same environmental conditions on Croton* they will both hold the same type of fish. Its a biological certainty.


Thank you for stating the _obvious_ Wesley....
:lol:
* Certainty sCHmertainty....*
I didn't suggest WHY they fish different - I said that they DO.
:tdo12:
Now maybe you can see WHY they fish differently , as the conditions on Hardy vary greatly from Croton on any given day.

I bet there's often as much as a 5 degree difference between the two (especially comparing the little pond to Hardy).
Water clarity is NEVER the same on the two .
Croton seems to have much more standing timber than Hardy - albeit I have NOT scoped Hardy extensively with my Aqua Vu.
Bottom compostion is usually different too.

If they are so similar - WHY does Hardy have a greater walleye population than Hardy??
Why are there (seemingly) so many more hammer handles in Hardy that Croton?

Croton's probably a better bet for specs and gills for SURE.

Ask Dave!


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

sfw1960 said:


> If they are so similar - WHY does Hardy have a greater walleye population than Hardy??
> Why are there (seemingly) so many more hammer handles in Hardy that Croton?
> 
> Croton's probably a better bet for specs and gills for SURE.
> ...


It seems I am right brained and you are left brained. :lol: I pretty much agree with your analysis. 

I am assuming Hardy has a greater walleye population than Croton? But if I wanted to catch a keeper I would go to Croton first. 
You answered your own question- why are there more hammer handles in Hardy....because Croton is a better bet for specs and gils.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Westlakedrive said:


> It seems I am right brained and you are left brained. :lol: I pretty much agree with your analysis.
> 
> I am assuming Hardy has a greater walleye population than Croton? But if I wanted to catch a keeper I would go to Croton first.
> You answered your own question- why are there more hammer handles in Hardy....because Croton is a better bet for specs and gils.


Both are diversified fisheries with excellent forage bases , so this doesn't explain the differences Mr right brain....
Sounds like you & I should do some competitive fishing on BOTH ponds , huh???

:evilsmile


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

sfw1960 said:


> Both are diversified fisheries with excellent forage bases , so this doesn't explain the differences Mr right brain....
> Sounds like you & I should do some competitive fishing on BOTH ponds , huh???
> 
> :evilsmile


I was thinking about that. Croton would be a good place for a crappie tournament. Its all the rage down south. 

Whatever the species though you may have to handicap me a few pounds. I was at Dave's garage sale and bought some of his fishing tackle a while back. Unfortunately I wasnt smart enough to realize he was only unloading all the tackle that didnt work on Croton pond.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

SO Wes???
How about those fish......

:evilsmile


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

wally-eye said:


> Heck Bill I taught SFW "almost" everything he knows about walleye......:evilsmile
> 
> I still have a few tricks up my sleeve that I haven't taught that young grasshopper yet .......:lol:
> 
> Bill ya ever need a partner for the UP give me a bump.......ain't like I'm busy or anything.....since I have all the young un's working and paying for my SSI...:lol:


yo DAn!! had no idea you could get away for a few days to yooper.....you would have to deal with the tacoma as i have the dodge magnum in storage i have this family/kent thing goin on this weekend..then the musky opener on st clair come 1 st saturday in june, dwf tourney on june 14..so it would be after then b4 i head back across the mack...was hopin to slide to the west side(coast) if i can arrange it.....where would you like to try in the yooper?......otter/keewenaw......gogebic/cisco chain......michigamme/parent/independece/bond falls.......peavy/way dam.......bays de doc/indian////,,,,,greenwood,hoist dam.....manistique(big,south and north)/milakokia.millecoquins.....taquamenhon/brimley.....les cheneaux/caribou.......drummond is...i split her up bout 10 ways...unless u want trout...they have casinos around watersmeet,christmas,manistique,st ignace..st ignace and the soo have some pretty fair eateries.....bergland has a couple of decent spots to eat,,burger and beer used to b good at way dam resort..if u felt like hiking and backpacking...craig lake or sylvania are available////////////////best crappie..probably michigamme resevoir./.....best perch..no contest Gogebic///best walleye(biggest) probably portage/torch in keewenaw..most walleye? contaminated deer lake basin most consistent eyes LBD..but with slot..best largemouth..cisco chain....smallies..hmm toughie lake michigamme,hoist ]dam,bay de noc...best pike..bout anywhere..trophy? greenwood my bet.......musky? peavy..recently..trout? they'll scream if i mention small streams..lol but u wanna get fancy a charter to stannard rock to jig for lakers or the ride to isle royal and chase the coaster brookies...i don't do salmon much..they are incidental...P.S. one of these days i'll have to drag KUSH thru the circle tour of the u.p. to really get a handle on the top eateries!!!!!


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## sea nympho (Aug 7, 2006)

It coughed up two 21" smallies and a 13.5" perch for me yesterday evening. 

It's good to see one of the original "experimental early C&R program lake" doing just fine...if not better than ever.

Nice catch 'o Specs, btw.


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

sfw1960 said:


> SO Wes???
> How about those fish......
> 
> :evilsmile


Not sure how many eyes are left in the Freek. 
Crappie bite is definitely on. caught half dozen all 12-14.


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## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

Westlakedrive said:


> Not sure how many eyes are left in the Freek.
> Crappie bite is definitely on. caught half dozen all 12-14.


them some nice size slabs


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

I released them all. I think they are about fourth on the list of best fish to eat.
Walleye, perch, gils all have them beat.


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## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

Westlakedrive said:


> I released them all. I think they are about fourth on the list of best fish to eat.
> Walleye, perch, gils all have them beat.


i have to agree with that


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Nice job on the specs Wes...
What did you get 'em on??
Your usual hairy critters??
:evil:
10-4 on the eyes - out of about 25 fish landed last W/E fishing with brigeton , not an eye in the mix.
Didn't even see a follow either.
:rant:
If pike & bass are all I'll catch - it's off to greener waters for me!!!
Where are they at Dave???
:evilsmile :lol: :evilsmile


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## eyesforever (Mar 8, 2004)

sfw1960 said:


> Nice job on the specs Wes...
> What did you get 'em on??
> Your usual hairy critters??
> :evil:
> ...


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

The "tourists" are GONE Dave.....
You do any good??

:evilsmile


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## eyesforever (Mar 8, 2004)

sfw1960 said:


> The "tourists" are GONE Dave.....
> You do any good??
> 
> :evilsmile


Oh yeh, if you call freezin' your a*& off for 2 doin' good


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

eyesforever said:


> Oh yeh, if you call freezin' your a*& off for 2 doin' good


I'd be happy with two the way my season has been goin' !!!

:lol: :lol:


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