Wasnt expecting this.. Special Fish in an unlikely place

[Phil6]

Some of you know about my "honey hole", its a tiny pond, no larger than 2 acres. Low/medium pressure, weedy, full of stunted but aggressive panfish and medium-large bass, some big carp in there. A kid told me a tiger musky got pulled out one time, "okay bud" was about all the thought I put into that. On one occasion I saw a small esox with vertical baring but I figured it was a young pike, maybe dave or woo remember when I texted them freaking out that I saw an esox in "my pond"

I visit this pond a lot in winter because I know it well. I can get people on the panfish here, and as such its usually where I take first timers. I've probably put 10 people on their first ice fish on this pond and love sharing it with them. I caught (through ice) my first Panfish, Crappie and Bass out of this lake.

A year ago, this was where I started my ice fishing addiction. Not sure if anyone remembers but I went out there with a crowbar to break through the ice and a dock demon + lead 1/8oz jig heads.

Well, that experiment has cost me quite a bit more than I was originally expecting. On Saturday, my lake decided to remind me why I got "hooked"

[urbanHog312]

looks like a tiger to me. sooooo theres gotta be a fat one in there somewhere...

[Phil6]

looks like a tiger to me

Helps my conscious a little more. Ive had 5 people "confirm" it was a tiger but Im still worried someone's gonna tell me otherwise. I am def not trying to be "that guy"


Also, with the amount of forage in that lake, theres gotta be a fatty.

[Aux Pleins]

Neat catch! That fish is only about 2 years old. Tigers, that's what is normally stocked in small lakes and ponds. Tigers do not reproduce so they're easy to manage and wont over take and decimate the other species.

[grems]

Great story, congrats! What'd you catch him on?

Where do you think he came from? Is that pond professionally stocked, or was it a neighbor doing his own thing? Cool either way, too bad they don't reproduce.

[Phil6]

The fish was caught on a semi-living minnow under a deadsticked rod w/ a bell. I forgot to tighten up the drag when I tried to set the hook and ended up hand-lining the fish in.

I do not believe this was stocked by the property owners. There are few people who fish it and those that do all seem to think of it as "their secret spot" So I would imagine it found its way in there thanks to one of them. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of fish pulled out here, so this was really a shock to see. Now I cant wait to get back on there.


Aux, makes me wonder if there is anything bigger in there or if there's just a class of 2 year olds swimming around. The one that I saw in early spring was ~12in, so that could make sense.

[SmalliesNEyes]

The fish was caught on a semi-living minnow under a deadsticked rod w/ a bell. I forgot to tighten up the drag when I tried to set the hook and ended up hand-lining the fish in.

I do not believe this was stocked by the property owners. There are few people who fish it and those that do all seem to think of it as "their secret spot" So I would imagine it found its way in there thanks to one of them. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of fish pulled out here, so this was really a shock to see. Now I cant wait to get back on there.


Aux, makes me wonder if there is anything bigger in there or if there's just a class of 2 year olds swimming around. The one that I saw in early spring was ~12in, so that could make sense.

Someone stocked a handful of them most likely. Hybrids can't reproduce, so it's the only way they got in there.

[Phil6]

so it's the only way they got in there.

Unless there's pike living in there and someone stocked a musky and things got freaky

[urbanHog312]

18.jpg

when you find out the hybrids reproduced

[SmalliesNEyes]

so it's the only way they got in there.

Unless there's pike living in there and someone stocked a musky and things got freaky

I guess it could happen. Haha. Dunno about the odds of it, though.

[SmalliesNEyes]

18.jpg

when you find out the hybrids reproduced

[Aux Pleins]

If there are homes on that body of water you can bet it was stocked by the pond or lake management. I don't think anybody bought tiger musky fry and transported them hours to stock them. The association has a plan and pay money for the management of that body of water. Everything from aquatic life to water quality testing are involved. Smaller subdivision ponds and lakes would be dead seas if it were not for such management. Even the smallest ponds in front of shopping centers can be under said management. There is a evolving science to their ways. Over the summer I witnessed such a stocking at my dentist office pond. They were stocking Grass Carp to cull the weeds and grass growth. And they only stocked 2 very large grass carp, I would say the pond is smaller than a tennis court, not sure of the depth.

You may not notice such maintenance because in some cases its just one annual visit. I know a couple shallow subdivision ponds in Lindenhurst off Grass Lake road that are stocked with those tiger muskys. Its no secret, but they are private bodies of water so I'm not giving away any honey holes.

[vman01]

Keep fishing that spot Phil, see what else you can pull out of that pond.

[Busse Jim]

Excellent deep winter read and fish !!!

Hell ya that’s a tiger! More rounded tips on the tail than a ski, Irregular bars, you could check the pores under the chin, but who wants to count when you catch a fish like that, especially thru the ice.

Think I remember that crowbar story from last off-season.
Never caught one and I can’t wait till I finally get one out of my honey hole! And that one won’t be stocked. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
That is one cool fish!!

[Busse Jim]

There is a evolving science to their ways. Over the summer I witnessed such a stocking at my dentist office pond. They were stocking Grass Carp to cull the weeds and grass growth. And they only stocked 2 very large grass carp, I would say the pond is smaller than a tennis court, not sure of the depth.

Ever since Geo got that monster at wdg, THAT is something i wish the the experts that influence Busse might have considered. Seemed like a cheap cost effective, gradual environmentally sound solution to Busse's weed problem. But they chose another way
That and i might snag a 30 lb fish while bass fishing

[bapentec]

Fun post to read! Glad you have such a great panfish spot....it's really all I've been looking for...tip ups do not excite me....I really enjoy jigging those tasty morsels up....that's my thing though....gorgeous little pike and great story. Thanks for sharing!

[Phil6]

If there are homes on that body of water you can bet it was stocked by the pond or lake management

Thats the thing, this pond is in an industrial park. Lots of signs telling me I shouldnt be doing what Im doing. I think it was a fishing hole before the area got bought up and then "no fishing" was enforced, land changed hands and that stopped and people started fishing it again (and someone stocked it I guess)

[grems]

"Algae management" is why catfish farmers stocked asian carp in their ponds, oops...