Sabbatical -- Day 38 -- Pole Position

August 2

On these days during sabbatical when I am at home, there has been little agenda or planning so far. They have just unfolded the way they unfolded. That was true of August 2. I began the day with coffee on the back porch. I read a bunch of news. Caught up on national and local items, and then paid attention to social media a bit longer than I should have. I have been managing my screen time really well during sabbatical, but I just looked at the social media stuff longer than I needed.

After reading posts and seeing what others were doing I decided to look up some fishing places that were nearby. I have tried to fish on the Elkhorn Creek at the bridge where 460 crosses into Georgetown. Never had luck there. Same on the other side of Georgetown, near Cardome. I decided neither of those was great. I have fished on Stoner Creek in Paris, but without a boat I don't know where good access is. I don't know any farm ponds close by that aren't church-related, because those would be my preference. I really enjoy pond fishing.

I went to the LexingtonKY.gov website and saw they have public fishing at a place called Hisle Farm on Briar Hill Rd. That's literally 4 miles from the house. I decided to go fishing there. My fishing gear has been scattered about here at the house and I can't find it all. So, I made a trip to WalMart for some reinforcements, and live bait only to find they only had meal worms -- they would have to suffice. I made my way to Hisle Farm Pond.

To say the pond is overgrown would be an understatement. The access to the water is limited to two paths on one side of the pond. The brush falling into the pond, scattered about was an indicator that while Lexington keeps a path mowed around the pond -- that's all the maintenance they're willing to do. After walking and walking I found the two paths, a place to put a chair, enough clearance between trees and limbs to make a decent cast and I assumed pole position.

Hisle Farm Pond

The bites were few to begin, but it did pick up. Bluegill. Each one less than 5". Not as productive as I would have liked. I tried poppers, spinners, worms, and other kinds of bass bait -- to no avail.

I will say that I am not an accomplished fisherman. I don't know what to choose for bait for bass, or how to work the bait. I don't know much about bass habitat. It's hit or miss with me, and more often, miss.

It was very quiet there. I was the only one fishing which was good because there wasn't enough room for more than one other person. The air around me was filled with dragonflies. It was overcast. It rained on me a bit. I worried a bit about ticks, but I was enjoying the sublime beauty of the water and the trees and the clouds, and even the lost bobbers stuck in the trees. It was a decent quiet time punctuated by that buzzing, whirring sound that you get in your ears when mosquitoes pass by. It is difficult to enjoy nature when nature is trying to eat you.

I lasted about two hours and then I was done. I was sweaty and had spider webs all over me and mosquito bites and too few fish bites. Still, I enjoyed it. I do wish Lexington would provide a little maintenance for the pond and perhaps check the health of the fish.

Back home I showered and checked for ticks, ate some grilled chicken and felt pretty good about the afternoon adventure.

Peace and Love,
Jerry