[Michael]

Decided to give saltwater a break and hit Mondo Ponds with my 5'6" ML setup Saturday. Arrived at 4:10pm. Skies were overcast, air was mild, and winds were steady 5 to 10 mph ranging from the south to the west with occasional 12 to 15 mph gusts.

I hit a number of spots with the bluegill SW-8, which resulted in a total of 5 blow ups and 4 other hooksets. Landed a cookie cutter, 15" 2 pounder, and 14" 1 pound 10 ounces. Lost a cookie cutter.

Later is when the bite shut down due to winds picking up and clouds leaving. Eventually landed a dinky 11" pickerel and lost a pickerel in the same spot.

Once it was after 6:30pm and clouds rolled back in, I headed back over to the areas that were giving me action.

First stop was where I got the first blow up and saw a fisherman wading while I was in another area. That's where I got stuck on line that was snagged in weeds where I saw the fisherman wading and lost the SW-8

Continued hitting a few other spots and other lures I threw were custom painted Heddon Spit'n Image, 1/2 oz Luhr Jenson Woodchopper, custom painted SP-9 imitator, and weedless frog. The Heddon got me 2 blow ups with 1 of them being a cookie cutter I lost on the jump. Had 1 small blow up on the Woodchopper and 2 on the frog.

Hit the road just before 8pm.

2 big things that seemed to have gotten bass and pickerel to hit were color and sound. Colors would have to look like a dragonfly or bullfrog, with deeper reds and pumpkin orange brown being 2 others. Sounds are buzzbait, certain props, and loud spitting, chugging, and rattling while walking the dog. Poppers aren't doing too much unless it has the perfect touch, such as a Heddon Pop'n Image and Rapala X-Rap Popper.