Subdivision ponds in Champaign, IL

After high school I didn't fish for about three years. During college essentially all I did was study and work, but I started to get the itch during the fall of my junior year. My roommates wanted to fish as well, so we packed up some gear and headed over to a subdivision pond that my aunt and uncle were renting a house next to.



This pond was so loaded with fish that were willing to bite anything that I didn't really develop any fishing skills. If I remember correctly, I used a Rapala crankbait for the bass, crappie, and bluegill and chicken livers on a treble hook for the catfish. I never changed it up because I always got fish. I had a rude awakening when I moved to Wisconsin and discovered that not all fishing was that easy!

White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)


Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)


Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)


Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)


Hope you enjoy these old photos! I had a lot less facial hair back then. Those were the days when my wardrobe consisted of white t-shirts and grey hoodies... and not much else.