Thanks, GJers...appreciate your comments. So enjoyable to be outside (sometimes the 50's lately & sometimes the 80's & 90's...LOL!) Now if I can only catch up w/the weeds everywhere...will take some time since it's a late Spring here in IA. GJ forum has given me so many fun ideas! So back at ya...keep the ideas & pics coming! Jeanne S.

Good question Kathy. Thanks for posting that link, Saucy. I was looking at Wikipedia last night and really didn't see an explanation that was clear cut either. [g] The explanation I read suggests that all ponds are man made and lakes are not.....among other things. That didn't seem possible to me? So I went looking at the history of this particular pond and couldn't determine whether it had been man made or not. It seems pretty large to have been dug out. If you notice in Photo #2, there is paving....that circles the pond and makes a great walking, running surface too. Kids bring their bikes, lots of in line skaters sometimes and it is Dog Heaven....lol. Very unusual to see it so empty. There was not a car in sight and not a person out there yesterday. If you notice the paved area, there is water on both sides. Looking in one direction you see the small side that is very still with the evening primrose in the photo and the one above it. The sky in that direction was lighter too. On the other side of the pavement it is larger with more movement to the water. All of the dark photos. This might give you a better idea of it's size on the larger side. It is about 2 miles around to walk it, perfect size. It also has some different unpaved trails to explore. I have seen photos taken there of Herons and Osprey but have not caught one myself. I've seen the Heron when I didn't have a camera with me, naturally. [g] This is hardly the nicest natural area around. But it is in an almost urban area which makes it more special and it is well used, safe as far as I've ever heard. Always lots of friendly people using it all year. Thanks for the catch Norma...I had to look it up...Cygnets. Evidently swans are from the Genus Cygnus. I was wondering where they came up with that name for the babies....you learn something new every day. I love photos of the sky too Michelle. I think it is because I can't see the horizon from my property at all. Saucy...we caught the babies when they were still small and fuzzy one year which is a lot of fun to watch. These would have been babies in the spring. Yes the parents are very protective and will attack, but with all the people walking along that paved path, they are well used to people. I was able to get about 4 feet to them, but when the parent's back was to me. When I tried it from the other side, she went on the alert and would have charged me if I took another step toward them. I have a photo of a swan in attack mode, chasing off another swan who was evidently overstepping his bounds near her territory. She had her wings out and was moving at top speed after him. I didn't get the photo of her on the shore with her wings flapping before she went into the water, but here is the one I was able to get.... Thanks for looking... :-)

Thank you everyone. I was so worried I was being a PITA. I am so happy you enjoy my pix. GG, I went and peeked at my dat buds before, and I have a Tatula Le Fleur opening..it's the one I thought was going to be a white, but I can see the lilac now. This will be my first dat bloom!! Will post pix after they bloom..keep those fingers crossed for me :) thanks! O and I have more purple buds than I thought..PLUS I have a big one I think will be a yellow..*fingers crossed :) HAHAHA!! Brenda, the water gets cloudy in the afternoon, think its from the sun..I read that somewhere. And there is a very fine film of dust on the liner..can't help it with the dogs always running around, but it's not that bad. It IS great to be able to see the bottom, water so clear. I don't want that algae to come when it's cycling!! but I know it will. Hopefully the plecos will keep on top of it. I am using beneficial bacteria to speed things up. Thanks Rigo :) lol Karyn, if you were closer, I'd def help you out! It's so much fun! Thanks Collielover! I have decided to remove the preform the fish were in previously. I think I cracked it when I was trying to catch the plecos..but I got em today!! they are SO fast. So instead of making a raised brug bed in the middle of the yard with the extra dirt, I will just fill in that hole, and put some brugs there. Still keeping the lil'est preform going though. Started deconstructing today..hey I was able to use the rocks from it, lol. Still need alot more. I have to check the weather again..we still didnt get any storms? Had a bit of rain, couple claps of thunder and that was it. I am counting on that rain! thanks again everyone :)

I assume this bass pond is mud bottom and fairly large. Here's how it's done. Being able to lower the pond level and a clean bottom are a big help. Other than that the methods you're using would be plan B. Not very effective as you've found. You might be able to get some but getting all would be tough. Longer term you might be able to train them to come to food, they may have to re-learn this. Then you'd have more luck. For bait I would use Berkley Powerbait for Trout, maybe Catfish. I know the Trout version smells just like the fish food they feed at the hatchery which is similar to many Koi food. Not sure if you want them caught alive, but you can string a trotline. Or bunch of jugs (plastic soda bottles) with fish line and hook tied on. Fish would probably not survive. I'm pretty sure these techniques are legal in private ponds but you may want to check. On a side note, the state of Maine out laws keeping of Koi and Goldfish. Many people think that's unfair, and maybe it is. But this demonstrates why most people in the state don't want to take the chance.