A fun Saturday, with an odd sighting

I called my old fishing partner last weekend to see if he was up for a trip this weekend and we were able to make that happen. Been a few years since we fished together. We pushed off and had lines in the water about 9:30 with clear blue skies overhead and a calm wind to start. My first cast resulted in a small bass, his 2nd cast brought in another just a bit bigger.
We trolled across the pond to the far shore where we've had lots of success in past trips and he pulled in the big fish of the day, a nice bass of 16" and solidly built; one of the few keeper bass this pond has given up to us. He returned it for another day.



I had the cooler with me, looking for some bigger 'gills and some crappie but it sure took a while to find some. Finally got some decent bluegill action up along that shore, put a couple on ice and decided to head to a favored weed line and drop off. I clipped on a Road runner with a Southern Pro stinger as well as a stinger on a ball head and headed out. Got about 1/2 way there and scored this nice one on the troll.



Few minutes later on the other pole the twin to the first came aboard for a picture and ice bath.



In between mine, my partner had a solid hit and boated this 14" keeper, I think it ties his PB from this same pond many years ago.



Unfortunately, that would do it for the crappie this trip, despite lots of casting and some more trolling.

Along our path in the calm water, my partner pointed out some odd creatures in the water, something neither of us had ever seen. What we called "freshwater jellyfish". No I'm not kidding!! Just above the camera reflection, 10 o'clock to the sun's reflection. There is another one 3/4 up the page, about 12:30 on the sun's face. Perhaps dime or quarter sized, we saw many of them, dozens, motivating along, just like a salt water one would do. Was hard to get a picture of them.



Some research when we got home indicates that these are not native to the US, having come from China, perhaps as far back as 1930. Not considered an "invasive" species as they don't seem to have an effect on the ecosystem. Also referred to as a "peach blossom jellyfish" and they have a longer scientific name. Usually they are stuck to the muck at the bottom of lakes and ponds. Only occasionally do they make it to the surface.



That was a first for both of us, for sure.

Total for the trip would 29 in to the boat, with the 3 big crappies coming home, along with 1 perch and 7 good 'gills. I've got them all cleaned up in the fridge. We called it a day about 2:15.