Post Written by Paul
Husband, father of two, pilot and part-time blogger from Dayton, Ohio.

Visit a Pond

Last Saturday night we had a blast with my kids at my brother-in-law’s pond.  He has a small pond (1/2 acre) on his farm that was stocked by the previous owner and is rarely fished.  This is good news for us because that means when we do go fishing, the kids are always bound to catch something.  In fact, my daughter caught a bass with a old fishing pole and ugly lure about 5 minutes after we got there.  My 3 year son even caught a couple of nice bluegills using nothing but some small garden worms. Here’s a small video of our adventure:

Ponds are literally teeming with life, especially in the spring. Finding a pond to sit and relax by is a sublime spring experience. All you have to do is sit still and watch the wildlife around you, from blue dragonflies to songbirds to turtles. Ponds are also fantastic playgrounds for kids. Mine once sat still for an entire ten minutes (no small miracle) watching and waiting for a frog to catch his fly. When he finally did, they broke into wild applause. Better than television!

How to Make it Happen

Many city parks and sometimes cemeteries have beautifully cared for pond habitats. You can call your city’s Parks and Recreation Department for recommendations. If you know someone on a farm or rural acreage, ask if you can visit. Untended ponds often offer more diverse wildlife such as beavers and otters.

Don’t rush. Take along a blanket and picnic lunch. Take a book and read under a shade tree. If there are ducks on the pond, take stale bread to feed them. Take nets for either catching butterflies or skimming for tadpoles. (Either way, release them back to the wild!)