Lake Ballinger

Went out for an hour and a half with my two year old. We start out by knocking the rod out of the holder and into the lake. I was tying the fly on so I was able to pull on the line and grab the rod. we troll around for a while and he mentions wanting to go home. When I tell he we can go he said no he wants to catch a fish. We trolled around a little longer and we get one. I help him get it in and net it and he touches it and we let it go. He immediately says lets catch another one. We try a little longer but he tells me he needs snacks. Dad forgot them in the car so we call it a day. On the way home he talks just as much about not catching another fish as the fish he did catch. The new dock made it nice getting a little guy in and out of the boat.

 

[Stonedfish]

Dang, he is getting big!
Good job on the outing pops.
SF

 

[Zak]

Is the construction on the new access all done?

 

[IHFISH]

Nice. I've found snacks to be important in this kind of situation. What I call "that time my daughter caught a couple jumbo stockers on an olive willy" she calls "that time my Dad let me get mountain dew and doritos at the gas station."

 

[Pink Nighty]

I find I need 1.5 snacks and .75 drinks per hour for the 5 year old, first hour is usually a freebie. Hour 2 the snacks come out and they stay steady until we go home.

I keep an apple sauce and some crackers in my chest pack just in case.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Is the construction on the new access all done?

Yes. They opened it up a few months back.
There's a no fishing sign on the new boat dock, and the fishing pier goes out quite a ways. There's been quite a few folks fishing on the pier each time I've been there. It's quite a bit nicer than the old setup, especially the boat dock - huge improvement there.

 

[Matt B]

Great report! Your kid went longer than mine usually do before they ask for a snack...which usually happens sometime between "just started floating" and "lines fully deployed."

 

[Leland Miyawaki]

Great report! Your kid went longer than mine usually do before they ask for a snack...which usually happens sometime between "just started floating" and "lines fully deployed."

Perfect two year old story.
Leland

 

[Scott Salzer]

Keep it up. Snacks are the key.

 

[CRO]

That just might be me checking out the new fishing pier on my way home with a load of bark for the yard. Its a beautiful new pier and launch dock.

 

[WindKnot]

Nice report. I have fond memories of fishing that lake when I was his age.

 

[Richard Olmstead]

I live a few minutes from Ballinger and used to take my grandson canoing there when he was little. I know they plant it with a ton of "catchables" and wondered if they survive long enough to make the lake an option for an evening in a float tube, when I don't have time to drive to a bit wilder destination. Do any of you guys fish Lake Ballinger for you own kicks, or is it mostly for kids and folks drowning worms off the pier?

 

[Jacob Watrous]

I take my son there often as we are only 10 minutes away, catching seems best March & April, May & June are so-so, and it’s ok in September & October again.

 

[Northern]

Yep - 10 min from me, also, so I fish it now and then with some success.
Careful at sunset there on summer evenings - lots of bats!

*edit - Not particularly afraid of bats per se... but there's an evening hatch at times, and throwing a dry, I've had them try to grab it multiple times

 

[Matt B]

Yep - 10 min from me, also, so I fish it now and then with some success.
Careful at sunset there on summer evenings - lots of bats!

*edit - Not particularly afraid of bats per se... but there's an evening hatch at times, and throwing a dry, I've had them try to grab it multiple times

My fishing buddy used to live real close. The evening rise can be fun. Stay late, bring extra refreshments.

 

[Old Man]

I used to live close to that lake. I might of fished it a time or two. But I never caught anything out of it.