This was a first for me...
 

I was fishing from the yak on Saturdany evening at Heard Pond and had a surprise while fishing.
I was tossing ribbon worms and thumping frogs, having some success even with the low water levels and warm temps.
I was retrieving one cast (frog) and didn't notice that a fish was following until I pulled the frog out of the water at the end of the retrieve. The fish, which had to have had some weight to it, RAN into the side of my kayak hard enough for me to hear and feel it.

I know the pond has a resident beaver, and large snapping turtles, but they always seem to avoid me whenever I even look at them.
I saw the wake as it hit the kayak, and saw the swirl as it passed under the bow.

Now a second observation: jumping fish.
This pond has a good supply of sunfish, crappie and white perch. There's no denying that, but I have never fished a pond where fish literally JUMP out of the water, and I want to know if anyone that has fished this pond knows what they are.
Since I do most of my fishing there after dark, I can't see them to make any kind of ID, just that they are jumping 2-4 feet out of the water. I had one jump over the stern of the kayak just behind my head, because I could hear the tail flapping as it whizzed past.

Any clues as to what this could be?

carp do that

Which part...ramming the kayak or giving my ears a fly-by?:rotf2:

That would scare the carp out of me!:biglaugh:

jumping high in the air and making a big splash typically is a carp

as far as something thumping the boat it might have been a bass

they always seem to do a circle on a strike and maybe it misjudged
the distance to the yak...

This "fish" came in on a straight line, hit the kayak, and took off leaving a good size swirl in its wake. Needless to say, I'll have to try again!

Tim:
I haven't fished that pond but, I have seen Smallmouth Bass jump clear out of the water on many occasions. Have you caught any smallies there?