By Josh Boy
Among anglers, few things will cause a sharp increase in heart rate as quickly as the submersion of a float below the waters surface, a rod tip bending double at the insistence of a willing biter, or the telltale sound of line stripping against a reel’s drag with an almost rhythmic quality.
As much as fishing is about the time spent in nature’s vast beauty, the thump on the other end of the line that signals a potential catch, is what keeps fishermen coming back for more. Bite after bite and catch after catch, an angler’s passion burns deeper with each passing day on the water.
Whether a lake, river, stream or farm pond, fishermen tend to appreciate a certain volume of diversity within their angling outings to keep things fresh and to discover new ways to experience the endless enjoyment that fishing provides. From every body of water, lessons can be learned and memories can be made.
Within many regions of the nation, a number of anglers are discovering an alternate destination of sorts to wet a line and enjoy an afternoon with family and friends.
Paylake fishing has been steadily increasing in popularity for a number of years, with many anglers becoming regulars to paylakes within their local area. Paylakes, or large ponds stocked with catfish that are available to be fished for a set fee, are typically found in abundance in many regions.
There are many reasons for the rise in popularity of paylakes and their sustained success. One such example is their ease of accessibility. Much like a farm pond, many paylakes are located in areas that lend well to access by children, elderly, and others with limited mobility. Some even cater to the needs of individuals who are wheelchair bound by providing handicap accessible docks or other similar structures.
For this reason, paylakes become a viable option for those that might otherwise be highly restricted in their ability to locate a suitable locale to fish. The strategy of many paylakes, to be all inclusive, lends itself well as a solution in these situations.
The high probability of success that paylakes have the potential to yield is yet another commonly cited reason for their sustained success and popularity. Although success is not guaranteed, and slow days of fishing do occur just as they do in any other body of water, an angler stands a reasonably good chance of a favorable outcome due to heavy stocking rates.
This high potential for success makes paylake fishing an excellent option for introducing new anglers to the sport. Children often lack the patience to sit for vast amounts of time, should fishing be abnormally slow during an outing. The high propensity for a steady stream of action that is common at many paylakes, often does well to quell the restlessness of a young angler.
Many anglers also flock to paylakes to take part in their popular tournaments and competitions. Paylakes have long since recognized that tournaments, offering cash payouts for the winner, brings an abundance of anglers to their waters. In turn, an individual need not look far to find a paylake holding a tournament on any given weekend.
Many different varieties of paylake tournaments and competitions exist. Single day tournaments centered around catching the largest catfish, or alternatively the greatest number of catfish, are among the most popular. Multiple day tournaments of varying lengths also exist in many capacities.
Anglers also commonly fish paylakes as a means to provide fresh catfish fillets for a fish fry or family get together. Sure, an individual could likely find fresh catfish filets at a number of supermarkets within a short drive of their location. But spending an afternoon on the banks of a favored body of water, reeling in aggressive channel cats is sure to bring an individual substantially more enjoyment.
Paylakes often stock their waters with farm raised channel catfish, much the way that many private ponds are stocked. This leads to large numbers of catfish being present that are of optimum size and quality for use as table fare.
Paylakes offer a myriad of opportunity for anglers of all age groups and skill level. No one is excluded from the catfishing fun that an afternoon at your local paylake has to offer.
No matter your reason, a trip to your local paylake has the potential to put fish on your stringer, and smiles on the faces of all involved. You will be building memories with every successive cast and will be thankful that you were able to experience the excitement that paylake fishing so readily presents.