Pond Fishing Help?

[gripnrip]

I have an hour and a half to fish tomorrow. Today it's drizzling rain and 52 for a high. Tomorrow is supposed to be 68 for a high and partly cloudy. A big cold front is moving in on Saturday, dropping the temps to 52 for a high Saturday ad 25 for a low Sunday.

What would you throw?

[moguy1973]

Jerk baits and jigs

[MCS]

Try to see if they chase a fluke, when it was chilly here suspending jerk baits, we had roughes in blue/silver or sour grape, daiwa db minnow or bomber long a. If that didn't do it I would work or a small Texas rig. 1/16 or 1/8 and a 4-6" bait, 4" grande bass rattlesnake, 6" zoom lizard and a 6.5" culprit ribbon tail worked back really slow or drug back. That all worked when I fish my ponds and it was in the 40's over night with highs in the 50's

[papajoe222]

Based on what you've stated, the fish's activity level should be up.  The question is, what is normal activity for this time of year?  Any Idea on what the water temp. is, or if the fish are still in a wintering state, or pre-spawn. 

If you're not sure of the answer to those questions, you have two options and seeing as you only have an hour and a half, I'd go with the first option which is throwing a crank, preferably a suspending model like a FatFree Shad.  Start out working it fast with an occasional hesitation and slow down and increase your pauses (numbers and duration) until you find the right combination or are letting the bait sit for the majority of the retrieve.

If the water isn't deeper than eight ft. or so, there's no need to go through this process with a deeper or shallower running bait.

Your other option is to downsize and fish slow.  With the little time you have, although this may be the better of the two if you had more time, I'd go with the first option.

[TrapperJ]

haha nice, funny will be doing about the same thing tomorrow myself.

 

My co-worker and I call it "Lunch Time Bass'n" we were planning to go today, but we didnt pack any rain gear, so were holding off until tomorrow.

 

We only got about 50 mins to fish, found a place 5 mins from where we work to wet a line.

 

I got some Senko's dark colors, Black/blue and watermelon black/red, couple of spinner baits, jigs, and worms. Hopefully between the two of us we can find something that works. Never tried fishing this early myself but can't pass up the good weather and great moon phase.

 

We did this a lot early spring last year and for only having a limited time we could find them. Biggest being 3 pounders each, on separate days.

[gripnrip]

haha nice, funny will be doing about the same thing tomorrow myself.

 

My co-worker and I call it "Lunch Time Bass'n" we were planning to go today, but we didnt pack any rain gear, so were holding off until tomorrow.

 

We only got about 50 mins to fish, found a place 5 mins from where we work to wet a line.

 

I got some Senko's dark colors, Black/blue and watermelon black/red, couple of spinner baits, jigs, and worms. Hopefully between the two of us we can find something that works. Never tried fishing this early myself but can't pass up the good weather and great moon phase.

 

We did this a lot early spring last year and for only having a limited time we could find them. Biggest being 3 pounders each, on separate days.

Gotta love this Okie weather eh? Lol

[TrapperJ]

haha you said it!

 

It really fools you cause one day its like this then next week it might be snowing.

 

Hopefully we find them tomorrow, good luck out there!

[Sam]

Forget the air temperature and find the water temperature.

Fish the water temperature.

Jigs & pigs; jerkbaits; flatsided crankbaits; Rat-L-Traps; Spinnerbaits; Chatterbaits.

What is the water color? Clear? Stained? Dirty? Select your colors based on water clarity and what they are eating.

Remember, as the water temperature drops the bass will want to conserve energy and eat big meals and snacks without moving much.

This means you have to find where the bass are holding and at what depth. Any structure will hold warmer water and a bass will hold to the rock or stump for the warmer water and in wait for a meal to swim by.

Personally, I would start with a jig and pig in a crawfish color followed by your jerkbaits and crankbaits. If there is "chop" on the water throw your spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits.

Let us know how you do.

[Sam]

And don't forget to bring your needle nose pliers.

[TrapperJ]

Its going to be windy as heck tomorrow, I was under the impression they wont chase to much, so i ruled out Rat-L-Traps, my buddy said he would try a slow roll a spinnerbait. I'm leaning towards Jig myself.

 

Being OK water will be more than likely at least stained, but still site is unseen so you never know.

 

I have one Chatterbait, all white, that i have yet to ever even get wet.

[tbone1993]

Its going to be windy as heck tomorrow, I was under the impression they wont chase to much, so i ruled out Rat-L-Traps, my buddy said he would try a slow roll a spinnerbait. I'm leaning towards Jig myself.

 

Being OK water will be more than likely at least stained, but still site is unseen so you never know.

 

I have one Chatterbait, all white, that i have yet to ever even get wet.

Throw that thing into the weeds when you get a chance.

[PondBoss]

When the wind is blowing you I am throwing a crankbait in Oklahoma ponds.  I will be fishing to golf course ponds tomorrow and better believe I will be throwing a crank.  When I find a fish or two with the crank I will catch as many as I can out of the school then slow down to pick up any bigger fish that may be waiting around.

 

Fat Free Guppy

Swim Jig

Soft Plastics

[gripnrip]

When the wind is blowing you I am throwing a crankbait in Oklahoma ponds.  I will be fishing to golf course ponds tomorrow and better believe I will be throwing a crank.  When I find a fish or two with the crank I will catch as many as I can out of the school then slow down to pick up any bigger fish that may be waiting around.

 

Fat Free Guppy

Swim Jig

Soft Plastics

Oh crank bait oh crank bait how I love thee!   I'll probably try some cranks a little.  Jigs sound like a plan too.  A chatter bait to??? Man only if I had more than an hour and a half!!!!

[PondBoss]

Yeah a chatter bait would be something I would throw also.  Like was stated above, throw it in and around grass ticking the tops of it and occasionally getting it stuck so you can rip it out.

 

I know I will take 4 set ups with me tomorrow, they are set up as follows:

 

Bomber 4a chartreuse/blue back

Fluke bubblegum

Swim Jig/sexy shad

T-rig Super Hog watermelon candy

 

That being said, my ponds are pretty clear-stained, the rain from today probably muddied the water a bit.  But as dry as it's been it may have just soaked in and not run off.  

[TrapperJ]

Well made a run to a pond this evening before it dark which meant about 60 mins of fishing, and it was tough out there, muddy water from the rain.

Worked two baits, black/blue jig and watermelon black red flake senko.

Got a little nibble on the jig and then struck out tonight, hope tomorrow improves.

[gripnrip]

I'll be at my spot at 2:00 central time.  I'm hoping the good ol' sun warms up the water a bunch!

[PondBoss]

Ponds will warm faster since they are smaller bodies of water, plus being dirty helps as well.  I stick to my guns though and say throw a moving bait.  Something that is loud or vibrates a bunch.  When they are slow I think sometimes you have to either catch them by surprise or tick them off.  That's why I fish fast baits but make repeated casts to areas that should hold fish.  Good luck tomorrow, hope to hear you did well.  I will check in also if I am able to get out.

[TrapperJ]

Lets find those fish tomorrow!

GL to all going out! And don't forget...

"Pics or it didn't happen!"

[bassbuckets]

I have an hour and a half to fish tomorrow. Today it's drizzling rain and 52 for a high. Tomorrow is supposed to be 68 for a high and partly cloudy. A big cold front is moving in on Saturday, dropping the temps to 52 for a high Saturday ad 25 for a low Sunday.

What would you throw?

I've been doing pond fishing recently with little success with crankbaits. However, 6 inch Senkos have worked fairly well for me, hooked weightless on a 3/0 and wacky rigged. As MCS stated, you gotta work the soft baits real slow, even as slow as dragging it on the bottom. Also, I've used a couple of the orange pro senkos and hooked up with a couple dinks. Nothing huge though. Also, fish as much of an angle to the shore as possible. Most strikes will happen within 15 to 30 feet of the shore, so fishing between a 25 to 75 degree angle to the shore keeps your lure in the "strike zone" longer.

[wademaster1]

your favorite plastics fished on bottom slowly is always my answer in the colder months, also lots of guys have good luck with jigs but not me yet, lol

[TrapperJ]

Hope you have better luck than I did, I came up empty on "Lunch Time Bass'n" water was still pretty cold, had one nibble on the spinner bait and that was about it.

[Jay Ell Gee]

I'm hoping to get out there in an hour or so for a bit before dark. Not too confident that the bass will cooperate. It is rainy here in South La, most of usual ponds and rivers are flooded out! The pond on my work property is good to go though. Just waiting for a break in the drizzle!

[gripnrip]

Hope you have better luck than I did, I came up empty on "Lunch Time Bass'n" water was still pretty cold, had one nibble on the spinner bait and that was about it.

Big fat goose egg! Man was it windy!  I tossed a chatter bait until I got a "purdy" backlash!    Then tossed a square bill on my spinning out fit. No luck.  I then tied on a senko wacky and hauled some more water!

 

I believe I'll go to Megastrike.com tonight and order some shaky heads to make me feel better!

[Jay Ell Gee]

I landed four and missed three. Had one more throw the hook about 5 feet out. All on a white super fluke in less than two feet of water over grass. Pretty fun to watch a solid white fluke disappear in muddy water.

[Mckinney24v]

Absolutely smashed them today with a 6" roboworm dark purple color with a chartreuse tip on a shakey head. Also caught a few on a LC 78sp in american shad.