Pond Fishing

[joeyfishes]

Anyone have any tips and tactics for pond fishing? I'm going out to a local one tomorrow.

[D23]

When fishing ponds, I have almost always had the best results with soft plastics. Worms T-Rigged weightless or wacky would be a good bet.

[catch anything]

weightless zoom trick worm in green pumpkin has alwayed worked for me

[rockchalk06]

What's the depth? Clarity? Temp?

[MCS]

Flukes, lizards, horny toads are a couple other options. Depending on size of the pond, if pond is small enough that I can walk around it in 5 or 10 minutes then I typically try a topwater all the way around. then go back to key areas like points and structure or where I may have missed a strike with some slower plastics and take some time. You can never go wrong with a weighless senko style stick bait either if the bite gets tough try that. My personal favorite is a grande bass rattlesnake.

[BrettD]

Fish the wind blown side of the pond or if the pond has a corner with wind blowing into are usually the best bet.

[CPBassFishing]

Need more info.

Water clarity?

Water temp?

Bottom composition? (Ex. Mud, rock, etc.)

Most of all, find the vegetation and you will find fish. Try a small shallow crank. If you get a bite and miss a fish, slow down and throw a wacky senko.

[Hyrule Bass]

i would throw lizards and white spinner baits...

[wademaster1]

I've been seeing them caught and been catching them on everything, especially in ponds.....spinnerbaits, cranks, plastic worms and lizards, and even topwater......

[Felix77]

I have begun experimenting with using a swim jig as a search bait.  If I get a bite or strike I can then immediately slow down and treat it like a regular jig.  Fun way to spend a day at the pond.  I did this with marginal success for the 1st time last week at a pond which is accessible from all around.

[BigMoneyGrip]

Be quiet. Very quiet. The smaller the pond, the more caution one needs.

 

I fish a lot of small ponds, some less than a acre, and the fish are very keen as to whats going on. Most of the time when I get to where I'm fishing, I'll wait for 15 or 20 minutes before I make a cast.

 

These small ponds hold a captive audience. They have no where to run, so they get lock jaw until they feel safe again. If you spook them, they won't fall for anything, reguardless of how close you drag it to them, or how enticing the lure looks. You have to use stealth.

 

Good luck and remember,  Sssssshhhhhhhhh.......

[joeyfishes]

Went to the local pond today and being the horrible fisherman I am, caught nothing. I used crankbaits and soft plastic worms wacky rigged. It was clear water so I walked around quietly and only saw small sunfish. Of course my piece of junk rod and reel could only cast about 7 yards so THAT did't help. I swear, I'm never gonna catch a fish

[Felix77]

Be quiet. Very quiet. The smaller the pond, the more caution one needs.

 

I fish a lot of small ponds, some less than a acre, and the fish are very keen as to whats going on. Most of the time when I get to where I'm fishing, I'll wait for 15 or 20 minutes before I make a cast.

 

These small ponds hold a captive audience. They have no where to run, so they get lock jaw until they feel safe again. If you spook them, they won't fall for anything, reguardless of how close you drag it to them, or how enticing the lure looks. You have to use stealth.

 

Good luck and remember,  Sssssshhhhhhhhh.......

Why did I read this with a whisper 

 

Bet you did too ... 

[Sbennett9]

Anyone can dominate a pond using soft plastics. Don't get stuck on one bait but don't switch every five casts. Take your time and like they said, stay quiet! What works for me is almost always a texas rigged worm. Don't ignore spinnerbaits though!

[Missouribassman95]

T- rigged plastics are the ticket for me. If the pond has cover, concentrate on the cover. I haven't caught too many bass in open water at the ponds I fish. There's some sort of cover that they are relating to. Also, look for bends in the bank. I've found that a bend in the bank is like a flat, and that the bass come there to feed. I've caught alot of fish along a bend in the bank.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Went to the local pond today and being the horrible fisherman I am, caught nothing. I used crankbaits and soft plastic worms wacky rigged. It was clear water so I walked around quietly and only saw small sunfish. Of course my piece of junk rod and reel could only cast about 7 yards so THAT did't help. I swear, I'm never gonna catch a fish

Don't get too down on yourself.  A lot of bass fishing is confidence.  I didn't catch anything the first several times I went out.  You just have to keep at it.  If your seeing baitfish in an area, there's a good chance there are bass nearby.  However, if your rod/reel is only casting 7 yards, I'd recommend looking for some new equipment.

[joeyfishes]

I know I have to get a better rod and reel but the parentals need convincing because at my age, $70 for a rod and then another $70 for a reel is NOT in my price range lol.

[Darren.]

Went to the local pond today and being the horrible fisherman I am, caught nothing. I used crankbaits and soft plastic worms wacky rigged. It was clear water so I walked around quietly and only saw small sunfish. Of course my piece of junk rod and reel could only cast about 7 yards so THAT did't help. I swear, I'm never gonna catch a fish

Listen, everyone here probably started out with great expectations whether it be from watching TV shows, or watching people at a lake bringing in a haul. We look on and think of how easy it must be.

But I can tell you from experience that it ain't like that in reality.

When you fish soft plastics like a weightless wacky or a Texas rig, fish them slowly. Be patient. Throw to lay downs along the shoreline if there are any (fallen trees, bushes hanging over/in the water, etc). Throw AT the tree, the fishes will be there, right along the trunk, or in the branches.

Highly advisable to fish a weedless hook here, too!

If there's nothing like lay downs at the pond, look for weedy areas, maybe cattails. And consider a smaller worm, wacky or TX rigged (weightless) and about 16" up the line put a lead split shot weight. Cast out, and watch your line as the weight sinks... When it stops start your retrieve, pause, twitch the tip, retrieve, pause, and so on back to you. Repeat.

You have to be patient. When we say "slow" for soft plastics, we're talking when you think you are slow enough, slow down some more.

As well, don't think a $70 rod-reel combo will save your bacon! You can be just as frustrated with $500 gear as you can with a stick and string.

Finally. Consider the occasional live night crawlers. You want to catch bass, you'll also catch bluegills and anything else that likes tasty worms. But the point here is go catch something. It can be a confidence booster.

[bassbill]

Fish like Ike,never give up.Try putting some fresh line on you reel and you should get bettter distance.Also add 1/4 oz sinker to a t-rigged plastic to help get it out there.While at w-mart getting fresh line pick up a house brand buzzbait.they won't break the bank and they catch fish.This might set you back ten bucks,Helping out around the house usually loosen's up the parental units.

[HeavyDluxe]

I know I have to get a better rod and reel but the parentals need convincing because at my age, $70 for a rod and then another $70 for a reel is NOT in my price range lol.

 

If your current rod/reel is only casting twenty-one feet, I think you'd see an improvement from any of the budget spinning combos at your local StuffMart.  Your folks wouldn't need to lay out more than $25, tops.

 

But, more importantly...

 

Listen, everyone here probably started out with great expectations whether it be from watching TV shows, or watching people at a lake bringing in a haul. We look on and think of how easy it must be.

But I can tell you from experience that it ain't like that in reality.

...

 

As well, don't think a $70 rod-reel combo will save your bacon! You can be just as frustrated with $500 gear as you can with a stick and string.

Finally. Consider the occasional live night crawlers. You want to catch bass, you'll also catch bluegills and anything else that likes tasty worms. But the point here is go catch something. It can be a confidence booster.

 

... what he said.  Like.  +1.

 

Fishing with live bait will get you some hook ups, which will help you learn to detect strikes, time the hookset, and the like.  And, trust me, you can learn to fish and develop as an angler without a ton of high-dollar gear.

 

Last thing re: the fishing shows:  Remember, they film a whole day (and sometimes more than a whole day) to get a show's worth of material.  Those guys can get skunked, too.  But they edit that out...  I look like a way better angler on my youtube channel, too.

 

(Ok, I suck there, too, but you get the idea)

 

Enjoy it, take your time, read, ask questions, take your time, enjoy.  

[deep]

This. If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods nearby, see if you can find a Daiwa Samurai spinning combo. Costs around $20 in mine. It's way more decent (IMO) than the Shakespeares etc I see in walmart.

 

My walmart also has some Abu Garcia Cardinal and Berkely Cherrywood rods for around $20 I think (you'll need to buy a reel). The Cardinal I have has been good to me.

 

 

If your current rod/reel is only casting twenty-one feet, I think you'd see an improvement from any of the budget spinning combos at your local StuffMart.  Your folks wouldn't need to lay out more than $25, tops.

 

But, more importantly...

[HeavyDluxe]

This. If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods nearby, see if you can find a Daiwa Samurai spinning combo. Costs around $20 in mine. It's way more decent (IMO) than the Shakespeares etc I see in walmart.

 

My walmart also has some Abu Garcia Cardinal and Berkely Cherrywood rods for around $20 I think (you'll need to buy a reel). The Cardinal I have has been good to me.

 

My son's rig for the last two years was one of the Daiwa Samurai rigs mentioned here... He's gotten a lot of fun and use out of it.  Nice rig.  

 

If you buy one of the Abu or Berkely rods mentioned, the Pflueger Trion reel is a great buy in my opinion.  Good enough, in fact, that I think you'd be happy with it on a much nicer rod if you decide to upgrade the next year or something like that.  Food for your (parent's) thoughts.

[Darren.]

This. If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods nearby, see if you can find a Daiwa Samurai spinning combo. Costs around $20 in mine. It's way more decent (IMO) than the Shakespeares etc I see in walmart.

 

My walmart also has some Abu Garcia Cardinal and Berkely Cherrywood rods for around $20 I think (you'll need to buy a reel). The Cardinal I have has been good to me.

x2, we had a few Daiwa Samurais from DSG for the kids. Sold them in a garage sale for almost what I paid brand new. Good combos.

[Felix77]

I have a Abu Cardinal which I caught my PB smallie. Its one of the best things I ever bought @ WalMart.

[Brian6428]

I know I have to get a better rod and reel but the parentals need convincing because at my age, $70 for a rod and then another $70 for a reel is NOT in my price range lol.

Like everybody else said, you can get decent stuff for less than that. I have a berkley cherrywood rod ($29.99) and love it, and a shakespeare walmart spinning rod ($30) and it works fine. Also, I taught myself to fish too and I would suggest finding someone knowledgeable to fishing with. That would help a lot.