How To Handle This?

[blongfishing]

I fish a pond everyday. I went down on a warm evening last week and the minnows were stacked up along a bank and bass crowded the area. I threw a small ratltrap and a smaller jerk bait and a fluke. I caught about 3. I saw around 10-15 down there. Any better way to approach it?

[IAtegeler]

In smaller ponds i have awesome luck with the zoom super fluke. I would throw a spinnerbait if that was not working for me

[nascar2428]

If you can see em, a senko will catch em. 

[geo g]

A 4" senko weightless will get them, fish it slow.

[719BassFishing]

I would throw a 4" weightless senko if there is no wind. If the bank is windblown, a zoom super fluke will crush em'.

[FishinCop646]

Match the size of the minnows. Try a 2 1/2-3" berkley gulp minnow.

[Djman72]

Try a topwater bait like a Rebel Pop-r.

 

When the fish are shallow chasing minnows this is my go-to. Also, as mentioned before flukes and senkos are great too.

[Tony L.]

I would second all of the ideas that have been put forward so far and throw in one more disclaimer-- pay attention to your approach to the pond as well. The bass in your pond could be sensitive to the noise and vibration you produce, so step lightly. Maybe it is because i recently took to learning fly fishing, but i am a firm believer in the idea that if you can see them, you'd better believe they can see you. I would assume that a lot of the rules for stalking trout apply here as well and anything that you can do to break up your profile will be helpful. You might not have to go full on camo, but I wouldn't trot up to the edge of the water wearing flourescent yellow either. I read that it helps to keep the sun in front of you to the extent that you can so that you aren't creating a shadow or dark outline of your profile. I've also heard that some trout fisherman bend over, crouch down, or even crawl on the approach to the water so that they aren't outlined against the sky from a fish's point of view. I was advised by the Orvis instructor that standing partially behind a tree or shrub helps mask your outline too, as does standing further back from the edge of the water or keeping a tall bank or hill at your back. I don't think that bass have the same eagle-eye vision that trout do, but I do believe that the bigger ones didn't reach their adult size by being careless. The biggest fish stayed alive by being cautious, so the minute they suspect something is up, they develop lockjaw no matter what you throw at them

[WIGuide]

Were they cruising around or just sitting there in sight?

[gulfcaptain]

I have a body of water where I fish where the bass do the same thing, and all the above ideas are great as well, but I do pretty well fishing a flash mob jr A-Rig and use some of Keitech's 3.5" swing impacts.  It may help you get a bigger bit as well as more.  Just make sure you have the right amount of hooks as per state regs, I fish 3 with 2 dummy baits since CA only allows 3 hooks.

[fishva]

In situations like these, I really think that it's mostly about presentation. It's so easy to spook the fish, especially when it's pretty likely that they can see you.

 

In ponds where fish are shallow and I know they can see me, I've had some good success using alternate presentations --  like casting onto the bank beyond the fish and dragging my lure into the water before slowly working it toward the target.

 

That said, sometimes there's nothing you can do. Ever watch one of those exhibition / sales videos where an angler is fishing in a clear tank the size of a tractor trailer to try and sell a lure or demonstrate a technique? There are usually a few interested fish, while the rest just absolutely could not care less. So that's a factor too.

 

Some fish just want to watch the world burn...

[J Francho]

If you see them, chances are they see you. Doesn't mean they won't bite, but if there's been any fishing pressure, it could turn them off. Try sneaking up from a different angle, and don't immediately start casting. They can sense the footsteps coming to shore, but will forget your there if you wait a few minutes.

[blongfishing]

I fish from a Jon boat. I threw the super fluke and caught 2 on them. I went back today and caught more. They were biting lipless cranks today so I caught about 8-10.

[bassguytom]

I would second all of the ideas that have been put forward so far and throw in one more disclaimer-- pay attention to your approach to the pond as well. The bass in your pond could be sensitive to the noise and vibration you produce, so step lightly. Maybe it is because i recently took to learning fly fishing, but i am a firm believer in the idea that if you can see them, you'd better believe they can see you. I would assume that a lot of the rules for stalking trout apply here as well and anything that you can do to break up your profile will be helpful. You might not have to go full on camo, but I wouldn't trot up to the edge of the water wearing flourescent yellow either. I read that it helps to keep the sun in front of you to the extent that you can so that you aren't creating a shadow or dark outline of your profile. I've also heard that some trout fisherman bend over, crouch down, or even crawl on the approach to the water so that they aren't outlined against the sky from a fish's point of view. I was advised by the Orvis instructor that standing partially behind a tree or shrub helps mask your outline too, as does standing further back from the edge of the water or keeping a tall bank or hill at your back. I don't think that bass have the same eagle-eye vision that trout do, but I do believe that the bigger ones didn't reach their adult size by being careless. The biggest fish stayed alive by being cautious, so the minute they suspect something is up, they develop lockjaw no matter what you throw at them

X2 on this. If you can see them they can see you.