What Would You Have Done?

[Tsiaram]

I almost exclusively fish t-rigged worms, so tonight I wanted to go out and learn something new. It was cloudy and drizzling. I went from 6-8pm, and It was around 57 degrees outside. (i was fishing a golf course pond) I threw a white spinner bait with a silver willow leaf and gold colorado blade, and only got one strike the whole night (didnt hook the fish) then i switched to a chrome colored rattle-trap and caught a tiny fish. Whenever I go out and I cant figure something out, I always take it as an opportunity to learn more, and what my mistakes were. What would you have done differently? 

[Catt]

Thrown the Texas Rig!

[stk]

What I like to do is take a look at the water clarity to get your color choice, then start fishing. If spinner baits don't work, try something a little slower with a crank bait and slower again with a t rig or shakey head. If nothing then there are no fish there...

[fishva]

Man, I don't know. You can always second guess yourself. But in my experience it's best just to forget about it and try again next time.

[jbsoonerfan]

Buzzbait, frog or popper

[einscodek]

57 degrees?  You aint in the south.. jigs my boy.. jigs.. crawdad trailer..work em slow.

[jbsoonerfan]

57 degrees?  You aint in the south.. jigs my boy.. jigs.. crawdad trailer..work em slow.

 

 

It was 55 degrees here today and I am in the south.

[flyingmonkie]

There's something about a BLACK spinnerbait on cloudy/wet days... that's the only time I'll tie one on (unless it's dark, but that never works for me anyway  )

[Bluebasser86]

If the water wasn't too dirty 57 degrees is great water temp to fish a suspending jerkbait. If it was stained a dark colored bladed jig would have been another good option. 

[smalljaw67]

Bladed jig (chatterbait) slow rolled and the spinnerbait slow rolled are good ideas, the lipless crank was a good pick and the fact that you got bit tells you something but not all golf course ponds have fish, at least not a lot and if it is a pond that gets fished heavy it means many of the fish have been caught before and therefore, tough fishing. When the moving baits didn't produce I would have moved to either a finesse jig or a shaky head, one of those would get bit in pressured water.

[WIGuide]

I would have thrown a smaller spinnerbait as well as different colors, probably something darker even though white isn't a terrible choice. Do you fish this pond often?

[geo g]

One of my always go to baits is a weightless 4" senko type bait, in any and all shades of watermelon.  Throw it along a depth change and let it fall all the way to the bottom.  Then jerk it up off the bottom a foot or two and let it flutter back to the bottom on slack line.   It produces in cold or hot water and anything in between.  Its a great little bait, just dont over work it.  Most bites occure on the fall, or when the bait is sitting still.  Work a ledge to death.  Predominant depth changes hold fish under all types of conditions.  They will use the ledge wall for cover, camaflage, shade,  ambush, safety, and a staging area.  If I find a 4 foot or more sudden depth change it is like a magnet for fish.  Spend time in this area, and fish it parrelell to the change.  You will catch fish, almost guaranteed!!!!!!!!

[CWB]

Lot of variables unknown. Depth, water temp, clarity, size of pond, visible cover, recent fronts. Keep moving and switching at each spot. Don't get locked into one bait or presentation. Maybe they would have clobbered topwater at that time of the evening. Won't know unless you try. Keep plugging! Pun intended.

[Nitrofreak]

I almost exclusively fish t-rigged worms, so tonight I wanted to go out and learn something new. It was cloudy and drizzling. I went from 6-8pm, and It was around 57 degrees outside. (i was fishing a golf course pond) I threw a white spinner bait with a silver willow leaf and gold colorado blade, and only got one strike the whole night (didnt hook the fish) then i switched to a chrome colored rattle-trap and caught a tiny fish. Whenever I go out and I cant figure something out, I always take it as an opportunity to learn more, and what my mistakes were. What would you have done differently?

Breaking this down one at a time , cool or cold water , spinners and or blade baits are a good cool or cold water , decent choice , but where you made the mistake was with the silver willow leaf blade , good for clear water and or bright sunny days , lots of flash , the Colorado blade would have been a much better choice , Colorado blades are great for vibration type situations , dark , stained waters , the chrome colored rattle trap , the same , bright sunny conditions , would have chosen more of a shad pattern under your conditions .

Need more info on water color and condition , I'm with CWB , you did not mention where the strike came from , a grass line ( break ) etc ... Note everything and ask again , but suggestions as of right now would be a Texas rigged worm , or lizard worked slowly on the bottom , this is the SUV rig that pretty much and for the most part works for just about everything .

Good luck and be safe !!!

[WRB]

The sun was setting, the bait fish are hiding in cover and crawdads are on the move and you are fishing a pond, not a lake and casting from shore, not a boat.

2 choices, noisy top water like a buzzer or Jitterbug and going to the bottom with a T-rig imitating crawdads.

Numbers with the top water, size with the T-rig, your choice.

Tom