Getting Close Enough

[Preytorien]

I have a honey-hole type pond I found this week. There is a significant number of good sized fish in this one, and there is an abundance of vegetation, food, and cover. I caught a few last night while I was out, and they were good ones. I found though a problem I'm having is that before I can get my lure to the area the fish might be holding, I spook the fish. Now, understand I bank fish almost exclusively, I know the stealth approach stuff, and I did what I consider a great job of being silent, I even wear soft sole shoes to minimize the walking impact I have. But it was strange, they didn't spook during my stepping on anything, they took off the second I cast my rod. I don't recall this ever happening to me. Even 20-30 yards out the fish were spooking enough that I couldn't get my lure to them adequately enough to catch more than a couple. They only darted off the second I shot the lure through the air, not from me stepping, not from my lure hitting the water.....it was odd.

 

What presentation would you guys suggest in this situation?

[Oregon Native]

Maybe try getting on your knee's and doing a sidearm cast....also maybe a smaller bait so that it doesn't cast as big a shadow.

Good luck

[Sam]

Can you do an underhand roll cast keeping the bait close to the water for a soft landing?

 

What about an easy underhand pitch of your bait on a spinning rig to have a soft landing?

 

How about throwing a floating topwater popper or frog and let it sit for a few minutes to let the bass return to the bait's area?

 

Maybe switching to a spinning rig will make casting easier and a quieter entrance into the water?

 

Have you tried standing still when you get to your spot for a few minutes so the bass will get used to you being there?

 

Can you reach the bait's target by standing back 10 or more feet from the bank and casting to the target?

 

By the context of your story the bass can see you or are spooked by the movement of your rod.

 

If any birds of prey are around the bass may take your rod's movement as a hawk or osprey flying in to attack them.

 

Will be interesting to read others' take on this situation and their suggestions.

[Preytorien]

Can you do an underhand roll cast keeping the bait close to the water for a soft landing?

 

What about an easy underhand pitch of your bait on a spinning rig to have a soft landing?

 

How about throwing a floating topwater popper or frog and let it sit for a few minutes to let the bass return to the bait's area?

 

Maybe switching to a spinning rig will make casting easier and a quieter entrance into the water?

 

Have you tried standing still when you get to your spot for a few minutes so the bass will get used to you being there?

 

Can you reach the bait's target by standing back 10 or more feet from the bank and casting to the target?

 

By the context of your story the bass can see you or are spooked by the movement of your rod.

 

If any birds of prey are around the bass may take your rod's movement as a hawk or osprey flying in to attack them.

 

Will be interesting to read others' take on this situation and their suggestions.

 

I've considered the spinning rig option. My only concern is that there is a good deal of grass/reeds in this pond, and I don't know if my spinning rig (set up for finesse) has the power to winch em' out if I need to. But considering I'm not catching any with a casting rig, I might risk it with the spinning rig.

 

Concerning the waiting a bit to let the bass acclimate to the lure.....I've never heard this. A bass will essentially "come back" to the same place? If this is the case, I think it would work. How long would you wait for it?

 

The other suggestion of standing a few seconds to let the bass get used to my presence is also a great idea. I will try that next time.

 

Like I said, it's odd. I've had fish spook because of my steps, but never because of my cast. My reel isn't loud (even though the ceramic bearings are a bit noisy), maybe it's the whipping of the rod or something.

[ClackerBuzz]

I used to fish a pond identical to what ur describing. used to drive me crazy. Like Oregon and Sam mentioned the fish are spooking b/c ur lure is casting a bald eagle like shadow.  And these bass are most likely in very shallow water compared to the rest of the pond (the 'coves' are more shallow and harder to fish).  Even the shadow of a weightless finesse worm would spook my fish.  The best lure I found was a Mepps spinner or rooster tail but I had to up size the treble hook b/c the bass in the pond were chunkers.  The shiny blade not only didn't bother them but some days they seemed mesmerized by it.  The bass weren't near as skittish in the deep sections so def try to find the deepest water possible. I could easily cast senkos, jigs, frogs, swimbaits etc in the deep water.  

I'd also use the lily pads to my advantage (to hide behind, casting to their shady sides, cast 10" worms at points, land lures on top of...wait 1 min and slowly drag off into water).  I'd also use Sam's suggestion of letting a lure settle before retrieving.  I'd cast a 10" worm, spook the fish off but wait a few mins for them to return.  The ones that fled to deep water will work their way shallow again.  And the ones that bolted left or right will slowly fill the gap again.  Use an ultra slow, bottom contact drag retrieve and they will quickly take interest.

Standing 10 ft back from shore works at all my lakes but not this pond.  The pond was part of a private nature preserve so the shore line was crowded with some of the most brilliant colored sunfish I've ever seen.  Casting within the first 10 ft of shore only landed you bluegills.  I'd use spinning gear and accept break offs in the shallow areas. Or use a casting rod and patiently wait for spooked fish to return to a weightless worm.

[geo g]

I fish 20 acre ponds all the time and I make long parrell cast along the bank.  Long casts are key.  I will throw into thick vegitation and slowly work it out, this helps to prevent spooking.    Whenever possible I will make long casts onto a bank and slowly pull it back in the water.  You can do this at bends and turns in the bank.  The great thing about these lakes,  there are no trees on the banks, so your casts are totally unobstructed.   Its like fishing a golf course.  There are 10 of these lakes close to my house, all have nice bass and peacocks.

[Preytorien]

I used to fish a pond identical to what ur describing. used to drive me crazy. Like Oregon and Sam mentioned the fish are spooking b/c ur lure is casting a bald eagle like shadow.  And these bass are most likely in very shallow water compared to the rest of the pond (the 'coves' are more shallow and harder to fish).  Even the shadow of a weightless finesse worm would spook my fish.  The best lure I found was a Mepps spinner or rooster tail but I had to up size the treble hook b/c the bass in the pond were chunkers.  The shiny blade not only didn't bother them but some days they seemed mesmerized by it.  The bass weren't near as skittish in the deep sections so def try to find the deepest water possible. I could easily cast senkos, jigs, frogs, swimbaits etc in the deep water.  

I'd also use the lily pads to my advantage (to hide behind, casting to their shady sides, cast 10" worms at points, land lures on top of...wait 1 min and slowly drag off into water).  I'd also use Sam's suggestion of letting a lure settle before retrieving.  I'd cast a 10" worm, spook the fish off but wait a few mins for them to return.  The ones that fled to deep water will work their way shallow again.  And the ones that bolted left or right will slowly fill the gap again.  Use an ultra slow, bottom contact drag retrieve and they will quickly take interest.

Standing 10 ft back from shore works at all my lakes but not this pond.  The pond was part of a private nature preserve so the shore line was crowded with some of the most brilliant colored sunfish I've ever seen.  Casting within the first 10 ft of shore only landed you bluegills.  I'd use spinning gear and accept break offs in the shallow areas. Or use a casting rod and patiently wait for spooked fish to return to a weightless worm.

 

I think that may be the issue - my lure being too large. The area these fish are in is 1-1.5ft and a good bit of grass on the bottom. I'm casting parallel to the bank. If I had to guess it's just the profile of the lure doing it. I may go the route of spinning gear with a senko, fluke, or some other light-weight lure, preferrably one that's mostly weedless since this pond is very grassy.

[Hyrule Bass]

my first thought was one of the things Sam said. Cast your lure out, wait for the bass to reacclimate to the area, then start working it. requires patience and kinda sucks, but if it works it could be worthwhile...

[Paul Roberts]

You are simply seeing what is way more common than most anglers realize. Under high vis conditions and shallow water, that is the norm. Every cast promises a fishless path stretching a cast's length in front of you. Good advice given above. Many of those fish are catchable, if you can get a lure to them.

[bigbill]

What color clothes are you wearing? Camo is the best to blend in with nature. Darker colors will work. Brighter colors they can see you.

Walk softly, do not step on any rocks that stick out of the ground. They actually send vibrations into the water. It's the fishes natural alarm system.

Don't talk, don't coff, don't make any noises with your tackle. I use spinning reels and close the bail by hand. I do not use baitcasters because of the click.

I'm fishing in the dark when the big hogs are 2' from shore and they have there sonar on.

Now if there breaking topwater I cast past them about 6'/10' to the right or left of the action. Then I work my popper or spook slowly by them making them go to my bait rather than spook them. I also may try a small panther martin spin fly, or a 1/4 oz Joe's fly or a #3 mepps or a 1/8 or 1/4oz spinner bait. As long as I can cast it passed them.