Giving Up On A Pond

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

There's a small neighborhood pond that I like to go to often since it is right next to my house.  I caught a largemouth a few weeks ago but nothing since.  I walk the bank throwing spinnerbaits, jigs, plastics, and cranks but nothing.  I'm thinking about giving up on the place.   

 

What do you think?

[ABW]

[Senko lover]

Wait 'till Spring before you decide you give up on a pond.

[Tony L.]

If you caught one, there almost has to be more in there. I guess there is the possibility that it was released into your pond by another fisherman or carried in by a bird. I'm guessing, though, that the one you caught has to have a mom and a dad, and since bass don't just lay one egg, lots of brothers and sisters.

[*Hank]

Man to bad!

[Sam]

Texas, how big was the one you caught?

 

Pond may not be stable enough to be a good habitat for bass.

 

Here are a few suggestions to consider when you visit the pond next time:

1.  Take some white bread with you and throw it in the water.  Bluegill and bream plus minnows will attack the bread and show you that there is food in the pond for the bass.

2.  Its winter. The bass will go deep and hit the northern and western banks of the pond to search for a meal as the water warms the fast in these areas.

3.  If you continue to catch small bass then the pond is over loaded with bass and they will not grow large.  You may want to harvest some of the smaller ones to make more room and have more food available for the rest.

4.  If the bread trick does not work get a can of corn and using a very small gold hook fish for the bluegills and bream using a bobber and light line.  If you don't get any bites than the pond may need an infusion of baitfish from other ponds in your area.  This transfer of fish may not be legal in your area so double check with your game and inland fisheries department as we don't want you to break the law.

5.  Throw a Carolina rig and fish it slow.  If any bass are deep they may hit your plastic on a Carolina rig.

 

Let us know what you find out and if you catch anything.

 

Good luck.

[speed craw]

Its possible there could be very little size if not just a few fish in the entire pond . When I run into this or particularly rough times I down size . Drop shot with 3 - 4 inch soft plastics , beetle spins , 1/8 - 1/ 16 oz finesse  jigs . Don't forget to drop down to 6-8 lb test . Soon there after if there is anything in the pond you will know very shortly . I have caught some incredibly huge bass off of small beetle spin. 

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

Excellent suggestions.  Re: baitfish, there are also a ton of small turtles and ducks/geese so they have to be eating something too...seems like it should be an active pond, but I'm interested to try your suggestions.  I put up a pic of the fish on this forum.  I'll put the link below.  If you can't access it you can probably get it through my profile page.  

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/gallery/image/10778-largemouth-on-unt-pond-denton-tx/

[Catch and Grease]

You could try a big heavy jig or Texas rig if the bottom isnt covered in silt, get a 3/4oz jig and just launch it out as far as you can into deeper water cover/structure.

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

You could try a big heavy jig or Texas rig if the bottom isnt covered in silt, get a 3/4oz jig and just launch it out as far as you can into deeper water cover/structure.

 

I was doing that exact thing yesterday with a heavy jig/craw with rattles.  Alternated bottom dragging/hopping with swimming.

[J Francho]

For any shore fishing, it's best to have a bunch of spots. It's just like lake fishing in a boat - spots.  One spot doesn't work out, try another. 

[gulfcaptain]

Fished a litle pond in LA at a friends house I stayed at for a week.  Told me there was a few fish in there.  Lets just say there were more then a few fish and all were suckers for the dropshot.  So X-3 on that tactic.  Also, look into some Fat Ika's and try those slowly worked.  

[Senko lover]

Texas, how big was the one you caught?

 

Pond may not be stable enough to be a good habitat for bass.

 

Here are a few suggestions to consider when you visit the pond next time:

1.  Take some white bread with you and throw it in the water.  Bluegill and bream plus minnows will attack the bread and show you that there is food in the pond for the bass.

2.  Its winter. The bass will go deep and hit the northern and western banks of the pond to search for a meal as the water warms the fast in these areas.

3.  If you continue to catch small bass then the pond is over loaded with bass and they will not grow large.  You may want to harvest some of the smaller ones to make more room and have more food available for the rest.

4.  If the bread trick does not work get a can of corn and using a very small gold hook fish for the bluegills and bream using a bobber and light line.  If you don't get any bites than the pond may need an infusion of baitfish from other ponds in your area.  This transfer of fish may not be legal in your area so double check with your game and inland fisheries department as we don't want you to break the law.

5.  Throw a Carolina rig and fish it slow.  If any bass are deep they may hit your plastic on a Carolina rig.

 

Let us know what you find out and if you catch anything.

 

Good luck.

 

Good advice here. One of my ponds has a healthy population (of dinks!), but they seemingly shut off for the winter. I haven't been able to catch very many at all since the cold fronts moved in, where as in summer I could go and catch 4-5. Just wait and see.

Nightcrawlers are your best bet for live bait. They'll catch anything from carp to catfish to bluegill to bass.

[FunkJishing]

I would never give up on a pond i caught a bass in, you caught one. There's bound to be more, try to match the hatch and bounce around until you find the spot they're in. sometimes they'll be in spots that are too hard to get to, other times they'll be in your face. thats just how bank fishing is.

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

Great advice all.  Yes, it is "winter" but I can wear a short sleeve t-shirt outside.  Though we did have a 30-degree cold snap several days ago.  I'll try some of these suggestions.

[gulfcaptain]

Another thing you may want to get while shore fishing, a pond thermometer.  It's always good to know what the water temp is so you can adjust your presentation or tactics as well as get an idea on how active the fish may be.  Seen water temps drop 6 degrees overnight and totally have to switch my approach from what worked the day before. 

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

I saw a pretty cool laser thermometer at Bass Pro Shops that measures surface temps.  Here's a link http://www.basspro.com/William-Joseph-Infrared-Thermometer/product/91529/

[gulfcaptain]

Mine cost $9 from a tropical fish store that floats and is attached to a string.

[timsford]

Try fishing a small texas rig plastic near any cober slow. My favorite is the yum 3 inch wooly hawgtail in black/blue but those are hard to find. Finnesse worms in clearer water and craws/creatures in dingy water and shake them forever. Sometimes i spend 30 seconds shaking them before i ever touch my reel handle and take several minutes to make a cast. If you still cant catch a bass use a worm or something else to catch a bream and hook him in the back under the dorsal fin with no weight. Caught many bass up to 9lbs like that

[akunk23]

There's a small neighborhood pond that I like to go to often since it is right next to my house.  I caught a largemouth a few weeks ago but nothing since.  I walk the bank throwing spinnerbaits, jigs, plastics, and cranks but nothing.  I'm thinking about giving up on the place.   

 

What do you think?

I had a similar  problem a few years back. I caught a couple dink bass and that was it. Come to find out, it was overrun with small bass. not enough food to sustain the big boys. I harvested every little bass I caught for a whole summer. Now that little farm pond is my go to pond. Produces 5+ pounders on a daily basis. I'd say give it a try and get the small one's out in the spring

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

Unfortunately there is a "catch and release only" sign at the pond.  Some folks are clueless to selective harvesting.

 

I had a similar  problem a few years back. I caught a couple dink bass and that was it. Come to find out, it was overrun with small bass. not enough food to sustain the big boys. I harvested every little bass I caught for a whole summer. Now that little farm pond is my go to pond. Produces 5+ pounders on a daily basis. I'd say give it a try and get the small one's out in the spring