Pond Fishing Setups

[Fishing&Tennis]

If you could only limit yourself to two setups what would you get?

I'm pond fishing so I'd like to limit myself to just two setups.

Here are my technique is from most used to least:

Roostertail, spinnerbait, wacky Senko, shaky head, lipless & square ill crankbait, jointed swimbait,

[the reel ess]

Med HvySpin with braid, Med Hvy BC with 12-14# mono. MH is not the best for everything, but it's a good compromise between everything. If I had to alter one of these, it would be a M spin.

[Brett Strohl]

I've been fishing a couple ponds a lot this year and have gotten a lot of bites of a shallow scatter-lipped rapala, a chartreuse-tailed power worm, and yum stick baits.  I haven't been able to catch fish with anything else consistently.   

[MCS]

Med HvySpin with braid, Med Hvy BC with 12-14# mono. MH is not the best for everything, but it's a good compromise between everything. If I had to alter one of these, it would be a M spin.

 

This ^^^ right here. 

[Fishing&Tennis]

Ok I already have a Medium spin.

What would you say all the setups purposes be?

[Fishing&Tennis]

I've been fishing a couple ponds a lot this year and have gotten a lot of bites of a shallow scatter-lipped rapala, a chartreuse-tailed power worm, and yum stick baits. I haven't been able to catch fish with anything else consistently.

What rods do you use? I have a lot of luck on the roostertail in line spinner. Which is why I want an UL rod.

[Brett Strohl]

I've been using an ugly stick my friend gave me, and have been using my dad's old rod for bobber fishing or drop shotting Yums.  (I honestly know next to nothing about the technical aspects of rods/reels.)  The ugly stick is I believe, medium action but it's sturdy which is what I want, since I absolutely hate losing lures on rocks and branches.  If I get hooked on a big stick I just pull it straight out of the water and get my lure back, or if I get caught on a rock sometimes I'll just straighten the hook out until it comes free

[Fishing&Tennis]

I could choose to do that, but it's no fun fighting the bass with such a powerful rod

[Master Bait'r]

Depends on the bottom composition and weed cover to be honest. Not all ponds are created equal.

[Fishing&Tennis]

Ok I will try to sum up all the details:

Pond is about half a football field in width. The bottom is very grassy to fairly grassy. No lilipads or anything like that on top of the water. So far all the spots I have fished are fairly shallow. However I see many LARGE bass jump out in the middle of the pond. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT LURES TO USE FOR THIS BOILING BASS? I've tried frogs, spooks, etc. Roostertails seem to work the best but can't cast those far enough Spinnerbaits are my #2 Not matter how hard I try I can't seem to cast a lure to the middle of the pond with my 6'6" M/F spinning rod. It is Rly frustrating. So far I have been resorting to casting spinnerbaits & roostertails along the shoreline catching small bass some from under 1 lb to 3lbs tops. I've been doing this with a M/F spinning rod and the fight is way too easy and short. Thus I'd like to try UL fishing.

Basically what I want is this:

1) a good setup that can cast as far as I want with spinnerbaits and lipless Crankbaits

2) a UL setup that makes catchig those small bass fun. Will be using roostertails(inline spinners

Also wil be using wacky worm Senko shich setup for this?

[J Francho]

Your're only going to fish one pond? Ever?

[Fishing&Tennis]

What I currently have:

6'6" Fenwick HMG M/F (will 7' make my casting distance much better?)

7'6" Fenwick HMG ML/F (what do with it?)

What should I get? I like to limit myself to two setups but maybe I need three?

[Choporoz]

Both are spinning rods?  Are you shopping for spinning or baitcasting? Which one of those are you throwing a frog with?  If I was going to limit myself to two (perish the thought), I'd have a 7 or 7+ MH/F baitcaster and a 6'6" M/F spinning.  I could probably do 90 percent of what I currently do with those two.

[Fishing&Tennis]

Your're only going to fish one pond? Ever?

90% of the time it will be the same pond. I Do a lot of offshore fishing at least once a month. So I just like to stop by a nearby pond that I know has fish. Quick n easy. May eventually go exploring but not Rly looking to do that in the near future or that much of that.

[Fishing&Tennis]

Both are spinning rods? Are you shopping for spinning or baitcasting? Which one of those are you throwing a frog with? If I was going to limit myself to two (perish the thought), I'd have a 7 or 7+ MH/F baitcaster and a 6'6" M/F spinning. I could probably do 90 percent of what I currently do with those two.

Yes both are spinning because it has always been easier for me to use spinning. I have casted big conventionals on a boat and occasionally surf fishing but never for bass and light lures so will be a learning curve.

Well I've kind of tossed a frog randomly with my 6'6" M/F spinning. Not sure which rod action would be best for it.

I'm in the market for a new setup. Or maybe two.

[Choporoz]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130634-rod-selection-the-basics/

[Fishing&Tennis]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130634-rod-selection-the-basics/

Thanks. I've looked over that thread. However they have three setups. I'm Rly looking to limit myself to two. Maybe three is going to make it much better?

[J Francho]

One pond as a side gig for off days? Run what you got, until that doesn't work. Then tell us the problem and we can make a better recommendation on what will work better.

[Fishing&Tennis]

One pond as a side gig for off days? Run what you got, until that doesn't work. Then tell us the problem and we can make a better recommendation on what will work better.

Maybe I wrote too much. I was trying to be detailed.

My main problem is that I can't cast far enough to those bass in the middle of the pond that are boiling. I feel like there is some special structure in the center because a lot of them hang out there. What I'm looking for is a lure that can cast very far and catch boiling bass in a pond. And a rod and reel that can do this. With about a $200 budget.

My secondary problem is that a lot of the BAss I catch are small most less than 1 lb to 2 lbs. Though I did catch a 6lber at this pond the first time I went there. Thus, these bass don't rly put up a good fight and i feel it is difficult to cast a roostertail with a 6'6" M/F Fenwick HMG spinning rod. Should I get an UL?

Am I taking the right approach?

[Penguino]

Maybe I wrote too much. I was trying to be detailed.

My main problem is that I can't cast far enough to those bass in the middle of the pond that are boiling. I feel like there is some special structure in the center because a lot of them hang out there. What I'm looking for is a lure that can cast very far and catch boiling bass in a pond. And a rod and reel that can do this. With about a $200 budget.

My secondary problem is that a lot of the BAss I catch are small most less than 1 lb to 2 lbs. Though I did catch a 6lber at this pond the first time I went there. Thus, these bass don't rly put up a good fight and i feel it is difficult to cast a roostertail with a 6'6" M/F Fenwick HMG spinning rod. Should I get an UL?

Am I taking the right approach?

I can cast a 1/4 rooster tail fine with a 7' MH Okuma spinning rod. No need to get an ultralight. Honestly, practicing your form rather than buying new equipment will help you get more casting distance.

[Fishing&Tennis]

I can cast a 1/4 rooster tail fine with a 7' MH Okuma spinning rod. No need to get an ultralight. Honestly, practicing your form rather than buying new equipment will help you get more casting distance.

Well I've been using 1/16 roostertails. Maybe I should get some 1/4 oz? I've not had a problem casting them persay I just have a problem casting them very far. My casting distance insn't that what I want. I'd like to be able to cast it 20-30 yards with ease.

I do popping and swimbait fishing offshore for pelagics so I know how to cast a spinner. Perhaps its a different technique I'm not aware of for bass?

[Brett Strohl]

I could choose to do that, but it's no fun fighting the bass with such a powerful rod

That's understandable.

[CeeJay]

Hello.

Sounds like you'd like to give ultra-light fishing a try...and believe me there's nothing at all wrong with that.

I was in your situation, fishing small ponds and lakes from the bank.  I used UL tackle "almost" exclusively when targeting the small bass that tended to inhabit those waters. 

 

With a budget of $200 you can get some outstanding UL rods and reels. 

No question about it, 2-6lb test line with a 6' to 7' UL rod will cast those 1/16oz spinners a good ways.  And the lighter line makes even small bass extremely fun to catch

[Fishing&Tennis]

Hello.

Sounds like you'd like to give ultra-light fishing a try...and believe me there's nothing at all wrong with that.

I was in your situation, fishing small ponds and lakes from the bank. I used UL tackle "almost" exclusively when targeting the small bass that tended to inhabit those waters.

With a budget of $200 you can get some outstanding UL rods and reels.

No question about it, 2-6lb test line with a 6' to 7' UL rod will cast those 1/16oz spinners a good ways. And the lighter line makes even small bass extremely fun to catch

Would a shaky head, drop shot, etc. Also wrk with an UL?

[CeeJay]

Would a shaky head, drop shot, etc. Also wrk with an UL?

 

Definitely.

It's just that in UL angling everything from line to lure to weights is scaled down.  But that's not a problem as there are small and micro versions of just about any and all bass tackle for any rig you want.

 

Also, UL gives you the advantage of casting just about any small-pretty darn large soft plastic weightless.  You can just let it slowly and freely drift through the water column.  Weightless wacky-rigged senkos are killer on bass.  As are weightless 4" plastic worms rigged weedless and twitched through the grass.

 

It's an exciting way to fish.  And when you do catch the inevitable panfish, you'll feel their true fighting ability on UL tackle.