Bass Migrating To Shallow Areas???

[68camaro]

One of my local ponds has two distinct areas, the north part can get deep and I have had all my fishing success here either on cranks, jerks, or jigs around shore/weeds.

 

The south side of the pond is much more narrow, about 75-100 yards long and very shallow. From shore it its only 2-3 feet deep for quite a ways, drops a little than has hump in middle that probably 1 -2 feet deep. I never caught or seen a fish here in last 30 days (central Virginia location). There is a lot of matting and pond scum. In my 10 years living near pond I have never seen anyone fishing this shallow end.

 

With cooler weather here, now in high 50* due to cold front/hurricaine blowing by, I recently saw very large fish in the shallow area, it was at least 2 feet long and I think a Pickerel due to it being pretty slender, could have been a bass I guess.

 

With cooler weather will the bass be migrating to this more shallow area of the pond and if so what lures/presentations would you use to cover this area?

 

Thanks

[sprint61]

Concnetrate more on baitfish not shallow water. Since your fishing a pond bluegill is more than likely the main forage for bass. So follow the bluegill if they go shallow you go shallow if not stay where they are, the bass won't be far behind. As far as lures anything in a bluegill pattern, try ripping a lipless crankbait.

[WRB]

There isn't a "migration" occurring in a pond it's too small. Typical behavior in ponds is the bass roam the entire pond shoreline hunting prey and set up home territory location where the largest bass take over as a home zone, usually the deepest near the bank that provides a sanctuary. The shallow flat area is a hunting zone and possible spawning area in the spring. Give the shallow area a try at night!

Tom

[Ozark_Basser]

The shallow area sounds like the best area for bass to me. I find it odd you've had much less success there. I've got one word for those matts....frog.

[Ozark_Basser]

The shallow area sounds like the best area for bass to me. I find it odd you've had much less success there. I've got one word for those

matts....frog.

[ClackerBuzz]

I observed your same observation at a farm pond I used to fish.  There was a back corner that was shallow and basically had stagnant water.  Bass were never there in the summer bc it was too hot w/ little oxygen (they would position at the deep end where the feeder creek came in).  But come late fall and early spring after ice out, below 50 degree water temps, those bass would be warming in that shallow corner b/c it was so much warmer.  I'm sure they would move deeper at night but they loved getting a suntan there on cold days.

[RoLo]

Even in large waters, when I can't put a fish in the boat I don't perceive the fish as having vacated the area,

but accept the fact that they're simply not feeding (Fish actively feed only a minority of the time).

When a bass isn't feeding, it will move just enough so your lure doesn't hit him.

 

Roger
 

[bigbill]

Question in the springtime the bass migrate to the most northern part of the body of water due to it gets a longer sunlite on it for most of the daylite it's warmer there first. What happens in the fall when the water starts to cool off where's the warmest part of the water?

Do the bass follow the PH too?

[68camaro]

The shallow area sounds like the best area for bass to me. I find it odd you've had much less success there. I've got one word for those matts....frog.

 

Bingo, Ozark  Never thought their was fish there. Tonight spent half hour with jig and no luck. Switched to frog and 4 blowups in 1 hr. First one I yanked too quick, 2nd he spit out, third I had on line and had to tighten drag and when I tightened he got off, 4th was nice one who took it under but spit out.

 

I am getting closer but still not landed one with frog yet. Frustrated but still happy with 4 solid blow-ups.

 

Thanks

[Ozark_Basser]

Good deal. With frogs, the thicker the cover, the more misses it seems, especially at night. Keep trying, if there is a hog to be found, I would think he is under one of those matts in that body of water.

[WPCfishing]

Bingo, Ozark  Never thought their was fish there. Tonight spent half hour with jig and no luck. Switched to frog and 4 blowups in 1 hr. First one I yanked too quick, 2nd he spit out, third I had on line and had to tighten drag and when I tightened he got off, 4th was nice one who took it under but spit out.

 

I am getting closer but still not landed one with frog yet. Frustrated but still happy with 4 solid blow-ups.

 

Thanks

 

When you get an explosion stop. Let him take it, when your rod is under constant pressure set the hook. It's a whole new experience. You will be hooked.. Try some gambler toads or similar. Stanley Ribbit, Zoom Horny or BP toad to name a few. Use a Stanley Ribbit 4.0 double hook. 

 

Which frog were you throwing? Color?

 

I love this stuff!

 

[Bass newb]

They don't always bite when they're in that, but I love it when they do!

[Bass newb]

In my experience color doesn't matter. They bite any color frog that I throw.

[WPCfishing]

Where I am the gold color is a killer... Gambler 49er.

The Florida O is also a big winner.

[68camaro]

Last night had the Scum Frog in Watermellon Seed on. Also use the Booyah Pad Crasher Two. For nights have a black kermy XPS from Bass Pro, haven't tried yet though.