Finding Fish

[Andrew Adkins]

Hello I'm a young angler 16yrs old I've been fishing since I could remember anything but just started using lures when I was 13 I've had decent luck but find myself struggling to find fish I usually fish larger ponds and I fish all the structure I can see and I never seem to catch much then sometimes I'll try chucking a crankbait and catching a fish or two but I can never catch anything on a jig or a creature bait or anything like that I was wondering if it's the ponds I fish they aren't pressured hardly at all so I was wondering if it's just my lure selection?

[deep]

Welcome.

Maybe you can try fishing the structure you can't see? That's not a snarky comment. My guess is you're talking about cover when you say "I fish all the structure I can see ".

[Andrew Adkins]

Thanks! Is there anything specific I could look for as a bank fishermen i don't have access to all the electronics?

[Fentawn]

I like to look for any areas or corners of the pond that have a slower current from the rest of the pond. 

[Glenn]

We have several articles on bank fishing, in case you're interested.

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing-techniques/Bank-Fishing-Float-Tubes-and-Back-Seat-Fishing

 

 

[A-Jay]

Hello Andrew and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

Bank fishing is where it started for me too.  Though it can have it's challenges, walking the bank can also be effective & a ton of fun.

Check out some of the articles here on the site.  They could help.

Good Luck

A-Jay

[SchlottyD]

Small coves, cut backs in the bank, anywhere water flows in bringing food sources with it. Areas that indicate changes in depth can be good as well. Where are you from and what weather and water conditions were or are you fishing? 

[Andrew Adkins]

I'm from ohio and I try to fish whenever I can recently it's been to cold but all the ponds I fish have stained water 

[bassguytom]

How about trying a t-rigged 4 inch senko with a weightless 3/0 EGW offset worm hook of your choice. This is very weedless and will let you know if there are fish in the area you are fishing. You will slay them now! Above all else remember to have fun!

[northplatteriver]

You need to purchase a float tube as soon as possible.  I have been fishing in various types of float tubes for 20 years and they are the cheapest way to really get good access to water.  You will never look back believe me.

[wackyworm97]

21 minutes ago, northplatteriver said:

You need to purchase a float tube as soon as possible.  I have been fishing in various types of float tubes for 20 years and they are the cheapest way to really get good access to water.  You will never look back believe me.

I've wondered about doing something like that what do you mean though like an inner tube or what

[northplatteriver]

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accessories-Cumberland-Inflatable-Backpack/dp/B001PR3MCA

There are many different brands and types and prices.  I have used many different types over the years, but this is my newest one and appears to have a very decent following online.  ODC420 is also another great tube in addition to Fat Cats.  Just make sure you get something with a "V" bottom, the old ones were all just covered tractor tubes and were very difficult to get in and out of.  You should be able to find very good used ones for $100.00 if you keep your eye out

[Raul]

11 hours ago, Andrew Adkins said:

Thanks! Is there anything specific I could look for as a bank fishermen i don't have access to all the electronics?

Describe what you can see in this picture and why my compadre chose this particular spot:

[deep]

I don't know man. When I beach the boat, it's usually to take a leak. He should quit smoking by the way.

P.S. What's Catt's favorite structure once again?

[Andrew Adkins]

Thanks for all the help I really appreciate all of it !!

[Andrew Adkins]

6 hours ago, Raul said:

Describe what you can see in this picture and why my compadre chose this particular spot:

I see an inlet where a possible food source could be coming in and I think if the water is flowing faster there will be more oxygen there for the fish?

[Raul]

17 hours ago, Andrew Adkins said:

I see an inlet where a possible food source could be coming in and I think if the water is flowing faster there will be more oxygen there for the fish?

There´s no running water, actually the pic was taken at the mouth of a cove with several inlets, now if you look more carefully you´ll see the steepness of the slope ( which translates into getting deep real fast ) and several indentations along the bank ( which translate into points ), so you have "points" and steep banks = deep water at both sides so you can cast to the sides and go from deep to shallow to deep in a cast, fish come from and towards the deep water using the terrain contour, to catch whatever falls from the banks.  

[deep]

7 minutes ago, Raul said:

There´s no running water, actually the pic was taken at the mouth of a cove with several inlets, now if you look more carefully you´ll see the steepness of the slope ( which translates into getting deep real fast ) and several indentations along the bank ( which translate into points ), so you have "points" and steep banks = deep water at both sides so you can cast to the sides and go from deep to shallow to deep in a cast, fish come from and towards the deep water using the terrain contour, to catch whatever falls from the banks.  

Very interesting Raul.

I jotted a few thoughts down yesterday. Wonder if I was at least partly right?

 

**

I don't like the smell of cigarettes or gas getting anywhere near my fishing gear, so that's truthfully the first thing I noticed.
Also, he isn't wearing polarized (or any) glasses; I wear them no matter what time of the day it is- whether I'm fishing for schooling bass busting on top or I'm bed-fishing. That's the second thing I noticed (no, really).

Don't know how tall your friend is; but that rod seems a little too short for my liking. I don't like spinning gear either lol. Don't think he has a finger on the line (does he have a finger on the blank? depends on the reel seat). Reel handle is on the right side, and that's a little unusual- unless he's left-handed.

I don't see shadows on the ground, but there are only a few clouds. So early or late in the day?
Can't tell what kind of bait he's fishing- everyone has different rod attitudes even when fishing similar baits. But the line seems taut and there's a slight bend in the rod.

Never been down to Mexico, I don't know how hot or cold it gets down there. Can't tell if the full sleeves are for sun protection or because it's colder. Just from the slope of the land (more on this later), I'll hazard a guess that's this is not during one of the two stable seasons- summer or winter. So spring or fall? He's fishing uphill, of course. If this was Tom instead of your friend, I'd know it's spring. (Spring up fall down).

So about structure. I look for deep(est) features first and work my way shallow on a map. Bill Murphy said something like (I paraphrase): everyone talks about how good a certain structure is but nobody talks about the deep features associated with that. Some of you might work the other way round.

Talking about deeper features; he's standing right next to a cut, which should correspond to a depression/ channel. There's obviously a creek channel starting ( or ending!) at (his) three o'clock at the very end, which I'd think is the deepest feature in this part of the reservoir. I can't tell if there's a small projection/ secondary point to his immediate right (on the other side of the cut)- he's blocking my view. But if there is a point, then that's another channel. There might or might not be a fourth feeder channel at about (his) 1.30 o'clock; regardless, it's on the other side of the deepest channel.

While I can't see what's in the direction he's casted at, from the lay of the land, I'd think that the main channel (deepest feature) might be closer to the shore on which the boat is sitting. All these channels should lead to some intersections (reference to Catt's favorite structure), which can be predicted/ guessed from something as basic as a satellite photo.
Your friend seems to be standing on relatively flat ground, while further out to his right, the slope becomes increasingly steeper. Which I think is interesting. Even right on the other side of the cut, the drop seems steeper. Even if there isn't a depression corresponding to the cut, there will be a break (breakline).

Can't tell if the ground is a little wet (and if there are runoffs setting up color or temp or O2 breaklines). I see a few pebbles on the ground. That's good- if those extend underwater. Also different kinds of vegetation. So soil composition breaks too? Sparse vegetation is good in my book. Is the reservoir a foot or two low?

I'd probably try some of the steeper shoreline at about 2 o'clock and left of that in summer if this section of the reservoir was all I had to work with. And in winter, I don't like less steep drops like this either (that's why I guessed this is during spring or fall). I wonder if your friend is standing on or near the tip of a main lake point (which would be to his left).

**

[WRB]

The pic posted looks like a typical SoCal lake, very similar terrain and brush.

The key word here is lake, this doesn't represent any pond in the Midwest.

The most outstanding structure feature of any man made impoundment, including ponds, is the dam. Every dam has a spillway or outlet, another visible structure element that bass relate to. Most ponds will be shallower at the opposite end away from the dam. Look for any terrain feature that indicates a quick depth change of a few feet, between the dam and shallow end, bass tend to stay around breaks or changes in the bottom structure. Any change in the soil make up like sand to clay, any large submerged stump or rocks and any weed line changes are places to focus your effects.

Good luck young man.

Tom

[Sam]

Andrew, let me tell you how it works in addition to the above words of wisdom presented for your review.

We only know so much about the bass family. But we do know that they are moody, move around as they please, eat when they want, can be aggressive  hunters and then just float around not bothering about your baits being tossed at them. In fact, unless you can aggravate them into hitting your bait when they are not feeding, you probably have casted your artificial lures all around them and did not know it.

You have to study the bass' movements during the different months to find the "pattern" of the hour or day. You need to know how the bass will react to the weather, water temperature, water clarity, spawning season, depths, oxygen, structure, cover, sounds, wind, current, the color of your shoes, what you had for breakfast, did you see Star Wars, etc. etc. etc. You have to study and know your enemy.

You can also stumble upon them and have a great day or not stumble on them and get skunked because they just were not in the mood to eat your bait. Neither event means you are a great or poor bass fisherman. It only proves that you outsmarted the bass or the bass outsmarted you and were not in the mood to attack your presentations.

So what do you do since there is no one right answer but a thousand right answers? You read, read and read the articles at the top of this Forum's page plus books and magazines on bass fishing. You watch the educational bass fishing shows and productions on TV and DVDs with the understanding that for the most part the waters being fished are being chummed to feed and attract the bass or that the pond or lake is one that it is easy to catch fish.

Don't get caught up with what bait, reel, rod or line the fishermen are hawking. Just look at the baits that caught the fish; how it is being used; and anything else you can glean from the TV production or DVD.

You can visit the pros' web pages and read what they offer in the line of articles. Try Woo Dave's web site for a starter.

Just remember, finding fish is the one major challenge we all face. Some days we find them and others we don't. But that is the wonderful challenge of our sport. It's you against that little green monster. And that little green monster wins more than we do.

Good luck. Read, watch, keep eyes and ears open and mouth shut, keep asking us questions, but of all the advice and baloney we can give you cannot make up for the days you go fishing. On the water is the best education you can have. The bass will educate you better than any teachers you have at school.

Keep a log of your fishing each day. Check out a sample log at the top of this page under one of the links.

Now do your homework and then hit the water. Your education comes first and then fishing.

All the best. Be sure to post pics of what you catch.

 

 

[Catt]

Hey Andrew! How y'all are?

What we have here is a failure to communicate, for me to properly help ya gonna have to do a tad bit better job of communicating!

What I've gathered 

It's a pond

It's in Ohio

Its waters are stained 

What I need

Does it have flowing water?

What is the surrounding landscape?

What exactly are you casting to?

What's the overall shape of the pond, round, oval, has points?

Types of vegetation?

Brush or timber?

Those tiny bits of information can greatly impact where the bass may or may not be!

[Andrew Adkins]

2 minutes ago, Catt said:

Hey Andrew! How y'all are?

What we have here is a failure to communicate, for me to properly help ya gonna have to do a tad bit better job of communicating!

What I've gathered 

It's a pond

It's in Ohio

Its waters are stained 

What I need

Does it have flowing water?

What is the surrounding landscape?

What exactly are you casting to?

What's the overall shape of the pond, round, oval, has points?

Types of vegetation?

Brush or timber?

Those tiny bits of information can greatly impact where the bass may or may not be!

There are very small inlets in the corners of the pond flowing in the pond sits kinda like a bowl the banks are fairly steep from what I know the bottom is soft muddy I'm casting to tree laydowns in the summer the only vegetation I notice is matted grass on the top part of the water column 

[Catt]

6 minutes ago, Andrew Adkins said:

There are very small inlets in the corners of the pond flowing in the pond sits kinda like a bowl the banks are fairly steep from what I know the bottom is soft muddy I'm casting to tree laydowns in the summer the only vegetation I notice is matted grass on the top part of the water column 

Now we getting somewhere

Inlets no outlets

No dam

Idea of kind of grass 

[A fisher]

Try a zoom trick worm texas Rigged with a 1/8-1/4 oz weight. I catch the most pond fish on that by far

[Andrew Adkins]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Now we getting somewhere

Inlets no outlets

No dam

Idea of kind of grass 

No idea about the grass no damns and inlets only