swimbait fishing for pond bass

[Las_Vegas_Bass_Fishing]

Does anyone have any tips on catching pond bass on swimbaits during trout plants? The pond I fish has been planting trout for the past few months and I am trying to target bigger bass in the pond. The pond is averages about 5 to 6 feet deep, with the deepset part at 12 feet deep. There is habitat placed in the middle of the pond, although it is hard to fish because it is not within casting distance. The pond is 12 acres big and the water is clear to stained. Trout are planted every two weeks. The trout are around 6 to 12 inches long and roughly 1500 trout are planted. I have been using an 8 in weedless hudd in a ROF 12 but have not had any success yet. I was wondering maybe if I should down size to like a 6inch or a 68 special. also I was wondering what time would be best to fish for the larger fish, like during, or after trout plants. and also what time of day to fish. The pond does get fishing pressured but only during trout plants, and not many people fish for bass. Any information would help. Thanks.

[Looking for the big one]

Are there still other forage species in the pond, maybe bluegill or red ears?

[Las_Vegas_Bass_Fishing]

1 minute ago, Looking for the big one said:

Are there still other forage species in the pond, maybe bluegill or red ears?

Yeah, there are bluegill, red ears, and small craws, as well as baby carp.

[Looking for the big one]

When fishing a large swim bait like you have been using, remember you are not going to be getting lots of bites, but hopefully the ones you get will be big ones. It also sounds like the bass might be being outcompeted for food by the trout. Putting all those trout in their requires food, and while the larger bass will eat the trout, the smaller bass will not grow much because they will be having to try and fight with the trout for minnows, insects, crawdads. The pond can only support a certain amount of fish, and with trout being stocked continuously it creates three kinds of fish. Fish that are eaten by the trout, fish that compete with the trout, and fish that eat the trout. Using a swim bait requires patience, and it sounds like with your situation it is all about fishing for a long time, and putting yourself in the best situation to catch fish. Wait until spring comes by, pre spawn bass will be very hungry and fatten up on trout before spawning.

[gulfcaptain]

2 hours ago, Las_Vegas_Bass_Fishing said:

Does anyone have any tips on catching pond bass on swimbaits during trout plants? The pond I fish has been planting trout for the past few months and I am trying to target bigger bass in the pond. The pond is averages about 5 to 6 feet deep, with the deepset part at 12 feet deep. There is habitat placed in the middle of the pond, although it is hard to fish because it is not within casting distance. The pond is 12 acres big and the water is clear to stained. Trout are planted every two weeks. The trout are around 6 to 12 inches long and roughly 1500 trout are planted.

Here is the thing you have to understand about pond bass and trout.  The stocking schedule.  If you fish a few days after the stock you're too late.  Those big fish feed the day of the stock and then sit.  Fish 8" Hudd's the week before the stock.  So after that stock give it a week and then fish the swimbait.  Fish your Hudds up against the bank or just off of it.  The bass use the banks to pin the trout and keep them from getting away.  Remember most stocked trout down't venture very far from shore and ALL of my swimbait fish from ponds have been within 10 yards of the bank.  Watch for followers (both trout and bass).  But the biggest tip is the schedule.  Either need to fish the day of (within a few hrs after they stocked) or wait a week.  Also may try fishing for them in the dark as well since trout are easy picking when the sun goes down as they aren't as active during those hours as big bass can be and a sleeping trout is an easy meal for a big fish.

[stkbassn]

I would definitely fish the regular 6 inch Hudd or 68. 

[gulfcaptain]

 

Don't be afraid of the 8" Hudd.  They choke it and are more apt to eat the 8" then the 6".  

[Bluebasser86]

Just like fish in an aquarium, those bass know when it's dinnertime and will respond accordingly. Gulfcaptian already suggested everything you really need to know. 

[Montanaro]

Ive seen bass in the small lake I fish chase trout.  Id throw a swimbait more if there werent 40 inch musky ripping trout off bank fishermans hooks and stringers!

[gulfcaptain]

1 hour ago, Montanaro said:

Ive seen bass in the small lake I fish chase trout.  Id throw a swimbait more if there werent 40 inch musky ripping trout off bank fishermans hooks and stringers!

Sounds like a great place to throw a 10" Triple Trout or Glide Bait with a 18" 40lb singlestrand wire leader or a Savage Gear Line Thru with a bottle of Mend-It on hand for quick repairs.

[etrout72]

May I ask what pond you're fishing? Big swimbaits will work in the local ponds, but the hook up ratio is very, very low. Expect to throw it for days before your first bite. I'd save it for the lake or willow beach, personally.

[Dogmatic]

Good advice here. My only suggestion, might want to try a deadstick or twitch technique. Stockers are notoriously "fragile" fish. With that much stocking going on, bound to be some damaged fish, that make for easy meals. 

[Big Bait Fishing]

keep fishing the 8'' Hudd , drag it really slow along the bottom , should take at least 2 minutes to retrieve after a long cast ....

[Airman4754]

I used to throw glide baits in the urban ponds in AZ when they would stock and had a lot of success. 

The guys before are right. As the truck is blasting those fish into the water you need to be casting. 

[Pondboss16]

Check out the z9 perch! Its a bp brand lure and it works great. Best swimbait for 12 bucks. When its swimming int he water i can't tell it apart from a real bluegill

[gulfcaptain]

On 1/30/2016 at 8:45 AM, etrout72 said:

May I ask what pond you're fishing? Big swimbaits will work in the local ponds, but the hook up ratio is very, very low. Expect to throw it for days before your first bite. I'd save it for the lake or willow beach, personally.

The hook up ratio is actually pretty good.  I'd say better then 80%  (at least in my experience) You're right about the bites, but then you're also fishing for a certain size class of fish.  So yes you catch less, but when you do catch it's not a 1-3lb fish, it's normally over 4lbs (size of the smaller fish I've caught on the 8" baits) but the average is right around 6.5lbs.  I'll take a 6.5lb fish over a couple of 1-3lb fish.  Swimbait's are a quality fish bait when it comes to pond fishing.  And to throw them you understand you're fishing for those 1-2 bites from that size class fish.

[JeepFisher]

On 2/1/2016 at 5:29 PM, Pondboss16 said:

Check out the z9 perch! Its a bp brand lure and it works great. Best swimbait for 12 bucks. When its swimming int he water i can't tell it apart from a real bluegill

Have one of these and havent caught anything on it yet, but have gotten it wet very little.  This coming season Im focusing on the swimbait though and this should be good around beds in the spring.

[Pondboss16]

1 hour ago, JeepFisher said:

Have one of these and havent caught anything on it yet, but have gotten it wet very little.  This coming season Im focusing on the swimbait though and this should be good around beds in the spring.

Its amazing i would recomend twitching your rod around as you swim it along, makes it look injured. Great for bouncing on bass beds too!

[Las_Vegas_Bass_Fishing]

On January 26, 2016 at 6:50 PM, gulfcaptain said:

Here is the thing you have to understand about pond bass and trout.  The stocking schedule.  If you fish a few days after the stock you're too late.  Those big fish feed the day of the stock and then sit.  Fish 8" Hudd's the week before the stock.  So after that stock give it a week and then fish the swimbait.  Fish your Hudds up against the bank or just off of it.  The bass use the banks to pin the trout and keep them from getting away.  Remember most stocked trout down't venture very far from shore and ALL of my swimbait fish from ponds have been within 10 yards of the bank.  Watch for followers (both trout and bass).  But the biggest tip is the schedule.  Either need to fish the day of (within a few hrs after they stocked) or wait a week.  Also may try fishing for them in the dark as well since trout are easy picking when the sun goes down as they aren't as active during those hours as big bass can be and a sleeping trout is an easy meal for a big fish.

When fishing at night should I still fish shallow? There is also habitat in the middle of the pond. Would the habitat be a good spot to fish? It is located near where the trout are planted.

On January 30, 2016 at 8:45 AM, etrout72 said:

May I ask what pond you're fishing? Big swimbaits will work in the local ponds, but the hook up ratio is very, very low. Expect to throw it for days before your first bite. I'd save it for the lake or willow beach, personally.

Sunset Park pond

[gulfcaptain]

I would still fish close to the bank unless you can target that habitat.  Remember, bass are great night hunters, and trout are night sleepers.  Stocker trout seem to push up next to the banks at night (atleast here) to use the concrete bank as a bit of cover, but then the bass use the same bank to pin them from getting away.  I'd say watch how the bass react to the stocking if you can be there when they do.  You can learn a lot about their attacks.  Open water trout have the advantage.  Bass aren't going to be able to outswim them in open water, that's why they push them to the bank.

[Las_Vegas_Bass_Fishing]

On January 30, 2016 at 8:45 AM, etrout72 said:

May I ask what pond you're fishing? Big swimbaits will work in the local ponds, but the hook up ratio is very, very low. Expect to throw it for days before your first bite. I'd save it for the lake or willow beach, personally.

Sunset Park pond

[Ginosocalbass]

If your allowed to, Fish at night.. In alot of big ponds, the fish will become spooky around the bank during the day, even on stock day they can get a little wierd.  At night you will catch them with there guard down. visibility is lower, and artificial baits will look even more real to them.  

during the off season when they arent stocking trout, focus on that crawfish bite.  you can catch some true giants on a chigger craw with a 1/8 ounce sliding sinker.