Please help me figure out my local lake/pond

[jhc1]

Today was a perfect day for fishing. I got to the lake at 5:30, as signs indicated that they open at sunrise. Unfortunately, the dnr didn't get to the lake until 6:15, but still early. 

I brought my 6'6" medfast aetos coupled with tatsu and 7'0" medfast HMG coupled with braid (either 832 or power pro super slick) . I started out with some top waters on the hmg, whopper ploppers, spooks, rico, 3db, some wakebaits, and nothing, no blow ups or anything. Switched to a swim jig head and a fat impact keitech, switching periodically to the new strike king paddle tails. No nibbles, nothing. Switched to a couple different color senkos rigged Texas and wacky, on the aetos, nothing. Ned rig, drop shot with super flukes and gamakatsu shad, nothing. Used full swim jig and a number of trailers from grubs ribbon tails, craws, paddle tails, nothing. Shakey head with a number of stick baits, nothing. TexaaI'm pretty sure I'm forgetting a ton of crap I used. 

At this point, I need help trying to figure it out. It's not a very large or deep lake, but someone this morning said he pulled an 8 pounder out of there (whether it's true or not, who knows). It's got a muddy, rocky, mucky bottom, so it's difficult to use cranks and other deeper lures. I was skunked this morning, and the biggest I've got is a 1 or 2 pounder. 

The lake is Lake Ida in countryside, Illinois. There's really no vegetation or much to target unfortunately. Thanks in advance for any help, and I understand if the best way to go is to find another lake!  

[burrows]

You forgot the kitchen sink.

[nascar2428]

I would have started an area with the whopper plopper , then fished it with a senko or a texas rigged worm. Slow is the way to go when it comes to summer time fishing.

[burrows]

Fish slow it's the dogs days of summer, I would stick with a big worm when it's hot summer I approach things much like I would in the winter the fish are hot and don't want to move from cover but they are active and looking for a big meal. I think fishing a big ribbon tail worm slow slow slow will get you a catch or a crawling a football jig.

[jhc1]

So how do you know it's better to fish with one or two different things as opposed to throwing the kitchen sick into the water?

[The Fisher]

If there is any cover like grass or lily pads I would throw a hollow body frog early. If the overflow has some concrete I would throw a wacky Senko or swim super fluke Jr. on a jig head 

[jhc1]

There's no lily pads, and only some scum/grass by the overflow. I'll try that next time. 

[The Fisher]

6 minutes ago, jhc1 said:

There's no lily pads, and only some scum/grass by the overflow. I'll try that next time. 

I like to walk the dog with hollow body frogs across any kind of cover real early or at dusk. 

[burrows]

Keep us posted 

[jhc1]

10 hours ago, The Fisher said:

I like to walk the dog with hollow body frogs across any kind of cover real early or at dusk. 

Does it make any difference that it's not deep at all by the overflow? I just assumed that there's no shot at catching anything within feet of the shore b/c it's less than five feet deep. I guess the cover would make the depth irrelevant though, yeah?

[The Fisher]

4 hours ago, jhc1 said:

Does it make any difference that it's not deep at all by the overflow? I just assumed that there's no shot at catching anything within feet of the shore b/c it's less than five feet deep. I guess the cover would make the depth irrelevant though, yeah?

I get most of my hits on frogs on cover close to the shore, some in deeper water in my pond which might be only 7' at most.

[blckshirt98]

I'd ditch all the topwater stuff unless you see signs of bass breaking surface.  Topwater might be the most exciting way to fish but for me I seem to get less action (not to mention the lower hookup ratio) so if you're just trying to catch fish go with someone more subtle.  It also looks like that pond is smack dab in the middle of the suburbs close to Chicago so it probably gets a ton of fishing pressure.  If you see any kind of grassline near the shoreline, in the early morning try running a squarebill along the edges or toss a dropshot as close as you can to the edge of that grass and let it sit there with light taps on the rod.  So if I were there from 530-930am,  I'd probably do something like below which is toss a squarebill and run it from 10' and in, and, toss a dropshot from the 10' mark and in.

[jhc1]

11 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

I'd ditch all the topwater stuff unless you see signs of bass breaking surface.  Topwater might be the most exciting way to fish but for me I seem to get less action (not to mention the lower hookup ratio) so if you're just trying to catch fish go with someone more subtle.  It also looks like that pond is smack dab in the middle of the suburbs close to Chicago so it probably gets a ton of fishing pressure.  If you see any kind of grassline near the shoreline, in the early morning try running a squarebill along the edges or toss a dropshot as close as you can to the edge of that grass and let it sit there with light taps on the rod.  So if I were there from 530-930am,  I'd probably do something like below which is toss a squarebill and run it from 10' and in, and, toss a dropshot from the 10' mark and in.

Extremely helpful. Thank you!

[You_Only_Live_Once_Fishing]

go deep

[jhc1]

I'd love to, but I don't have a setup that can get me into the very deep areas. 

[scaleface]

Its only 10 acres . Not much structure or cover . I would take sinking lures such as a Strike King Rocket Shad , Bayou Boogie , jig and grub  ... cast to various depths  , let the lure sink to the bottom then retrieve it following the  contour from deep to shallow   . I would start with first cast right down the bank , next cast a little deeper and so on . Move a few feet and repeat . You want to keep the lure close to the bottom . Every few turns of the reel handle kill the bait so it gets back down there plus that draws a lot of strikes . Of course , any cover you do find work it thoroughly .

[HeavyDluxe]

On 7/18/2016 at 3:02 PM, blckshirt98 said:

 I think this is really good... Though I might add that I'd move to the right of the bottom spot blackshirt highlighted (right above the word 'Pages' on the map) and fish that... It looks like the closest access you have to the deepest water.

I've found that dead-sticking soft plastics produces consistently - but the patience to do it well is a hard discipline.  It's not the most exciting way to fish... Tonight I went to a similar pond near here and a couple buddies were fishing topwater.  They had cooler blowups, but I caught more (and bigger) fish.  So, YMMV.

[jr231]

10 acres if definitely big enough to hold some real nice fish. I've caught big fish on top water in mid day. Every day is different it seems. I can have 15 + fish days on worms.  Come again next week and can't get a bite in 2 hours.. everyone wants to help. And alot think they know best. I'd say most everyone has good intentions on this site. But it's hard to do what everyone tells you. BTW 10 feet is not too deep for cranks and jerk baits. I own many that I couldn't get down to 10 feet no matter how fast I cranked. And although I'm a rapala fan for the cranks. If I just have no luck at all and still want to try the hard baits. I break out my ol favorite. The bomber 6a in chartreuse blush. Money.