Mud hole with huge bass (NOT CARP) and shad but no bites

[GT Tompkins]

I live in Arkansas where it doesn't get too cold but 30 degrees is common night temperature for winter. I live in a city where most ponds are heavily fished so most dont have big fish. I found a super muddy pond (maybe an acre or two) on the side of the road that i tried out with minnows and caught a fat crappie. I've also caught one largemouth (1 1/2 lbs) and a small gar. I've been back to the pond several times with no luck, but while i was there i saw schools of shad and 4 or 5 times i have seen huge largemouth jumping while feeding on shad. The bass i saw jump looked bigger (longer&fatter) than my personal record bass which was 6lbs. I have went back  with bluegill on bobber, big crank baits, and minnows without even a bite. Also i think it is very old as there are decent sized clam shells on the bank. When i saw this pond is muddy i mean muddy as ****. 6 inches visibility  at best. There is a medium to heavy amount of downed trees and limbs. But ive only seen bass jump in the open water so they are still cruising around feeding even though it is cold. This week the temperature is going to be 20 degrees  warmer than usually so i want to capitalize. Any suggestions?  

 

     The crappie in the 1st  picture is the one i mentioned that i caught out of the pond I'm talking about. The bass in the 2nd picture is my personal best, caught elsewhere. The bass I've seen in the muddy pond are fatter for sure. I'm dying to catch one (and a new personal best).

[scaleface]

Are the fish you are seeing,  jumping clear out of the water ?

[GT Tompkins]

18 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Are the fish you are seeing,  jumping clear out of the water ?

Yes. They sound like cinder blocks being dropped in the water. Ive seen two clearly.

[Snipe Hunter]

Match the hatch, right? Shad? Crappie?

 

Sounds like they're well fed so I'd concentrate on reaction baits. Something to get their attention. I might also think about BIG baits.

 

Being that the place has stained water, I'd think about noisy baits and baits with good vibration. Maybe BIG baits also. Jigs with rattles. I'd probably throw shad colored lipless cranks like Rat-L-Traps and Red Eye Shads. Also big spinnerbaits. Even though it's muddy, they'll can still run down a bait if they can hear it and feel it's vibration. I tend to throw large (easy to find) baits in heavily stained water, but that's just me. I'd also consider jerk baits with rattles. For whatever reason, people tend to ignore top

water baits sometimes. You've seen bass feeding on the surface, throw a buzz-bait or a spinner bait up top, breaking the surface or a big spook. I'm not sure what you've tried but I get in a rut where I start throwing soft plastics on the bottom even though the fish have given me enough clues to do something else.

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, GT Tompkins said:

Yes. They sound like cinder blocks being dropped in the water. Ive seen two clearly.

 

Carp

[jbw252]

I agree with Snipe Hunter.  I would tend to use bright colors, in addition to the noise & vibration style lures. (Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, & lipless crankbaits).  Painted blade spinnerbaits may also pay off in stained waters.

[JustJames]

Agreed

2 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

 

Carp

 

[Bluebasser86]

Bass rarely jump completely out of the water while feeding. I agree that it sounds like carp behavior to me.

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Carp do indeed make noise. I was fishing a pond

where a couple carp were locked wrestling in a 

mating ritual. Lots of splashes (not saying that's

what you were seeing, just saying they're noisy).

Usually when a bass breaks the surface it is after

baitfish, at least in my experience...

[GT Tompkins]

12 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

 

Carp

Im assuming you didn't read much of what i wrote. I mentioned that i CLEARLY saw BASS jump out of the water. Hell i went down there again today and had one jump not even 10 feet in front of me. Scared me half to death. Try not being so cynical, bud. These arent asain carp. They are largemouth bass.

[GT Tompkins]

8 hours ago, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

 

Carp do indeed make noise. I was fishing a pond

where a couple carp were locked wrestling in a 

mating ritual. Lots of splashes (not saying that's

what you were seeing, just saying they're noisy).

Usually when a bass breaks the surface it is after

baitfish, at least in my experience...

Thanks!

Ive seen enough white carp, brown, and koi. I can tell the difference. These are violent jumps. And I've gotten good enough looks to see that they have green backs and white bellies. It is the most diverse pond ive been too. I would imagine there are carp in the pond. Maybe thats why its so muddy. But the fish ive seen are bass 100%. Btw they are definitely  feeding. Very well fed. Its loaded with shad.

[jr231]

They don't have to be Asian carp to jump !! 

 

I've honestly never seen a bass jump clear out of the water unless it was hooked... I've seen explosive strikes but never full on leap out of the water.. it's just odd for you to say you see it over and over.. 

 

It wasn't just him saying it... It was nearly everyone who replied... 

 

But who knows.. crazier things have happened than bass jumping out of the water. 

[GT Tompkins]

Just now, Yeajray231 said:

They don't have to be Asian carp to jump !! 

 

I've honestly never seen a bass jump clear out of the water unless it was hooked... I've seen explosive strikes but never full on leap out of the water.. it's just odd for you to say you see it over and over.. 

 

It wasn't just him saying it... It was nearly everyone who replied... 

 

But who knows.. crazier things have happened than bass jumping out of the water. 

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

[jr231]

Spend a day free lining a bluegill. Lose the bobber. And hook it through the nostril . 

 

 

[GT Tompkins]

1 minute ago, Yeajray231 said:

Spend a day free lining a bluegill. Lose the bobber. And hook it through the nostril . 

 

 

But its filled with branches and small trees! Have u done that around alot of wood structure?  I've never free lined live bait......

[flyfisher]

I have seen tons of small bass leap clear out of the water but never small ones.  I am pretty sure that something else is doing the jumping.  Carp can also be a reason the the lake is super muddy as well if they got rid of all the vegetation that was keeping the bottom in tact.

[Cody21w]

I've seen 2 bass (largemouth) completely jump out of the water, not including after top water baits. I've seen a lot of fish that could of been bass jump out, but these 2 were 100% bass. One was about 2 pounds that ate a dying/buzzing cicada, and the other was around 8-12 pounds when paddling a kayak to a cove. I don't know what your seeing, but I'd fish a white single Colorado blade right now.  

[IndianaFinesse]

46 minutes ago, GT Tompkins said:

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

I believe that you think you are seeing bass, and depending on if you live way down south or not, it is possible.  But from your description it sounds more like carp to me.  

35 minutes ago, GT Tompkins said:

But its filled with branches and small trees! Have u done that around alot of wood structure?  I've never free lined live bait......

Try a weedless hook, the guys down in Florida use giant golden shiners to get way back underneath thick weeds all the time.  There is a little more to it than simply chucking a nose hooked bluegill into the water and waiting for a bite, you have to kind of finesse it into the cover.

[flyfisher]

9 minutes ago, Cody21w said:

I've seen 2 bass (largemouth) completely jump out of the water, not including after top water baits. I've seen a lot of fish that could of been bass jump out, but these 2 were 100% bass. One was about 2 pounds that ate a dying/buzzing cicada, and the other was around 8-12 pounds when paddling a kayak to a cove. I don't know what your seeing, but I'd fish a white single Colorado blade right now.  

I am amazed at peoples ability to tell the weight of a bass from a jump when so many people get it wrong when they can actually hold the fish.  

[GT Tompkins]

13 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

Thanks to everyone who offered helpful advise. I didn't post this for you jackwagons to tell me what i did or didn't see. I asked for advice on how to catch the fish that I SAW. They act like carp? Sounds like carp? I understand. That IS interesting. But they aren't carp OKAY?!?! Good lord! I know what a d**n bass looks like. If you want to tell me what you think I saw, please dont. I understand its unusual. Trust me i know. Dont insult my intelligence by telling me i dont know what species of fish i (CLEARLY) saw. If you have advise on catching heavily fed bass out of a muddy pond, then i appreciate the help. Thanks.

 

[GT Tompkins]

1 hour ago, flyfisher said:

I have seen tons of small bass leap clear out of the water but never small ones.  I am pretty sure something else is doing the  jumping.  Carp can also be a reason the the lake is super muddy as well if they got rid of all the vegetation that was keeping the bottom in tact.

You are pretty sure? You are incorrect. I am not pretty sure. I am certain. I am getting tired of defending myself. I havent seen many bass jump either until i visited this pond. Dont ask me why. They just do. Big ones. Atleast once an hour. Alot more frequently today.

[flyfisher]

 

5 minutes ago, GT Tompkins said:

You are pretty sure? You are incorrect. I am not pretty sure. I am certain. I am getting tired of defending myself. I havent seen many bass jump either until i visited this pond. Dont ask me why. They just do. Big ones. Atleast once an hour. Alot more frequently today.

Video it and post it up.  then you can prove us all wrong.

[GT Tompkins]

I will get a video of them jumping and post it on here

[RMax]

1 hour ago, GT Tompkins said:

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

I believe you, simply because bass behavior can change depending on where they are, especially if they're in a lonesome little pond.  I occasionally fish a lake that is very low pressure but is very  urban (its private) and those bass behave completely different than most fish.  The largemouth in there are super active in the winter (under the ice), nearly unactive in the fall, don't protect their beds, and most of them don't relate to structure, just sitting on a sandy, flat beach.

[GT Tompkins]

I will get a video of them jumping and post it on here