What should I do? (Bank Fishing)

[Cmath06]

Hello guys, I need some advice. I'm in the southern part of Indiana, and have been struggling to catch fish consistently. I am pond hoping around ponds I've caught fish from before. The water color isn't brown but is murky. I can see about six ft from the bank. The last week has had little rain and sunny days. I've tried many diffident baits like jigs, swim baits, soft plastics, spinners, cranks, and about anything else I have in my bag. As I look around the bank I see bait fish and bluegill.

I have caught some fish on beds and around points. I just cant see to find them for the last few days. If you have any tips or tricks please let me know. I'm open to anything.

[jr231]

If this fish are beginning to spawn (or staging I believe is the term) they become difficult to catch ! They have other things on their mind... 

 

The best advice I have for you is slow it down, and stay out of sight. Don't walk right up on the bank .. don't bring your noisy buddy...

 

I'd be using spinning gear with a dropshot if I was hurting for a bite. (Which I was last time I went! I fished for 2 hours and fished 5+ baits before I switched to the dropshot and ended up catching 2)

 

Good luck sir. 

[papajoe222]

Welcome to the site.

You can do one of three things; Change tactics, change location, or give up and play video games that will give you instant gratification.  I'm not attempting to be funny, sometimes catching  takes more than just chucking and winding a lure past a piece of cover or a fish that you can see. Nothing works every time and there are days even the pros have difficulty figuring out the what and where.  Don't give up, this is a very rewarding sport in more ways than just catching fish.

[Clackincrank53]

I fish ponds from the bank as much as I fish lakes from the boat and I'm a firm believer that when fishing the bank be it a pond or lake a stealthy approach will get more bites than not, when I get to the first spot where I'm gonna start fishing I stop about ten feet from the waters edge and fan cast everything in front of me close to the bank and work my way out further, I don't wanna wing it out as far as I can and catch one and bring it back through fish that may be closer and chance spooking them away I wanna catch the closest fish first...after all that I will walk up to the edge and start casting to my left (I cast with my right arm)paralleling the bank and with every couple casts start slicing the pie away from the bank, that way when I move down the bank I'm less likely to spook any fish that haven't seen my bait first. Depending on where I'm fishing and what's on the bank like trees,bushes, etc... Or nothing I'll wear a shirt that blends with what's  behind me and if there's nothing I wear a light blue shirt so I blend in with the sky..someone above said if they're beginning to spawn or staging as he called it they don't wanna eat as they're minds are elsewhere, I hafta disagree with that because if you don't see fish on beds then they are not spawning yet  and should be feeding to build energy for the dance. And even if they were spawning there would still be fish moving up feeding as they don't all spawn at the same time. When the bite gets tough for me I throw a weightless 5 inch senko green pumpkin or blue with black flakes and can usually get a bite or two....pond fish can be trickier than lake fish sometimes and are hard to figure out too....

[roadwarrior]

"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
 

[CroakHunter]

9 hours ago, Cmath06 said:

Hello guys, I need some advice. I'm in the southern part of Indiana, and have been struggling to catch fish consistently. I am pond hoping around ponds I've caught fish from before. The water color isn't brown but is murky. I can see about six ft from the bank. The last week has had little rain and sunny days. I've tried many diffident baits like jigs, swim baits, soft plastics, spinners, cranks, and about anything else I have in my bag. As I look around the bank I see bait fish and bluegill.

I have caught some fish on beds and around points. I just cant see to find them for the last few days. If you have any tips or tricks please let me know. I'm open to anything.

Been struggling here too. Im in southern indiana as well. About 25 minutes from evansville. You?

[Catt]

Bass in off colored water are lateral line feeders, ya need lures that make noise & move water.

[Cmath06]

12 hours ago, CroakHunter said:

Been struggling here too. Im in southern indiana as well. About 25 minutes from evansville. You?

I go to the University of Southern Indiana.

[frosty]

Is the pond turning over? If so that can shut them down, along with them getting ready to spawn. If the are holding up shallow they are probably on beds, you can try a chatterbait or spinnerbait and see if you can get a reaction strike going. Also,

 

[Paul Roberts]

I've done well in both lakes and ponds. Ponds can be a double-edged sword. They are right in front of you, but if you're not catching you can't use the size of the water, or location, as an excuse.

 

Seasonally speaking bass often move away from shorelines -into more open water, or deeper edges of open water- during summer and winter. So bass in lakes of course have the opportunity to move out of reach of shore bound fishers. But many, if not all, lakes have either bass that remain shallow all year, and/or places that allow you to access deeper habitat. Habitat is the key though. You are looking for diverse complex bottom and cover make-up (structure, cover), and the presence of prey. On a lake, it might take some driving and exploring shorelines to find the good spots. On ponds, it often takes some walking; Bass are not equally distributed -or equally catchable- all around a given pond.

 

On lakes, I've done well in coves, arms, lagoons, rip-rap, bridges, and marina's. Marina's, if you can fish legally, offer cover and relatively deep water. They often hold fish all through the summer.

 

 

 

[bma3]

Like many others, I recommend you stand a few feet away from the bank so the fish don't see you, and I also recommend you go really slow. Ik it can be painful but it is necessary. Maybe a Ned Rig, Dropshot, or even a 4in wacky senko.