Plastics in Ponds - Retrospective on the Rookie Season

[snake95]

A little over a year ago, I put up a post to ask how to get started fishing soft plastics, specifically fishing in ponds. This is all about how it went, and what worked for this rookie.  (Per @Paul Roberts comment “let us know how things pan out.”).

 

I'm now catching a lot of fish and learning a lot more about bass behavior and habitat thanks to everyone's input.  As others have stated, the experience of fishing plastics has been a great way to learn about bass, and ultimately become a better angler.

 

This post is also a request for general input on “where to go next in the second year."

 

Maybe this post will help out another rookie, although this is by no means intended to supersede the excellent advice for anglers starting out already on the forum, e.g:

 

I had been fishing for bass for a year using hard baits (crankbaits, poppers, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc), with the odd T-rigged trick worm here and there.  Many on the forum will find this hard to imagine, but I had never actually seen anyone else catch bass on soft plastics except on videos, and had nobody to teach me in person.

 

Some revelations (widely known to most on the forums, but news to this rookie):

• Basically anything soft plastic that wiggles, kicks, flutters, shimmies, or shakes in the water will get bit, when presented the right way at the right time.  Not surprisingly, some are generally better than others.
• Most soft plastics are great for pond fishing, because they can be rigged semi-weedless or completely weedless, and that’s a huge benefit when you can’t just motor over to unhook a snag.
• Don’t worry excessively about what action to impart to a lure – that will come with experience.  I was really hung up on this at first.  Sure, most plastics don't exactly have built-in action like a Rapala minnow. Just think about the terms you see in articles on the forum, it's only by practicing will you learn to intuitively impart the right action: hop, drag, swim, jerk, twitch, deadstick, and above all, let it fall!
• When anglers say they get bit “on the fall” they mean it.  Yep, you can chuck a lure in and just let it do it’s thing as it falls through the water column and a bass will often swim over and nail it.  You don’t necessarily have to be tossing at a specific piece of cover for this to work; so go ahead and fling a bait into open water when you’re experimenting and then do nothing but get ready to set the hook.
• Don’t worry about spooking fish too much, when they are active.  If you see a splash near shore or anywhere else, cast as close as you can, splash down, and 8/10 you’re plastic will get slammed.  Its worthwhile to try and get better (more subtle) with entries, but a splashdown, even a big one, will often provoke strikes, not prevent them.

 

Regarding “fundamental” rigs, I have learned a lot with 3 basic methods of putting plastics on a hook, with a few types of hooks and jigheads:

• Texas-rigging (tex-posing really, as covered in a video from Glenn).  I’ve learned that for bass you use bigger hooks than you might think first starting out.

(As @Catt suggested: "Weightless Texas Rigged anything ")

• Jighead rigging, the simplest way possible: putting the plastic on the hook shank so the point sticks up.  Comes through weeds fairly well.
• Nose-hooking or wacky rigging (while some night say there's more to it, just put the hook through the nose or midpoint: couldn’t be simpler than that)

 

Above all, I’ve found there is just no substitute for experimentation and building experience.  Rig it like you see in the videos, and cast to likely targets, or fishing along the bank as recommended in the how to get started threads (or sometimes, it's also OK to cast aimlessly at open water).   As you will notice, I like to raid the Yum boxes at my local Wally World, and that’s lead to me ordering direct from the source via Lurenet.  I've used plenty of other baits, too.  Here’s what’s worked for me:

 

Paddletail swimbaits.  The easiest lure to transition to because I could rig on a jighead or T-rig, and just cast and wind and vary the retrieve, just like a good old crankbait or spinnerbait.  

 

Just great advice from @Paul Roberts and @Ads7633 - they were right about paddletails and flukes being a super place to start coming from hard baits.  They said:

 

"Since you are comfortable with cast-n-retrieve, how about a paddle-tail swimbait? Good in open or light cover."  And,

"Try a fluke. You don't have to fish it as slow as some other plastics so it may be a good transition from hard baits to plastics. It is also one of the most effective."

 

I learned a lot about fishing soft plastics in general using paddletail swimbaits by experiment and by accident.  More than once when I stopped a retrieve and deadsticked the bait, it got nailed on the fall, and just as often, a bait was picked up on or near the bottom with the fish just mouthing it and apparently not swimming far.  Lures also got nailed on surface when reeled in fast to go home.   I now will toss a paddletail on a jighead and just let it flutter down, and carefully reel in the slack getting ready to set the hook after the fall.  My favorite by a long shot is the Keitech Fat Impact, but Zoom and Yum paddletails have also produced.

 

Ned rig.  For a rookie, hard to believe fish even hit this, just looks like a stick (of jello).  I followed Glenn’s video to a “T” and this is responsible for all of my multi-bass days.  I've mostly used Z-man TRD's, but I've also used Yum Craw Papis in the tiny size.  Not sure if that is a legit Ned rig, but it's worked.  There is plenty out there to read and learn about, but for me the basics have been to just cast out on light gear, and maybe it hop a few times. Ned rigs have been a go-to for older kids that can follow directions well.  My 8 yr/old boy is great with a Ned Rig.

 

Grubs on a jighead.  To many this will seem backwards, but I got into grubs experimenting putting them on Ned Rig heads.  I’ve found this to be a great way to cover water quicker with a light bait.  I fish with kids a lot, and they like them and they often get panfish on smaller grubs.

 

Senko/stickbaits.  I respect the recommendations of a lot of experienced guys to start here and learn from fishing them.  But for me they weren’t my natural go-to.  I use them a lot more these days though.  I know so many guys love wacky-rigging, but personally I prefer T-rigging weightless, in part because I don’t get pond junk on the point.  If I see swirls from bluegills schooling tightly, I toss one in.  I’ve caught fish on several brands, but Yum Dingers are my favorite and I really like the blue and olive green “bream” color.  After this initial year of fishing plastics, I don't think anyone should get too hung up on color, but that's a color that I like, and the bass in my nearby ponds seem to feel the same most of the time.

 

Craws and creatures.  Mainly fish them T-rigged with a weight or weightless.  Weightless I will drag on surface to churn the water like a frog, and let flutter down periodically.   Yum Mighty Bug, Craw Papi, Mighty Craw, Wooly Hawgtail, Netbait paca craw, the list goes on.

 

Worms.  Also T-rigged.  I know worms are where it started, but apart from stickbaits I probably fish them the least.  I know I should probably spend more time with these fundamental lures.  I use Zoom Trickworms the most.  I should probably spend some time just working worms more in the coming year.

 

Flukes.  T-rigged and weightless nose-hooked.  I used flukes a lot in the heat of the summer and fall, especially cast near where bass were chasing schools of baitfish close to surface.  Lots of colors work of course, but pink is by far my best producer in our stained southern ponds.  

 

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on my post over a year ago, and hope this is of interest.  Go ahead and suggest where to go next in year two!

 

[A-Jay]

Nicely Done ~

 

After reading your above account, I do not see any mention of a jig.

Sounds to me like this would be a very natural & seamless transition for you to make.

The infamous Jig & Craw is historically a bait that will get a quality bite.

And if you choose to go that way, I do believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised at your results.

Good Luck with your continued success.

A-Jay

[Fishin' Fool]

Nice post. Here's one I used quite a bit when I was a newer fisherman tubes. Put a 1/16th or a 1/8th ounce jighead in the tube and throw it next to the edge of lilly pads or a weed breakline and watch it spiral fall. It's a killer method. Also try to learn to drop shot this year if you don't know how. I've had 30-50 fish days just doing that. Best wishes.

[snake95]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

After reading your above account, I do not see any mention of a jig.

Thank you.  Good point, I started out with a request for advice on jigs in ponds in the same post.  I made some half-hearted casts with a couple of jigs last year, but no serious tries and I didn't catch anything.  I was too busy enjoying experimenting with plastics.  @A-Jay I will take your recommendation and add jig and craws into the mix for 2017.

 

1 hour ago, Fishin' Fool said:

Here's one I used quite a bit when I was a newer fisherman tubes. Put a 1/16th or a 1/8th ounce jighead in the tube and throw it next to the edge of lilly pads or a weed breakline and watch it spiral fall. It's a killer method. Also try to learn to drop shot this year if you don't know how.

Thanks Fishin' Fool, I'll do that too.  I tried both tubes and drop shoting last year, and had some success on both, but didn't use them a lot.  I liked Glenn's video on tubes, and caught bass on T-rigged tubes hopping and swimming them fairly fast through a rocky area on a warm summer evening.  I have accumulated some tube heads and will try that too.  I drop-shotted a couple of times with a Zoom Z-drop but yet to land anything.  I have some rocky points on a lake nearby where there are spots and eager to try drop shotting there.  Thanks for the tips, guys.

[Fishin' Fool]

7 minutes ago, snake95 said:

Thank you.  Good point, I started out with a request for advice on jigs in ponds in the same post.  I made some half-hearted casts with a couple of jigs last year, but no serious tries and I didn't catch anything.  I was too busy enjoying experimenting with plastics.  @A-Jay I will take your recommendation and add jig and craws into the mix for 2017.

 

Thanks Fishin' Fool, I'll do that too.  I tried both tubes and drop shoting last year, and had some success on both, but didn't use them a lot.  I liked Glenn's video on tubes, and caught bass on T-rigged tubes hopping and swimming them fairly fast through a rocky area on a warm summer evening.  I have accumulated some tube heads and will try that too.  I drop-shotted a couple of times with a Zoom Z-drop but yet to land anything.  I have some rocky points on a lake nearby where there are spots and eager to try drop shotting there.  Thanks for the tips, guys.

 

I'll give you 3 great baits from different lures shapes to try for drop shotting.

1) Yamamoto shad shaped worms

2) Roboworms

3) Poor Boys Erie Darters

[CTBassin860]

Great post. X2 on the jig suggestion.Give it a serious shot.A simple chunk,craw or twin tail grub on the back is a major weapon of bass destruction.You can light them up spring through fall.

[Paul Roberts]

Great post. Thanks so much for the thoughtful and detailed follow up. 

 

As per A-Jay... Next up -actually first up in my book: jigs.

 

You already are using SP's on jig heads so realize you can put almost anything on a jig head. Skirted jigs with a trailer (although when I started using them in the 80s I used no trailer at all and did great), are HUGE in the bass world. They can be fished top (swum) to bottom (dragged, hopped to dead-sticked). An interesting thing about skirted jigs is that they tend to attract bigger bass. This will be noticeable.

 

Why I say jigs are first up -the best starting point- is bc they are the most fundamental depth and speed control tools. By adjusting line dia, jig weight and style, and body/trailer buoyancy and resistance, you can manually control these two primary keys to presentation. Sounds complicated and can get so over time, but you are already hip to this stuff now from your detailed descriptions above. Regardless, jigs catch bass and big ones.

 

Jigs do something else that is critical to presentation control and that is knowing (by feel/visualization) where in the water column you are. 

 

After jigs, if you so desire, I'd think in two veins:

-Rigs (Drop-Shot, Carolina, Split-Shot, T-rig, jig worm, Wacky, Bubba, Punch, etc...) that offer greater presentation changes than simply changing lure type or color.

 

-Start collecting effective presentations that you hear about (Swimming Worm, Shaky, Flick-Shake, Ned, Burnin', Rippin', Stroking, Bulging, etc, etc, etc.... People discover things all the time and is what the name "In-Fisherman" meant in its founding -fisherman "IN the know". It's amazing how a certain presentation technique can be SO much better than others at certain times and conditions. Don't go hog wild as it can complicate things and get expensive. There's more to do than there is time to do it. Worth knowing and adding to your bag of tricks over time.

 

Then there's always water bodies (Limnology) and fish biology (physiology, ecology, behavior).

[Catt]

"Worms.  Also T-rigged.  I know worms are where it started, but apart from stickbaits I probably fish them the least.  I know I should probably spend more time with these fundamental lures.  I use Zoom Trickworms the most.  I should probably spend some time just working worms more in the coming year."

 

Uh! Look @ Zoom's Trick Worm & Creme's Scoundrel?

 

Try Texas rigging a Trick Worm weightless but add a 1" paneling nail in the tail. Creates are horizontal fall like a Senko!

 

A curl tail or ribbon tail worms both weighted or unweighted can be fished on top like a frog!

 

Aint seen no mention of a Liz-zard

[greentrout]

A slooowly dragged t-rigged worm on the bottom still catches the LMB.

[Airman4754]

My next suggestion would be swimbaits. Big fish eat little fish. There is no easier way to catch active fish.

[Ads7633]

Glad to hear about the successful transition!!

[KurtActual]

 

My next suggestion would be swimbaits. Big fish eat little fish. There is no easier way to catch active fish.

He mentioned swimbaits in his write-up.