Finding new ponds

[KyleB428]

Been fishing the same pond for a while and it produces very few smaller sized fish. Wondering what tips you all could give me on finding ponds and asking for permission to fish them? Also in he case of a neighborhood pond what is the best way to go about fishing it? If there are no signs am I good to go or do I need to get permission from a resident?

[pondbassin101]

A great way to find new ponds is Google Earth. With neighberhood ponds you should ask a resident or call the HOA and ask if its ok to fish.

[Crestliner2008]

Here in MA, our Fish & Wildlife Service offers a series of "Pond Maps" with details on fish inhabiting each, relative sizes, depth contours and launches available. Not knowing what state you are in, I'd google you state agency's website and see what's being offered along these lines.

[boostr]

Google Maps, or Earth is your friend. Found tons of new places and about 3/4 tons are private ponds/lakes.

[Quarry Man]

what state

[YoTone]

try using the app fish brain. its helped me find a lot of good spots.

[Chaddy]

Can you get google earth on iPhone?

[flyfisher]

do a search with the mapping software of your choice then use your state/county GIS service to determine who actually owns each body of water.  Many times those who give or deny permission really don't own the water.  Then you can ask permission to fish.  

[Chaddy]

Sorry but what's GIS?

[KyleB428]

11 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

what state

Ohio

I had some time on my hands today and decided to call around at a couple different apartment complexes. One has about 15 ponds and the other has only 1 large pond. I will give that a try for now and switch it up if needed. Thanks for the advice!

[MasterBasser]

I'm a bit nervous about just knocking on someones door to ask.  We have a lot of ponds around here in PA but they are all private.  Do you all find people are generally willing to let you fish?  Do you just drive up and ask if it would be okay to fish their ponds?  Do you look for ponds that are further from houses so you're not bothering them?  Curious what you have found works and maybe what to not do. 

[flyfisher]

13 hours ago, Chaddy said:

Sorry but what's GIS?

Here in VA it stands for Geographic Information System.  It allows you to search a county in my case and see who actually owns any piece of property.

http://www.hanovercountygis.org/Hanover/hanover/#ymin=3736766.1511422014;ymax=3883684.5539199794;xmin=11635512.81412295;xmax=11948012.81412295

 

Here is the example for the county I live in.  Most of the counties surrounding me have something similar as well.

[kiteman]

where i am, in a large metropolitan area, it's basically impossible to find anywhere to fish that is decent.  either the public ponds are way overfished, the others are literally filled with garbage, or the ones that are probably awesome to fish are owned by fishing clubs that require a hefty membership and daily lake/pond fee to fish.  if you're anything like me and live in a fairly sprawling urban area, i would start wide and look 20+ miles outside of your city and start there. 

[Doelman]

If there are no signs and you can access the body of water from public property, go for it.  Worst case, someone asks you to leave.  Virtually all rivers/streams/creeks are public property and there will be a small strip of land on either bank that is considered public property, even if someone's yard abuts up next to it.

[Quarry Man]

5 hours ago, MasterBasser said:

I'm a bit nervous about just knocking on someones door to ask.  We have a lot of ponds around here in PA but they are all private.  Do you all find people are generally willing to let you fish?  Do you just drive up and ask if it would be okay to fish their ponds?  Do you look for ponds that are further from houses so you're not bothering them?  Curious what you have found works and maybe what to not do. 

 

Where in PA are you?

[MasterBasser]

11 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

 

Where in PA are you?

Mechanicsburg, about 20 minutes south of Harrisburg 

[flyfisher]

2 hours ago, Doelman said:

If there are no signs and you can access the body of water from public property, go for it.  Worst case, someone asks you to leave.  Virtually all rivers/streams/creeks are public property and there will be a small strip of land on either bank that is considered public property, even if someone's yard abuts up next to it.

This is far from the truth.  The only areas that are public are right of ways that are generally only next to bridges.  the width of said right of way varies but generally they are 20-30'.  

Just because a road goes near a body of water in no way means it is public access.  The ask for forgiveness rather than permission approach is a poor one and can get you both in trouble with the law and a landowner. 

[the reel ess]

I would ask the people living around a neighborhood pond. One of them will probably at least give you permission to fish it once. I don't know the law where you live, but some neighborhood ponds here require a "pass" to fish them. I have one for the local water reservoir that is surrounded by private owners. The way I built up a "stable" of regular fishing ponds is just by asking. Sometimes people will ask me if I want to fish their ponds because i talk about fishing. I have three friends who own ponds and they don't fish them enough so it's like I'm doing them a service, LOL.

[Chaddy]

I've had no luck knocking on people's doors asking. People's funny nowadays. I live in a rural area.