Do pond bass feed at the same time?

[Great White Fisherman]

In small ponds, will the bass feed at the same time? I hear one feeding bass can start the others to feed. I know there are many bass in this pond, at least 15-20. In the middle of the day, I see one or two jumping for dragonflies. I throw topwaters, worms, flukes, lizards, and get nothing. Even got a dragonfly topwater from Lunkerhunt to match the hatch trying to get the ones going after them (still no bites on that one either). But if those 2 fish are feeding, what are the others doing? They're not jumping so if they are feeding, they should hit the other baits under the water. So this leads me to believe that they don't feed at the same time and those that are feeding do not ring the dinner bell for the others. Does this mean that at any given time, I only have a chance at catching the few that are feeding? What I've read about this issue seems to be false, at least in this pond...

 

As far as fishing for neutral or inactive bass, I'm not interested in doing that because I've pretty much given up on it till the weeds die off later in the year. 

[Deleted account]

Yes, every body of water has a rhythm, and smaller bodies have more stable and predictable ones, but it's oh so much more involved than just a given time window.

[Wizzlebiz]

At the ponds I fish they seem to be eating in one area while nothing happening in another. Generally if I can catch one I can catch at least 2 more. 

 

But what I have noticed from going to multiple different ponds is depth matters. If the pond has no real deep points it becomes really easy to predict where the fish will be. Now its the game of what will they eat today. Once I have figured that out it once again becomes easy to catch. 

 

What I have come to realize really fast is that it doesnt matter what I want them to eat. It doesnt matter that I like throwing a chatterbait if they dont care about it. 

 

If they want a senko (which is my least favorite presentation) I can't try to force a buzzbait. 

[WRB]

The term "fire up" bass by catching one will turn on others is basically BS. If bass are active hunting and you catch one the others are curious and may follow the hooked bass. You can't catch the first one if they are inactive, it's has everything to do with timing. The same "fire up" bass folks also claim loosing a bass shuts down the bite.

Can't have both ways the bass are either fired up (active) or not, loosing the bass shouldn't "calm"  the other down.

Pond bass eccosystem is small and the bass that have grown up in that small area know every inch of it. When inactive the bass suspends where it feels safe a sanctuary and when active roams the pond perimeter hunting. The best sanctuaries hold the bigger bass, it's a pecking order.

When angler(s) show up and walk around the pond it upsets the eccosystem and the predator bass sense the changes are alerted to your presence. 

Bass in larger bodies of water are more accustom to changes and less affected by them, easy for them to move out of harms way.

Tom

 

[Koz]

I've fished lagoons for years and for me the biggest factors are water temperature, weather patterns, and time of year. Consistent weather and water temperature usually means consistent feeding times, but where I am were not likely to have consistent weather for more than 3 or 4 days unless it's just blazing hot outside for a week.

 

What I find is that when water temperature and/or the weather changes the baitfish move to a new location. Sometimes that's deeper water, sometimes to or from cover, or sometimes to a similar location in another part of the lagoon. If I can find the baitfish I can find the bass. It certainly ticks me off when I can't find the baitfish!

[Great White Fisherman]

9 hours ago, Koz said:

What I find is that when water temperature and/or the weather changes the baitfish move to a new location. Sometimes that's deeper water, sometimes to or from cover, or sometimes to a similar location in another part of the lagoon. If I can find the baitfish I can find the bass.

I've read that bass are never far from their food so this makes sense of course. Only problem is that I can see baitfish along the entire edge of the pond at any given time regardless of weather and such. They're never grouped in one area, they're all over the place. So the prime location to toss a lure based on the baitfish is literally the entire pond. Really narrows it down haha. And fishing edges has only ever worked before dawn in this pond, never daytime

[Black Hawk Basser]

Sometimes you have no choice but to fish for neutral or inactive fish.  That is the state they are in the majority of the time.  I think of it in the same terms as humans.  We aren't constantly eating.  There are times when we just aren't hungry or are resting.  But if you put a yummy looking donut in front of me, I'll probably eat it, even if I'm not looking to eat.  To me, that's like putting an irresistible little plastic bait right in front of a bass.  It will be an easy meal that they don't have to burn calories to capture.

 

To up your odds of having active, very catchable fish to target, go during dusk or dawn, or when it's very cloudy or windy, or both.

 

You've established that it is a small pond.  You should be able to fish every bit of the pond to see if you can gather an educated guess on where the more active fish may be during the given time period that you're fishing.  And more often than not, we all have to drag a bait through thick cover to get to many of the fish we're after.  As @Wizzlebiz said, you can't force them to bite what you want them to bite.  You have to adapt to what the fish will go for at that moment.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Pickle_Power
Corrected typos

[Great White Fisherman]

1 hour ago, Pickle_Power said:

Sometimes you have no choice but to fish for neutral or inactive fish.  That is the state they are in the majority of the time.  I think of it in the same terms as humans.  We aren't constantly eating.  There are times when we just aren't hungry or are resting.  But if you put a yummy looking donut in front of me, I'll probably eat it, even if I'm not looking to eat.  To me, that's like putting an irresistible little plastic bait right in front of a bass.  It will be an easy meal that they don't have to burn calories to capture.

I've put a good bit of effort into punching the hydrilla mats with a heavy c-rig using craws and worms with no luck. It's pretty demoralizing when you realize that you're only covering about 1 square foot of a body of water and there could be a bass a few feet away and not get him to bite because you were too short or far on the cast to put in his face. This is why I've given up till the weeds die down because I can't stay patient long enough to cover every square foot of the pond with this technique. The pond is entirely choked in hydrilla by the way. So the bass could be ANYWHERE in it. I focused on the depth changes and extra dense areas and fanned out to other not-so-obvious areas. No luck

[Black Hawk Basser]

58 minutes ago, Great White Fisherman said:

I've put a good bit of effort into punching the hydrilla mats with a heavy c-rig using craws and worms with no luck. It's pretty demoralizing when you realize that you're only covering about 1 square foot of a body of water and there could be a bass a few feet away and not get him to bite because you were too short or far on the cast to put in his face. This is why I've given up till the weeds die down because I can't stay patient long enough to cover every square foot of the pond with this technique. The pond is entirely choked in hydrilla by the way. So the bass could be ANYWHERE in it. I focused on the depth changes and extra dense areas and fanned out to other not-so-obvious areas. No luck

Sounds like a chore.  My home lake gets very weed choked and it does get very difficult.  I would consider trying a different place!

[813basstard]

Theres no lunch break in the wild. 

If they perceive there is food around that is easily attainable with risk minimized they eat. 

 

I do believe bass (most animals actually) DO get fired up. 

Fired up to me at least means more willing to take chances to eat. 

[Wizzlebiz]

7 hours ago, 813basstard said:

Theres no lunch break in the wild. 

If they perceive there is food around that is easily attainable with risk minimized they eat. 

 

I do believe bass (most animals actually) DO get fired up. 

Fired up to me at least means more willing to take chances to eat. 

I agree with this statement however in a pond at least here in northern California the bass are the apex predators.  So how exactly does taking a chance to eat come into play here?

 

I think if they get hungry they hunt. With zero concerns for other predators.

 

Its why many people will take a big bass out of the water here. It apparently allows the other smaller ones to feed and grow larger. 

 

Personally I wont take them. But many do for this purpose.  

 

Knowing this information we know even less about what fired up even means. 

 

Will they compete for food? Sure. Will they continue having a feeding frenzy after one fish strikes? Im not really sure that is the case. 

 

[Hammer 4]

2 hours ago, Wizzlebiz said:

I agree with this statement however in a pond at least here in northern California the bass are the apex predators.  So how exactly does taking a chance to eat come into play here?

 

I think if they get hungry they hunt. With zero concerns for other predators.

 

Its why many people will take a big bass out of the water here. It apparently allows the other smaller ones to feed and grow larger. 

 

Personally I wont take them. But many do for this purpose.  

 

Knowing this information we know even less about what fired up even means. 

 

Will they compete for food? Sure. Will they continue having a feeding frenzy after one fish strikes? Im not really sure that is the case. 

 

Taking Big bass..? It's the other way around, you leave the big females to breed. Taking the 15" bass is the preferred way. The smaller bass are much quicker than say a 10 to 15 lb. female, if they have to chase after food. Taking big females is stupid imho. 

[Wizzlebiz]

9 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

Taking Big bass..? It's the other way around, you leave the big females to breed. Taking the 15" bass is the preferred way. The smaller bass are much quicker than say a 10 to 15 lb. female, if they have to chase after food. Taking big females is stupid imho. 

Yea taking big bass. Sadly. Its a thing here in northern California.  I couldnt agree more with you btw. Its stupid. 

[scaleface]

Youre over thinking it just like I use too . Just go fishing . You say there are weeds in the  pond , throw lures that work well in weeds . A stick worm like a Yum Dinger , Senko... rigged weedless and fished slowly through the weeds is a good option . Any other cover like wood ? You could easily add  some brush , Christmas tree..,it may become the best bass magnet in the pond .

[Deleted account]

On 8/30/2019 at 8:31 AM, Great White Fisherman said:

I've read that...

and scene.