Featureless pond--summer pattern

[plawren53202]

Quick background facts for my question: Pond is my subdivision HOA pond (I'm in MO). 3 acres or so. It's a typical subdivision HOA pond--which is to say it's like a shallow goldfish bowl. I'm guessing it's 4-5 feet deep tops out in the middle, and almost no features at all. I'm pretty sure they just dug it, so no dam to speak of and no creek channel running through it. There are a few weeds that try to grow along the banks but the darn subdivision property managers want to keep it "looking pretty" so they try to kill them off as much as possible. As a result there is literally no cover at all for these fish to find shade under during the day. Keep in mind there are no lunkers in here, by any means; it's dink central, but it's a good way to get in an easy hour of fishing before I have to leave for work or after I get home.

 

The last couple of weeks, here's the pattern I've picked up on. Early early in the morning, like 5:15 until about 6:30 or maybe 7:00 if cloudy, I have caught quite a few on top (a Plopper). They will be holding tight to the bank in inches of water (I can often see the wake as they swim out to grab the Plopper). Bite then transitions to either a wacky worm or a shaky head fished out 10-20 feet from the bank. Then shuts off.

 

Evenings are the reverse. Until about 7:30 or 8:00, no bite up close to the bank. 7:30 or 8:00 until dark, back to the wacky worm or shaky head 10-20 feet out from the bank. Lately I haven't been able to get any kind of a topwater bite in the evening, last night I threw a Plopper and a frog for a while until just dark and no bites.

 

Bear in mind its been hot here for last few weeks. Dead dog hot, like 90-95. Seems like these fish are coming up to the bank and feeding mainly at night. That's why I can catch them on a topwater first thing in the morning, and in the "transition zone" a couple of feet deep after the morning topwater bite and late in the evening. My theory is that from the time my "transition zone" bite shuts off in the morning until it turns back on in the evening, they are going out to the deepest water they can find and just sitting on the bottom chilling, not doing anything.

 

Two questions: (1) That sound like it makes sense, or am I way off base? (2) Assuming that may be what's happening (and I expect that we are in the summer pattern now for the next month or more), do you think these fish are at all catchable or not worth my time? If I thought they were catchable I would give a shot throwing a weighted worm or a jig out as deep as I can get it and dragging the bottom. Or maybe some kind of reaction bait like a squarebill dragging the bottom trying to trigger a reaction bite if they aren't interested in feeding then? If I were a fish out there trying to stay cool in 4 feet of bathwater and no shade, though, I would have no interest in eating LOL. 

 

This type of setting is new to me. Normally if I were on water that had a discernable creek channel, docks or hard cover with shade or anything else like that, I'd give that a shot. Just trying to figure out if it's worth my time to dredge the "depths" with something bottom bumping or not worth it.

[bigbassin']

Biggest issue I’d see with dredging the bottom or throwing a squarebill is that ponds like the one you described typically have a solid algae growth on the bottom this time of year.

 

If your pond doesn’t slime any bottom baits you throw, I think it might be worth a shot. Being as featureless as you describe, if you could locate a 1’ ditch or bump it could hold several fish.

 

You may also find a “brush pile” where the neighborhood kids have thrown in sticks, rocks, etc. that provides something different for the fish to relate to.

[Finessegenics]

A reaction lure sounds like a good idea but if the bottom is covered in that slime like @bigbassin' mentioned, try a t-rigged swimbait. I like to use a 3.8 keitech with a 3/0 EWG and an unpegged 1/8oz worm weight. You can straight swim it, drag it, hop it or whatever. The hops should get more of a reaction bite.
 

53 minutes ago, bigbassin' said:

You may also find a “brush pile” where the neighborhood kids have thrown in sticks, rocks, etc. that provides something different for the fish to relate to.

 And while you may get into some trouble, maybe create your own mini brush piles...a few sticks, some bricks. No one will even know lol ?  

[galyonj]

1 hour ago, Finessegenics said:

And while you may get into some trouble, maybe create your own mini brush piles...a few sticks, some bricks. No one will even know lol ?  

Chuck a dozen or so Christmas trees in there when nobody's looking.

 

Real talk, though: depending on what specific brand of megalomaniac sits on the board of your HOA, you might be able to sweet talk your way into appointing yourself minister of pond health or whatever you wanna call the position, and you can go crazy with ideas that'll make the fish happier and healthier and bigger and more fun to catch.

[scaleface]

I would secretly sink some brush where others may not be able to find easily .

[plawren53202]

2 hours ago, galyonj said:

Real talk, though: depending on what specific brand of megalomaniac sits on the board of your HOA, you might be able to sweet talk your way into appointing yourself minister of pond health or whatever you wanna call the position, and you can go crazy with ideas that'll make the fish happier and healthier and bigger and more fun to catch.

In theory that's a good idea, and one I had thought about before. Unfortunately there are at least two factors working against it: (1) your use of the word megalomaniac is not far off from the truth; our subdivision has had this Hatfields & the McCoys thing going with a neighboring subdivision for at least 10 years (and about which I absolutely couldn't care less) so subdivision leadership has kind of evolved from that; and (2) technically our pond is posted as no trespassing-subdivision residents only. However I think the HOA has no courage to actually enforce that and instead wants the fishing to get so bad that all the non-residents finally get tired of coming and stop.

 

That I think is one reason they continue to try to kill off all the weeds in the pond, b/c I know some subdivision residents have told them the fishing would be better if they let them grow. Unfortunately for the subdivision leadership those little bass are incredibly efficient at reproducing even in a goldfish bowl of a pond, and I know they had a good spring this spring because there were nests everywhere and now I am seeing swarms of bass fry everywhere ?  

[TnRiver46]

So you are near saint Louis?? I would ditch your pond and jump into the back of @scaleface ‘s truck before he goes fishing 

[galyonj]

3 hours ago, plawren53202 said:

In theory that's a good idea, and one I had thought about before. Unfortunately there are at least two factors working against it: (1) your use of the word megalomaniac is not far off from the truth; our subdivision has had this Hatfields & the McCoys thing going with a neighboring subdivision for at least 10 years (and about which I absolutely couldn't care less) so subdivision leadership has kind of evolved from that; and (2) technically our pond is posted as no trespassing-subdivision residents only. However I think the HOA has no courage to actually enforce that and instead wants the fishing to get so bad that all the non-residents finally get tired of coming and stop.

 

That I think is one reason they continue to try to kill off all the weeds in the pond, b/c I know some subdivision residents have told them the fishing would be better if they let them grow. Unfortunately for the subdivision leadership those little bass are incredibly efficient at reproducing even in a goldfish bowl of a pond, and I know they had a good spring this spring because there were nests everywhere and now I am seeing swarms of bass fry everywhere ?  

I figured the word choice was safe given the richly-deserved reputation many HOA get of becoming tinpot dictatorships.

 

That being the case, though, I guess we're going back to Operation Saint Nick, and covertly adding some cover to it. 

 

And then you could maybe accidentally fling a mess of pondweed seeds into it.

 

Whoopsie daisy. 

[OCdockskipper]

7 hours ago, galyonj said:

...you might be able to sweet talk your way into appointing yourself minister of pond health or whatever you wanna call the position, and you can go crazy with ideas that'll make the fish happier and healthier and bigger and more fun to catch.

 

This works.  An acquaintance of mine heard one of the board of directors of the HOA saying they were considering spraying chemicals into our lake to kill off zebra mussels.  He told the board member that there was a more "green" solution, that they could release a couple of hundred pounds of crayfish in the lake a couple of times a year and that the crayfish would eat the zebra mussels.  The Board ate up the idea (pun intended), I think because they thought it made them look like they cared for the environment.

 

Of course, the fishermen on the lake kept quiet as the bass & catfish fattened up on the crayfish stockings every few months...

[Koz]

Keep in mind that aquatic vegetation removal within communities is not always an aesthetic issue. Depending upon where you are there are EPA regulations that must be met for stormwater conveyance systems.

[plawren53202]

3 hours ago, galyonj said:

I figured the word choice was safe given the richly-deserved reputation many HOA get of becoming tinpot dictatorships.

 

That being the case, though, I guess we're going back to Operation Saint Nick, and covertly adding some cover to it. 

 

And then you could maybe accidentally fling a mess of pondweed seeds into it.

 

Whoopsie daisy. 

Dead on...and I like your way of thinking ?

 

[Sissyfishing]

Centering a pond 
Early and late you can fish normally with small top waters spinners etc. 
during day and hot months fish deep with drop shot or Ned or split shots, 
Centering, cast to the center of the pond with a 4 in ribbon tail worm either Texas or on a 1:16 oz jig head and let sink to the bottom then swim it to the bank slowly move all around the pond!