How to catch the largest bass in an overstocked pond?

[2 Weight Willie]

I want to catch the biggest bass in an overstocked pond. There is gravel sloping gradually on one side and sand doing the same on the other. The only structure is Ludwigia palustris all around the the edges. No mader how heavy i go i can't punch through it. I would really like to catch the biggest one in there, but the bass are overstocked. Any help?

[Denny]

Are you catching smaller bass? Or none at all?

[the reel ess]

In my somewhat extensive experience with overpopulated ponds, the biggest bass in a dink factory might be 1-2 lbs. Use your biggest baits. Frog, spinner/buzzbaits, big topwaters, even a rat. Dinks will still bite.

[2 Weight Willie]

11 minutes ago, Denny said:

Are you catching smaller bass? Or none at all?

All are about 1 to 2 lbs

[Denny]

11 minutes ago, 2 Weight Willie said:

All are about 1 to 2 lbs

Bigger baits mean bigger fish. What are you throwing now?

[2 Weight Willie]

6 minutes ago, Denny said:

Bigger baits mean bigger fish. What are you throwing now?

Small texas rigs, small topwaters(heddon mini torpedo), crappie jigs, live grasshoppers, floating grass hoppers. Swimbaits won't work for anything in that pond.

5 minutes ago, 2 Weight Willie said:

Small texas rigs, small topwaters(heddon mini torpedo), crappie jigs, live grasshoppers, floating grass hoppers. Swimbaits won't work for anything in that pond.

Scratch the Swimbaits thing. Small shad imitation Swimbaits work in the fall and winter.

[Bluebasser86]

If there isn't room and forage to grow larger fish, there won't be any larger fish. 

[Buzzbaiter]

First you have to get rid of the tiny fish so that big ones can grow (only if you’re allowed to, of course).

 

That aside, it seems like you’re using small baits that are only good for catching numbers. Instead, try jigs, swimbaits, big worms, and buzzbaits. These baits have a tendency to catch bigger fish. 

[the reel ess]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

If there isn't room and forage to grow larger fish, there won't be any larger fish. 

Unless a few can break through enough to eat small bass. I've caught a chunky bass with a bass down its throat in a place I fish that's overpopulated. My buddy tells me to keep everything I catch. It was only about a pound and a half, but that fish stands a chance of getting big. I had to throw it back.

[PressuredFishing]

Patience, you have to weed through the small ones to get the bigger ones, or throw big baits like a bigger worm or something but I usually just grind through it until a bigger one sees my bait

[Captain Phil]

Large live bait....

[Bankbeater]

I fish a lake like yours.  Most of the bass you'll catch are 1/2 to 3/4 pounds.  There are big bass in this lake, but you have to go deep with a heavy weight to get the bait down fast.  If the bait sinks slow the dinks will pick it off before the larger size bass even know it's in the water.

[JZpowered]

On 6/28/2021 at 9:09 PM, 2 Weight Willie said:

I want to catch the biggest bass in an overstocked pond. There is gravel sloping gradually on one side and sand doing the same on the other. The only structure is Ludwigia palustris all around the the edges. No mader how heavy i go i can't punch through it. I would really like to catch the biggest one in there, but the bass are overstocked. Any help?

I like throwing glide baits even if they don't match the hatch so that’d be my deal but if that isnt working I would try throwing a frog over the ludwigia close to mid-day when the bigger bass may be pulled up in the shade of the thick plants. Followed by casting past it and Ripping a heavy swim jig through on braided line. Big topwaters/wakebaits could also work. 
 

In my experience when they are all close to 1-2lb they probably have access/ability to eat most of the same forage so unless youve seen/know of bigger ones in there they may all be that size. 
 

The ponds I know of with dinks and big bass consist of LOTS of fish under 12” with only a few fish in the 1-3lb range and the rest being 4+. Sometimes you just need to wade through the dinks, same glide bait I caught my PB on(8lb) I’ve also caught some 1lb and 8” fish on. 

[the reel ess]

17 minutes ago, JZpowered said:

I like throwing glide baits even if they don't match the hatch so that’d be my deal but if that isnt working I would try throwing a frog over the ludwigia close to mid-day when the bigger bass may be pulled up in the shade of the thick plants. Followed by casting past it and Ripping a heavy swim jig through on braided line. Big topwaters/wakebaits could also work. 
 

In my experience when they are all close to 1-2lb they probably have access/ability to eat most of the same forage so unless youve seen/know of bigger ones in there they may all be that size. 
 

The ponds I know of with dinks and big bass consist of LOTS of fish under 12” with only a few fish in the 1-3lb range and the rest being 4+. Sometimes you just need to wade through the dinks, same glide bait I caught my PB on(8lb) I’ve also caught some 1lb and 8” fish on. 

I bought a Savage Gear glide bait in bass pattern to help me catch the biggest bass in a dink factory as you describe. I threw it all day to no avail. I tried it a couple other places and to the bottom of the box it went. Now that I'm essentially targeting big bass in a big bass lake, I really should dust it off. But I wish I had gotten a shiner pattern.

[JZpowered]

1 minute ago, the reel ess said:

I bought a Savage Gear glide bait in bass pattern to help me catch the biggest bass in a dink factory as you describe. I threw it all day to no avail. I tried it a couple other places and to the bottom of the box it went. Now that I'm essentially targeting big bass in a big bass lake, I really should dust it off. But I wish I had gotten a shiner pattern.

I’ve had more 0 fish days on a glide than any other technique but it helps keeping me throwing it when I remember having those insane days with it too. 
 

Baby bass is definitely a sleeper color and guaranteed to be one of their potential forage anywhere you’re fishing for bass. Don’t be afraid to throw bright colors either, they have a lot of drawing power. For me a Glide is definitely using the drawing power of a big bait then working it erratic to draw strikes. 
 

You could also try the megabass magdraft freestyles, I’ve caught several 4lb fish on them through/over weeds and hooked up on every bite so far with an owner 6/0 beast hook.