small water fishing

[rocknfish9001]

I was wondering if you guys have to do anyhting different to catch bass in small waters this time of year. I have a pond, about 5 acres, with a huge number of bass, and some monster 7 pounders (hey, they're monsters to me!) During the late summmer and into winter, i can never catch a fish. However, this is one of my favorite times to fish a big lake. The pond's surface weeds are all gone now, and the submergent vegitation is weird. There is one thick weed bed, but most the bottom is covered with a tangly, stringy type weed that engulfs any lure. Maybe a dropshot?

[Keepin_It_Reel]

I fish lots of small ponds and even at this time of year they still bite topwaters big spooks in wild shiner color and frogs worked slow and jerkin them like a jerkbait. I dont really use dropshot so i wouldnt know but make sure to find any sort of cover in small ponds bass dont have much cover to use so if any leaves,grass,trees fall into the water make sure to check that spot out.

[BassinSoldier]

 I like to downsize just a lil bit for small water.  I like to throw a super fluke jr. on about a 2/O offset worm hook with no weight.  Works great for me and also like previously stated topwaters can pay off good too if conditions are right.  Good luck!

[BassinSoldier]

Also, the vegetation you mentioned sounds like it is algae.  That stuff will cling to anything no matter how weedless it is!

[phisher_d]

I would try a fat Ika.  I asked a question like yours  on this site a while ago and someone suggested it.  Next time I went to the pond, I tied one on and it worked like magic.  I use small spinnerbaits a lot there too but it might be getting a little cold for them now.  Suspending jerkbaits like an x-rap work well this time of year too. just make sure they're not too big.

ps. I know what you mean about this being the best time of year to fish the pond.  The pond near where I live is completely covered with surface weeds through the whole summer and even weedless lures don't handle it very well.    

[Chris]

I don't fish small water any different than big water. I might scale down some and I don't throw the big baits as much but a bass is a bass no matter where it lives large or small water. What you need to understand is that when the weeds die off because of the cooling water and the days getting shorter the bass move out of the weeds when they start to die. They leave because weeds when they die consume oxygen and the ph changes so the bass seek out better water. They may not move far and might just move out to the edge but they do move. Some bass never move either while the weeds are in the process of dying and after. (this is the exception to the rule) Any place that has a hard bottom or hard cover tends to hold more fish than the weeds during this time or anything still green and growing. Weed less soft plastics like a fluke, worm, jig, tube, and spinnerbaits tend to work well in weeds. After the weeds have finished dying the bass move back into the same areas because the oxygen and ph have changed to more favorable conditions.  because of wind and cooling water temps. The colder the water the more oxygen it can hold. Usually the largest bass leave first and are the first to move back. When they move out they move to any drop closest to the weed flat.

[alhuff]

I would try just about anything weightless......

I've had good luck with lizards in smaller ponds.

Hope this helps,

Alfred

[senko_77]

since i would guess its shallow, i would go with a berkley power float worm, rigged weightless, with a light wire hook.  it has to be light wire or else the hook will make it sink.  light wire is basically the thickness of the hooks.  then, for the color, i would go with pink because it matches any water condition.  throw it out and let it sit, then twitch it a few time and let it sit.  it will stay about 1-4 ionches under water at all times.  i would look for patches of sand in the algae, because this difference in structure will give something bass will relate to all year.  work the worm slow, use lighter line, and sneak up on them, because in a pond, i believe footsteps are more easily detected.  hope this helps

[Peter E.]

Hey,

  i have a pond like the one you describe with the algae growth and little actual weed growth. I would work a johnson weedless spoon over the alge you can see and don't try to go through it because the lure will get clogged, but move the spoon over the algae and let it rest on it from time to time, also the spoon has a natural lift to its action so you can keep it out of those spots. I would also try a weightless soft plastic like the lizard mentioned but also a paca craw. If ya'll have those in your area. Any craw worm will do. Suspeding baits that I can work slowly would be another go to bait for me. Tear em' up bud and any bass that gives you a thrill is a monster!!! Rather he is one pound or ten!

                                                                Peter