pond question?

[jeremyt]

I basically fish one pond locally, it is on base and generally shaped like a boot. You can see fish all over cruising, but the only place on the pond that I have recently been able to catch fish, I guess I could explain it as the bottom of the boot.

I have been using ikas, jigs, and spinners. I cast parallel to the bank and about 5-10 feet out. I always get bites in the same area. There are some rock piles that are along the edge of this one part that go out about 10ft off the bank and this is the only area I can catch them at. I see bass crashing baitfish around the banks all around the pond, I can see them cruising the rest of the pond. I cast they either look or follow, but no strikes.

The only thing I think I could be doing wrong is a bad presentation. I have thrown numerous baits with various presentations ( from  really slow to fast, steady retrieve, bouncing bottom and jerking.) I would try live bait, but it is illegal on these ponds. Any idea on why in these other areas the fish are eluding me. Today I caught 5 bass in about 3 hours, I am very happy with that and the fishing is picking up. I just take the other areas as a challenge or like a puzzle that I can't solve and its getting frustrating.

[Guest muddy]

I see you live in NC , which is south of here in PA but I am sure the problem may be the same as we deal with now. With less sunlight the Algae dies off and the water is crystal clear now, you gotta be quiet and sneaky! Also varying the rate of the retrieve may help you. We had a decent day today on a pond, the way we dealt with the clarity issue was to cast cross shore in the corners and turns. TRICK worms were the hot one today . I was triggin em weightless and Bruce was using a split shot rig and we both caught today.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

wacky rigged trick stick?  Tried that?

[Guest muddy]

wacky rigged trick stick? Tried that?

HEY RUSS I been using the wacky rig on The Chunk and it's slaying em there  8-)

[Davis]

wacky rigged trick stick? Tried that?

I agree.

Although the Fat Ika has worked for me on my last trip.

Muddy speaks the truth though. If you can see them.......they can see you (usually). My dads pond is the same way. I have to cast parallel to the bank and work my way around . So I'm always casting to areas where they have not seen a glimpse of me. Try to find some drop offs near shore as well.

Also weightless 4" Flukes with small jerks could get those cruisin bass to bite.......if they don't see you.

[Crestliner2008]

If the water is clear, the fish are probably seeing you before you see them. In which case, your approach is paramount. Stay low, use camo, keep brush or trees to your back. Do NOT start fishing as soon as you are at the spot you want to fish! Give the area time to settle down. Downsize your presentation and rigging, i.e.: 6# test line and a 3" Senko wacky rigged. Use natural colors in your plastics. You need more of a triggering presentation than an attracting presentation. Hope this helps.

[Avalonjohn44]

I would try a small crankbait, a shallow diver, like any of the following:

Bandit Footloose or 100

Bagley Honey B or Killer B1

Rapala Jointed, small size.

Spro Bream Crankbait (square bill)

The fish in my favorite pond are cruising all over, in the shallows, in the deep parts, everywhere I see the wake from their backs as they follow minnows and small bream.  Soft plastics are completely striking out for me, didn't matter if I trigged them, rigged them weightless, or whatever...  Even a zoom jerkbait was ignore... So, I moved to shallow, square lipped cranks and began tearing into them after that.  Even in october, I still have to clean the lure off after almost every cast, but I'm catching fish.  

[dman]

i  fish a pond on my lunch break a few times a week.   Its different just about everyday.  And i usually dont have it right at first.  

Yesterday they did not bite at all on anything,  i switched to a Tube and Bam,  there it was.  Its very strange sometimes how picky they can be.  So,  today I still had the tube on and started with it, Nothing!  Tried spinnerbait, Jig n Craw and rattle trap,  nothing.

Wacky rigged a Senko and caught em 3 casts in row.  Ended up with 6 fish (all 12 inchers ,  but still fun as hell) in my last few available minutes of fishing time!  I see the roamers too,  they are not hitting or even thinkin about it and are spooked very easily right now.   I'm takin them all from deeper water.  So,  whatever thats worth.......

[Raul]

If you can see the fish the fish can see you and refuse your offerings, it 's more a matter of how you approach the fish than with what you approach them, fish in clear water become very spooky and there 's a reason for that, their predators can see them.

Downsizing and reducing the line diameter helps, not because thinner line can 't be seen by the fish it 's more a matter that it displaces less water and fish are less able to feel it, smaller baits look more easy prey, add some very light weighting and some dirty rigging methods and you usually catch them.

[tyrius.]

I have been using ikas, jigs, and spinners. I cast parallel to the bank and about 5-10 feet out. I always get bites in the same area. There are some rock piles that are along the edge of this one part that go out about 10ft off the bank and this is the only area I can catch them at. I see bass crashing baitfish around the banks all around the pond, I can see them cruising the rest of the pond. I cast they either look or follow, but no strikes.

You may want to think about throwing some shallow cranks patterned like the baitfish that the bass are feeding on.  I grew up fishing ponds just like this and that's still what I fish.  These bass typically eat a diet of little bass, sunfish, and if they are there minnows.  They'll look at a fat ika and say what the H is that thing!?!?  But throw them a bait that matches their natural forage and you'll more than likely catch them.

One of my most productive baits ever is the Rapala Jointed Minnow in silver.  The next most productive is a 6" power worm in motor oil color.  I never caught a fish off of a jig or a spinnerbait until I fished a few lakes in college.

Any idea on why in these other areas the fish are eluding me.

Fish that are feeding will seek cover to ambush from.  As someone said in another thread if I had to fish a perfectly circle lake with one rock in it, I concentrate on that single rock.

[Davis]

lol when the fish saw my Ika yesterday they may have said "What the heck is that thing"....but they sure did crush it.  8-)

[Senko4life]

boo yah pond magic spinner baits in white have been slaying them in the pond i have been fishing.  Try burning it just under the sirface.  I usually dont have much luck in them but i have been averaging about 15 bass a day on them, lots of fun to fish too!

[tyrius.]

lol when the fish saw my Ika yesterday they may have said "What the heck is that thing"....but they sure did crush it. 8-)

I've never fished one yet.  I don't doubt that they work well for many people, but he said it isn't working for him.

[jeremyt]

Gents,

 Thanks for all of the replies, I will take the advice to heart. I went today just to look around. The water is about twice as clear today as it was yesterday. Man there are some big bass in that pond. I know fish look twice as big in the water as they really are, so I will say the fish would probably go 5-6pds. That may not be big to some, but to me that is huge. My pb is around 2.5-3.  

Some things I did notice today. The fish seem to be feeding on the rocks and under the dead grass around the edges. ( they are slamming baitfish on the grass, and cornering them in the rocks) I will get some shallow cranks. The only one I have now is a crawfish type crank that is shallow. I try to conceal myself as best I can, but the only places you can cast around the pond are in an open area.

Tommorow I will try to stand 20-25 ft back and chunk some stuff out. I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond.