Fishing at golf course ponds

[Branuss04]

So i moved down into the city and don't have access to ponds like I used to when I lived in the sticks. I have folsom lake within 15 minutes, but i don't always feel like taking the boat out. I hear a lot of people fishing at golf course ponds and I have about 6 golf courses all within a 10 mile radius, so my question is to those who fish at them. Do you just go up and fish them without talking to anybody, or do you go talk to an employee? Do they charge you anything, like a charge to play the back 9 or something. Do you only fish public courses?? Thanks.

[Gatorbassman]

I would just go up and ask at the proshop. They will steer you in the right direction. The worse thing they can say is no. And with six courses your bound to have one say yes.

[Red]

i fish golf course ponds almost exclusively....my buddy's parent are "members" although it is a public course....so when he is there he just grabs a cart and we go....but i have been told i can do the same if i am alone (which i havent done yet)...but like fluke said, just ask them and find out!

Cliff

[Sam]

Most golf courses are closed one day a week, like Mondays.

Try to fish the ponds on the day the course is closed.

There may be a few golfers out that day but for the most part you will have the course to yourself.

Also, fish early in the AM or late in the PM.

Good luck.

[Branuss04]

Thanks for the info you guys, i'll go give them a try!!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Public courses will be MUCH more accepting.

Be sure to follow all the rules of golfing ettiquette (when crossing fairways,etc.  don't walk on the greens or traps, yadda yadda)

[.dsaavedra.]

you mean they will actually allow you to fish??? all the courses around here kick ya out if they see ya out there!!!

[Del from philly]

my dad would bring me out when i was a kid on a little golf course pond

why do they bother stocking them?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Well, I've only 1 GC pond and we had a family membership there but it is a public course just the same.  The pond I fish isn't really part of the course design, off to the side, used for irrigation so it's not like I was in the way of people playing.

I'm pretty confident that they don't stock them.  It's very possible that fry or fertilized egg could be delivered to them via their natural water feeds.

They DO often stock the ponds with trout though for Fathers day or family day events.  I'm pretty confident that the ones they don't catch don't survive but as for the bass, it only takes a few to start a population if the water is condusive.

[Trevor in Burke]

Up until this past year, the previous 5 years of my life were spent fishing on a golf course (particularly one hole) that was LOADED with BIG bass, we filled up 3 roles of film of 5lbs or more (catch and release only).  It was HUGE as far as "Pond's" go it was at least 100 yds in length and 50 across at the widest.  I had permission from my friend and his family who are homeowners that pay fees for an HOA therefore supposedly granting them permission, they live at the 3rd hole where their backyard is the driving range which was at your back when you casted to the water from that bank and across from you on the other bank with the tee box to your back up a slight hill, so if you were quiet and still golfers didn't see you in that spot.  

No one bothered us the first 3 years or so, in fact the manager would go golfing in the evenings with buddies and a dog running around and ask us how we were doing and suggest going to other holes as they hold good fish too.  Then a new manager moved in and started giving us grief when they saw us, most of our fishing was done in the evenings and by 5 or so no one really comes through the 3rd hole most are on the back nine, so it wasn't really an issue, he was just a jerk, plus why stock it if you can't fish it, i know the employees fished it many times.  In fact I can't remember on golfer ever having a problem with us there, if we were at the end where the green was (par 3) we'd move when a golfer stepped to the tee box.  Most of them when they approached the green would say something along the lines of "Hey, a birdie and a Bass on the same hole, can't beat that!"

Last year the new management put up signs across from each other one right before the tee box and the other on the other side of the pond right before the driving range, allowing us only to fish the back left corner which isn't even 1/3 of the pond.  We still cheat in the evenings when i make it out there as it's no longer only 10 minutes away as I moved out of my parents house, but when i visit my dad we go back.  The pond has completely lost it's integrity it used to be amazing but now you won't catch anything over 1 1/2 pounds or so, but you'll catch 20 if your just looking to catch alot of fish.  It's pretty depressing what's happened to it.  BUT I now live on a neighborhood lake with my boat in the water 50 yds from my yard.  

I guess the most you can do is ask for permission, they can only say "no".  If they grant you permission just take care of the pond just as we did/do still when we go, pick up trash even if it isn't yours and don't leave your lures in the water or on the ground, we also you to help out the range ball guy by kicking all the balls off the bank in to the range where his cart could pick them up, i wonder if he ever wondered who made all those piles of balls over time , also i'd suggest not wearing your best pair of cut off's and torn jeans to fish a golf course.  Good luck! Tight lines!

[Ghetto_Basser]

We have to sneak on out here.

[slomoe]

We have to sneak on out here.