Fall pond fishing....how is it?

[jb_adams]

Much like everyone, I will be traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday which allows me the opportunity to fish my favorite pond where I caught my PB.  The water was really muddy and almost dark brown with a scummy surface this summer.  The deepest part of the pond is about 8-10ft and the pond was low.  It should have a few more feet of water in it by now.

This pond has a lot of sludge and weeds on the bottom so it can be hard to fish jigs or plastics at times because the goo gunks up the baits pretty bad.  I have a feeling, crankbaits reeled slowly in the deeper water might be OK.  Other than that, I'm not sure what to use because I will not have a fish finder so I won't really know where to look.  Otherwise, I'd dropshot next to any underwater structure.

So for this time of year, what is the best techniques to try on a muddy shallow pond with lots of underwater vegetation?

(plastics, I already know the answer...just hoping for something else)  

[paul.]

since you don't have a fishfinder, might be a good idea to throw a searchbait like a rattletrap right off the bat.  they sling a mile and you can cover a lot of water and maybe locate some active fish.   since you were hoping for choices other than soft plastics and you already mentioned a crankbait, here's a good list to try.  spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and if the water isn't too cold, topwater.  my strategy when i fish new water or water i haven't been on in a while is to always select an array of baits with which i can cover the entire water column - from surface to in your case 8-10 ft.

i don't know if by plastics you mean all plastics or only plastics that are bottom-fished, cause a fluke or a trickworm would be an excellent choice.  do you have any idea what the water temp will be?  that would be helpful in narrowing down choices and presentation.

it is entirely possible also that you will find the underwater vegetation to be not nearly as thick as it was during the summer.  hope this helps.  i hope to do some pond fishin' myself soon.  good luck.

 

[jb_adams]

Thanks!  I think you're right about the vegetation.  It should be cleared out some by now with less algae and such.

I thought about the search baits but I was affraid I would end up throwing search baits all over the pond for a couple of hours and figure out it wasn't working.  I would much rather throw search baits than fish plastics just about anytime.  There is just something in the back of my head that questions fishing something really slow when you do not know if fish are present.  I feel like I'm wasting time jigging a plastic worm or jig on the bottom when I don't know what the fish are doing or where they are.  If I had a fish finder, it would be a little different.

I'm thinking the water temp will be in the mid to upper 50's and possibly even low 60's.  Since it's really shallow stained water, I figure it will cool pretty quickly.  It's in South Arkansas so it's in the South.  Doesn't cool off as fast as northern states.

Here is what I'm planning on throwing.  You tell me if I am off.

- white buzzbait (gotta throw, I tore them up one day with this bait, caught about 15)

- white chatterbait fished slow off the bottom like a jig or slow rolled spinnerbait (my bud had great luck with this Sat.)

- white fluke with worm rattle fished weightless t-rig near laydowns

- white rattletrap slow rolled off the bottom (jerked out of weeds)

- War Eagle spinnerbait (white of course) slow rolled near cover

- t-rig 6" finesse worm (black/fire tail)

Why white?  Because it's ALWAYS worked on that pond.  The water is so dark, white is the best contrasting and slightly natural color.  

[Tokyo Tony]

I'd spend a lot of time with the chatterbait if I were you, and you said it's muddy - if the white doesn't work, try a black/blue one.

I love chatterbaits - the fish can really track them, and you can really work the whole water column.  It sounds like this is a pond for the chatterbait.

[Tokyo Tony]

I'd spend a lot of time with the chatterbait if I were you, and you said it's muddy - if the white doesn't work, try a black/blue one.

I love chatterbaits - the fish can really track them, and you can really work the whole water column. It sounds like this is a pond for the chatterbait.

Also, if I were fishing that pond I'd try an X-Rap or LC Pointer.

[.dsaavedra.]

your setup of baits look pretty good man. but might i suggest a big ribbon tail worm? the big tail flaps around and makes all kinds a cool action, and it triggers strikes alot. ive torn em up in farm ponds with a ribbon tail. also, you should try a junebug senko...they work...period.

[paul.]

your list plus all these other suggestions sound like good choices to me.   hopefully the fish will let you know pretty quick what they like.  i hope you just slay 'em.  good luck man.  

[jb_adams]

Wish I had you guys in the boat with me sometimes! ;D  My partner just says, 'you're fishing that?"  (haha)

Only reason I wasn't going to use a larger ribbon tail worm is the time of year.  I figured it was too big.  With the cold front blowing in and all, I figured the old reliable 6" Renegade worm would do me right.  There's something about these things that beat a senko.  I've used senko style worms on this pond and never had any luck.

I will DEFINATELY try the X-Rap.  I love those and I think it will be something different the fish aren't used to seeing.

Oh yeah, this pond has a hefty lot of perch and some get good eating size so the bass are used to seeing bluegill.  If I throw a sassy looking x-rap, twitch it kind of slow with an erratic action, I should catch a lot!  Good suggestion!  I've got some Shad Raps that would work well too I believe.

[Davis]

All my biggest fish in my dads pond have come on a Green Pumpkin Black Flake Fat IKA rigged backwards. Same stuff as your pond.....really weedy on the bottom but the IKA cuts right through it when rigged weedless. Small hops off the bottom and your going to get a nice fish.

[John J.]

Try wacky rigging a zoom finesse worm or senko. It will fall slowly which bass like that in the winter and it falls right in front of their faces no matter where they are on the water column. It also prevents you from getting stuck on the bottom.

Since it is muddy, white colored worms or natural colors would work good. I would also try to slow roll a spinnerbait, use a chatterbait (as suggested) or go with a shallow diving crankbait.

JMO  

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

ALL OF THE ABOVE,except one thing:Dont forget a SPLIT SHOT RIG with a #5 or 7 weight,finesse worm,trick worm,4 inch dinger(my fav),or smaller fluke. Have been killing them on this the days they wont hit a crank or spinner.I live in Florida,not to far off from you,and fish a ton of ponds just like what you described.A lot of "scum on the bottom". This could be the ticket.

[jb_adams]

ALL OF THE ABOVE,except one thing:Dont forget a SPLIT SHOT RIG with a #5 or 7 weight,finesse worm,trick worm,4 inch dinger(my fav),or smaller fluke. Have been killing them on this the days they wont hit a crank or spinner.I live in Florida,not to far off from you,and fish a ton of ponds just like what you described.A lot of "scum on the bottom". This could be the ticket.

Good idea!  I will try that one.  I bet if I stick a worm rattle in it, every time I tug on the bait, that rattle will be just the combo for a split shot rig on a senko or fluke.

[Senko4life]

X-RAP, X-RAP, X-RAP!!! Switch up your retrieve till they bust it.  You'll slay em all day!  Oh yea, did i mention an X-rap?

[roadwarrior]

Got off work early yesterday and hit a pond around 2:30. Stormy all day with a cold front bearing down. Started with Mattlures Baby Bass and fished it for nearly an hour, half way around the pond without so much as a swipe. Rather than continuing around the pond, I switched baits and retraced the bank I had already fished.

I decided to go with a 1/2 oz Micro Munch Tackle jig, GYCB Flappin' Hog trailer. Ended up fishing until sunset, around 5:00. Six bites, six hook-ups and five landed! Nothing big, but 3-4 lbs of fun! In "tournament terms" that would be a 15-20 lb bag, all caught on a jig in less than two hours!

So, you might want to give the jig a try.

8-)

[jb_adams]

Thanks RW, I will give the jig a try for sure. That cold front was a real booger wasn't it! It was 34 in Rogers when I left and it was about 50 when I arrived in Little Rock, and then it was almost 60 when I arrived in South Arkansas. This morning, it's in the 40's with a steady cold wind blowing. Yesterday was a prime time to fish that's for sure.

BIG NEWS!!!

I invited my Dad to go fishing with me. He hasn't fished with me since I was about 10 years old and i was a Boy Scout. That was about 20 odd years ago! He's never been a hunter or fisherman so this is a big deal for me and I really don't even care if we catch a thing now. I'm fishing with my Dad!! That's so much cooler than catching a big bass!

Since he really doesn't know anything about bass fishing, I'll rig him up a split shot rig with a curly tail 6" worm to start off with. That fire tail worm will get a bite on a slow day. After that, we'll try a spinnerbiat just to get him used to casting more. Probably won't catch anything with it but you never know.

Meanwhile, I'll be jigging, X-rapping, cranking, and fishing the wacky worm. Either way, it's going to be an awesome trip!! ;D

[broncoboxer]

Make sure you let us know how it went.  

[todd_in_tulsa]

I fish a very small pond (like today). Used a very small 1/8oz Green Pumpkin with a small Yum Crawbud, 2.5 inch, and swam it in short little "hop-like" motions. Once in a while stopping it, and just before it hits bottom, start the slow hopping again.

I've also been pretty successful with the wacky worm. And recently have been throwing a Carolina Rigged wacky worm on a small weedless hook, and doing pretty well.

My pond is about an acre or two, very shallow, and lots of weeds like yours. Very gentle sloping to 6 feet or so. No dramatic breaks or structure.

All the best...and if something doesn't work, try something else!

Todd

[jb_adams]

Well here is a fish tale for you...

The weather was a lot colder than I expected (high 30's) and the wind was blowing pretty good.  My dad didn't want to freeze and I could tell he wanted to go as much as I did but we both felt it was just too cold for him to make his first bass fishing trip with me.  Besides, he wanted to make sure he watched the AR / LSU game that day!  So we stayed and didn't go.  I was going to go but I kept watching and waiting for the wind to slow down first.  It never did.  My heart just wasn't in it either.

SO, here is the good part.  Well the interesting part anyway.

We went to visit my wife's relatives for Thanksgiving the next day (where the pond is) and they really gave me a hard time.  Why?  Because another relative staying there over the weekend walked down to the pond, came back 10 mins. later asking for a scale.  He caught an 8lb bass right off the dock with a plastic worm! >  (I didn't ask what color or technique because I was too sick with ***!)

Congrats to him, sucks to be me! :'(  Like my fishing partner says....quit thinkin' and start fishin'  If you think about wind, current weather conditions, underwater structure, where to focus on the pond, what baits to try, etc......you'll never catch one if you don't start fishing.

Well, thanks guys for all the info.  It was great info indeed.  I will most definately save this for future reference in the spring and possibly around Christmas.  I may just make a winter fishing trip on the pond in a few weeks at Christmas!  Maybe I'll catch a lunker!  (there is a few out there)

[roadwarrior]

Reminds me of a saying, "Ya can't catch fish lying on the couch!"

[jwo1124]

This may be too late of a post since it's past thanksgiving and you;re probably back at the office. I fish a VERY similar pond in my neck on the woods: shallow, small, muddy, and it seems to always have this sub-surface algea mat which makes it almost impossible to use most lures. I have had a lot of luck with topwaters(poppers, buzzbaits, floating rapala) and wacky and texas riggerd plastics thrown to lily pads or other holding areas. Maybe this info can help for next year.  

[jb_adams]

Reminds me of a saying, "Ya can't catch fish lying on the couch!"

Yep, so true! I was battling a pretty bad headache that day (My Mom's coffee was decaf) and I forgot some of my cold weather gear so, the couch was pretty toasty that day. If I had gone, not caught a fish, and a relative caught an 8lb bass.......A) I would not be able to shed the hard time family would give me, My fishing buddy would have never forgotten it, C) I probably would have gone back to fish in the rain the next day determined to out-do my relative. So in a way, I saved faced by not going. Well.....that's how I twist it around in my head anyway! Self-justification! ;D

I think most of the vegetation has died off and surprisingly, most of the bass are relativey active. They feed brim daily off the dock and most of the brim do not come up to feed anymore. I figure the brim have gone into the deeper end of the pond. I've seen some huge bass follow the brim just below the dock. Some were easily over 24" long. I thought it was a catfish at first glance. So there is a large brim population that the bass can survive on. This is an AWESOME private pond. Bill Dance would even love this one. I've already talked myself into trying again at Christmas. I have figured out a way to temporarily mount a depth finder on the boat so I'll be good to go with a fish finder and trolling motor. I may even spend an entire day there.

I'll keep everyone posted with some pics on the next trip.

[jb_adams]

Well, Christmas Holiday approaches so I am going back to the pond with my Dad if all goes well.  The weather forcast is supposed to be low 50's to mid 60's with partly cloudy skies.  A cold front is coming in the next day.  Should be a good morning for fishing considering moon phases and all.

So, with all of the suggestions I got a month ago, these should still work right?  I'm thinking I'll need to fish pretty slow.

Roadwarrior, I'm throwing a black jig just because you believe in it so much!

[roadwarrior]

Good luck!

[LCpointerKILLA]

X-RAP, X-RAP, X-RAP!!! Switch up your retrieve till they bust it.  You'll slay em all day!  Oh yea, did i mention an X-rap?

POINTER, POINTER, POINTER, did I mention POINTER?

[jb_adams]

Well, we got on the pond about 3:00 yesterday afternoon after the fog and clouds cleared. What an odd day, fog stretched from Louisiana all the way up North to Michigan. So, I figured with a barometric pressure around 29.87 and falling, just before a cold front, warm at 66 degrees, calm winds, it would be a great afternoon bite. I was wrong. The water was as smooth as glass and calm. In a few hours, we saw maybe two decent size bass bite on top.

Here is what we tried:

- My Dad religiously threw the split shot finesse worm (great bait for this pond)

- I threw two different color X-raps (green shiner & orange/black back)

- DT6 craw colored crankbait

- Arkie jig (black & blue with black craw trailer)

- Shakey head with finesse worm

- Buzzbait (yeah, not the best bait for this time of year)

I felt sure that a slow bite meant slow presentation. I think my Dad got a few bites on the worm but never got a fish.  He caught an 8lb stump though! ;D

Here are some words I never thought I'd here my dad say.  My Mom called while were fishing and after he said hello, I heard these words, "I'm sitting on a pond fishing". :'(  It was a great moment.  I took my Dad fishing.  It will be a day I'll always remember.  Even if we never got a bite.  If we had caught a fish, even a small one it would have been an awesome afternoon.  We'll try again in the spring when the buzzbait bite is killer.

Thanks for the tips. We'll try again next trip! ;D