My golf course pond theory

[LCpointerKILLA]

I posted this on the golf course pond thread, but it didn't answer any of the guy's questions, so I figured I would make it a thread.

Ever wondered why bass are so aggressive in golf course ponds?

I have witnessed packs of 4-5 larger sized bass actually cruising around close to shore, searching and hunting for bait. Since there is no cover the bait fish move more, which forces the bass to hunt rather than ambush. This makes the bass way more aggressive. I think this is why I have caught 10 nice fish in an hour, and it is a very common thing to catch one on your first cast.

[Daniel My Brother]

Ever wondered why bass are so aggressive in golf course ponds?

Maybe 'cause they've been hit in the head by so many golf balls?

:-/ ;D

j/k...I like your theory.

[Bassboy15]

Plus they probably feel safe, because not to many fish these ponds.

[JShrock07]

it is a very common thing to catch one on your first cast.

Dang,

I wish I could have a problem like that!!!

[LCpointerKILLA]

Plus they probably feel safe, because not to many fish these ponds.

that is also true. In winter though, a lot of people fish on the water hazards at my course. But now it's too hot for these people, so there is no fishing pressure.

[Raul]

Ever wondered why bass are so aggressive in golf course ponds?

Because nobody fishes for them or there 's very little fishing pressure.

My relatives don 't have golf course ponds but they do have irrigation ponds in their farms. Fish there seldomly see a lure and since they are off-limits to anyone but the family members and actually I 'm the only one that fishes I take my 5 year old and ocassionally fish the ponds so he can catch fish ( which almost granted ), almost a fish per cast is the norm.

[Pigsticker]

Thats a pretty cool theory, makes a lot of sense

but have you fished golf course ponds with heavy vegatation, do the bass still cruise?

great work though

[Sunshine---]

I fish a pond on a golf course and it is almost TOO easy to catch fish. When I get that "I need to go fishing" look in my eye my wife tells me to just walk to the pond and I tell her is not even fun because it is so easy. This one pond I swear doesn't have any small bass at all in it and I think I have caught every fish in the pond. Range is between 2-5. I don't think there are any big big fish and I am not sure the pond was stocked long ago (course is only 7 years old as is the pond) but there are tons of fish. It also has pipes coming in to it which leads me to believe it connects to the big lake behind the course.

The odd thing is I haven't had any luck on any of the other ponds on the course. I can't figure out if it is because of the pipes coming in to this particular one.

Another theory to pond fishing is being able to target the fish from shore and bascially sneak up on them compared to running a trolling motor up on an unsuspecting fish. Also the retrieval of the bait to the shore also probably makes it easier for a fish to see the bait and then have it approach them compared to retrieving bait from the shoreline or cover back to the boat. Even though it seems most of my catch throwing from boat to cover occurs by throwing the bait right on top of the fish for an immediate strike.

[avid]

My theory is that golf course pond bass are stuck up.

Try throwing some megabass or other high end Japanese lures.   8-)

[wilsonm1]

good theory, it makes sense in all.  no cover so no place to ambush, so it applys anywhere with no cover.  i like it.

[LCpointerKILLA]

I fish a pond on a golf course and it is almost TOO easy to catch fish.  When I get that "I need to go fishing" look in my eye my wife tells me to just walk to the pond and I tell her is not even fun because it is so easy.  This one pond I swear doesn't have any small bass at all in it and I think I have caught every fish in the pond.  Range is between 2-5.  I don't think there are any big big fish and I am not sure the pond was stocked long ago (course is only 7 years old as is the pond) but there are tons of fish.  It also has pipes coming in to it which leads me to believe it connects to the big lake behind the course.

The odd thing is I haven't had any luck on any of the other ponds on the course.  I can't figure out if it is because of the pipes coming in to this particular one.

Another theory to pond fishing is being able to target the fish from shore and bascially sneak up on them compared to running a trolling motor up on an unsuspecting fish.  Also the retrieval of the bait to the shore also probably makes it easier for a fish to see the bait and then have it approach them compared to retrieving bait from the shoreline or cover back to the boat.  Even though it seems most of my catch throwing from boat to cover occurs by throwing the bait right on top of the fish for an immediate strike.

Retrieval back to shore seems more effectice than casting to shore... most of the time.

But I now have another part to my theory, I think the small pounds with little to no cover have better acoustics. Sound waves and water vibration are not buffed out by cover or irregular shoreline. That leads me to believe that bass hear much better and feel vibrations much better in golf course ponds.

[Castamasta]

i fish a golf course lake with a lot of cover and the bass kill out there. everytime i go me and my friends usually catch one over 4. also the lake was  recently stalked with 1,000 $ of shad. it is the best lake in the world!!

[EKYFisher01]

Very nice theory!

I have to agree with the idea that the fish are not used to seeing lures and fishing pressure is very little if any and the fact there is little or no cover therefore promoting an adaptation in behavior.

A little over ten years ago my father took me to a farm in the central part of Ky in Owen County.  We were there for hunting but there was a small pond not too far from the place we set up camp.  One of my fathers friends had brought a fishing pole and for 26 CONSECUTIVE casts he caught a fish (Bluegill.)  This tiny pond had probably never been fished at all or in any case not in years.  The pond was extremely small and was covered by a thin layer of green nasty.  

This leads me to believe that the idea of fish under the conditions of a small pond that is fished very little or at all will pretty much destroy any decently proportional lure thrown in.

The acoustics idea that you have is VERY interesting.  Ive always been curious about a fish's ability to hear.  I know there are baits that make all sorts of racket.  Anyone have any articles or knowledge about a bass's ability to hear?

EKYFisher

[bass slayer 17]

my theory is that they run out of stuff to kill or eat so when they see something, they all compete and smash whatever looks edible

[ValkyrieRider]

Have to agree with the theory. I fished a small pond with no cover today that I know for a fact hasn't been fished more than once or twice a year for the last 5 or 6 years and I couldn't keep fish off the hook.

All this during the middle of the day with temps of 95 degrees.

Huge bluegill (12 " +)  and small bass (8-12") all day...

[LCpointerKILLA]

my theory is that they run out of stuff to kill or eat so when they see something, they all compete and smash whatever looks edible

that does happen, usually to a pond that isn't managed at all, or a small natural pond. There is a natural pond near my house that has a lot of skinny fish and they are easy to catch. In a pond it seems like bass eat the bream and that is a major food source, and in the lake bass coexist with the bream and prefer shad, craws, minnows...

[Sunshine---]

I have been fishing a lake near my house over the past few weeks and have actually been fishing out of a canoe.  There are parts of this lake that can only be accessed by a canoe so I was able to get in a few spots this morning that not many people get to and had some succes.  Bad thing though is I found the spot right at noon when it was 100 degrees out and nothing was biting at all.  Can't wait to get back

this week and get on the spot in the morning or evening.  I agree with the theory about not many people fishing probably being a good spot to fish.

[Perfect Hook Set]

They are aggressive because, the fish need to catch there meal before getting hit with a stray golf ball....

"Since there is no cover the bait fish move more, which forces the bass to hunt rather than ambush. This makes the bass way more aggressive. I think this is why I have caught 10 nice fish in an hour, and it is a very common thing to catch one on your first cast."

Cover gah my local golf course lakes/ponds have all types of cover..

IS yours just a sand/silt/dirt bottom  no weeds grass sticks NOTHING?

The main reason is that these fish usually have no pressure from anglers and some have never seen a lure/soft plastics in there lives...

The golf courses here have inlets and outlets for water and or big sprinklers which help to oxygenate the water.

I hope to go to a local golf course today...

Last year I lost a monster pickerel

[LCpointerKILLA]

My golf course's hazards are hot ponds with NO cover. They have a sandy bottom, and some slop. In summer the ponds are not pressured. In winter they are highly pressured because a lot of kids in this neighborhood fish in the afternoon, and some adults.

BTW I already said this you should read the whole conversation. Jeeez bro  :

[Paul Roberts]

I have witnessed packs of 4-5 larger sized bass actually cruising around close to shore searching and hunting for bait.

This is pretty common in waters I've fished in both NY and CO.

Since there is no cover the bait fish move more, which forces the bass to hunt rather than ambush.

There has to be some way for prey fish to escape predation, otherwise there wouldn't be any left -and you'd have small, skinny bass. This is not uncommon in small ponds with little cover.  I'm wondering if these ponds have a shallow shelf rimming them, as the primary cover, making the shoreline, as I think you describe, the key location for hunting bass, but shallow enough to exclude the bass.

Another thought is that you have golden shiners in there, and some are able to grow to mature size somewhere (shelf?). These can be too large to be eaten by most bass in the pond, and are able to crank out young shiners over the course of the year. I believe GS's can spawn more than once a year in the south.

Just some thoughts.

[jcv]

Interesting thread!

I must ask though: where do you folks live that you're able to stroll out onto a golf course and start fishing? I've never tried it but I know for sure I'd either get tossed by management or chased away by some golf club wielding madmen ;D

[njbasser]

i fish a lake down the street from my house, its small, and there are usually a couple places i always throw a senko (i fish from shore). surprisingly, one of those is in the swimming area where i am usually guaranteed one or two bass. I think that this is because there is no cover, so they are on the hunt and see an easy meal

[Sunshine---]

Interesting thread!

I must ask though: where do you folks live that you're able to stroll out onto a golf course and start fishing? I've never tried it but I know for sure I'd either get tossed by management or chased away by some golf club wielding madmen ;D

Good question.  The one I fish luckily has a big portion of the pond that is not on the course and has a few vacant lots that allow access to this portion of the pond.  Then as sun goes down and golfers are gone, I can reach the other parts of it.

The other side of the argument is this.  Those golfers have a lot of nerve incroaching on our fishing grounds.  Next time I see them up on the green and I am fishing close by I will look over at them and say "you guys mind keeping it down over there?  Trying to catch some fish here" ;D

How do you think they would play out?

[fivesixone]

"you guys mind keeping it down over there?  Trying to catch some fish here" ;D

 Lemme know how that goes! Hahaha! That's hilarious!

[Sunshine---]

Next tournament they have out here I will set up my folding chair on the 12th greenside bunker with my rod holder buried in the sand.  I'll sit there and run a shiner all day and have a cooler of beer by my feet.

"Excuse me sir, do you my removing your ball from my cooler?"

Imagine what that would look like from the Par 3 tee box??