How Should I Fish This Pond?

[shaw24]

I just wanted some advice on how to fish this pond I go to. It's a local fishing club pond that has a lot of fish in it. I know there are LMB and hybrid stripers in there.

It is a small pond...maybe around 5 acres. It was an old quary I believe. The water is crystal clear and it has a lot of cat tails and some other weed that is really tall all around the bank. Around the entire pond it starts out really shallow for 15 or so yards then drops off somewhat deep. Around 25 ft I think.

I have been fishing from the shore without ANY luck. I think my casts are not getting out far enough from the shallow part.

They also stock a ton of catfish in this pond....does that affect the bass?

I do have access to a small v-boat with a depthfinder on it whenever I wanna use it....I think I would have much better lucky getting into the deeper stuff.

What do you think?? :-/ :-/

[Sam]

Fish the pond.

If it is clear, you need to stay away from the fish as they can see you.

Use a clear line, too.

Use the boat if possible and go out and have some fun.

I suggest starting with smaller size baits, such as 1/4 ounce spinnerbaits and Bandit 100 crank baits.  

If they are deep, then go larger to get bait down to the fish, like a Bandit 200 or deep diving series.

Don't forget the Rat-L-Traps and other crankbaits.

Throw plastics, too. Senkos, brush hogs, Ikas, tubes, etc.

Wacky rigged Senko or *** Baits can work.

Use the drop shot technique with skinny and shaky finesse worms or minnows. You can fish it straight down or cast it out and retrieve it like you do a regular Texas rigged plastic, keeping the line tight at all times.

Topwaters around vegetation can work, too. Frogs, buzzbaits, Mann's Minus One, Spooks, Pop-Rs, etc.  Go with the smaller sizes and then work up in size.

Remember, in a clear lake they can see you and they are accomstomed to hearing trolling motors, which to the smart bass mean trouble.

Bass use sight as their first means to seeking prey, followed by vibrations and sounds and then taste and smell.  You may have to fish fast to get reaction strikes as you do not want them to get a really good look at your baits and try to decide to hit them, or not.

So throw to the lures as far as you can; be extra quiet; be stealth; and be patient.

Fish fast; fish slow; use the stop and go technique; let spinnerbait hit bottom and rip it up towards the surface; throw into the grass and pads and make some commotion.

There are articles on clear water impoundments on various web sites so please try to find them and see how they suggest you fish the waters.

Post pics!  

[fishfordollars]

Try it early, late, and at night.

[hamer08]

I fish a lot of small strip mine ponds like this (5-15 acres) with sharp changes in depth.  These lakes are generally hard to fish from the bank without any knowledge of the layout of the lake. Get the boat/depthfinder and map out the whole lake, 5 acres is pretty small so shouldn't be too hard. While your doing that look for and note the submerged aqautic plants. Bass really relate to weeds in my experience. One thing interesting about these strip mine ponds is the aquatic plant profiles are usually very distinct from one lake to the next. This is because they don't have boats moving the plants around and limited new plants coming in. I fish a property w/ approx 30 strip mine ponds and the aquatic plants (submerged) are very distinct in each lakes, compared to large public waters which usually have the latest invasive plant. In my area strip mine ponds, find the weed covered flats 10-15' you'll find the bass in the summertime.

After you map out the lake you should be able to really target the areas of interest, with different presentation at different depths. After 5 trips to the lake you should have a pretty good understanding of where the fish are at in this 5 acre lake.

[BirdNestBen]

clear lake fishing... let's see- first of all I'd take advantage of using the boat.... and I'd try fishing right along the drop-offs...... the water is real clear so I'd get far enough from where you think the fish are- anchor out and make long casts so they won't get spooked....

A spinning rod and a Watermelon Fluke is tough to beat.... mebbe rig it with a small split shot a couple inches above the fluke to let it sink just a bit......

I'd also go finesse on them if nothing else is working... mebbe throw a panther martin or a roostertail at em'

Dropshot fishing- has been working for me- although most of the bass are smaller I have been catching- I like to use a Zoom Finesse Worm.

Spinnerbaits- mebbe try a Booyah chart. spinnerbait are make parallel casts on the dropoffs, and in any vegetation you may find.....

Early and late- I'd try topwater- something like a Pop-r, Zara Spook, and Rage tail shad or buzzbait......

good luck and keep us posted............

[bass wrangler569]

Try taking out that boat and doing some dropshot fishing. Dropshotting is hard to beat in clear, deep water. In the shallow parts spinnerbaits in translucent colors would probably produce as well. Depending on how clear the water is you might want to consider thinning out the skirt a little bit.

[Perfect Hook Set]

I have been fishing clear water recently..

The most success I have had was in shaded areas, in near and around cover (weeds trees) also in deep water...

I was using 5in senkos of many colors and techniques...

In the shallow water which had some shade and some small tree limbs I was able to just let the senko fall/work slow to get hits.

In the same area though (little deeper) I was swimming the senko

I would also swim the senko near the top and every so often swim the senko to the surface...

Clear water usually brings down my catch ratio but, I think the key is fish cover, shaded areas, use very realistic lures/baits and when using senkos or un-natural lures/baits fish them fast and wild...

Probably the most confusing post on the bassresource forum but, I hope it helps

[shaw24]

I fish a lot of small strip mine ponds like this (5-15 acres) with sharp changes in depth. These lakes are generally hard to fish from the bank without any knowledge of the layout of the lake. Get the boat/depthfinder and map out the whole lake, 5 acres is pretty small so shouldn't be too hard. While your doing that look for and note the submerged aqautic plants. Bass really relate to weeds in my experience. One thing interesting about these strip mine ponds is the aquatic plant profiles are usually very distinct from one lake to the next. This is because they don't have boats moving the plants around and limited new plants coming in. I fish a property w/ approx 30 strip mine ponds and the aquatic plants (submerged) are very distinct in each lakes, compared to large public waters which usually have the latest invasive plant. In my area strip mine ponds, find the weed covered flats 10-15' you'll find the bass in the summertime.

After you map out the lake you should be able to really target the areas of interest, with different presentation at different depths. After 5 trips to the lake you should have a pretty good understanding of where the fish are at in this 5 acre lake.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was wanting to know. I have had NO luck from the bank...not even a bite.

[Mista B 504]

I also think you would do alot better in a lil boat, the reason being is I think theres a much better presention throwing baits into the shallow and working them into the deep, mabey its just me!