How to find the big bass

[BayouBassAssassin]

I have been fishing this one pond for a while that is about the size of a football field, just a plain rectangle pond. I have caught a 4lb bass and my friend caught a 6lb bass a while ago but I have been told that there are 10lb+ bass in there. We haven't caught many decent bass in the last few weeks and I was wondering how to find the big ones and how to catch them. Tips? Oh yeah it's my friend's pond so we are the main people that fish there.

[Sam]

If they are there, they are big females who are probably resting in their favorite place.

Your job is to find their favorite place and then aggravate them into taking your bait.

They did not get that big by being dumb, so you have a very savvy opponent.

Learn the pond's bottom and structure; if there is a stream feeding the pond; its deepest part, usually by the drain or dam; grass and places for them to run to, grab a meal and then retreat back to their home.

Easier said then done.  ;D

[BayouBassAssassin]

The only structure in the whole pond in a fountain in the middle. No streams or anything run into the pond. How would I aggravate a fish into biting my lure?

[SammyLee]

Cast baits that vibrate for one, like spinner baits or crankbaits that have a strong swim/shake component.  Cast baits that look and act like something the bass doesn't like, for example lizards or salamanders or small brim.

One fellow here (low cost hooker?) did a video where he was casting a drop shot worm into bedding bass over and over until the bass just got tired of seeing the darn thing and hit it.

If the pond is the size of a football field you can cover the whole lake pretty quickly, although that does not assure you that the big ones are going to bite.

Just my 2 cents from a guy who has little to no sense.

[-ebby-]

throw big baits

[Hammer 4]

If this is a cement pond..like our city park ponds, with the bublers/foutians..we are in the same boat so to speak. The only structure is maybe some big ole rocks, and weeds..there are many spots on the pond you can't reach due the size of the pond. Also the water is very shallow, i.e. the very deepest is 5-8' in the middle (out of reach) I have seen 6 to 8 lbr's in one of them.

These ponds are Heavily pressured, so the big girls are smart. I try to throw anything they others aren't, but I too can't seem to hook the big un's..btw, we are way past the spawn. My guess is the girls are resting..you can get the 2-5 lb fish sometimes if you know what to do, fishing  in these places is really tough.

Just keep trying, I stick mostly with soft plastic's, but I've thrown everything I own, and then some..lol I'll get me a taod, just a matter of time..

[RoLo]

If your little pond lacks conspicuous contour, it'll be subtle nuances that hold the most bass. It may be a mild change in bottom gradient or just a change in soil composition, which is why it's always smart to study the bank terrain. If it's a sunken culvert or a discarded bicycle, one of your retrieves will eventually give it away.

I guess I'm the lone wolf here, because I would never call any bass smart. On the other hand, bass are very adaptable and readily conditioned creatures. For that same reason, it's my guess that the pond lord would sooner fall for a small lure and a finesse delivery rather than a large lure.

Roger

[Fishing Rhino]

Since it's your friend's pond, you might consider putting some cover in the pond, which will eventually attract them, since it will attract bait fish.

There is a thread on here about making a snag proof cover to do just that.  Fill a five gallon bucket with concrete, stick some pieces of pvc pipe into it at different angles so it looks like a bush.  When the cement hardens, "plant" it in the pond.

You can sink Christmas trees or branches, but they will snag lures.

[RoLo]

Granted you have that privilege, that's an excellent idea.

Manmade reefs of cinder blocks and 4 slotted corrugated pipe will last indefinitely. The hidey-hole configurations are limited only by your imagination. Corrugated pipe is availabe at Lowes:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24129-124-CD321040100&lpage=none

Roger

[Hammer 4]

Well, maybe Smart was a bad choice of words..I think "conditioned" to most lure would be a better discription.

[RoLo]

I think "conditioned" to most lure would be a better discription.

You said it...and I hate when that happens >

[BayouBassAssassin]

I think that putting structure in isn't an option, although that was a good idea. There is this one spot on a corner that we frequently get hung up on. We don't know what it is though. Would this be the best spot to fish around and what baits would be good to throw at it?

[Sam]

The bass are probably around, in, on top of and under the structure. Your goal is to fish into, around, under and through the structure

Senkos and finesse worms on weedless hooks.

Weedless hooks will reduce your snags but not totally eliminate them on structure.

Peg your weights on finesse plastics.

Senkos wacky rigged.

Try shaky head if you will not get hung up.

If you are game, throw a Bandit 100 crankbait or a lipless crankbait around and over the structure.  Be ready to lose baits if you get into or too close to the structure.

Try a frog, rat or trick worm on top of the structure.

A popping topwater or a buzzbait may do the trick, too.

You have many options so start giving some a try.  

[Culln5]

Try going big and even bigger!  I would throw 10" worms (they'll still catch any size bass) and then throw a 12" lizzard (the fatter the better).  Large swimbaits or fat cranks.  Show them something different.... Maybe even slow-roll a musky spinnerbait.

[BlakeMolone]

you could try a big live bluegill.

[cart7t]

The only structure in the whole pond in a fountain in the middle. No streams or anything run into the pond. How would I aggravate a fish into biting my lure?

A few tips I've used over the years in smaller waters.

Try and fish very early and late.  Try nighttime.

Fish in the rain.  Small lake fish can easily become conditioned to lures moving past them so you need an edge or something different.

The largest bass in that pond probably has a home base.  It could be anything, a stump, old sunken bicycle, concrete brick on the bottom, anything.  It may be towards the middle.  You're going to have to find it or else hope you catch the big gal when she's on a feeding run.  See above for that.

Try presenting baits differently.  Fish become conditioned to seeing lures moving along in front of them the same way over and over and learn to avoid them.  Try very long casts at odd angles to the bank to give them something different to look at.

Try throwing lures that you know haven't been tossed on that lake.  Sometimes a lure that's never been seen before will draw strikes.

Good luck.