Catching fish in small ponds

[BigJohnny]

A friend of mine has a pond (probably about an acre) that is full of bluegill, catfish, and bass. I have fished there twice and got shut out both times. Today I threw just about everything I had in my tacklebox at them and nothing. I had one hit a buzzbait but I couldn't hook into em. You can throw a handfull of dog food into the water and all hell breaks loose on the surface, there are tons of fish in this pond and they just won't eat anything I try to feed them. Is this typical of small man made ponds?

[steezy]

When you say you threw everything at them, did you try a 5-6" zoom finesse black worm t-rigged and weightless, fished very slowly. If there are bass in that pond they will hit that.

I do a lot of pond fishing and when its dead I always go back to that rig and always catch a fish. It might not be as exciting but it works.

[simplejoe]

Is there any lily pads or any weeds? If so try throwing a Rage Tail frog over them.

How much is the pond fished? If alot then the Bass are getting used to the same lures thrown at them.

Try to throw a Senko weightless and let it sink to the bottom and let it sit there a full couple min. then twitch it a couple times and let it sit again do that the whole way back to shore. You should get a bite then.

                                    joe

[tyrius.]

Is this typical of small man made ponds?

No, but without more detailed info it will be difficult to help you out.

What's the primary cover/structure of the pond?  How deep is it?  What's the bottom composition?  What do you consider "everything in the tacklebox"?  Is the pond heavily fished?  Etc, etc.

[skillet]

 I think steezy had a good idea or try a #3 Mepps bucktail. I've had them work when nothing else would (in a small pond)...

skillet

[BigJohnny]

There's not much in the way of cover. It's about 15 feet deep and it's a fairly steep grade and there is also a small island in the middle. The pond is hardly ever fished. I did not try a weightless worm, but I did try a weightless senko. I also was going to try a shaky head but we ended up leaving before I got around to it. Would that rig be effective in 15 feet of water?

The water also has blue dye in it, so the water is fairly stained (about 2 feet of visibility).

[Rayraff]

Wacky Rigged Senko/Trick Stick.

I fish in mostly ponds around my house and Senkos are the way to go.

Try using a T-rig, or catch a couple bluegill and use them as bait.

[tyrius.]

There's not much in the way of cover. It's about 15 feet deep and it's a fairly steep grade and there is also a small island in the middle. The pond is hardly ever fished. I did not try a weightless worm, but I did try a weightless senko. I also was going to try a shaky head but we ended up leaving before I got around to it. Would that rig be effective in 15 feet of water?

The water also has blue dye in it, so the water is fairly stained (about 2 feet of visibility).

What about weed growth?  Or is the blue dye a result of chemicals used to kill the weeds?

My favorite baits for ponds are soft plastics.  Power worms, trick sticks (senkos), tubes, fat ikas, beavers, etc.  Fish them slow and on the bottom with as little weight as you can get away with (as small a weight as you can cast).  If the pond has any hard bottom areas then try a jig.

[jeosbo01]

I would try a Rebel CricketHopper Popper...I have caught several nice (3-4 lb) bass and numerous panfish on these in just the last month. They are about worthless IMO in larger lakes and such, but deadly in smaller ponds. Find a spot to cast it parallel to the shore, no more than 4-5 feet from the shoreline, and work it slow. I usually throw one out and just let it sit for a minute or two while I do something else then twitch, twitch, pop, twitch and repeat all the way back...I have had more than one decent fish smash it right at my feet!

[SirSnookalot]

Roostertail

[Stasher1]

The majority of my fishing for the past couple months has been in a 2-3 acre county pond. It's highly pressured, but from what I've seen, very few of the anglers who fish there are actually successful. I, however, been very successful there using these: http://www.northlandtackle.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=615&pc=281 in the Green Sunfish color, rigged with an 1/8 oz bullet weight and a 2/0 offset (not EWG) hook.

I cast it out, hop it back like a shaky head rig, and they tear it up. It's so easy, it's almost boring.  

[JLBomber]

Try a hair bug or any insect-based spinner (bumble bee, hopper)

[Paul Roberts]

All above lure suggestions could be good. But...realize weather and water conditions will run the show. Keep at it. Don't judge a water by a few trips.

Here's one idea I've used in ponds with little cover, and with little shoreline obstructions, that allows you to cover some water. Believe it or not, try trolling a crankbait from shore. Walk the shoreline dragging a crankbait. Be especially aware for hits around the corners -when the lure changes speed and direction. If you hit a fish, fish that spot more thoroughly with a jig or plastic, or other lure.

[Josh.]

If you already tried the senko... try it again cause they kill that thing at my ponds  

Also, try a rattle trap. that might catch a few

[Gomer Pyle]

Although I would prefer fishing cranks or topwater lures, I always find my way back to using the 8" Producto High Flotation tournament worm in the Junebug color, rigged Texas style. If I can't catch a fish on that setup, I try the Strike King Sweet Tater Pie Senko type worm. If I fail to catch a LMB on either one of those plastics, then there are NO LMB in that particular body of water

[timothy_spain]

There's a small pond that I go to also.  Have yet to catch a bass larger than 9''.  I'm there's a lunker in there.  

[tkoglin]

Why not try Dog Food on a hook?   ;D

[Hornytoad 10]

i would try a texas rigged bass pro shops 5-star tubeworm in watermellon red flake

                           p.s. dip the tail in chartruse spike-it garlic flavored

[Lund Explorer]

Why not try Dog Food on a hook? ;D

X2!

Didn't need the chuckling smiley though, because the guy answered his own question when he said they went wild on dog food.  I laid my last dollar on the fact that this pond has either an automatic feeder or the owner hand feeds them.  If you want to fish pellet trained fish, you just gotta match the hatch.

Try this......  Get some 3" grubs that come close to the color of the feed, break off the tail so only the body remains, and rig it weightless.  Open hook or tex-posed doesn't much matter as it should be a short range surface bite.  Think Trout Pond!