Neighborhood Ponds...any Suggestions?

[justin apfel]

I fish in the pond in my neighborhood and I used to so really well last spring and the spring before that using a weighted zoom trick worm or a gulp 5 inch sinking minnow (weightless) and they used to explode on topwater all the time. I'd also get a few here and there on a crankbait, but now I can't even get them to hit. I would go out every evening with a popper or a spook and get 3 or 4 nice bass. The lake is probably 8 foot deep and there isn't a major drop off. Sandy bottom without much structure. Any suggestions?

These are two pictures that kind of show the lake, not my biggest of course, just trying to show as much of the lake as I can

[Sam]

Where are you geographically?

Makes a great difference if you are north, south, east or wesst.

The bass may be on their beds.

The bass may have just gotten off their beds.

Either way, they will be hard to catch.

Any rain lately? If not, did they go deep for the oxygen?

What is the water temperature in the pond? Over 65*?

Any structure they could hang around?

Any grass on the bottom or along the shoreline?

How is the water clarity?

Suggestions:

1. Throw topwaters early in the morning to try to get hit.

2. Throw a Chatterbait or spinnerbait to try to find them.

3. Throw a crankbait, like a Bandit 100 in a shad color.

4. Throw a swimming plastic, like a baby fluke.

5. Pitch and flip a 6' finesse worm. Try Junebug or Green Pumpkin with black flake.

6. Throw a shaky head on the bottom.

7. Throw a drop shot.

You have to find where they are in the water column.

Lots of baits to select among so throw what you have but see if they want a moving bait and then a plastic of your choice.

This is fishing. Trying to outsmart an animal with a brain the size of a marble!!!!

[hmongkidBee]

Throw a watermelon/black or green pumpkin/blake flake senko.

[justin apfel]

Where are you geographically?

Makes a great difference if you are north, south, east or wesst.

The bass may be on their beds.

The bass may have just gotten off their beds.

Either way, they will be hard to catch.

Any rain lately? If not, did they go deep for the oxygen?

What is the water temperature in the pond? Over 65*?

Any structure they could hang around?

Any grass on the bottom or along the shoreline?

How is the water clarity?

Suggestions:

1. Throw topwaters early in the morning to try to get hit.

2. Throw a Chatterbait or spinnerbait to try to find them.

3. Throw a crankbait, like a Bandit 100 in a shad color.

4. Throw a swimming plastic, like a baby fluke.

5. Pitch and flip a 6' finesse worm. Try Junebug or Green Pumpkin with black flake.

6. Throw a shaky head on the bottom.

7. Throw a drop shot.

You have to find where they are in the water column.

Lots of baits to select among so throw what you have but see if they want a moving bait and then a plastic of your choice.

This is fishing. Trying to outsmart an animal with a brain the size of a marble!!!!

I'm in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In some lakes around here I've spotted bass on their beds, but I think most are off by now. Not much grass or vegetation on the bottom, it hasn't been rainy lately but its supposed to tomorrow.

[Sam]

They are still on their beds in Virginia.

Some will be on beds for another month while other recuperate.

You will not see them unless you can find a bedding area that is flat and hard in 2-feet of water. Otherwise, they are deeper and it will be hard to entice them to bite.

They should be starting to come off their beds durng the next two weeks and then they will feed and be back to normal.

How about throwing a Carolina rig with a lizard as bait? Or drag a tube along the bottom. Or try the shaky head or Neko rigs.

Just food for thought.

[justin apfel]

They are still on their beds in Virginia.

Some will be on beds for another month while other recuperate.

You will not see them unless you can find a bedding area that is flat and hard in 2-feet of water. Otherwise, they are deeper and it will be hard to entice them to bite.

They should be starting to come off their beds durng the next two weeks and then they will feed and be back to normal.

How about throwing a Carolina rig with a lizard as bait? Or drag a tube along the bottom. Or try the shaky head or Neko rigs.

Just food for thought.

I've been hearing a ton about shaky heads lately, but still haven't tried one. I think I'll pick some up and try them. What size works best for what?

[Fishmaster10]

This time of year I have the best luck with wacky rigged worms, they work during the spawn and during post-spawn as well. Good luck to you.

[dhami013]

If you do see a bed. Yum F2 wooly bug. I use the gray on the top and orange on the bottom. Hasn't failed me yet. I sit there and rub it in their face for about 5 mins. By then it's wham bam bass in hand. Then of course I thank the fish, and slip em back into where they came from.

[TheLastRodBender]

I'm in Nova so i'm not TOO far from you. I believe bass are in their transition period right now. The earlier 'spawners' are moving off and another wave of bass are moving on, which makes the bass fishing tough. You've got 1 wave of bass on the beds themselves, and another wave tightly protecting their fry.

I looked at your pictures and in the first one (the one with the fountain) i see an area across the pond from you with overhanging brush. I would be POUNDING that with buzzbaits/cranks/spinnerbaits as well as stick baits rigged weightless. Depending on depth it also looks like an area that would be good for spawning since predators would not be able to reach the waterline real well from the shore (ie. birds). Off to the left of the picture i see an area where you might be able to stand and cast parallel to the shoreline which looks good.

In the second picture i see an area behind you with overhanging trees. That looks promising to me as well with similar techniques.

This time of year is frustrating because of how pre-occupied with other responsibilities the bass have with bedding/protecting so unless you target these bass specifically, it makes for some slow days.

[Texfisherman]

A lot of great tips here.

Something I've learned from fishing the same pond on a regular basis, is that bass learn what you are throwing at them.

The first 4 times we hit our pond, a shaky head hook w/ a Zoom shaky head plastic worm landed us several bass.

After that, we couldn't get a single bite, so we changed colors from Junebug (really good at night-time) to Watermelon Red and all of a sudden, they were pounding it again.

After that, they stopped hitting shaky heads all together, so we switched up to wacky-rigged and T-rigged and they started pounding again.

Now, the 'fishing pressure' on this pond is so bad, we are having to get creative. Last night I caught a bass by doing a weightless Texas-rigged plastic 7.5" worm, with a rattle in its tail and 2 red beads above its head. I even had to change the way I worked the bait.

So, keeping in mind everything everyone else has stated, don't hesitate to change up your rig. It may make the difference between a day of no bites or a day of landing a bunch of bass.

Good luck!

[justin apfel]

Thanks for the tips, I'll try some new techniques and let you guys know if I land any.

[FL_Sharpshooter]

I've been hearing a ton about shaky heads lately, but still haven't tried one. I think I'll pick some up and try them. What size works best for what?

I just got into shaky heads within the last couple of months, now it's my go-to. I'd really recommend the gambler giggy heads with the 4/0 size hook and the barb keeper. They're the best shakyheads IMO, they make just about any type of plastic stand straight up and down. They might still be on sale at Dick's for $4, not sure though. They also had those 6" straight tail roboworms in green weenie color on sale for $3 for a pack of 10. You should do pretty well with any type of roboworm on a shaky head, I've heard many good things about their zipperworms as well.

[justin apfel]

I just got into shaky heads within the last couple of months, now it's my go-to. I'd really recommend the gambler giggy heads with the 4/0 size hook and the barb keeper. They're the best shakyheads IMO, they make just about any type of plastic stand straight up and down. They might still be on sale at Dick's for $4, not sure though. They also had those 6" straight tail roboworms in green weenie color on sale for $3 for a pack of 10. You should do pretty well with any type of roboworm on a shaky head, I've heard many good things about their zipperworms as well.

Thanks man, I'll go to dicks soon and pick some up!

[OHIO]

That pond looks a lot like some of the ponds I fish frequently. Not much cover, just a lot of open water.

I like throwing buzzbaits along the bank in the morning and evening, especially when it's dark.

Midday I like dragging jigs with Rage Craw trailers and throwing spinnerbaits parallel to the bank about 15' out.

I can almost guarantee that you will catch some fish doing this.

[justin apfel]

That pond looks a lot like some of the ponds I fish frequently. Not much cover, just a lot of open water.

I like throwing buzzbaits along the bank in the morning and evening, especially when it's dark.

Midday I like dragging jigs with Rage Craw trailers and throwing spinnerbaits parallel to the bank about 15' out.

I can almost guarantee that you will catch some fish doing this.

Even when the bottom is sandy and pretty flat? I use jigs a ton when I go to smith mountain lake or wisconsin because its rocky, but I've never really pulled one out here. And I have craw trailers, but again there aren't crawfish in the lake or area. Do you still suggest it?

[wde1063]

Rooster tail is always a solid choice for small ponds

[justin apfel]

Rooster tail is always a solid choice for small ponds

I used to use mepps spinners all the time and catch a ton of nice crappies. They get big in the small ponds, they average like 1.5 pounds in the one I fish.

[OHIO]

Even when the bottom is sandy and pretty flat? I use jigs a ton when I go to smith mountain lake or wisconsin because its rocky, but I've never really pulled one out here. And I have craw trailers, but again there aren't crawfish in the lake or area. Do you still suggest it?

I still suggest it. I fish ponds that have sandy bottoms and no craw population and still catch a lot of fish on jigs.

It may take awhile, but you will eventually get a good fish.

[Chris]

Also try swimming the jig if they reject it on the bottom.