An Easier Path to Largemouth Lunkers: The Pond Out Back
Landing a trophy largemouth bass can be simpler than you think. Success may be within a stone’s throw of your house. As American as baseball and home cooking, the farm pond has created great angling memories for many.
Sentimental Fishing
Ponds have provided big bass recreation for decade upon decade. Heck, they’ve fed many families, too. It can be hard to not yearn for the days when the sight of bouncing and submerged bobbers was about the most magical sight possible.
My fishing escapades of childhood and youth-centered around pulling bass, crappie, and perch out of farm ponds in Hamilton County, Texas. Back then, neighboring farmers and friends graciously granted fishing permission on their stock tanks (as we often call them in Texas). I remember these permissions being rewarded with such gifts as some of the very fish that were caught or Mogen David wine – not that the host required either.
What these farmers and ranchers lacked in wine sophistication was more than made up for in good old-fashioned outdoor hospitality. It may sound trite, but it was a simpler time that continues to yield great memories of bulging stringers.
And there is just something special about approaching a pond during times of little or no wind. The reflections on the surface, weed beds lining the banks, and sounds of bugs (and bass) popping the surface – it’s kind of hard not to dream of your next lunker with each cast.
From the perspective of tight lines and black bass success, small fisheries are great locations for a variety of reasons. Often with little fishing pressure, bass can thrive in these little slices of heaven. They can become large too. How many people do you know have caught the biggest bass of their lives in a pond or mini-lake? I know several and would guess that most of mine have come from such a fishery.
Not Just for Beginners
Though many people like myself cut their teeth fishing farm ponds, they’re not just for child’s play. While they will always be great places to introduce youngsters to angling, they can result in a ton of action for anyone. They can also be ideal for fly-fishing and, at a minimum, present a great practice venue for the novice or beginner. Maybe best of all, they don’t require a lot of money or a fancy boat to fish them – just some basic lures and permission.
In my experience, little has changed concerning farm pond fishing sessions. Here, soft plastics and spinner-baits of varying sizes are great options. And who doesn’t like gracing the pond surface with top-water lures at dusk?
Pond fishing success means utilizing some of the very strategies used on large lakes, such as locating structure, currents, and depth changes. The beauty is that the smaller size means it’s easier to locate bass. It also requires less of a time investment.
Basic Benefits and Tactics
A small pond is basically a small version of a large lake, and bass behave similarly in both. They respond to traits such as water clarity and temperature.
Perhaps the most basic tenet of pond fishing is to maintain a stealthy approach. Avoid recklessly tromping around the bank when changing locations. This means keeping sound to a minimum and maintaining a circular approach when going from spot to spot. That is to say, don’t walk directly down the waterline. It’s also good to fish each spot thoroughly before moving on. The sight of a fallen tree or grassy bed around the bend can certainly make this one tough.
For larger ponds, there are a few other alternatives to consider. Wading can be a great choice if you maintain stealthy, gradual movements to avoid wakes. For ponds of more than a few acres, float tubes, Jon boats, kayaks, and canoes are great options. If you choose for more power than oars or paddles, electric trolling motors are ideal.
Following their spawning, black bass are ready to stalk and strike various baits during late spring and early summer. Seek shallow water with covers such as grass, weeds, fallen limbs, and stumps. Other great locations to find pond bass are areas along deeper points and moving water. The latter can, for example, be found near spillways or anywhere a pond is overflowing. In any case, the best time to make your move is in the early morning and late afternoon.
Tackle for Ponds
Ponds ideally exhibit clear waters, and bass tend to cling to tight spaces. As such, light tackle and rods of 5 ½ – 6 ½-feet are usually the ticket. Aside from live baits like minnows and worms, there are a variety of lures that work well in ponds.
- Topwater Lures. Simply put, topwater lures of all types are fun to use on ponds. The surface action and noise not only elicit violent strikes but are intoxicating. For small ponds, use smaller lures and employ quieter retrieves with minimal pops and twitches. A great option is the torpedo series of topwater lures.
- Spinner baits. Small to medium spinnerbaits are ideal for ponds. They create both silhouetting and reflect light – both attractive to feeding bass. For smaller ponds, go with 1/8 – ¼-ounce baits to avoid spooking fish.
- Plastic worms. Soft plastics are my favorite choice for small fisheries. Using 4-6-inch plastics present subtle creeping action whether straight-retrieved or used with vertical drops. A great method is to create a “bottom-hopping” retrieve. Another is to go weightless and slowly glide it across the surface. If using a weight, crimp a small split-shot sinker about a foot above the worm. Rigging plastic worms with hooks with moss-guards is a great idea for mossy and brushy areas.
- Plastic grubs. These are also great selections. Their compact size and understated action are ideal for picky bass. This alternative make fishing with plastic grubs a great choice on finicky fish when all else fails.
Ponds of all sizes represent great fishing opportunities for novice and seasoned anglers alike. By employing the strategies you already know and modifying them for ponds, you can open a new world of bass fishing adventure.
Whatever you do, don’t disregard these potential lunker lairs that are at your disposal. Employ the basics, and you might just have the best hour or two of bass fishing of your life – in many cases without boat towing and cleaning chores to follow.