Small ponds and lakes offer excellent untapped bass fisheries, especially in the early season.
Many anglers travel many miles to fish the larger lakes and reservoirs during spring and early-summer, but larger lakes take longer to warm and are more difficult to fish.
Smaller lakes and ponds not only warm faster, but hold some of the Midwest's best bass fishing. Don't be fooled into thinking that small ponds only contain small bass. Many small farm ponds, golf course ponds, and small isolated lakes have produced some of the country's largest bass.
Many anglers assume these small bodies of water are simple to fish. Admittedly they are easier to fish than larger lakes and reservoirs, but there are ways to increase your odds of catching both numbers and big bass in ponds during spring.
Observe
After a week of stable weather a pond or small lake will warm rapidly and the bass will become active. Look for areas that warm quickly: isolated bays or channels, shallow areas, and the north end of the lake are good examples. Mentally make a map of the lake and the areas where early season bass are most likely to be lurking.
The System
Many anglers begin fishing ponds or small lakes by casting from shore toward the center of the pond. This approach will catch bass, but the shallower portions of the pond are more likely to hold aggressive bass. Also a hooked bass being fought from deep water may spook fish that are holding shallower. A common mistake is to stay in one spot for long periods of time when fishing ponds or small lakes. Keep moving until you determine where the majority of bass are.
Many small lakes and ponds have very narrow lip or flat that rims the entire body of water. The lip typically comes out from the bank and then drops off towards the basin. It is important to concentrate on this area. The lip usually holds cover and bass.
Begin by casting parallel to the shore. This assures that the lure is in the lip area for the maximum time, increasing the odds of contacting an aggressive bass. Also if you hook a fish it will not spook fish holding in deeper water.
After making a couple of casts parallel to the bank, cast at an angle to the bank to attempt to cover the outer edge of the lip. Finally, cast to the center of the lake.
Once you've completed this casting pattern, take a few more steps down the bank and repeat the pattern until the entire pond has been fished.
Once you've caught a bass or two, concentrate on making casts in that area and use the same type of cast.
Simple Presentations
On most spring days, before the bass spawn, a spinnerbait will catch the most bass. Personally, I prefer a tandem spinnerbait since the bait can be fished at slower speeds through cover than a single-bladed lure.
The spinnerbait can be cast a great distance and, therefore covers a lot of water. This is an ideal "search bait" to find aggressive bass. Usually a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait will do the trick. If the water is clear, try white with nickel blades. If the water is stained try chartreuse with brass blades.
As the water temperature warms to the low-60s, bass will become less aggressive as they prepare to spawn. This is when a floating minnow lure works well. The fish will be concentrated on the lip, so cast parallel to the bank or quartering it. Rather than using a straight retrieve, twitch or jerk the bait occasionally. The erratic action will trigger reluctant bass. No need to get fancy on the size or color. A four-inch minnow lure in silver and black works on most days.
As the bass get even closer to the spawn they may not respond to the minnow bait or spinnerbait. This is when some form of plastic--a lizard, worm, or gitzit--is required. Rig the bait weedless and slowly work the areas where the lip is the largest, or where the greatest concentration of bass have been located. The slow-moving presentation stays in the strike-zone longer and can catch big bass that ignore other offerings. Plastics less than six-inches usually work best and colors vary. Use a color that gives you confidence.
Bass fishing in these small lakes and ponds can excellent, but the populations are very fragile. It doesn't take long to drastically change the bass population. Therefore, catch-and-release is critical for continued good fishing in these small bodies of water. Copyright (c) 1996 Jim Saric. All rights reserved.
Home | Library | Fishing | Freshwater Fishing