Fishing Ponds for Bass

Whether you're a seasoned angler or just starting out, fishing for bass in ponds can be a great way to spend a relaxing day outdoors. Before heading out to you local pond, there are a few key things to keep in mind to increase your pond fishing success.

First, it's important to understand the habitat of the bass in the pond. Look for areas with plenty of cover, such as logs, rocks, docks, or weed beds. Also determining any bottom contour or depth changes around the shoreline and how the types of cover changes with depth can help identify areas most likely to be holding bass.

Next, consider the types of prey present in the pond (minnows, insects, crayfish, etc.) to help select the bait or lure you'll be using. Live bait, such as worms, crawfish, or minnows, can be very effective for bass fishing in ponds. Artificial lures, such as soft stickbaits, spinners, topwaters, or crankbaits, can also be effective. When using artificials, it often helps to choose a lure that mimics the natural prey of the bass in the pond, especially if the water is clear to lightly stained.

Fishing Old School Prop Baits

Over the last several years, plopper-styple baits dominated much of the news about fishing prop style baits for bass holding on shallow cover. Despite the focus on plopper baits, many bass anglers still rely on more traditional prop baits like the Smithwick Devil's Horse, Cotton Cordell Crazy Shad or Rapala X-Prop.

Take a moment and watch as bass pro Bob Downey explains how he fishes prop baits for shallow bass...

Although Downey states he prefers working the bait with a series of quick pops or burts followed with a dead-stick period, I've had great success on a steady retrieve at times, especially around daybreak and dusk.

Check out the assortment of prop and plopper style baits available via the folks at Omnia Fishing by clicking on the following link:

Props n Plopper Baits

10 Tips for Catching Late Winter Bass

Late winter can be a tough time to catch bass but with the right tactics and techniques, it is possible to still have successful days on the water. 

Here are 10 tips to help you catch more bass in late winter:

1) Pay attention to water temperature: Bass are more sluggish in colder water, so focus on areas where the water is slightly warmer, such as near springs, dark bottom bays on north side of lake or shallow flats with residual weed beds or boulders.

2) Slow down your retrieve: In colder water, bass are less likely to chase fast-moving lures. Try slowing down your retrieve when using reaction baits like crankbaits, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits or using a finesse technique like a drop shot or Ned rig.

3) Fish near deeper water: Bass often retreat to deeper water during late winter, so concentrate your fishing efforts near structure or cover with deep water (drop offs, steep points, river channels) close by.

4) Use natural-looking lures when fishing clear water: Late winter is a time when bass are less active and less likely to chase flashy or fast-moving lures, especially in clearer water. Instead, use lures that mimic the look and movement of the bass’ natural prey.

Catch More Smallmouth Bass This Spring

Did you ever wonder how to catch more smallmouth bass in the springtime?

I know I have!

Springtime smallmouth bass fishing offers the greatest opportunity to catch both numbers of fish as well as providing the chance at a real trophy …

In order to optimize your chances for both quality and quantities of smallmouth bass in the spring you have to understand the basics of bass migration and bait preferences.

Al Lindner and Dan Surra of Angling Edge TV do a fantastic job of summarizing the key factors you need to learn to increase your spring-time smallmouth bass fishing success in the following video …

Hopefully you made a few notes on how to catch more spring-time smallmouths and you will put more bass in the boat this spring season!

Tips When Fishing New Lakes and Ponds

Fishing a new body of water is both exciting and daunting at the same time. The prospect of lots of bass, especially big bass, tends to get most anglers blood flowing. On the other hand, the challenge of determining the parts of the lake and types of cover/structure holding those bass can sometimes be a little unnerving!

Here are several steps you can take both before and once on the water to prepare for a great day of "catching bass" on any new body of water.

Before the hitting the water:

Research the lake or pond: Look for information about the waterbody, such as its size, depth, and structure. Also, research the type(s) of bass that are present in the lake or pond you'll be fishing.

Study a map of the lake or pond: Look for features such as drop-offs, flats, creek channels, bluff areas, inflow/outflow areas, points, roadways & road beds, dams, docks, and weed beds. These are likely spots where bass will be found at different times of the season or varying weather conditions.