Mud hole with huge bass (NOT CARP) and shad but no bites 2024

GT Tompkins reply :

I live in Arkansas where it doesn't get too cold but 30 degrees is common night temperature for winter. I live in a city where most ponds are heavily fished so most dont have big fish. I found a super muddy pond (maybe an acre or two) on the side of the road that i tried out with minnows and caught a fat crappie. I've also caught one largemouth (1 1/2 lbs) and a small gar. I've been back to the pond several times with no luck, but while i was there i saw schools of shad and 4 or 5 times i have seen huge largemouth jumping while feeding on shad. The bass i saw jump looked bigger (longer&fatter) than my personal record bass which was 6lbs. I have went back with bluegill on bobber, big crank baits, and minnows without even a bite. Also i think it is very old as there are decent sized clam shells on the bank. When i saw this pond is muddy i mean muddy as ****. 6 inches visibility at best. There is a medium to heavy amount of downed trees and limbs. But ive only seen bass jump in the open water so they are still cruising around feeding even though it is cold. This week the temperature is going to be 20 degrees warmer than usually so i want to capitalize. Any suggestions?

The crappie in the 1st picture is the one i mentioned that i caught out of the pond I'm talking about. The bass in the 2nd picture is my personal best, caught elsewhere. The bass I've seen in the muddy pond are fatter for sure. I'm dying to catch one (and a new personal best).

scaleface reply :

Are the fish you are seeing, jumping clear out of the water ?

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/7/2017 at 7:04 PM, scaleface said:

Are the fish you are seeing, jumping clear out of the water ?

Yes. They sound like cinder blocks being dropped in the water. Ive seen two clearly.

Snipe Hunter reply :

Match the hatch, right? Shad? Crappie?

Sounds like they're well fed so I'd concentrate on reaction baits. Something to get their attention. I might also think about BIG baits.

Being that the place has stained water, I'd think about noisy baits and baits with good vibration. Maybe BIG baits also. Jigs with rattles. I'd probably throw shad colored lipless cranks like Rat-L-Traps and Red Eye Shads. Also big spinnerbaits. Even though it's muddy, they'll can still run down a bait if they can hear it and feel it's vibration. I tend to throw large (easy to find) baits in heavily stained water, but that's just me. I'd also consider jerk baits with rattles. For whatever reason, people tend to ignore top

water baits sometimes. You've seen bass feeding on the surface, throw a buzz-bait or a spinner bait up top, breaking the surface or a big spook. I'm not sure what you've tried but I get in a rut where I start throwing soft plastics on the bottom even though the fish have given me enough clues to do something else.

Jar11591 reply :

On 2/7/2017 at 7:22 PM, GT Tompkins said:

Yes. They sound like cinder blocks being dropped in the water. Ive seen two clearly.

Carp

jbw252 reply :

I agree with Snipe Hunter. I would tend to use bright colors, in addition to the noise & vibration style lures. (Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, & lipless crankbaits). Painted blade spinnerbaits may also pay off in stained waters.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

Agreed

On 2/7/2017 at 8:22 PM, Jar11591 said:

Carp

Bluebasser86 reply :

Bass rarely jump completely out of the water while feeding. I agree that it sounds like carp behavior to me.

Darren. reply :

Welcome aboard!

Carp do indeed make noise. I was fishing a pond

where a couple carp were locked wrestling in a

mating ritual. Lots of splashes (not saying that's

what you were seeing, just saying they're noisy).

Usually when a bass breaks the surface it is after

baitfish, at least in my experience...

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/7/2017 at 8:22 PM, Jar11591 said:

Carp

Im assuming you didn't read much of what i wrote. I mentioned that i CLEARLY saw BASS jump out of the water. Hell i went down there again today and had one jump not even 10 feet in front of me. Scared me half to death. Try not being so cynical, bud. These arent asain carp. They are largemouth bass.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/7/2017 at 11:31 PM, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

Carp do indeed make noise. I was fishing a pond

where a couple carp were locked wrestling in a

mating ritual. Lots of splashes (not saying that's

what you were seeing, just saying they're noisy).

Usually when a bass breaks the surface it is after

baitfish, at least in my experience...

Thanks!

Ive seen enough white carp, brown, and koi. I can tell the difference. These are violent jumps. And I've gotten good enough looks to see that they have green backs and white bellies. It is the most diverse pond ive been too. I would imagine there are carp in the pond. Maybe thats why its so muddy. But the fish ive seen are bass 100%. Btw they are definitely feeding. Very well fed. Its loaded with shad.

Yeajray231 reply :

They don't have to be Asian carp to jump !!

I've honestly never seen a bass jump clear out of the water unless it was hooked... I've seen explosive strikes but never full on leap out of the water.. it's just odd for you to say you see it over and over..

It wasn't just him saying it... It was nearly everyone who replied...

But who knows.. crazier things have happened than bass jumping out of the water.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 8:40 AM, Yeajray231 said:

They don't have to be Asian carp to jump !!

I've honestly never seen a bass jump clear out of the water unless it was hooked... I've seen explosive strikes but never full on leap out of the water.. it's just odd for you to say you see it over and over..

It wasn't just him saying it... It was nearly everyone who replied...

But who knows.. crazier things have happened than bass jumping out of the water.

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

Yeajray231 reply :

Spend a day free lining a bluegill. Lose the bobber. And hook it through the nostril .

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 8:56 AM, Yeajray231 said:

Spend a day free lining a bluegill. Lose the bobber. And hook it through the nostril .

But its filled with branches and small trees! Have u done that around alot of wood structure? I've never free lined live bait......

flyfisher reply :

I have seen tons of small bass leap clear out of the water but never small ones. I am pretty sure that something else is doing the jumping. Carp can also be a reason the the lake is super muddy as well if they got rid of all the vegetation that was keeping the bottom in tact.

Cody21w reply :

I've seen 2 bass (largemouth) completely jump out of the water, not including after top water baits. I've seen a lot of fish that could of been bass jump out, but these 2 were 100% bass. One was about 2 pounds that ate a dying/buzzing cicada, and the other was around 8-12 pounds when paddling a kayak to a cove. I don't know what your seeing, but I'd fish a white single Colorado blade right now.

IndianaFinesse reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 8:46 AM, GT Tompkins said:

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

I believe that you think you are seeing bass, and depending on if you live way down south or not, it is possible. But from your description it sounds more like carp to me.

On 2/8/2017 at 9:00 AM, GT Tompkins said:

But its filled with branches and small trees! Have u done that around alot of wood structure? I've never free lined live bait......

Try a weedless hook, the guys down in Florida use giant golden shiners to get way back underneath thick weeds all the time. There is a little more to it than simply chucking a nose hooked bluegill into the water and waiting for a bite, you have to kind of finesse it into the cover.

flyfisher reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 9:38 AM, Cody21w said:

I've seen 2 bass (largemouth) completely jump out of the water, not including after top water baits. I've seen a lot of fish that could of been bass jump out, but these 2 were 100% bass. One was about 2 pounds that ate a dying/buzzing cicada, and the other was around 8-12 pounds when paddling a kayak to a cove. I don't know what your seeing, but I'd fish a white single Colorado blade right now.

I am amazed at peoples ability to tell the weight of a bass from a jump when so many people get it wrong when they can actually hold the fish.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/7/2017 at 8:22 PM, Jar11591 said:

Thanks to everyone who offered helpful advise. I didn't post this for you jackwagons to tell me what i did or didn't see. I asked for advice on how to catch the fish that I SAW. They act like carp? Sounds like carp? I understand. That IS interesting. But they aren't carp OKAY?!?! Good lord! I know what a d**n bass looks like. If you want to tell me what you think I saw, please dont. I understand its unusual. Trust me i know. Dont insult my intelligence by telling me i dont know what species of fish i (CLEARLY) saw. If you have advise on catching heavily fed bass out of a muddy pond, then i appreciate the help. Thanks.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 9:13 AM, flyfisher said:

I have seen tons of small bass leap clear out of the water but never small ones. I am pretty sure something else is doing the jumping. Carp can also be a reason the the lake is super muddy as well if they got rid of all the vegetation that was keeping the bottom in tact.

You are pretty sure? You are incorrect. I am not pretty sure. I am certain. I am getting tired of defending myself. I havent seen many bass jump either until i visited this pond. Dont ask me why. They just do. Big ones. Atleast once an hour. Alot more frequently today.

flyfisher reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 10:38 AM, GT Tompkins said:

You are pretty sure? You are incorrect. I am not pretty sure. I am certain. I am getting tired of defending myself. I havent seen many bass jump either until i visited this pond. Dont ask me why. They just do. Big ones. Atleast once an hour. Alot more frequently today.

Video it and post it up. then you can prove us all wrong.

GT Tompkins reply :

I will get a video of them jumping and post it on here

RMax reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 8:46 AM, GT Tompkins said:

I know what y'all are saying. But dont be so quick to assume. Not even two hours ago i had one jump right in front of me maybe 5 foot off the bank. It was bass bro. Its a weird pond. I guess all u can do is take my word for it.

I believe you, simply because bass behavior can change depending on where they are, especially if they're in a lonesome little pond. I occasionally fish a lake that is very low pressure but is very urban (its private) and those bass behave completely different than most fish. The largemouth in there are super active in the winter (under the ice), nearly unactive in the fall, don't protect their beds, and most of them don't relate to structure, just sitting on a sandy, flat beach.

GT Tompkins reply :

I will get a video of them jumping and post it on here

wdp reply :

I'd try throwing a big topwater bait: big popper, buzzbait, Zara Spook. If they're busting at the surface that much, they gotta be chasing shad/baitfish. But I gotta admit, sometimes I have a really hard time getting schooling bass to bite when they get so focused on pods of baitfish. It gets frustrating to see all that action & not get a bite.

I've seen big bass jump completely outta the water. It happens, although I've never seen it as frequently as you're describing.

Best of luck. Maybe you'll hook a big one.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 10:47 AM, RMax said:

I believe you, simply because bass behavior can change depending on where they are, especially if they're in a lonesome little pond. I occasionally fish a lake that is very low pressure but is very urban (its private) and those bass behave completely different than most fish. The largemouth in there are super active in the winter (under the ice), nearly unactive in the fall, don't protect their beds, and most of them don't relate to structure, just sitting on a sandy, flat beach.

Yeah man thats kinda how it is here. Back in the summer there wasnt any activity like there is now. Crazy fish

On 2/8/2017 at 10:52 AM, wdp said:

I'd try throwing a big topwdefinitely bait: big popper, buzzba it, Zara Spactumyselfthey're busting at th e surface that much, they gotta be chasing shad/baitfish. But I gotta admit, sometimes I have a really hard time getting schooling bass to bite when they get so focused on pods of baitfish. It gets frustrating to see all that action & not get a bite.

I've seen big bass jump completely outta the water. It happens, although I've never seen it as frequently as you're describing.

Best of luck. Maybe you'll hook a big one.

On 2/8/2017 at 10:52 AM, wdp said:

I'd try throwing a big topwater bait: big popper, buzzbait, Zara Spook. If they're busting at the surface that much, they gotta be chasing shad/baitfish. But I gotta admit, sometimes I have a really hard time getting schooling bass to bite when they get so focused on pods of baitfish. It gets frustrating to see all that action & not get a bite.

I've seen big bass jump completely outta the water. It happens, although I've never seen it as frequently as you're describing.

Best of luck. Maybe you'll hook a big one.

Yeah im thinking thats what is happening. I just started trying topwaters last year i dont quite have the hang it it yet. I was actually using a small popper earlier today when a fat one jumped right in front of me. Lol i nearly crapped myself. If i unlock the secret to this pond, i will be a happy camper with a new personal record or two. Thanks bud

wdp reply :

Yeah, just don't give up. I had same thing happen to me few months ago in November. Big pods of shad swimming everywhere all over the lake which has super clear water. I could look out & count probably 15-20 baitfish pods flicking around at the surface. Then all sudden there'd be commotion everywhere as bass would start busting & feeding on a few schools of shad. Sometimes what seemed like 4 or 5 pounders were busting & jumping outta the water.

I must've run up & down the bank for 2 hrs chasing the action with no results. Couldn't seem to get them to hit anything I threw: poppers, flukes, swimbaits, shallow crankbaits. Finally got 2 bites on a lipless crankbait. It was very frustrating.

The added problem you have is super muddy water. That's why I'm thinking something on the surface making a lotta noise might work. But, the muddy water might work to your advantage. Sometimes that keeps the fish from spooking so easily, especially bank fishing.

Keep us posted.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 11:15 AM, wdp said:

Yeah, just don'ranksup. I had same thing hap pen to me few months ago in November. Big pods of shad swimming everywhere all over the lake which has super clear water. I could look out & count probably 15-20 baitfish pods flicking around at the surface. Then all sudden there'd be commotion everywhere as bass would start busting & feeding on a few schools of shad. Sometimes what seemed like 4 or 5 pounders were busting & jumping outta the water.

I must've run up & down the bank for 2 hrs chasing the action with no results. Couldn't seem to get them to hit anything I threw: poppers, flukes, swimbaits, shallow crankbaits. Finally got 2 bites on a lipless crankbait. It was very frustrating.

The added problem you have is super muddy water. That's why I'm thinking something on the surface making a lotta noise might work. Plus, the muddy water might work to your advantage. Sometimes that keeps the fish from spooking so easily, especially bank fishing.

Keep us posted.

On 2/8/2017 at 11:15 AM, wdp said:

Yeah, just don't give up. I had same thing happen to me few months ago in November. Big pods of shad swimming everywhere all over the lake which has super clear water. I could look out & count probably 15-20 baitfish pods flicking around at the surface. Then all sudden there'd be commotion everywhere as bass would start busting & feeding on a few schools of shad. Sometimes what seemed like 4 or 5 pounders were busting & jumping outta the water.

I must've run up & down the bank for 2 hrs chasing the action with no results. Couldn't seem to get them to hit anything I threw: poppers, flukes, swimbaits, shallow crankbaits. Finally got 2 bites on a lipless crankbait. It was very frustrating.

The added problem you have is super muddy water. That's why I'm thinking something on the surface making a lotta noise might work. Plus, the muddy water might work to your advantage. Sometimes that keeps the fish from spooking so easily, especially bank fishing.

Keep us posted.

Yeah i ran around the pond a few times lol. Lipless cranks? I will buy some. I already got a shad colored spook imwanting to try. Thanks bud. I will try to get video of the jumpers

ErikmonBillsfon reply :

Livetarget sunfish or mouse. Chatter bait so they can locate in such muddy water. I also over the Stanley ribbit frogs.

Yeajray231 reply :

Umm seen as how the pond is only an acre or two.. it IS as simple as letting the bait do the work. You can even cast it out and reel it In slowly. It won't be long until you have a taker. If she's active you'll have her in a matter of minutes. A weedless hook isn't gonna do much for the gill getting tangled up in branches. Who cares what they do In Florida ? Are you in Florida ? Fishing with shiners ? I'm assuming not. Northern strain largemouth are notoriously more aggressive than Florida strain.. . That's why "finessing" it may be key when targeting FLORIDA strain laregmourh. But for northern strain a simple 3 to 4 inch bluegill nose hooked with a baitholder style hook will do you just fine... In a small pond it is as simple as that. Saying that you have to finesse it into cover is not true. I can recall on too many occasions where bass came 30+ feet (like zoomed over quick ) to check my bait out and then take it. Big momma's too. If the gill don't work try the shad.. but when an adult bass sees an injured baitfish. It's game time, instinct.

Invite me over I'll do it for ya.

Jar11591 reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 8:29 AM, GT Tompkins said:

Im assuming you didn't read much of what i wrote. I mentioned that i CLEARLY saw BASS jump out of the water. Hell i went down there again today and had one jump not even 10 feet in front of me. Scared me half to death. Try not being so cynical, bud. These arent asain carp. They are largemouth bass.

I never said Asian carp, just regular carp. Not being cynical bud, just saying these are probably common carp. In my 20 years of fishing, I've seen just ONE bass jump totally out of water, and it was a tiny bass. One time I've seen this in 20 years. However, I see carp doing this exact thing on every single lake I fish that has carp in it. It's exactly how you described "sounds like a cynder block" and "jumping totally out of water."

Not trying to tell you what you saw, just giving my opinion on what I think the likely culprit is.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 12:16 PM, Yeajray231 said:

Umm seen as how the pond is only an acre or two.. it IS as simple as letting the bait do the work. You can even cast it out and reel it In slowly. It won't be long until you have a taker. If she's active you'll have her in a matter of minutes. A weedless hook isn't gonna do much for the gill getting tangled up in branches. Who cares what they do In Florida ? Are you in Florida ? Fishing with shiners ? I'm assuming not. Northern strain largemouth are notoriously more aggressive than Florida strain.. . That's why "finessing" it may be key when targeting FLORIDA strain laregmourh. But for northern strain a simple 3 to 4 inch bluegill nose hooked with a baitholder style hook will do you just fine... In a small pond it is as simple as that. Saying that you have to finesse it into cover is not true. I can recall on too many occasions where bass came 30+ feet (like zoomed over quick ) to check my bait out and then take it. Big momma's too. If the gill don't work try the shad.. but when an adult bass sees an injured baitfish. It's game time, instinct.

Invite me over I'll do it for ya.

Do the gills stay alive for a while when used like that? **** bud i will draw u a map lol

IndianaFinesse reply :

@Yeajray231, I don't know where he lives, so for all I know he does live in Florida. When I say "finesse" the bluegill into the cover, I mean move it in such a way so that it looks natural leaving the bluegill to swim into the cover, bit you still usually have to guide it into the cover. If you're fishing in open water that is not necessary. A weedless hook helps to avoid snagging into wood, bit the one can still get wrapped around things. And while northern strain bass are more aggressive, they still do get choosy at times. But they are less choosy when it comes to live bait, a live 3-5 inch bluegill hooked threw the nostrils with a kahle or circle style hook is my fallback for fishing in clear water when I know the bass are there.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 12:29 PM, Jar11591 said:

I never said Aarl carhadn'tst regular carp. Not being cy nical bud, just saying these are prdefinitelymon carp. Iifly 20 years of fi shing, I've s een just ONE bass jump totally out of water, and it was a tiny bass. One time I've seen this in 20 years. However, I see carp doing this exact thing on every single lake I fish that has carp in it. It's exactly how you described "sounds like a cynder block" and "jumping totally out of water."

Not trying to tell you what I saw, just giving my opinion on what I think the likely culprit is.

I see what you are saying. I just dont think yall believe me when i say its not your typical pond. And the only carp that is common around here is the big brown carp, white carp, and buffalo (idk if they are actually carp) and then grass carp in ponds. Im familiar with the colors and shapes of those fish. These are difinitely bass. I havent seen largemouth jump this much anywhere else.

Jar11591 reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 12:48 PM, GT Tompkins said:

I see what you are saying. I just dont think yall believe me when i say its not your typical pond. And the only carp that is common around here is the big brown carp, white carp, and buffalo (idk if they are actually carp) and then grass carp in ponds. Im familiar with the colors and shapes of those fish. These are difinitely bass. I havent seen largemouth jump this much anywhere else.

Not saying I don't believe you either, as this has definitely piqued my interest. Like I said, I was just giving the likely scenario based on the info you gave and based on my experience with the phenomena. I certainly could be wrong as I have been before and these could be big bass clearing the water. If that's the case, send me (only me) the coordinates to this pond so I can fish it!

Oh and btw, that quote from me is interestingly misquoted.... lol

Yeajray231 reply :

@GT Tompkins honestly, no.. but nose hooked they will stay alive longer than any other way (if you're reeling them in) When I do this and the bluegill dies, they get hacked and turned into catfish bait... But I'm doubting catfish are in there too... Not to worry. Not much goes to "waste " . The crows can have em. If all goes as planned you won't need many anyway.

Keep in mind when you make your cast, every bass within 50 feet (more or less) is aware of something entering the water !! Keep it up and out of the weeds (or In your case branches )

And you should be in action... If not.. no problem , relocate, and repeat. I don't like circle hooks because I like to set the hook... But many fisherman much more accomplished than me swear by them... So use em if that's what you like.

The muddy water shouldn't be much of a problem... But what could be a problem is the weather ! Where are you located ??

This tactic works much better mid spring through mid fall up north.

GT Tompkins reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 1:10 PM, Yeajray231 said:

@GT Tompkins honestly, no.. but nose hooked they will stay alive longssher than any other way (if youla're reeling them in) When I do this and the bluegill dies, they get hacked and turned into catfish bait... But I'm doubting catfish are in there too... Not to worry. Not much goes to "waste " . The crows can have em. If all goes as planned you won't need many anyway.

Keep in mind when you make your cast, every bass within 50 feet (more or less) is aware of something entering the water !! Keep it up and out of the weeds (or In your case branches )

And you should be in action... If not.. no problem , relocate, and repeat. I don't like circle hooks because I like to set the hook... But many fisherman much more accomplished than me swear by them... So use em if that's what you like.

The muddy water shouldn't be much of a problem... But what could be a problem is the weather ! Where are you located ??

This tactic works much better mid spring through mid fall up north.

So when you say "Keep it up" are you constantly lifting your line? Do you keep semi tight line or do you give the bait fish slack to swim? I am in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It has been fairly warm here lately. It was 72 degrees yesterday. Thats not normal here though. Typically between 30-50 degrees.

GT Tompkins reply :

@Jar11591 lol well i would bet my life that these are LMB. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a 10 lb hog in there. Who knows. Some of the ones i saw were questionable. I doubt you would want to come to Arkansas just to fish an acre of water though.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

You can try snag some of shad, run your jerk bait, crank bait or even lipless thru a group of shad and use that for bait.

Snipe Hunter reply :

We don't see too many bass over 6 pounds around these parts so if I thought there were 10 lb bsss swimming close to me, I'd toss my pride out the window and put on a shiner. The shiners are pretty easy to catch with a throw net. Buy a can of bread crumbs and lure them in. You'll see the shiners break on the crumbs. Then throw the net. Toss one out under a bobber and wait.

I still think you can get one on a buzz bait or big spook though.

Cody21w reply :

On 2/8/2017 at 9:48 AM, flyfisher said:

I am amazed at peoples ability to tell the weight of a bass from a jump when so many people get it wrong when they can actually hold the fish.

I mean its pretty obvious when you use your eyes to see a bass roll over in mid air. one was small about 2 pounds, and the other was about 4 feet away and scared the **** out of me, and had to be atleast 24 inches long, and was super fat. An old man caught a 9-5 in that cove 3 weeks after that. I dont know if that was that fish, but i know that fish was a giant. I am amazed at peoples ability to tell someone they are wrong without being there to witness the situation, so being an ******* is the right thing to do...? NOPE

flyfisher reply :

On 2/10/2017 at 11:09 PM, Cody21w said:

I mean its pretty obvious when you use your eyes to see a bass roll over in mid air. one was small about 2 pounds, and the other was about 4 feet away and scared the **** out of me, and had to be atleast 24 inches long, and was super fat. An old man caught a 9-5 in that cove 3 weeks after that. I dont know if that was that fish, but i know that fish was a giant. I am amazed at peoples ability to tell someone they are wrong without being there to witness the situation, so being an ******* is the right thing to do...? NOPE

I am more amazed at how people get all up in their feelings and resort to name calling over someone else questioning the ability to guess a fish's weight from a distance that is jumping when people can't even guess the weight accurately when holding it....

Get some thicker skin or catch the fish and prove me wrong.

RoLo reply :

A whack that resembles a flat rock describes a carp, while the sound of a feeding bass is more of a tight splash.

If you see the fish's body behind the mouth, the odds-on bet it's a carp.

Finally, carp love mud holes

Roger

JoeD320 reply :

Central NJ here, I have a pond I go to around here that sounds a lot like this. LOTS of big bass and bluegill. I've had a lot of luck with hollow body frogs and lipless cranks. Try to find out for sure what the bass are feeding on. Check their crush plates for signs of crawdads (red deposits). Also are their teeth sharper than most? That would mean they mainly feed on baitfish. Their is also a lot of snags and downed timber in my pond so the frog is perfect. Don't have to worry about getting snagged. Just make sure you have the power to pull them out once they grab it.

Kind of crappy that people can't just take your word for it and reply with help.

scaleface reply :

On 2/11/2017 at 10:34 AM, JoeD320 said:

. Also are their teeth sharper than most? That would mean they mainly feed on baitfish.

I've never heard this before .

JoeD320 reply :

On 2/11/2017 at 10:45 AM, scaleface said:

I've never heard this before .

Heard this from multiple sources. Don't know how true it is but it seems to add up in my head.

scaleface reply :

On 2/11/2017 at 10:50 AM, JoeD320 said:

Heard this from multiple sources. Don't know how true it is but it seems to add up in my head.

So , the reason is hard shell crawfish are hard on bass teeth ?

JoeD320 reply :

On 2/11/2017 at 11:05 AM, scaleface said:

So , the reason is hard shell crawfish are hard on bass teeth ?

I would imagine it takes more grinding with the crush plate/teeth than baitfish do. I have found bass with calcium deposits from draws actually so have duller teeth

Kyhokie reply :

Bro, I've fished that pond a thousand times. They're carp.

beardown34 reply :

Lol

primetime reply :

If you caught a Crappie and a bass, and the lake has Shad, they may be Carp, May be Spawning Tilapia protecting nests (I have mistaken big 5lb Tilapia for bass when they are spawning in stained water.)

If you are seeing most of the action in the middle of the small pond, and not seeing any baitfish near the shoreline, then I would try the baits mentioned above and since the water is dirty, lots of bait, They can simply be tough to catch.

Small ponds loaded with shad or shiners can be diffucult unless using live bait, but if you hit all the cover, all the dropoffs, and if you see the bait surface, you can be sure Bass are near them. If its only an acre, the pond could still hold several big Bass, I would simply fish it slowly and try to figure out where the fish rest, the biggest bass will not be chasers most likely, they will be in an area that offers protection so they can ambush. If you can see where the water enters the pond after it rains, that is where I would start, this time of year the bacteria floats to the surface and once the shad start feeding you will see dimples on the surface, if you see and hear boiles in the school of shad, they are either Big Bass, Big Gar, Mudfish...In ponds you never know.

I would keep fishing it, especially when the water starts to warm, I am sure you will get a few big fish out of the pond, a 1 acre pond is capable of holding legit double digit fish if genetics are good. Crappie is a good sign, makes me think they are being pumped in? Usually Crappie will take over a small pond and you will only catch them from my experiences. Sounds like an interesting place, Just keep at it, Bait always equals bass. Carp and Bass can live together very well, same with tilapia up to a point.

I fish several ponds like you are describing, tons of bait and the fish are simply hard to catch on lures or soft baits since the water is very stained and they spook easily. I like fishing those lakes at Night, especially in the spring/Summer/Fall. Bass in ponds almost always are easier to catch at night regardless of using black and blue worms, Topwater, Spinnerbaits etc.

If you live line a big shiner, or any shiner, you should find out what is going on, that is always the easy answer.

mwh33 reply :

I would try bright colored baits and big baits. Big squarebills, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits with some sort of chartreuse on them. I would also try a large swimjig with a paddletail swimbait as a trailer with colors that match the bluegill or crappie.

snake95 reply :

@GT Tompkins All I can say is you have to catch one of those big fish, no matter what species it is, because at this point a whole bunch of us will go the rest of our days wondering that was in your pond. I for one, am rooting for you and will keep checking back every day until you catch one of those monsters. If it turns out to be a 2 lb carp instead of an 8 lb bass, I won't hold it against you, just post it up and end the suspense.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

Bass Jump

scaleface reply :

Ive had bass break me off before . A few minutes later they jump trying to dislodge the lure . Also has one jump clear over a log to get my buzzbait on the other side . Then we've all seen them jump when hooked . But I never seen them jump for the heck of it . Carp try to make the biggest splash possible . It must be fun for them .

lmbfisherman reply :

Only time I've seen a bass jump clear out is when they are hooked. Even counting a break off I had once, a bass broke off my spinnerbait. 5 seconds later jumps clear out of the water and flung the spinnerbait about 10 ft away.

everythingthatswims reply :

I have definitely witnessed large fish coming completely out of the water chasing shad. It only happens when they are eating larger 4-5" shad, which should be present this time of year.

I would try a big white spinnerbait or maybe even a light weight Alabama rig with white swimbaits and big blades. Yum makes one with Colorado blades on it.

Dat_Bass reply :

I have a pond the exact same way. Very small and very muddy but me and friends have caught 3 9+ LMBs. I recommend a black and blue swim jig or as crazy as it may sounds topwater. The Whopper Plopper is a great choice. I caught two 5s back-to-back.

UPSmallie reply :

On 2/12/2017 at 5:01 AM, JustJames said:

Bass Jump

Thanks for sharing. They look like Great Whites when they first break that surface!

j bab reply :

Yall need to drop the carp thing. This guy said they're bass and he clearly saw them, how are you gonna keep giving him crap about it? I get offering up some suggestions, but how many people do we need to tell this guy he's wrong before it's enough? Just take his word for it or go away, jeez.

To treat a member like this is absurd, especially a new one. I expect better from this site.

Hawkeye21 reply :

If they are bass jumping then I'd be throwing some top water lures for sure.

cport0519 reply :

I've always had success tossing sluggos at bass breaking on baitfish in ponds. Used to float tube a 1.5 acre pond in San Diego. Every morning with the marine layer in the summer, 2-4 pounders wold break on the shad schools. they would roam around the middle of the pond, and I'd stay in the center and kick over to where they were breaking and pick off a few. Interestingly enough, I'd catch the bigger ones by casting over the boils, "walk the dog" with it by twitching it as soon as it hit the water, and let it drop right in the middle of the boils. The bigger, smarter ones wait under the action for the injured ones to float down. If they don't get it on the fall, usually one twitch-twitch-pause will get em. Keep that line tight to detect them on the fall.

6216

Mud hole with huge bass (NOT CARP) and shad but no bites 2024

related Fishing Tackle topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Fishing Tackle topic