DyFusion Outdoors

Freshwater Fishing 101 >>



Ask most anglers where they first learned to fish, and the response will likely include a nostalgic description of small ponds that played important parts in their lives and ensuing love of the sport. For me, it was small waterways on Chatahoochee River, where my Uncle taught me how to fish for bluegill, crappie, perch and catfish. These pond-dwelling fish are still fun to catch today, but the tactics for landing them have improved with tackle, technology and experience.

 

“Pond fishing is very different than rivers, lakes or oceans,” said my Uncle. “The one thing ponds have going for them is their size, as you can walk around them, versus lakes and rivers that are more easily fished from a boat.”

 

But don’t let a pond’s size fool you, as they can require every bit as much strategy and produce just as much excitement as larger bodies of water. The key is altering the tactics you know, to accommodate the smaller environments of ponds and the specific fish that inhabit them. Here are 5 ways to do that with the highest rate of success:

1. Location, Location, Location

 

My uncle taught me long ago that the secret to success in small ponds is targeting those that are fished infrequently. The result is typically more hits and a higher potential for record-size fish. I seek out private ponds on farms where fish are well fed and not often caught. Private property owners will typically grant permission, as long as you keep your secret fishing spot to yourself. Hitting the mostly undisturbed ponds at golf courses (outside of tee times) also offers prime fishing.

2. Target Your Species

 

As opposed to larger bodies of water, where you often target a specific species, the species in ponds run the gamut (bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish and more). For this reason, your rods and baits should cover the broadest possible spectrum. If you enjoy hunting big fish in little ponds as much as I do, come prepared with additional tackle to target the bottom-dwelling catfish.

 

Rods: A medium-action spinning rod and reel spooled with 6- to 10-pound-test line is all you need for most ponds. For catfish, especially if you are targeting very large fish, My Uncle recommends a second rod with a 20-pound test line and a monofilament leader with 80-pound test.

 

Live baits: Live baits such as waxworms and nightcrawlers attract a wide range of pond fish. I generally prefer these baits to minnows. To draw out the catfish, chicken livers or live bluegills are winners almost every time. You can also try my favorite cherry chicken bait The Kool Catfish Bait (given to me by My Uncle years ago), which has netted me prize catfish at several tournaments.

 

Artificial baits: Topwater baits like poppers, buzzbaits or floating frogs are very effective for many species of pond fish. Rooster Tail spinners are great because you can work them at different speeds to attract many types of fish. My Uncle uses the topwater fishing method almost exclusively for ponds.

 

“Once someone has caught a bass using this means [topwater fishing], it’s hard to go back to anything else. When the bass breaks the water and hits the bait, it’s like no other bite. I like this method the best since it can be used at all hours of the day or night,” said My Uncle.