Tips for Fishing a pond with lots of algae growth?
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I recently discovered a nice little pond that houses plenty of nice bass. However the pond is shallow (I would say 4 foot at its deepest) and the bass only seem to be interested in live shiners. I have tried everything in my box and then some and they only respond well to live shiners. Anyway the question is even when the bait is floated under a cork; it still gets covered in a thick layer of algae that is growing up from the bottom of the pond. I am constantly having to bring the bait back to remove the algae and eventually the bait dies. They won’t hit it unless I have the bait near the bottom. Already tried floating it “shallow” only a foot or so from the Bobber…..keeps the weeds off but the fish won’t hit it. I have never come across Bass so picky in my life. They are really nice bass averaging 3-4 pounds so its worth any trouble going after them. Any suggestions on how to try and limit the amount of algae I’m catching? I’m ok with a little “salad” but this pond is ridiculous.
Side note: I have tried about 8 different top water baits that I know work well….they just aren’t interested.
Might be an Idea because I use an ATV to get to it.
Thought of the ATV noise. Haven’t parked it that far away though. I might give that a try. I found it by accident and had to make my own trail. I don’t think anyone has fished it as I have the only trail.
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I have seen it done where people take a rake on a rope and throw i out and drag it back to create “lanes” in the salad. Of course you won’t catch fish that day but when you come back next time you shouls have a place to put your shinner into. Pry not the best idea you will get but I have seen it work if you are willing to drag in a heavy, salad loaded rake(atv works great)
Firstly, try parking your ATV 100 yards or more away and sneak to the pond. Bass can sense the sounds and vibrations, so sneak up to the pond.
For that much growth, the water must be clear. Instead of topwater, wait until just before dark and try a white weightless fluke. If that doesn’t work, try black or blue. At night, try a black jitterbug (if the trebles don’t catch in the growth) or a Red Shad Culprit worm. Midday I would suggest a green pumpkin colored finesse worm. The true secret is a YUM Jitterworm in bubblegum color hooked through the eggsack. Barely and I mean BARELY twitch it. They can’t resist.
I am not much on live bait, but how are you hooking the shiners? Try using (depending on bait size) about a #2 or #1 Baitholder style hook. Hook the shiner down through the bottom lip and pull the hook all the way through. Then, stick the hook right in the minnow’s bumhole. This is weedless and te minnow will survive for a while. It also allows it to swim free if used weightless. Looks very natural.
I go a lot to the surf and here on south padre island at times the water has a lot of algae coming in and fishing is almost impossible but I have learned that if you were to put a split shot at about 2ft from the bait it will allow the bait to sink and not get hung up as much,hook the shiner on the last fin the one on top so he can try to swim up a little bit and not be totally on the bottom. that should get them to bite.
You could use a Balloon Rig instead of a Bobber. ( A balloon rig consists of a childs balloon in place of a bobber.)
Many guides on the St. Johns (Welaka/Palatka) use Balloon rigs for trophy fish. The balloon doesn’t easily get wrapped in weeds and if you hook into a 8-12LBer they POP!
Other options?
You MUST use attractant when using lures for Bass, (period).
I have a buddy who loved to snorkel/scuba dive.
We were spending time on the Ichetucknee Springs State Park River tubing, fishing & canoeing. (By the way, Ichetucknee is FUN! Eatin’ Hot boiled peanuts, smokin’ “wacky weed”, and tubing down the river is AWESOME! Sorry, just walkin’ down “memory lane”, LOL)
We got bored and decided to experiment with this new Berkley Fish Attractant I had purchased. I cast with and without it, while my Buddy watched my plastic worm under water.
He watched as I got HIT after HIT. I had NO IDEA I was getting hits UNTIL I put the attractant on.
Whats my point?
You may be getting strikes and NEVER know it!
A Bass can literally inhale and spit out a lure in the blink of an eye.
Attractant gives you the “time” to feel a striking fish.
Also, what size line are you using when your fishing?
This pond is obviously VERY clear-water if it has that much weed-growth. If I were you I’d be using a 10LB Flurocarbon leader.
What you are describing -A huge weedbed growing “almost” to the top of the water- is THE perfect time to use a soft plastic Jerkbait/Senko. OR a 1/4-1/2 OZ weedless jig.
Now EVERYONE is gonna give you THEIR OPINION on what lure will absolutley, positively, un-conditionally WORK.
Your gonna get people that tell you Soft plastic Frogs, (little do they know- Frogs are gettin’ MIGHTY scarce in FLA due to fertilizer/sewage run-off), AND the Rapala crew will guarantee you a limit, (Anything with treble hooks in most FLA ponds is silly! lol- teasin!) OR the Spinnerbait Clan will SWEAR (to buy you a dinner at Cracker Barrell!) that a spinnerbait is the ONLY WAY to go, (In Fla algae-slop has a tendency to STOP the spinning blades of a S-Bait!).
You want to catch these fish?
If I were you, I’d find some Motor-oil colored 4-7″ worms and fish them on 8LB line. I caught my largest “lure” Bass (10.14 OZ) on 8LB Berkley Trilene XT(or was it Big Game? Can’t remember, damn-it!) in a pond that no-one even KNEW held fish that size.
Ok-so my answer is longer than a book!
I’m gettin’ old; Sue me! (lol)
Good luck catchin’!