Bass/catfish fishing in a pond

[astromech_kuhns]

Hey all,

So i have a spot, its a pond on someones property that he lets people fish out of, i dont think its fished out of a ton or anything, but people also duck hunt in it. anyways, he says, and others i have talked to, that people pull bass and catfish out of there. so my questions are:

1. are catfish and bass (never fished for either) more seasonal, or do they bite anytime? is now an okay time to fish for them, or should i wait longer?

2. What methods would i use to catch bass in a small pond? what kind of a rig do i use and also, what kind of bait/lures, and is there anything special to catching bass in a pond? where am i casting to, closer to the bank, or more in the middle?

3. same thing as #2, but for catfish.

also, is there anything else i should know about fishing in a pond for these species? what someone told me is to go out at night and build a fire and fish for the catfish all night long. is this a valid way to do it? would they be attracted to the light?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Raincatcher]

I have only caught bass by accident so I am no authority. That being said, there are several bass fisher folks here who have been catching some big 'ol fatties lately. You should check out the archives to find out the numerous preferred set-ups and bait/lures. As for catfish, I got nada. I hope someone chimes in with more info for you. Please let us know how you do if you get a chance.

 

[bass]

Hey all,

So i have a spot, its a pond on someones property that he lets people fish out of, i dont think its fished out of a ton or anything, but people also duck hunt in it. anyways, he says, and others i have talked to, that people pull bass and catfish out of there. so my questions are:

1. are catfish and bass (never fished for either) more seasonal, or do they bite anytime? is now an okay time to fish for them, or should i wait longer?

2. What methods would i use to catch bass in a small pond? what kind of a rig do i use and also, what kind of bait/lures, and is there anything special to catching bass in a pond? where am i casting to, closer to the bank, or more in the middle?

3. same thing as #2, but for catfish.

also, is there anything else i should know about fishing in a pond for these species? what someone told me is to go out at night and build a fire and fish for the catfish all night long. is this a valid way to do it? would they be attracted to the light?

Thanks everyone!

It is hard to answer this question in general. Hopefully, some of the folks with ponds can chime in. In general I would guess that the fishing is pretty awesome for bass right now. They should be in pre-spawn and feeding a lot. They may also be cruising around spawning or just off spawning areas depending on the previous few days of weather. I would think that any sunny warm streak of a couple of days should bring them into the shallows in numbers. This is based on East coast pond fishing, I assume the fish behave the same out here.

Hopefully, some of the better bass fisherman and those with ponds or who fish them regularly can offer more solid advice.

In general, I would guess that the catfishing should follow about the same trend in terms of feeding activity as for the bass.

 

[troutdude]

It is hard to answer this question in general.

Agree completely. There are VOLUMES of full-length books, written on such topics as bass and cat fishing. Attempting to whittle all of that information down, and into, a few sentences is not easy.

However, as mentioned, there are some seasoned pond bass fishing wizards on here. So, just give them some time to chime in. They will be able to help you immensely. Me? I've gotten smallies and biggies; but only in the summer months.

The first fish I ever caught, were catfish. The way that we fished for 'em; was at night w/ a campfire or lanterns. IDK, if the light attract them. But, they are mostly nocturnal feeders. So, we angled for 'em after sunset. We simply plunked with stink-baits like rotten chicken livers. We also attached a small bell, to our rod tips--so we wouldn't miss a strike.

But, many have also been caught by daylight. Maybe someone else, can give you pointers for the daytime hours. Good luck--and do NOT let a catfish's barbs ding your hands. It does NOT feel good!

 

[durantmatt]

I don't know much about catfish except throw out a bait hook with a worm or bits of chicken or anything smelly, let it sit on the bottom, every once in a while pull up on the rod and see if there's any resistance, if there is, set the hoo, that's how we did it at some ponds down south. I love fishing for bass in ponds. Right now my go to lure is a rattletrap. Rip it fast and cover lots of water. I'll fish a big area fast with a rattletrap, and where I had a caught bass, I'll go back and slow fish those areas with a Texas rigged worm or if it's deep water (20+ feet) I'll throw a Carolina rig. Those may sound foreign to you but a quick look on the internet will get you in the right direction. As for colors, rattletraps I like chrome and black for clearer water, black and orange for stained water. Worms, you can never go wrong with junebug or an oxblood red. Good luck out there.

 

[igquick]

I used to fish at East Salish pond a lot which could be considered a small lake. This pond/lake also has tons of ducks in it, and I have caught my fair share of catfish in it. All the countless catfish I've caught in there was only at night, never during the day, using bread. So if the worm during the day ain't working, I'm willing to bet you can catch them at night with some bread. They are more active at night for some odd reason.

 

[HRxPaperStacks]

Right now is the PERFECT time to fish for bass. It's pre-spawn, meaning that the big females are moving from the depths up to the shallows to make nests, which they guard fiercly. Right now, your goal is not to make them eat - it's to make them attack a threat. Move a jig or spinnerbait (Sexy Shad is my favorite color, followed by white and chartreuese) around any kind of cover, and anywhere that is flat area right next to a drop off. This will target active bass. Your next plan of attack will be slower. My GO TO rig (I actually have this tattooed on me - I know... but it looks so awesome) is a carolina rigged baby brush hawg. Watermelon red is the best color. The bass will most times hit this lure on the way down. Watch your line. For me, the line always "stops" sinking, and then looks like it's sinking at a different weight. Reel down until you feel the weight of the fish and set the hook. As far as where to cast - everywhere. You probably don't know how deep the pond is or what kind of underwater cover there is, so there really is no wrong answer, but you're mainly looking for shallows that lead to a dropoff or any kind of overhead cover. Let us know how it goes!

 

[nixerx]

Here's my take on Bassholes. Bear in mind I'm no fish whisperer like that Cody (lol, the dudes a beast), but they are my preferred species.

Bring a variety of baits. Senkos, Shaky Heads, Crank baits, Buzzbaits, and jigs. Most of these are pretty cheap and involve minimal technique, but you can get fancy with them. Start simple to get the hits maybe it will spark your interest.

They bite anytime of day. Cover and presentation are key.

My favorite are topwater strikes. you get much less hook sets but DAT SHOW!~


Catfish...I think are a "set it and forget it" species as mentioned above.