And just like that, spring has given away to summer. The hot, humid, and sticky days of fun in the sun. It’s family fun time and fishing weather. Are you prepared for it? What great adventures are you planning for you or the family?
The first thing we need to do before anything, is make sure we have everything we need. Do we have bug spray for those nasty critters. Nothing can ruin a great day fishing like a swarm of nats or mosquitoes. Having bug spray to put on can change everything. And don’t forget the sunscreen. Apply it often and liberally in the words of Mark Davis of Big Water Adventures. Sound advice!
If we are taking the kids out fishing, especially the first time, there are a few rules you need to know. Kids get bored quickly. Have something they can do if they want to take a break from fishing. Kids will get hungry, so make sure to have plenty of snacks for them and drinks. While we may want to do as normal and fish from sun up to dark, kids for the most part aren’t going to want to do that. They may be ready to leave after a couple hours, so prepare for it. And keep it simple. A bobber and night crawler fished around areas where bluegill and crappie hang out can make for the most exciting adventure. And keep an eye out on the weather. Nothing is worse than trying to pack up everything in the pouring rain.
Pond fishing is a great summer adventure for the newbies and for the seasoned pros. It’s how most of us got our start. I remember sitting on the bank of a local pond with my dad and granddaddy, using a cane pole with a bobber. Catching bluegill, crappie, and small bass was an adventure that I have never forgotten. I’m not sure if it was the catching fish or just being there with them that was the most fun!
Pond fishing for bass can make for an exciting day. They may not always be those big, monster bass we want, but a day catching 1 and 2 pound bass is so much fun. And you never know when you might happen upon one of those said monsters. It is all about finding them and catching them. What baits work the best? It depends on the time of day and the size of the pond.
A topwater bait, like a Zara Spook, can be an exciting way to spend the early morning or late afternoon. These baits can work all day, but they shine best during the lower light conditions. There are other times, like cloudy, overcast days, that this bait will work all day long. A popper, like the SPRO E-Pop, is also a great choice. Work them along the shallow shore and around any laydowns. Work them around the edges of the lily pads and grass beds. They also work over submerged grass beds and over the laydowns. And there are plenty that swear by a buzzbait all day long.
One bait I truly love right now is the Missile Baits Magic Worm. It can be used just like a 48, but has a totally different action on the fall. Rigging it wacky style, it creates a slow, tantalizing undulating action with the ends. You can speed up the fall by using a weighted wacky hook, but unless you are working in deeper water, slower is better. And it will produce big bass. If you want a faster fall, switch over to the 48 as it also produces that bigger profile. Work both of them in the shallows and the outside edges of any laydowns. It is also great around the edges of any lily pads or grass beds.
One of those old time baits that still works anywhere is the spinnerbait. You can buy one of those cheap Walmart spinnerbaits or you can buy one of my favorite, the Death Shimmer spinnerbaits. One thing about the cheap ones, they will work and are great to start kids on. And are cheaper if they lose them. For me, I like a tandem blade combination of a single willow with a Colorado kicker blade. These can be worked up shallow, around lily pads and laydowns, or out in the deeper water. And while some will say it doesn’t catch big bass, it does indeed. And it is a tournament winning bait as well, just ask Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker.
Depending on the size of the pond, downsizing baits is a great decision. A smaller size squarebill, like a Little John or a Fat John, can produce some exciting fun. These are two of my favorites, but don’t think you can’t go smaller. Ponds usually have a lot of smaller bait fish swimming around and it may match the hatch closer. Work them up in the shallows as well.
And finally, don’t forget those Texas rigged baits to punch the grass, lily pads, and laydowns. There are two choices, either a straight worm or a creature bait. For me, it’s either a Missile Baits Magic Worm or a D Bomb. And I will downsize it to a Mini Magic Worm or a Baby D Bomb if I feel that will increase the bite. I like to rig it with a WOO Tungsten flipping weight, going as light as possible to get the bait down, usually 1/8 ounce. And the hook, I prefer a wide gap, but I will also use a flipping hook. It just depends on what I feel will work better. And I stick to just a few colors, with green pumpkin and watermelon being the basic choices and the Magic Pumpkin Red is a great choice. I will switch to a black and blue if the water is tainted.
The main thing about pond fish is to keep it simple. So often we try to over-think everything. And when we add kids into the mix, simple is always better. The biggest thing is to go have some fun. Throw those baits that we use to throw when pond fishing and just let them do the rest. Feel the tug of those fish and remember when we were kids! Let that inner kid in all of us free and laugh like we did back then!
