Dom Hendricks

A buddy of mine joined a deer lease that has a 6 acre pond on it. I went to look at it today and we happened to run into the pond biologist that the land owner has to manage the pond. It was stocked with bluegill in the spring of 2018 and he is going to restock it in March or April of this year based on low bluegill numbers in his last survey. Bluegill are the main forage for the fish according to him. This pond occasionally gets fished by the owner and club members, but with little success. It does get heavy vegetation growth during the summer, so I plan on flipping the slop later this year. Any ideas of how to attack the prespawn? I was thinking spinner bait or blades jig and soft plastics to start, but was looking to see if anyone had any recs for bluegill stocked ponds. The biologist did say that there are some big fish in the pond, but he probably tells everyone of his customers that. TIA.

This and if there is a creek feeding into it would be my first few stops. It might take a few trips in the evening but you will notice splashes and blowups in certain areas. Focus on those late with top water. If it’s open enough, a black jitterbug is hard to beat.

Frog fishing can be a formidable opponent at times. Having a fast reel will help you catch up to the frog after the blowup to see if it’s in the fishes mouth or not. With experience you will be able to tell if they are eating it or just slapping at it. If they are slapping at it, I just let it sit for at least a minute after the blowup. You have to watch the frog closely because most of the time they come and slurp it off of the surface.

The menace is my go to bait when I have hit a few spots and not gotten a bite. I really should fish it more often. I also like it as a punching bait with some tungsten and maybe a skirt.

If you know about where it is, I would be diving down for it unless you were alone in the boat. Same thing happened to my frog setup last year. I found it in the third trip down.

Beetle spin, beetle spin, beetle spin.

Don’t forget the space monkey.

Caught this one a few years ago on a pond at the family farm. My uncle has been managing it for over 30 years. I’m extremely lucky that I have a place like this to fish.

This is deadly before the grass takes over and you have to break out the punching setup.

I have two decent sized scars on the back of my head from a 5 year old and a jitterbug. First and only time I have had to go to the ER to get a lure removed.

Learn to skip a jig or soft plastic around the docks. You will be shocked at the number of bass hiding in the shade on a sunny day. The rocks are a different beast. I’ve had good success with football jigs and chatterbaits as well as square bills. Whatever you are most comfortable with.

I bought a pair of the Smith guides choice with the polarchromic copper mirror lens in them and they are great. I have worn smith ski goggles for years and decided to try the sunglasses last year. A bit pricey but well worth it if you take care of your glasses.

I replaced the entire tip-top guide with an extra guide I had sitting around. I called St Croix again yesterday and got a completely different answer from a different employee. He explained that if the rod is defective (not damaged) you still have to ship it to them on your dime. That is why they have the discounted fed ex shipping label on their website. If they get the rod and it is a defect (not damage) they will repair or replace the rod no cost. The majority of the rods that they get are damaged or broken. That is where the extra charge comes in and the upgrade options are available. He told me that you can buy the guides and even whole sections for 2 piece rods on their website but I couldn’t find them.

I’m going to replace the tip guide with and old Shimano one I have at the house. Shimano sent me 3 years ago when I slammed the tip of one of their rods in a tailgate. No charge. According to the rep I talked to they do have the tip guides and sections for purchase on their website but I didn’t look.

For $55 St Croix will. You have to pay the same $55 to plus shipping to even have them look at the rod for a manufacturing defect.

I bought a new St Croix PC70MF last year to use as a pond hopping do everything rod. Bought at cabelas and registered with St Croix the day after purchase. Yesterday afternoon I notice the the eyelet on the tip guide has lost its insert. Decide to file a warranty request for a manufacturing defect. Get a phone call back from St Croix customer service and I have to pay $20 to ship it and $55 for them to send me a new rod instead of replacing the tip guide. I thought that warranty was for non manufacturing defects and damage. Everyone that raves about the St Croix warranty needs to take a look at the fine print. This will be my last St Croix purchase ever. Tried to take it back to cabelas and was told that the manufacturer carries the warranty.

Tungsten and flipping hooks on a beaver or craw will be your best bet imo. Get a heavy rod and punch and flip the heavy stuff. Maybe look at a jig too but I will normally just add the skirt to the punch setup. Most of the ponds I fish do the same thing during the summer. And put on braid. 50 or 60 pound tied straight. Most of the bites are going to be bigger fish.

I run the sniper as a leader material on fireline and have not found a reason to change yet. I run the sniper for pretty much all of my leaders on braid.

Went by a neighbors garage sale this evening and found a Quantum (by zebco) QPC66m 6’6” medium action casting rod for $5. Anyone remember these? I couldn’t find much about them online. Might try it out as a crank bait or jerk bait rod.

Flukes and keitechs can kill it on a pond in the fall. Match the hatch. Fluke weightless t rig or nose hooked. Jig head or keel weighted hook on ktech.

I run a swivel on all of my fluke setups. They can give you line twist problems especially of burning them back.

I’ve had the best luck with the roboworms dropshotting. In fact, that’s all I use roboworms for.

Follow it with a fluke would be my first idea. The hooks on the Spooks are awful so I would change them out. I don’t know if going larger on the hook size or not would help.

This with a tungsten weight should be sold as the punch rig starter pack. I will throw a skirt on if it gets really thick and scummy. You have the correct tackle to go to battle. I love throwing topwater around pads, but some days you gotta roll up your sleeves and go get them.

I’m in Georgia, but when the fish are in the mood to eat, the bubblegum color kills it. When they are finicky, color matters a lot more. I would try a top water rapala skitter walk or Zara spook. If they swipe at it and you don’t hook them, throw that fluke in there and you will be surprised how many will hit it.