I fish a small pond that has been stocked with some decent bass. Most are around 3-4lbs, with a couple that I've seen (not caught yet) that probably push 5lbs. It's a pretty clear pond (2-4ft vis), and has sporadic patches of vegetation around the banks, but none offshore. The pond isn't very deep, and it's got moderatle shallow banks. Most of the time I can see the bass fry and bluegills up on the shoreline. Usually at some point I'll see a "patrol" of bass, crusing these shallows. Then allofasudden these bass will back the smaller fish into a depression of the bank and have at em', which causes a huge commotion, even to the point the fry are nearly jumping out of the water onto the bank. It's tough to catch them when they're cruising, they're pretty much honed in on those baitfish and won't even look at most of the things you throw.

 

I've noticed this behavior for a couple of seasons now, and it happens very consistently. If you happen to be in the right place at the right time and throw a 2-inch floating Rapala Original you will light it up.....sometimes. But unless you do that, the fish are seemingly non-existent. During the hot summer, the bass retreat back into the deeper parts of the pond only coming shallow to ambush these small fish. They are very hard to catch when they're out deep, I've only caught a handful doing this in two summers. The catches were all with a variety of lures, so it's hard to pinpoint what tripped their trigger at any given time.

 

My question is what kind of techniques does this call for? It's inefficent (in my mind) to chase fish all the way around the bank, usually spooking them. Additionally, it's usually a waste of time to sit in one place and hope that the next ambush occurs in proximity to you, hoping their ambush will come within casting distance. I've done that for a whole day with no success, they must know where I'm sitting. I'd like to figure out what they're doing and what will set them off even when they're deep.

 

I've tried almost ever lure in my bag, fished fast, fished slow, fished high, fished deep, it doesn't seem to matter, unless you play the ambush shoreline game, they don't participate.

 

I'm looking for any ideas here......what would you try?

What's going on Preytorien I had the same problem in a pond in georgia. I ordered a little fish attractor from Bass pro it was about 44 dollars and threw it about about 4-6 feet out .in about 3 weeks I noticed if I cast to the sides of the fish attractor I was slaying the bass I think I gave the small fish and fry a nice structure to hide in and around that the bass couldn't quite get to them in so the bass would hang around the sides waiting for something to slip up and run out...( hello mister crankbait) plus it was a great spot for big blue gills if it's not your pond I'll just make sure no one sees you put it out. Just wanted to give you an idea hope it helps ..TIGHT LINES buddy

You are witnessing classic bass behavior in small ecosystem that is replicated everywhere.

When bass are active feeders they are easier to catch,neutral not as easy and inactive very difficult to catch.

You can fish after dark or dawn and dusk when the bass are less wary.

I would try split shot rig with 3" reapers on 6-8# spinning tackle! leader length about 18". Fan cast the areas you fish.

Tom

When bass are that focused

I walk around the ponds I fish. Sure, there are certain areas that are better than others,

but pond fish tend to search for forrage, not wait for it to come to them.