Went to a local pond this morning big enough for my boat. I've been here twice before and only caught one little bass each time both on trick worms.

Today it was over cast with the water temp at 72-73. The water is super black with about 1' of visibility. I started with a lipless crankbait then tried a square bill then spinner bait. I tried a Carolina rig near a bank of overhangs and pitched a jig near some trees that had fallen in the water and ended the day with trying to flip some of the open areas in the thick vegetation. Didn't even get a single bite and fished for 5 hrs.

Is there anything that y'all can help me with what y'all would have tried? Or what I can do different or learn from? Thanks for all the help in advance!

Try white-white/chartreuse spinnerbait or chatterbait. I have had many of those days. Keep an open mind, and be patient. I know it can be tough!

It can definitely be tough!

It looks like your bait selection is good as you have used a lipless for reaction strikes, and a finesse bait like trick worms for feeding bites. Maybe you should focus on your retrieve presentations and speed. Try changing it up, fish faster and see if that helps, if not try fishing slower. Mix it up and also try different baits and or colors until you find something that works.

 

WolfyBrandon

It looks like your bait selection is good as you have used a lipless for reaction strikes, and a finesse bait like trick worms for feeding bites. Maybe you should focus on your retrieve presentations and speed. Try changing it up, fish faster and see if that helps, if not try fishing slower. Mix it up and also try different baits and or colors until you find something that works.

 

WolfyBrandon

good advice. I slowed my spinnerbaits way down today, and it was on!

I used to fish a pond that would get that black water a lot on cloudy days, and it had a lot of grass as well. It held some big fish, but some days you couldn't pull anything out of it no matter how hard you tried. On some days though, you'd be catching 4-7 lbers on subsequent casts. It seemed like since the fishing pressure was so bad, all the nice sized fish just chose a day every now and then to go on a feeding frenzy.

If you spend a whole lot of time flipping grass in a shallow pond with poor visibility and don't get a bite, something's probably up. I'd be thinking about how bad the fishing pressure is, and if the pond is known to have a good population of fish.

Well in the ponds defense 95% of the vegetation is so thick I could walk on it and nothing I had would penetrate it. Only had a few small open areas and I'm not even sure I'm fishing it correct I just started trying it out. Flipping that is

With heavy vegetation, fish weedless. Try a Johnson Silver Minnow with a white grub trailer.

Bring the spoon slowly over the weeds/pads, hitting the spaces in between and then let it fall off into the water when you get to an edge. You can also try a Texas rig worm, both weighted and unwieghted..

With heavy vegetation, fish weedless. Try a Johnson Silver Minnow with a white grub trailer.

Bring the spoon slowly over the weeds/pads, hitting the spaces in between and then let it fall off into the water when you get to an edge.

Do you allow this to drag on the bottom with a slow retreave like a jig or do you swim this presentation?

Sounds like a post-spawn bite.  The first thing I would say is downsize your lures.

  I never dragged the spoon on the bottom, but pulled it slowly over pads or heavy weeds.  In open water around weeds and pads, retrieve it fast enough to keep the wobble going on the spoon.  I used a swivel to reduce line twist.

Try using baits that have brighter colors due to the water clarity.  Also I would downsize your baits.