I have parked a camper at a seasonal camper ground where I grew so my kids can experience the fun I had. There is a pond there that is in the shape of a horseshoe with the arms roughly 25' wide. the water makes a "v" shape that graduates from 6" to the deepest 7'. It is a full clay bottom with limited weeds deep but the grounds crew dumps chemicals to kill algae. During the prespawn and spawn we can catch 3 lbers no problem but as soon as the spawn is over 7-9" bass is all that bites. Where should I start looking for the bigger ones that bite early? I try flipping the secluded docks, dragging a jig, cranks, spinnerbait nothing. There seems to not be the cover that I am used to seeing on normal water that holds the big girls.

 

I don't know if it helps but the Campground owner is obsessed with catfish and you can see big 36" channel cats being caught daily out of this pond and the owner is always doing things to grow the catfish size and population. 

 

It sounds like it's a smaller body of water and likely heavily pressured.  My first thought is live bait.  This is especially a good idea when I hear kids are involved.  Might be able to catch some minnows or small sunfish in a minnow trap.  Check your fishing regulations though before using sunfish for bait.  This might just result in catching catfish however.  My other thought is fishing it night.  I'd bet not many people fish at night so the fish might be less tight lipped. 

I was thinking small farm pond, relatively shallow, and definitely has some big girls - I'd like to hit it dust/dawnish with some big topwater.  If its small enough I would probably just fancast all over with long casts.  Let em hit and sit for like 15 seconds then quiver a little... then work it in.  If you can cast the full length, I love to spash in far weed/edge lines and work all the way across.

 

If the deepest water is 7ft. and it's a good sized pond 10+ acres) lack of cover and structure= find the baitfish. Check the wind, even a light steady breeze will move the baitfish to the windy side. put aside the hard baits when they aren't working and wacky rig a stick worm with a#1 circle hook, weightless. All the kiddies need to do is reel with the rod  tip held up to hook them. No gut hooked fish for you to deal with and it will catch fish  

5 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

If the deepest water is 7ft. and it's a good sized pond 10+ acres) lack of cover and structure= find the baitfish. Check the wind, even a light steady breeze will move the baitfish to the windy side. put aside the hard baits when they aren't working and wacky rig a stick worm with a#1 circle hook, weightless.

 

 I second that 

Shakey head, wackey rig, kvd 1.5, small jerbaits are all I have been able catch them on my kids lobe catching the 8" dinks so I don't have a problem catching those all day with them but when I'm out alone I'm targeting the big girls and can't get them to bite or can locate them.

I would use stink bait .

When everyone is going to sleep, go fishing for topwater