Hi, this is my first post. I live in western pa and fish for just about everything and anything but my favorite is bass fishing. I have been fishing forever but the past few years i have barely went out fishing if at all. I have tried to get out as much as I can this year to get back into it. Part of my problem is I'm more of a lake/pond fisherman vs. River fishing but I'm not opposed to anything by any means. My skills with lures isn't the greatest either, I am used to using live bait that is kind of what I grew up using and what I was tought to fish with. I recently gained permission to fish a private lake. It is in an old sand and gravel yard that is no longer used and the owner turned it into a lake. It is a fairly big lake but not overwhelmingly big. The water is crystal clear and it's about 35 ft deep at its deepest point. I was told it holds bass, bluegill, catfish, walleye, and carp. There is very little cover if any, no trees in the water, no logs, or vegetation. Some areas gradually drop off and others go straight down from the shoreline. As far as I can see into the water the bottom is rocky. I'm not used to fishing this type of water. I'm used to fishing water that has alot of cover, weeds, submerged cover like trees and logs. There is a pontoon boat and a few small jon boats that I have access to but kind of just wanted to check it out from shore before i would use a boat. I would rather the property owner take me out on the boat first before i went by myself. I was fishing today with some flathead minnows under a bobber from shore and caught 1 small largemouth probably a pound or less and 1 smallmouth that was at least a pound. I saw a bunch of bluegill and some silver fish pretty good in size cruising the bottom right as the shoreline drops off I have no idea what they were. Is there any advice to fishing a lake like this? Preferably with live bait but I am going to use this lake to hone in some of my skills and techniques and experiment with some lures but this was my first day out there and just wanted some advice on a lake like this. Thanks in advance for any input.

As with any fishing, regardless of the bait you are using, look for subtle changes and differences in areas.

Example: Large rocks in areas that are full of small rocks, drop-offs, flats, points. Bass are predators and use

anything they can as an ambush point.

 

 

First of all, welcome to the Forum. Sarcasm and smart also responses will never be heard around here!

 

Although I have never tried to fish mining ponds it sounds like a good place to try sinking swim baits, crank baits and maybe try a little drop drop shot due to the shear walls.

 

I am just an inexperienced baby 'round here but I am sure the more knowledgeable folks will chime in shortly.

 

Welcome Dhoff, enjoy the stay!

I appreciate the responses and welcomes to the forum. I don't know how my post got on here again haha for some reason it looks like it is on here twice. Again though I appreciate all the responses. I was supposed to go back out to the lake this past Friday but some things prevented that so trying to get back out this weekend. I'll report back with what I find and how I do.