I'm going to a campground for Labor Day weekend that has a good sized bass pond on the property that the campers are free to fish (catch & release). Here are my questions too the campground and their replies back.

 

A. I was told that this is a bass pond, are there other fish as well (mostly asking if there are Northern Pike or similar predatory fish with large teeth...these demons make quick work of an expensive bass lure :))

P.P. bass & sunfish only

B. What forage (food) do the bass eat in the pond (shad, shiners, perch, bluegill, crawfish etc.)?

P.P. there's sunfish and a few eels.  

C. How deep is the pond?

P.P. ranges from 2' - 8' in deepest spot

D. What type of bottom is in the pond, muddy, weedy, rocky? If it's a combination what areas of the pond would you find the different bottom types?

P.P. a mix of weeds and sand throughout the pond.

E. Are there any lilly pads, cattails or other visible weeds emergent or on top of the water that would give bass cover?

P.P. not many emergent weeds - the big ones take cover under shade trees, docks & patios

 

I already asked the water clarity and they said you can see bottom. How would you fish this? What baits would you use? Color? Style? Etc. Oh, you can only fish from shore...no boats allowed (well, kayaks and canoes but I'm not bringing either).

Clear water, with sunfish forage and a semi hard bottom...

 

I will be throwing a sunfish colored chatterbait and crank bait to cover some water first. 

 

If it is tough because of the clear water, I would slow down and fish a green pumpkin worm on a shakey head, or ned rig, or a texas rig. 

 

Evening time and early morning I would be throwing a top water: whopper plopper (probably havent seen that lure before) or a popper. 

Oh, and since it is basically a pay pit...I would not discount using live bait, as I would imagine a lot of folks use it there.

14 minutes ago, InfantryMP said:

Evening time and early morning I would be throwing a top water: whopper plopper (probably havent seen that lure before) or a popper. 

 

This^^^^ The earlier in the morning the better as clear water fish will roam a bit before the light gets too bright. An orange bottom on a popper will get it done. Don't let it set still too long. 

Don’t forget to try spinnerbaits they cover a lot of water

and I second the popper 

Whopper Plopper in morning. 5” Senko WR and weightless TR with a Zoom Trick around the dock and under the overhanging limbs of shade trees. 

Dark colored large Beetle spin . Being they dont make the large size anymore, just go to wal mart and buy the components to make your own .  1/4 ounce heads , bodies and spinner harness .A bluegill or crawfish colored grub would work . 

Wacky rig 3” senko in some variation of watermelon then I’ll figure it out from there. If they’ll eat anything, they’ll eat that. If they won’t eat that, they won’t eat anything.

1\4oz bluegill swim jig with a summer craw menace grub rigged vertical. Weightless Texas rigged stickbait - in that shallow water probably a yum dinger since it falls slower. Top water wise I'd target under those trees docks and patios with a Frog.

Think t-rigged weightless flukes would work on this pond?