I'm just getting back into bass fishing after a 40 year hiatus. There's a pond about 2 minutes from my house, about 1 or 2 acres in size that I would like to fish every afternoon. My question is, by doing this will I make the bass in there so aware of my presence that they'll stop striking lures? How smart are they? How good are their memories?

Other questions along the same lines:

Does it make sense to cast the same type lure over and over in basically the same place -- or do you have to keep moving around the shore? Does a bass that sees a lure go by once realize that he's being tricked when he sees it again or is he too stupid to think that way and will strike it eventually, if you put it right in front of him? Alternatively, are the fish moving around and by casting in the same place you're actually "bringing" the lure to different fish?

Welcome aboard!

Well, the first question is this: Are there any bass in the pond? If so, any idea on what size they are?

You can't catch 'em if they ain't there.

Assuming the pond holds bass, I suggest walking around the bank and casting parallel to the shore. If there is any cover, pay particular attention to those spots. Over time you will get some idea of the pond's underwater structure.

If you plan to fish there often, select just one class of bait to fish each day and change it up on every trip.

The bass will not get use to a variety of lures.

1-2 acreas is pretty small. I think you are going to want to find a couple of other places to fish, if for no other reason, a little variety.

Good luck.

well i fish a local pond (less than an acre big) all the time with a bunch of friends...i'm talking likt at least 8 people there every day....I still catch a few bass everyday..i have caught the same bass twice in 1 day before...I have caught the dame bass about 15 times this year already...I usually have a different lure on everytime I go.....I have also cast in the same place for a while and reel a bass in after a lot of castss

Thanks, well there are at least two bass in there!  I caught one, about 3/4 pound, last night.  I've also twice had one on my line that looked like about two pounds.  

From what you're saying Sly9879, they're not too bright, which is good!  I'll take the suggestion of using a different lure each day as that will allow me to work through my collection.  I like hearing that you caught the same bass 15 times in one year as it may come to that here.  

I like this pond because no one else fishes it.   Also, I'm using it to learn techniques and lures on.  

BTW, I did catch the bass last night by standing at a "V" where I could cast along the bank.  

Welcome to the forum.

Hookem

Matt

You said: Does it make sense to cast the same type lure over and over in basically the same place -- or do you have to keep moving around the shore?  

As RW said, I would keep moving.  Go to a good looking spot and make a few casts in each direction trying to hit a variety of distances from shore.  If you're catching fish or getting bites, keep fishing there until that spot is fished out.  If you make three or four casts on either side of you and you're not seeing anything, move down the bank to a new spot.  Keep doing that all the around the pond.  After doing that a few times, you'll get a good idea of where the fish are going to be and you can start hitting those sweet points right off the bat.  

You also said: Does a bass that sees a lure go by once realize that he's being tricked when he sees it again or is he too stupid to think that way and will strike it eventually, if you put it right in front of him?

I guess they're pretty stupid, at least in that sense.  I know that when I fish buzzbaits around sunset a fish will often strike and miss.  So I'll cast in the same direction and when the lure gets to where he hit it before, he'll almost always try again.  Sometimes a fish might strike at the bait and miss three times before I get him on the fourth pass.  The same thing sometimes works with a plastic worm.  If I feel a bite but miss the hook set, I'll toss the worm right back to the same spot.  Often the fish will still be there.  But it seems with the worms if I miss him the second time, he takes off cause I rarely get another bite in the same spot.  

Thanks, good info.  

There is a local city park that has a small pond on it and I use it for my "test" pond.  I know I can catch fish there just about any time I go, most are pretty small but there are some lager ones, and so I use this pond to try out new baits that I am introduced to.  It gives me a chance to learn how the bait works in the water and give me some confidence to try it out when I hit the big water.

Bass are not too smart, but you can spook 'em if you are too loud or make a lot of vibration along the waters edge.  If they are hungry or defending a nest, they will strike.  Other times, they will be real finicky.  That's when being real still and quiet on the bank will make a difference.  Getting finicky or spooked bass to bite goes into bait selection and that's too long of a topic to go into.  Sometimes you can cast the same lure to the same spot 9 times and they will ignore it.  Then on the 10th cast, fish on.  If you annoy a bass enough, it will bite your lure just to make it go away.

My two cents here because 99% of what I fish is farm ponds from a 1/4 acre to around 8 acres.  I got into a habit a couple summers ago of throwing spinnerbaits religiously, and catching lots of fish because I had never thrown them and these ponds dont get fished alot.  Granted there are new year classes every year but after a while my spinnerbait bite seemed to die down.  I dont know if they get use to it or if the past times fishing were not ideal situations.  I recently started using alot of buzzbaits with the heat (because of my girlfriend) and the bass seem to hit the crap out of them.  In one 1/4 acre pond, and hawghunter has fished it, I swear Ive caught the same 5 lb bass twice this year.  Maybe not but it looked identical.  Anyways, I think there is a point where they begin to realize that they have seen that before and may not hit it like the had before.  Not saying I dont catch any fish on spoinners anymore but I think overfishing one lure can educate fish and trying to match a lure to the conditions instead of past luck will produce better, at least it has for me since I quit throwing the spinner 95% of the time.  

Corey

Bass are not smart and they don't practice logic. But they learn. Let me explain. There's a little pond in a park in Little Rock that has some bass where fishing is prohibited. People have fed them bread or whatever, and now those lunkers swim to people waiting for a handout. They won't spook even when a kid throws a rock at them. They dodge rocks and come right back. They learned not to fear people, learning instead they mostly bring food. Hook a bass often enough and it will learn to pay attention to artificial versus live bait.

Jim