Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. Been lurking for a while and decided to go ahead and join. Anyways, I lI've in North fort Worth/ Keller and we have have tons of ponds around my neighborhood. There's do many to choose from its like where do I start? So I pick a pond and I like to throw senkos and baby brush hogs. I've caught a few but it's like 3 or 4 fish over the course of a week. I've been trying to learn how to fish swim jigs but it's been frustrating to say the least. I know the spring time is the best time to catch thone big bass on beds but I can't seem to even see spawning fish even with my polarized Oakleys. Do yall have any suggestions on what I might try or what I'm doing wrong? Are these ponds just so over fished or do I suck? Thanks yall.

Shoulda been here yesterday. Just keep chunking. The fish are there.

Use worms or an ultralight to catch fish. I have had this prob before. Try a shakey head

A lot of the fishing holes around me never start spawn until way late so may be the same where you're fishing. I've had a hell of a time catching anything for the past 3 weeks and the hurricane winds don't help matters. I don't think the fish have moved up shallow yet in several places.

Throw small spinner baits... H&h black/yellow is king for me pond fishing! My go to bait 90% of time. Good luck.. Academy sells them

thanks guys, really appreciate yalls suggestions

Don't be afraid to chunk some little jigs, grubs, in line spinners, and weightless flukes. I use the Houdini color in flukes and catch bass anywhere there is any. Roadrunners are a good choice in municipal ponds too, and they can catch every predatory fish in the pond. Small minnow baits like the smallest rapala x-rap in olive, black back, and blue back are lures that I nearly always catch fish on too. You can get clues as to what available forage is present for the fish by using a good fine mesh dip net and a throw net. If you aren't getting bites on artificials, just use what's there.......under a slip cork, with a split shot and a good hook

Black/yellow beetle spins are killer sometimes too

A lot of ponds have algae/weeds on the bottom now and it's tough to fish the bottom without getting stuff all over your bait. I would do like the other poster said and get a small spinnerbait. Toss it down the bank between 1 and 3 feet off the bank...over and over to the same stretch of bank. At least 3 times. Retrieve it so it runs right under the surface and makes a wake. After those casts, walk a few feet down the bank and repeat. When you do see beds or you know there's deeper water, fish a Senko wacky style. That maximizes the fall time. In the last 15 - 30 minutes before sunset, try switching to a small buzzbait and fish it along the bank. A dropshot rig with a small worm is also good. It keeps the worm above the bottom. If you come to a place on the bank with a couple of feet of floating weeds, take your Senko and flip it right at the edge of the plants, let it fall to the bottom, shake once or twice, and then pull it up and repeat. You don't cast - you just keep the same amount of line out and basically pick the bait up and drop it repeatedly.

Don't worry about trying to spot the bedding fish - if you see them, they probably see you too.

You are throwing the right stuff, or spinner bait as suggested. Rooster Tails are easy and can produce. The only other thought that comes to mind is to make sure if you are Texas rigging that Senko not to use too much weight. 1/16 is all you need. When I started taking fishing beyond a worm and bobber, I had the same issue you are until a passerby asked how I was doing, when I said horrible he offered to look at my box and rig. He said my bullet weight was too heavy and handed me the 1/16 that was sitting in my box. 5 minutes later the nirvana of the world of fishing opened up.

Ponds, go small and light, young man. the forage is small match it. If you see them on beds, and they spook instead of attack a worm, lizard, etc., you might try this: Get a small hollow body crappie jig, color is no issue, and drop that baby into the heart of the bed. They will whip away, but when they notice it is the center of the bed, they will either try to kill it or eat it. either way it's going in their mouth! I could not buy a strike in a clear water pond that had more bass on beds than you would care to count, and they would have NONE of what i was trying. so, as much in desperation, exasperation, and frustration, as innovation, I whipped out a tri color hollow body tube jig, impaled it on a 1/32nd oz jig head, started dropping the jig directly into the center of the nests, and within 20 minutes landed 6. Hooked and fought at least that many more that managed to throw the hook. Ended up with 10, not giants, but decent bedding bass. And when all you wanna do is cpr, size ain't much of an issue, the fun of the fight is!

Sometimes you gotta reach, and it works! Just my less than $.02 worth

Rudy

Buck traditional wisdom. Throw things the fish don't see often. Crankbaits clean up in ponds and creeks. You will lose some, but you will catch more fish. Try academy squarebills.

So you're not catching any fish eh? Well I see you read my book.

Welcome to the forum Dreamweaver.
Hey when it warms up sneak down to the pond after dark on a moonlit night and through some small topwaters. Chunk it.......let it sit a minute.......give it a little wiggle and small retrieve.....repeat that....if nothing has happened yet give it a pop loud enough to get their attention. Once you've caught a few bass night fishing with topwaters you'll be hooked for life. It's very exciting seeing that swirl around your lure and then BAM!

Don't ever let your life depend on catching fish. Now catching men is a different story!

Bass like to spawn in calm, protected areas with a hard bottom. Look for areas in ponds that are calm, preferably out of the wind, and look for a hard bottom. Lily pads and rocks are give aways for that.