In the case of an angler I read about recently...Kevin (left) is his name...he saw fit to take the latter option expressed above.
After getting permission to fish a cow pond on a friend's property, he borrowed everything he would need, including a boat, an old spincast reel mounted on something akin to a really ugly Ugly Stik strung a decade earlier with 10-pound mono, and a rusty-bladed H&H lure that had a dry-rotted skirt. Having launched the boat just ahead of a storm, Kevin only had made two casts when he landed a bigger bass than most anglers will see in a lifetime...the 9-lb. largemouth you see in the accompanying photo. And then he left the scene to beat the rain.
The lesson here, of course, is to pay attention to ponds, which, incidentally, are plentiful. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, somewhere between 2.6 and 9 million ponds dot America's landscape--mostly in the eastern Great Plains and the Southeast. In other words, we're talking about agriculture country. Texas alone, for example, claims 840,000 of these "tanks," as some people refer to them. In some places, you can find more than 10 ponds per square mile.
Ponds have been purpose-built to meet the water needs of farms and ranches, so half-acre to 15-acre impoundments are common. For fly tossers (aspiring or otherwise), pond levees and banks without trees are great places to learn how to cast a fly rod. And despite what some folks may tell you, panfish and largemouth are a blast to catch on a fly.
As one pro tournament bass angler allowed, "I like fishing ponds because the fish are usually unpressured and, therefore, pretty catchable. It's really a good way to build your confidence in baits and techniques."
Some farm ponds are ignored. Maybe they were built 50 years ago. Maybe the pond has been forgotten about since the farm went out of business 20 years ago.
Texas A&M estimates that 80 percent of ponds in Texas hold fish--comprised mostly of bass and channel cats. While not every pond holds big bass and big channel cats, some do, and there can be no greater thrill than having one of those "big boys/girls" smash a small popper.
As that pro tournament bass angler noted, "Bet on catching a lot of small ones but hope for the big ones, because things do fall into place sometimes.
"At the same time, however, be aware that some ponds are seasonal and hold no fish. Bait sprays, rise ripples, great blue herons, kingfishers, and other such indicators are good signs of fish. And, of course, a landowner likely will know if the pond ever was stocked, though there's no accounting for accidental stocking by tornadoes, floods, and maybe even aerial avian supplementation."
As that same pro continued, "Don't get too worked up over lure selection. Keep it simple. Remember that seen-better-days H&H lure? Think top, middle and bottom. Start with some topwater stuff. Then rig up to work below the surface with a crankbait, spinnerbait or other lure you can run mid-column. Finally make a run with something that tickles the mud, like a soft plastic rigged with a weight in your preferred configuration: Texas rig, Carolina rig, dropshot, Ned rig, wacky rig, etc. If you haven't caught anything by now, it's probably them, not you, so head off to another spot."
How to fish a pond is a matter of choice. A canoe, kayak, jon boat, tube, or bass buggy are all possibilities. A lot of people also fish ponds by wading the shallows or walking the bank. Just be aware that there's usually a deep side and a shallow side.
Since ponds fish pretty quickly, it's best to get permission to fish a number of ponds in an area and develop a circuit. And if you would like to keep a few to eat, just make sure you first ask about that, too. Simultaneously, it might be worth your while to offer some meat or other compensation to the property owner, as well, especially if you are thinking about a return trip. It's all about not wearing out your welcome.
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