How to Catch the Biggest Fish in a Pond

May 09, 2023

Small ponds offer some of the best fishing available for those willing to explore them. (Shutterstock image)

Unless you were raised in a big city, chances are you spent at least part of your youth fishing ponds of a few acres or less. Why did you stop? There are still plenty of fish to be caught from these water holes that can be easily fished from the bank.

These fishing ponds might be man-made farm ponds, golf course ponds, strip pits, reservoirs or natural waterways.

There are literally tens of thousands of such honey holes around the South and elsewhere. Besides holding water for one purpose or another, most also hold an abundance of fish.

To catch them, all you need is a rod and reel capable of casting lures of different weights, a small selection of baits and a basic understanding of the pond's layout, depth and available fish species.

It's said that 90 percent of the fish inhabit 10 percent of the water. That might be true, but it's also a lot easier to cover 10 percent of the water in a small pond than 10 percent of the water in a vast reservoir or natural lake. That's not to say all ponds are equal when it comes to being chockful of fish.

For instance, unless designed and constructed for fishing, man-made ponds typically are not as productive as those with natural features such as drop-offs, feeder creeks, weedbeds and rockpiles. But there are a few features that consistently attract fish in small ponds.

If you’re after bass in your local pond, fish for them with lures that most closely resemble their natural forage in that body of water, be it bluegills, crawfish or minnows of various types. If you’re out to catch whatever is biting, choose a rod and reel that can fish various lure types and sizes.

Because you might be using a range of baits of different weights, your best bet might be a spinning outfit paired with lures that can be fished with a basic cast-and-retrieve approach.

Natural baits such as minnows are always popular for crappies and can be fished under a bobber. The same approach will work for bluegills and shellcrackers, though earthworms and crickets are often better bait options.

A wide variety of lures work in small ponds. In many instances, any size, shape and type of lure may catch fish on any given day. However, understanding which bait will work best for most, given the topography and features, will help you catch more fish.

Most small ponds, whether man-made or natural, have some type of bottom topography changes. These will vary in size and shape from one pond to the next. Most often, you are left to dissect the bottom visually, looking for clues. This can be done by observing water color changes or by simply looking into the water with polarized glasses to determine, or at least predict, depth changes.

Another way to monitor the bottom is by "feel," using a weighted soft-plastic bait. Slab rock on a sand bottom, or fist-size gravel surrounded by clay, are easily felt when working a weighted bait slowly along the bottom. Of course, to do so, you must really pay attention. Once you’ve discovered any significant changes in a pond's bottom composition, fish such edges thoroughly.

Some ponds are a bit too large for an angler to cover thoroughly just by walking the edges. When your longest casts still won't reach promising water, you might want to consider investing in a Bass Pro Shops Pond Prowler 10.

The two-person Prowler has two swivel seats and is pre-wired for a trolling motor that can be mounted fore or aft. There's a place for the battery, too. Made of virtually indestructible high-density polyethylene, the Prowler weighs 138 pounds, which means two people can easily lift it into the back of a pickup and go fishing. It's rated for 250 pounds maximum capacity per seat (525 pounds overall) and carries a lifetime warranty. ($799.99; basspro.com)