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How to Fish in a Pond

How to Fish in a Pond
There are a multitude of small ponds in the United States where there is little or no fishing occurring. This can mean that there is a small pond near you that can provide you with a reliable and exciting fishing spot.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

How to Fish in a Pond

Things You’ll Need:
  • Rod and reel Live bait Artificial lures Plastic worms Worm hooks Dishing float No. 4 snelled hooks
  • Rod and reel
  • Live bait
  • Artificial lures
  • Plastic worms
  • Worm hooks
  • Dishing float
  • No. 4 snelled hooks
Step 1
Find out who owns the pond if it is not on public land and acquire written permission from the landowner to fish in the pond.
Step 2
Stay quiet around the pond and try to avoid scaring the fish. Fish in a smaller pond will be constantly on guard since they have to live in a much smaller area than those in lakes and rivers.
Step 3
Look around the pond for spots likely to hold fish, i.e., tall weeds in or near the water and wherever a spring or a small brook may flow in or out of the pond.
Step 4
Ascertain what type of fish live in the pond and adjust your fishing style accordingly. Bluegill, bullheads, pumpkinseeds and perch can be taken on such live bait as worms while pickerel and bass may need to be presented with artificial lures.
Step 5
Use a canoe or inflatable boat if the pond is big enough and fish from the middle toward the shore. Cast near such structure as weeds, stumps, brush piles and under overhanging tree branches.
Step 6
Downsize your bait. Use smaller plastic worms rather than the 10-inch variety as the fish in a pond will tend to be smaller due to more competition for food in the water. Rig them Texas style on an offset worm hook to keep them from snagging in the weeds that are often found in a smaller pond.
Step 7
Fish before a hard rain rather than after one since the runoff into a smaller pond will typically make the water very muddy for a few days.

Tips & Warnings

 
Use a fishing float two feet above a No. 4 snelled hook to catch panfish in a small pond. Even in a small pond there is normally one very large fish so always be ready for that possibility.
 
Use a fishing float two feet above a No. 4 snelled hook to catch panfish in a small pond.
 
Even in a small pond there is normally one very large fish so always be ready for that possibility.
 
By not practicing catch and release in a small pond you run the risk of quickly depleting the fish population or seriously stunting it.

Resources

Article Written By John Lindell

John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years.

Write for Trails.com

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