Tips for finicky farm pond fish

[awade84]

A friend of mine has access to a farm pond that has huge gills in it.  We can crush them in the warm months but once ice comes they are no where to be found.  We have tried shallow and deep for them.  Anyone have any advice to try and get them to bite.  The pond is a big bowl about half acre with the deep spot being about 20 ft.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

[tungstenlovr]

Look for weeds or edges of weed beds. Usually works on the ponds I fish

[awade84]

Thanks for the advice.  we have swiss cheesed the pond in the past with little luck.  can always get a bass or 2 to bite but not the gills

[wax_worm]

Are you using a flasher?  IF not they may be suspended mid depth most of the winter.  If you are and the banks of the pond are tapered to the deepest spot your flasher may be missing the fish if you have a wide cone angle.  If the banks are sloping the flasher is going to read only the point the sonar hits the first part of the bottom.  Fish maybe below where the flasher can see them along the slope.

[Iceman2013]

I fish a pond similar to the size and depth you’ve mentioned. During daylight hours the pond is the Dead Sea can’t even mark a fish no matter where you try. About an hour before dark they show up on the fish finder in droves, can’t explain where they come from.

[bean counter]

how clear is the water?  Possible to drop a camera down?  They might be laying on the bottom.

[awade84]

Are you using a flasher?  IF not they may be suspended mid depth most of the winter.  If you are and the banks of the pond are tapered to the deepest spot your flasher may be missing the fish if you have a wide cone angle.  If the banks are sloping the flasher is going to read only the point the sonar hits the first part of the bottom.  Fish maybe below where the flasher can see them along the slope.

yep using a flasher.  we mark a few but nothing like i know are in there.

[awade84]

I fish a pond similar to the size and depth you’ve mentioned. During daylight hours the pond is the Dead Sea can’t even mark a fish no matter where you try. About an hour before dark they show up on the fish finder in droves, can’t explain where they come from.

Thanks will have to try that

[awade84]

how clear is the water?  Possible to drop a camera down?  They might be laying on the bottom.

Dont have a camera.  never really liked the idea of having one cause most places i fish i wouldn't be able to use it anyways.  Plus they arent cheap .  I do fish the whole water column trying to get them to come in

[Jigmup]

I am certainly not one to chime in when it comes to bluegills but maybe you need to go with a painfully small presentation.
Plan B would be to Rotenone the whole lake...Just Kidding. Some old timers might get that humor.

[RyanW]

yep using a flasher.  we mark a few but nothing like i know are in there.

Sonars lie. Start fishing those “empty” holes. You could passing them all by and assuming they aren’t there because your sonar is a dirty little fibber. In a bowl shape, they are most likely hugging bottom or pushed up into structure. Or there is a weed patch they are all hiding in and it just looks like you’re marking bottom. Again, fish those “empty” holes.

 

I fish a pond similar to the size and depth you’ve mentioned. During daylight hours the pond is the Dead Sea can’t even mark a fish no matter where you try. About an hour before dark they show up on the fish finder in droves, can’t explain where they come from.

This also. I bet they are doing what I said above until tiny critters start rising and falling. Then they come out to feed and you start marking and catching them. Might be a good night-bite pond. A small, “featureless”, bowl..... those fish know when it’s time to eat and in the winter they might not be willing to hit an artificial bait if they know when the real thing is coming.

[High Tide]

I know the secret... but I need to show you in person. LOL

If the water is clear, fish at night... bluegill aren't known for feeding actively at night, but micro organisms don't rise til dark and the bluegill know this. Your not marking them because they're not actively feeding as it's not natural to their environment in some cases, so they're probably tight to the bottom waiting on the bell to ring. That is why fronts lowering pressure are so good, the micro organism are moving earlier through the water column. I think the reason those same ponds work in the day during non ice periods is the wind helps push micro organisms around, which is why the windy side is usually the better side. Just a guess.

[abishop]

I know the secret... but I need to show you in person. LOL

If the water is clear, fish at night... bluegill aren't known for feeding actively at night, but micro organisms don't rise til dark and the bluegill know this. Your not marking them because they're not actively feeding as it's not natural to their environment in some cases, so they're probably tight to the bottom waiting on the bell to ring. That is why fronts lowering pressure are so good, the micro organism are moving earlier through the water column. I think the reason those same ponds work in the day during non ice periods is the wind helps push micro organisms around, which is why the windy side is usually the better side. Just a guess.

Never realized that the wind could be a factor when the lake is frozen over??

[High Tide]

Never realized that the wind could be a factor when the lake is frozen over??

You may want to re-read and focus on the "non-ice" part. 

[walleyedan]

Don't feel like the lone ranger.  Lots of farm ponds are like that.  The tougher ones I've been on are the ones the owners feed them on a daily basis.  I don't even go to them anymore.  One of my best ponds is exactly like what you describe.  One or two dinks during the day and blame 45 minutes before dark until 20 minutes after dark the light switch turns on and hang on to your pole.  I switch to 4# line as those big 16" crappie and 10" gills will rip my line every time.  Only once in the 25 yrs I've been on this pond did I every get them during the daytime.  Why, I don't know but I made sure i was there a half hour before 2:15pm as it would only last until 3:30p.  I work with the owner on controlling the fish size and it has been paying off big dividends the last 5 years.   I always take them a mess.  I'm the only one that fishes it so I'm very selective on who I take with me, if I do take anybody.

[awade84]

Thanks for all the info guys.  I'm gonna try hitting it in the morning before sunrise and evening into dark for sure.  I have went all the way down to 3mm tungsten jigs trying to get them to bite.  Looks like this will be my first place that has has ice this year near me so wish me luck.  tight lines and be safe out there.  any other suggestions are more than welcome BTW.

[river_scum]

x2 on the sundown night bite.

I have also stirred up the bottom with a heavy jigging rap and got them to turn on before.  one pond I used to take a telescoping cane pole with me and rake the bottom.  the fish would turn on for 20min. or so every time. kinda chumming with whats already there. 

[wax_worm]

You may want to re-read and focus on the "non-ice" part. 

[angolajones]

On a shallow pond, drilling holes can relocate the fish.  Fish also swim around more in the ponds I have fished.  You may need to drill a hole and wait them out.  Moving around on a pond can be frustrating especially if you are drilling holes and expecting to find a mother load of fish.