IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Indiana => Ice Fishing Indiana => Topic started by: Pondbear on Mar 10, 2019, 02:46 PM
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I ice fished my father in laws 10 acre pond 3 times this winter. I caught 1 bass.
It was the only fish I even marked. I can go out that pond and catch bass and bluegill all day.
My question is, do they all school up in 1 spot or something in the winter in ponds? I mean I searched all over and didnt even mark a fish
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Most likely stuck to the bottom while you were looking.
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I know how you feel, I have a 3.5 acre pond and have fished it several times this year and haven’t had much luck. In the summer you can’t keep them off your bait. I can see clear to the bottom most times and just don’t see a thing. I have never been able to really find them. Went yesterday and did manage to catch a few and ended up keeping 6 to clean because I wanted some fresh fish. I think they are in the weeds where you can’t see them. Maybe some day I’ll figure them out.
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We have a pond that is similar. Didn't try it this year yet. May have to drill a hole off the pier this week before I put things away.
Someone in a similar post earlier in the season mentioned that maybe the things they feed on aren't active during the daylight hours and they might only move and feed after dark. I've never fished ours at night.
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id agree with roe they probably were laying low on a front or something. I have found that before. makes you wonder if they all died. lol
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Was it a bright bluebird sunny day? I have a pond full of fish and you'd swear there aren't many in there during a sunny day. But as the sun wanes fishing picks up.
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Sunny days do make a difference in the activity. If it’s a cloudy day you see lots more fish. I noticed yesterday they would shoot right in after jigging it to within a foot of the ice.
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Interesting to see people with the same issues. It wasn't real clear thinking back but I could be mistaken. I'll have to try at night some time
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I ice fished my father in laws 10 acre pond 3 times this winter. I caught 1 bass.
It was the only fish I even marked. I can go out that pond and catch bass and bluegill all day.
My question is, do they all school up in 1 spot or something in the winter in ponds? I mean I searched all over and didnt even mark a fish
How deep is it? Structure? Contours? Springs? 10 acres isn’t very big but depending on depth and features, the fish could be in one spot or virtually anywhere. I fish a 5 acre spring fed lake (depths 30’+) and I’ll be hard pressed to mark much of anything over the basins. Crappie, gills, perch, bass, doesn’t matter. In the mornings and evenings they like to go shallow (<12’) and throughout the day they roam mid-depth (16’-20’) but still along the bottom. I usually have to drop a jig down before I mark anything.
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Same with my pond, loaded in summer hard in winter. We also lose 1-2 white amur in ours as well after thaw, I just pulled out a 12lb one floating around yesterday barely alive. Our pond is aerated in 2 spots and avg of 16ft...anyone know as to why they may be dying?
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Sometimes they gourg themselves with baitfish untill they can't move. I've netted 6lb bass before because they could not do anything but lay on the water. After a couple hours and throwing up some minnows in the live well I turned them back loose and they swam off. Always right after ice out.
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Some ponds are like that and some produce. If someone invites me to fish their pond I always ask if they feed them daily. If they do I never do very good. Those fish expect a daily handout without working for it. One pond I fish on hard water will only turn on a half hour before dark 90% of the time. Soft water its hit or miss during the day time. Just got to learn the pond. Good luck
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Same with my pond, loaded in summer hard in winter. We also lose 1-2 white amur in ours as well after thaw, I just pulled out a 12lb one floating around yesterday barely alive. Our pond is aerated in 2 spots and avg of 16ft...anyone know as to why they may be dying?
I know this post is old but it sounds like you are using too much aeration (actually diffuser mixing) as in reducing the relatively warmer water the fish take refuge in near the bottom. E.G. a winter stratified pond has about 39 degrees near bottom or slightly more. If you mix the water column too vigorously the entire pond may by be I the middle 30's which will stress the fish. I usually move one diffuser close to shore in my ponds to keep some water open but not mix the entire pond. Before I knew better years ago I had fish that were stressed by mixing the water column too much with the bass developing red areas in the mouth and fungus by spring.