Angle[rs] of Attack: Farm Ponds

ANGLE(RS) OF ATTACK: Farm Ponds

Attacking a pond is like a therapy session. Once the truck is in park and your poles are in hand all the problems of the world drown underneath the orchestra of frogs. The familiar smell of sulfur fills the air with an aroma disliked by those living too fast and loved by us who like to feel the mud between our toes. Much like a creek, the limited water of a pond can be susceptible to car door slamming or the tunes you’re jamming but the residents are less weary. The angle of attack for ponds is casual with attention to structure and contour leading to a heavy stringer.

With a small surface area, the hideouts for pond fish are limited to structure and contour. Upon approach, look for downed trees, bankside bushes, or other structures which can provide protection for smaller fish that attract larger fish. One of my biggest bass smoked a popper right beside a submerged grill someone seemed to have thrown in after a barbeque and a good time. The contours of a lake attract fish as I always seem to find fish in corners. Sharp edges around a dam create a water column within which large fish can change depths quickly. Because ponds are relatively flat, discrepancies in the contour hold most of the fish. Keep in mind that pond fish are liable to be looking in any direction and maintaining a smaller profile is more advantageous than stomping right up to the bank. Taking note of structure and contour, devise a route which you use the slopes or a stand of cattails to sneak around the bank. To keep you cool, concealed, and the mosquitoes at bay, check out the long sleeve Brooks Shirt in Birch Plaid.

Since there are many residents in a pond, many angles of attack can be taken. A prepared angler unleashing total warfare on a pond would most likely have a small rod (3 wt.) for panfish, a medium rod (5/6 wt.) for bass, and a heavy rod (6/7 wt.) for catfish. Panfish such as bream or sunfish stick to shallow waters and can be caught with pretty much any dry in your box. Although little, these fish are pound-for-pound some of the best fighters and can fill an afternoon with lots of action. Largemouth bass, the king of freshwater sport fish, present a slightly more difficult challenge as they stick to deeper water. Large poppers and streamers are more apt weapons for lunkers. Although not conventional, I have caught quite a few catfish on a fly rod using the sink and wait approach. Throw a chunk of bream on a hook and soon a chucklehead will be fighting you as if you’ve hooked into a trophy tarpon, minus the acrobatics. Fishing a pond is a sport of leisure and best enjoyed with a beverage. The Kanga Cooler is designed to fit a whole case without taking it out of the box, keeping your dad gatorades cold from the gas station to the bank.

Layman’s Debrief

• Locate structure to locate fish
• Take note of contours to plan angle of attack
• Sneak around the bank for heavier stringers

Charles Hargrove / Shopkeeper / Tight Line Enthusiast