Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass How I fish for BG

I use a Mr Crappie pole, usually a 12 footer, but I have a 10 and a 13 in addition to two 12's.

A small spinning reel either open or closed face is attached. I use 4 or six pound test line. A 1/64 ounce lead head jig is the preferred bait, usually chartreuse, but I have used white, orange, and black. I tip the jig with a chartreuse "Gulp Alive Waxie" made by Berkley. I think the hook is a #10 on my jigs. I usually swing it out as far as I can, or gently cast it a bit further, let it sink three or four feet, then begin a slow, sweeping retrieve, with an occasional momentary pause. Usually I get a strike on the initial sinking, but if not then, when I pause the jig.

I tie on the jig with a loop type knot so the jig is free swinging in the loop, which adds to the action.

John I know you have fished for many years and are an accomplished angler. I on the other hand have very limited fishing experience before I built my ponds. Since I have built them I have fished quite a lot but only at my own ponds. I don't go fishing anywhere else (ok, I fished Highflyers pond at his get together a couple times).

So I am still learning a lot about fishing seasons, weather, lures, etc.

One thing I found really interesting is even at 51-55 degree water temperature how actively my BG are biting. I've had great fishing the last couple weeks even after I thought the water would have been cold enough to slow the bite down a bunch. Maybe I just have starving BG. I do know they are overly abundant and have been purposely thinning them, having removed several hundred over the last couple months. There are 55 out in the holding pen waiting to be cleaned right now.

It has been a lot of fun doing it! Though cleaning 50 to 100 or more fish at a time gets a little old. Thank goodness I made the cleaning station on our dock. That really helps.

fish cleaning station

BG will bite here through most of the winter. I have made good catches in December. The lure must be worked more slowly than in warmer waters. LMB around here will hit lures even when there is some ice on the water.

I noticed about a week ago when it got cold and windy and nasty that all my bites came right off the bottom in five or six feet of water. Turns off sunny and nice then see them hitting the surface and get bites in shallow water along the shore.

Have you ever tried a floating fly with your crappie rod?

No, but I have cast a lot of small floating "popping bugs" for BG with great success with a fly rod, mainly around sunset. In warmer weather, most sunfish species tend to feed on top near sunrise and sundown.

I quit the fly rods a few years ago, and gave them to my son, who lives in a better area to utilize them.

What lures do you use for LMB in super cold water?

Jigs with some sort of trailer like Gulp or the old fashioned pork rind work well. Fished near the bottom and very slowly.

Hi John,

Can you give more details, please? I will be at our place over Christmas and I'd love to catch a few LMB. I'm an intermediate angler but only in the warmer months.

If you are fishing in your pond, cast the jig and trailer out into the deepest part of the pond that is near cover, and slowly work it along the bottom with slow action, stops and starts. Hopefully, it won't be iced over. In winter, if you want to fish live bait, that would be even better. If you can get some fathead minnows or small shiners, fish them under a small float just off bottom with minimal weight, just enough split shot to keep the minnow down. LMB don't eat as much in winter, so smaller minnows IMO are more successful, if you don't have crappie to deal with. In the presence of crappie, you will need to use larger minnows or jigs.

Sounds like a casting bubble would work good for that.

casting bubbles