fishing in a pond

Question
whats some good live bait to catch fish in a pond?

Answer
Carla; Wow this is a really large question.  It depends on such a large number of variables that it is difficult to be certain of an answer.  How large is the pond, where is it located, what kind of fish are in the pond, what time of day do you plan on fishing, what is the weather like, what season of the year?  These are just a few of the possibilities.

However, I can give you some general answers that should at some time or another catch fish in your pond.

Let's start with the simplest live bait, the lowly worm.  There are hundreds of kinds of worms but use those which are most common in your area.  These may be dug up from the garden, bank of the pond if allowed, bought at the fishing tackle and bait store or nightcrawlers caught in the warm summer night.  
Next take some chicken livers that spoiled in your frig.  catfish love these.

If you have bluegills or other panfish except crappie, crickets or other insects. I used to use a rubberband gun to shoot grasshoppers along a country road to use for bait.  Almost any kind of fish will eat them, again with the exception of crappie.  Oh you might catch a crappie now and then on these or worms but the best bait for crappie is the next one.

Crappie love small minnows.  If the minnow is too large they will not bite it.  You can get minnows at any bait store or catch your own with a small net in a small creek or with a minnow trap.  Keep them lively in a styrofoam bucket with cold water.

Bass will eat most anything they can swallow sometimes things almost as big as they are.  Large minnows are probably best fished with a float just off bottom.  Make sure the minnow is carefully hooked so as not to kill it.  If your pond has frogs around the edges, they make good bait for bass.  

If it is carp you have in your pond then use small pieces of bread in a ball or get some store bought carp bait.  Use a small size hook as carp have small mouths.  They will often take a small piece of worm on a very small hook too.

Most other fish, trout, pike, walleye, muskie, sallmon etc. are not good pond dwellers unless the pond is of consideragle size or high in the mountains and cold then trout might live there.

One bait that I have not mentioned yet and one which is good for nearly all species of fish is the crawfish.  It can be hooked in the tail and remain alive for a long time if it isn't eaten right away. It should be fished on or near the bottome and kept moving slowly so it does not crawl under a rock and hide.  This bait is usually a catch it yourself bait in most areas.  It can be netted in small sterams or caught in crawfish traps baited with a piece of ripe fish or meat.  Small ones are better for all except large bass or very large catfish.  Again crappie, while they will bite a crawdad now and then, really like minnows much better.

I hope this has been helpful.  I could be more specific if I knew what kind of fish in your pond and where you live.  However, this would not change things very much.
I might specify specific types of worms, minnows or even crawfish more specific to your area.  Anyway using the ones above will likely catch you some fish from your pond.


Thank you for calling on me to ansere your question.  If I can be of future help please feel free to call on me through All Experts.


Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole Georgia