By Michael Yelton
My Uncle Joe had a little farm pond tucked away in the field behind his house that my grandfather and I used to fish when I was growing up. It was always such a treat to fish for the eager largemouth and bluegill that resided there. Farm ponds mean little fishing pressure so the fish were always game to play. Uncle Joe had a little johnboat stashed there that we would paddle around in. When I was young, the ½ acre pond seemed so much bigger then it actually was. The last time I got to fish it, I used my fly rod and threw poppers along the shore. The thrill of catching fish on top-water will never get old to me.
When Summertime starts to heat up and the bigger lakes are getting fishing pressure and more boat traffic, small ponds offer a great place to find some solitude. With the aid of Google Earth and topo maps, these small pond jewels can be found easier than ever. Golf courses, resorts, private developments and game lands usually are the best places to start a search. Be sure to get permission before hitting a new piece of water if it’s not public. Nothing can ruin a day of fishing quicker than a run in with a disgruntled landowner.
There are lots of options for getting out on the water with all the different kayaks, paddleboards, kick boats, canoes and float tubes available now. If it’s a real small pond, float tubes or bank fishing is probably the best option. For anything that’s bigger than an acre, a sit-on-top kayak or paddleboard is a good choice. A fishing partner is a must for canoes or johnboats. Go early or late in the day for best results.
I like to use a 9’6wt or 7wt fly rod for small ponds as they handle throwing bigger, bulkier flies better. You can also make longer cast more efficiently from a sitting position. Floating fly line will do the trick 90% of the time. Intermediate line can be effective to probe deeper in the water column. Usually, these ponds aren’t super deep so leave your deeper full sinking lines at home. I like to use a 9 – 10 foot leader, tapering 20lb to 15lb to 12lb or 10lb test, depending on the water clarity. When using poppers, I like to use size 6 hook because it’s big enough to catch bass and bigger bluegill and it’s a little too big for the smaller bluegill. If poppers aren’t producing, I’ll probe deeper in the water column with baitfish imitations like the clouser minnow. If the fish aren’t on baitfish I’ll go with worm patterns and dredge the bottom.
Michael Yelton is the Owner of Grandaddy Fly Fishing. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to contact him at info@granddaddyflyfishing.com.