The day was overcast, and a little dreary.  I had reeled my #2 Mepps through the murky water multiple times with great anticipation of what might strike next.  There was just one problem – the strikes never came.  I had fished this same pond last year, and it was like a fishing dream – we were pulling 20 or more bass off the line in a few hours.  I guess it wasn’t going to happen today, though.

Not wanting to give up, I tied on one of our tried and true lures at this pond – a floating Rapala. Usually, running this thing slowly, just under the surface of the water, would drive the bass crazy and guarantee you a strike; on this day, though, Not. A. Strike.

The pond I was at is owned by my Father-in-Law and was just recently stocked in the last four years.  One of his employees brought his catch in one day (perfectly legal here in Michigan), and the fishing days for the pond began.  The only two species we know that exist in the pond are Largemouth Bass and Bluegills.  Originally we thought there was only ‘gills in the lake, but after a few casts with a Mr. Twister I knew that not to be true; the bass were in there too.

Last year, as I said before, we would slay fish out of the pond; all of them were released back into the pond as well.  This year, though, it has been entirely different story – the fish just haven’t been cooperating.  We have went from catching 20 fish in a couple hours to catching 4 or 5 tops in 3 or more hours.  Frustrating!

I started to think about what could have possibly changed from last year.  Too much pressure on the fish and they’re getting wise?  Below normal temperatures this year are making the fish less active?  Chemicals placed in the pond, in order to clear up an algae problem, are affecting the fishing?

I’m not sure really.

I truly do not think the pond has been over-fished.  With our schedule we might make it out there a few times in a month, and the pressure isn’t any different than last year.   The below normal temperatures could be contributing to the problem I suppose.  Of course warmer water is going to make the fish more active, but I wouldn’t think it would “cool” them off this much.  And as far the chemicals go, they are common chemicals used to clear up pond algae and are not suppose to have any impact on the fish.

So what gives then?

I was doing some reading, provided by our local University Extension, and it appears our pond could have a bad fish combination.  As I mentioned before, the pond – to the best of our knowledge – only contains Bluegills and Largemouth Bass, and apparently this is not the best combination for our climate here in Michigan.  Normally Bass prey upon the Bluegill population, but apparently, in our cooler climate it doesn’t happen as much as it should, and allows for overpopulation.  I could see that having an effect on the size of the fish, but does that really affect the overall fishing?  I wish I had the answer to that question.

After a lot of digging, that was really the only negative thing I could find that could be affecting our fishing exploits.  We haven’t noticed a big winter kill, and I have never seen – not even one – dead fish at the pond.  It’s all very perplexing.

I guess, while I do a little more research into the effects of overpopulation on fishing ponds, I will blame all the slow fishing days on the cooler temps – because it surely can’t be my angling abilities.

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