SUMMERTIME POND FISHING
Pond fishing is one of the best activities when you're bored and just want to catch a few fish. Ponds can be very effective at producing catchable-sized fish. You might not catch a giant, but if you're just wanting to feel the fight and maybe catch some for dinner, here are some different ways to fish a pond! This is also a great way to spend time outdoors with family and friends. Make memories and fish Oklahoma!
Easy - bobber, weight, hook & worm. This setup is great for someone who is just starting to get into fishing. This method allows for a more relaxing fishing adventure. Take a lawn chair and enjoy the nature around you. Once you have your worm snug on the hook, you just cast it out and wait for your bobber to disappear under the water. Once your bobber goes under, you can reel in your catch.
Medium - rooster tail. A rooster tail is a great way to target multiple species with one lure. Using a versatile bait like this can increase your overall success rate. All you have to do is tie on a rooster tail and use an active casting and retrieving strategy to reel in a fish with this lure. The best method is to find a shoreline with a transition area or drop-off and cast parallel to the shoreline while retrieving the lure at a medium pace.
More Difficult - weightless plastic fluke. If you are fishing a pond that has good vegetation on the edges, you'll want to fish with a lure that isn't going to get hung up on every cast. Using a weightless fluke, you can tuck the hook into the plastic and make this a weedless bait. This lure is great at targeting bass hiding in the vegetation waiting to ambush its prey. Depending on the day, the fish will be interested in different presentations of this bait. It is best to try different speeds and retrieval methods until you find what is working best for the area you are fishing.
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE DURANT STATE FISH HATCHERY The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is home of four different fish hatcheries in Oklahoma. One of those hatcheries is the Durant State Fish Hatchery. The Durant hatchery raises many different species of fish such as channel catfish, bluegill sunfi sh, hybrid bluegill sunfish, Koi carp, fathead minnows and Florida strain largemouth bass. ODWC uses the Florida strain due to their rapid growth and size capacity. This year, the Durant State Fish Hatchery has stocked a little over 700,000 of these fish into lakes in the southeast portion of the state. The goal of the hatchery is to raise healthy fish for the betterment of the bodies of water in Oklahoma.
JULY FISHING TIP
Using warm water is a simple and effective way to
remove memory from your fishing line. Line memory happens when your line retains the coiled shape of the spool, causing tangles and reduced casting distance. To fix this, fill a sink or bucket with warm (not hot) water and submerge your spool for about 5–10 minutes. The heat helps relax the line’s coils, making it more flexible and straight. Afterward, dry it off (to avoid long-term damage), stretch the line and you’ll notice smoother casting and fewer tangles on the water.
CHECK OUT OUR FISHING CLINICS
Tackle the Basics: Tackle the Basics are fishing clinics put on by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The ODWC has been hosting clinics at the Arcadia Concervation Education Area in Edmond, and Zebco Pond in Jenks on Monday evenings from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. since May 12. Weekly clinics will continue through Monday, Aug. 4, after which other clinics will still be available. Come join us and learn the basics of fishing and grow your confidence in fishing on your own.
To register for an upcoming Tackle the Basics fishing clinic or to keep an eye out for future clinics visit our Outdoor Calendar here and filter to fishing.
