# Pond bass, can they learn?



## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

So on days when I can't get out and wade some local rivers or fish in any local lakes I go to one of my friends private farm ponds and we normally do really well. Now here's my questions last summer we caught most of our fish on Texas rigged worms then after a while you wouldn't catch as many bass on a worm so I tried a spinnerbait and for the rest of the summer that was the ticket, nice bass to, some in the 4-5lb maybe larger I'm not positive, now this summer started with the spinnerbait and would catch bass but not as many so tried the worm again and maybe 1-2 bass and none of the bigger guys. So do bass pick up on stuff when the same stuff is thrown at them time after time? I wanna find one of those big boy 4-5lb bass in there that we used to get at least 1 every trip last summer. So of you guys have a tips I'd appreciate it. The pond cover wise is lots of cattails some in the the pond but most around the bank in shallow water, and some type of leafy weed that extend out maybe 3 foot from the bank into the water in some spots, I have tried frogs to with a couple here and there to show


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

They can pick up and learn to avoid some things, short term. But they can't "remember" things long term. I'd also say it's highly doubtful you caught every fish in the pond.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

How big is the pond? If its a small pond you might be suprised how often you are catching the same fish over and over again, which will definitely make them more skittish and weary.


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

I don't think we've caught them all but the pond is isn't really big I'm not sure its exact size, you could make across the pond in 4 long casts if you could walk to where each landed


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Last night I caught this big girl in a 2 acre pond right outside my apartment, I catch her about once every two weeks in the same spot on the same bait (buzzbait), I know its her because of a scar near her mouth. Its gotten to the point where its almost like she knows the deal, she doesn't struggle or anything when I pull her out of the water, just waits for the hook to be removed, and calmly swims away when I release her. My guess is with the buzzbait its more of a reaction strike at something pissing her off, and not a conscious decision of "hey I want to eat that".


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## Shaggy (Oct 24, 2008)

The biologists who have studied the bass say if they have any memory at all it is very short. No more than a couple of minutes. The answer to your question though, or if you turn it around a little and ask why your scenario is the way you described it will have to wait for better technology or someone smarter than those of us who continue to hunt them.


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

Well do you guys have any tips to entice more bites? Or should I stick to Texas rigged power worm and spinner baits and hope the bigger boys bite here soon


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Use baits that illicit reaction strikes i.e. Buzzbaits, Chatterbaits, and poppers. Move the bait faster then normal, don't give the fish time to think about it, also use colors more natural to the forage found in the pond.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Best small pond lures I have used are Wacky rigged finesse worms and texas rigged tubes.....Try those....especially if the bite is tough or non existent on a calm day....toss a wacky worm.....slow calm evenings slow roll a mini buzz or chatterbait right below the surface. Good Luck!


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

I'm sure you will have success on worms and spinnerbaits again, when the conditions are right. However, if they're not working for you now, its time to switch it up. Anything suggested here might be the ticket. I'll add small hollow swimbaits, soft jerkbaits, or unweighted finesse worms to the list.

The most persuasive arguments I have read for bass learning suggest that bass are better able to remember gaudy, flashy, or otherwise unnatural lures, but less likely to remember subtle baits. If they had no memories at all, fishing pressure would have no effect on their behavior. I don't believe that to be the case.


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## Bimmer (Aug 12, 2011)

If you are fishing mornings or evenings one of the best baits I ever used for a pond is a Jitterbug. Bass just seem to love them, and not many people throw them anymore.

I believe fish get conditioned, not sure that would be memory.


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

Are spooks good baits for reaction strikes? I have 3 spooks, silver, clear, and a green an yellow one


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Certainly bass can learn and remember.

In my pond I have one bass that decided it would eat the fish pellets that we feed the bluegill.

This bass stared 3 years ago when he was around 7-8" long. He is now somewhere around 15". This bass shows up everyday at the same location at the same time. I don't know how the other fish and him tell time for sure but they will all be in one little area of the pond come late afternoon feeding time waiting to be fed. They are not in the feeding areas in any concentrations during other times of the day. After having a pond for a few years now I now know that fish are much smarter than I would have ever believed previously


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## ohiobassin'46 (Aug 15, 2013)

Fish do have a sot of tendency to be tame or get used to seeing a bait and learn to avoid it. I have fished ponds very often and we've caught so many bluegill that when they see you walk to the enge the my follow you. They know they can obtain food from the bait you throw. With bass I'd say once you catch them with the Texas rigged worm or something like that, you need to trigger a reaction strike. I've had this happen where I'll catch the same bass twice a day on a soft bait, then a shallow running crank. 

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