[TEST] The Pond-Hopper’s Guide to Fishing for Summer Bass

During my senior year of college, three of my buddies and I decided to have a month-long bass fishing tournament. The rules were simple: Two vs. two, and the team with the heaviest bag of five fish after 30 days wins. But there was a kicker: Anglers were not allowed to venture farther than a 50-mile radius of our apartment.

The goal was to push our fishing skills to the brink and think outside the box. This meant that Google Earth and pond hopping would play a major role in success. My friend Jeff and I hit the obvious spots first, but it wasn’t until we were down by three pounds that we checked a muddy, choked-out canal in a town park. When my frog lure hit the weed mat, a 3-pound 8-ounce largemouth exploded from underneath. We had found our honey hole.

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To this day, that disgusting-looking canal is one of my favorite fishing spots. It’s hiding in plain sight in a suburb of central New York and I wouldn’t give up that location for anything. That’s the beauty of pond hopping. You don’t need a bass boat, world-class lake, or 15 rods to catch a trophy fish. A couple of rods, a backpack with some tackle, access to Google Earth, and a willingness to think differently will put you on the path to catching more bass. Here are five tips to help you find more bass ponds to fish this summer.