Panfish

They are the most numerous fish in most ponds and lakes, they are aggressive, they will eat a piece of worm under a bobber, and they are found within a cast of any bank. That combination makes them the fish nearly everyone catches first.

They also reward light tackle in a way bigger species do not. An ultralight rod, a 1000 or 2000 size reel, four or six pound line and a size 8 hook turns a nine-inch bluegill into a genuine fight. Heavy gear makes the same fish feel like nothing.

Crappie behave differently from bluegill: they school, suspend off structure, and prefer small jigs and minnows over worms. Find one crappie and there are usually thirty more at the same depth.

They are also the reason bass fishing works. Panfish are the primary forage in most ponds, which is why bluegill-colored jigs, swim jigs and creature baits catch bass on small water so consistently.