I don't usually use techniques to bait pests anymore, like mosquitoes and japanese beetles. My position is that it just bring more to your general area. You do get satisfaction in seeing them in the trap, but you've also attracted them to you from the surroundings. I've now just use simple repellents for the mosquitoes and look for flower (roses) varieties which are not favored by the beetles. Same goes for the garden. I'll only grow crops which the caterpillars don't destroy, though this year the slugs were enemy #1.
as for your attempts to rid the pond of the "yellow jackets", as others have suggested, first correctly identify the bug then use the right method to control or eliminate. Without more details on your setup and correct ID of the pest, it's hard to give you any more advice. Though I suspect there may be a nest somewhere nearby as wasp/hornets can be very territorial. I don't think the pond water or fish are attracting the pests (someone please validate this for me). Look for signs of nesting above and below ground. For us, we've been getting lots of small ground hornets in NJ, in the past few years. Walk by their hole and they swarm you. Very mean critters.