ok dude, i may only be 16 but i have been bass fishing ponds mainly and exclusively my whole life...i live in memphis. but anyways the key to catching fish in these ponds is simply fishing them enough. learn where the drop-offs are, the weed beds, the spawning beds, and rock beds. find a good consistent spot and fish it. all those big lakes are are a bunch of little small lakes. no two ponds are alike either, figure them out in a nutshell, find a good consistent pattern, sort of like a local favorite. also, most ponds have a lot of fishing pressure by anglers who simply just cast lures and fish blindly, BE DIFFERENT, step outside the box. there is no magic bait that will catch fish in every pond wether it be soft plastic, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.. fish what you have confidence in and have fun.