Pond fishing lures

[Eric~]

What size/weight lures are you using in small ponds? I like to fish with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, jigs. Are you guys downsizing these lures from your usual lake/river sizes? 

[Teal]

I tend to down size on ponds but it depends on the pond and the cover there

[JediAmoeba]

Depends.  But normally throw the same things and downsize a lot.  In smaller bodies of water your first couple casts are the most important and it is even more important that you make your casts a good 20 yards from the shoreline when possible.  

[J Francho]

I don't downsize.  In fact, ponds are where I throw some of my largest baits.

[scaleface]

I pretty much use the same lures . I dont want to lose expensive lures due to snags so weedless soft plastics and buzzbaits get a lot of playing time .

[JediAmoeba]

41 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I don't downsize.  In fact, ponds are where I throw some of my largest baits.

I am thinking of ponds that I can stand at any location and cast over the other bank.  I have a few.ponds I take my kids to that the biggest fish isnt even a pound.  I dont think I am throwing my 6 oz swimbaits there...

 

It all depends on the size and depth of the pond...

[J Francho]

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

[plawren53202]

To echo others, it depends.  E.g., we have a family farm with a pond that gets very little pressure and has some big ones in it.  I definitely don't downsize there.

 

In comparison, my subdivision's 3 acre HOA pond--the water is generally very clear, and it is highly overpressured.  I tend to fish it more like a trout stream.  Smaller lures, more finesse presentations, weightless whenever possible, etc.

[JediAmoeba]

19 minutes ago, J Francho said:

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

I miss those days - I need to move out of these overpressured waters and back to the sticks.  

 

The idea of 6 pound bass is long since gone...I have an orgasm over 2 pound bass.  

[LonnieP]

25 minutes ago, J Francho said:

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

I agree. I fish a small farm pond probably just a little bigger than 1 acre, and I've caught several bass between 5 and 8 pounds over the years. Also have a buddy that works grounds at a golf course and plenty of pigs have been caught out of the small ponds on it.

[DitchPanda]

I generally throw the same size baits...not downsizing much..but I don't throw huge baits much anyway

Typical baits for me on my smaller ponds are: 

5/16ths green pumpkin sniper jig

3/8ths bladed jig in bluegill or black and blue

3/8ths war eagle buzzbait black

5 inch senko style bait 

1/4oz swim jig bluegill color with a zoom ultravibe craw

1/2 oz black booyah pad crashed frog

These are listed in order from ice out through summer on when I throw them and is it cools I basically go backwards through the list again

Also I agree with some of the above posts about small ponds having some studs in them. I have a pond that I frequent that I can fish around the entire thing in a few hours and can cast across on one end. Two years ago in the fall I caught a 25lb bag one day on a buzzbait. The fall before I caught a jig fish there that I estimate at 8lbs. Every summer I catch a few on a frog in that 5 to 6 range.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I often fish a pond that's less than 10 acres.  I don't downsize as I have caught dozens of fish over 18" there on a variety of "normal" sized bass baits.

[JediAmoeba]

4 hours ago, Eric~ said:

What size/weight lures are you using in small ponds? I like to fish with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, jigs. Are you guys downsizing these lures from your usual lake/river sizes? 

I think you should specify what you mean by small pond...I think small pond is something a half acre or less.

[Eric~]

20 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I think you should specify what you mean by small pond...I think small pond is something a half acre or less.

When I say small pond I’m talking a 1 acre or less pond. 
 

In my experience throwing the larger  (3/8oz and up) spinnerbaits, chatterbaits etc will spook the small fish but will only draw the big bites!

[JediAmoeba]

One technique I have used for years is to cast onto the other shore if you can and then bring it into the water.  This is a dynamite technique with spinnerbaits...

[Bird]

A small farm pond that receives no pressure will out fish a 10,000 acre lake that receives Mardi gras like crowds......I've found.

 

I don't have farm pond tackle and lake tackle, throw same baits. 

[Catt]

For about 5 weeks I've been fishing a series of 11 ponds of various sizes.

 

What's hot for me right now is a Texas Rigged Zoom Speed Craw, motoroil, 1/8 oz.

[GReb]

My top 5 pond lures:
- 6” lizard (green pumpkin)

- 1/4 oz double willow (white)

- 5” stick bait (green pumpkin)

- fluke (White)

- Zara puppy (White)

[roadwarrior]

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

[primetime]

Last couple of weeks I have been exploring new ponds and bank fishing, and i try to keep my gear simple so they fit in my pockets, this way I can move easier. Granted I jam my pockets full, and i bring baits mostly standard size, but also include smaller baits as well as I often do better downsizing, or if big fish, a 7" senko or 10" ribbon tail will do the trick.

 

I mainly fish the same soft baits as I do in lakes

 

Zoom Flukes, I like having standard and jr. size

5" & 7" Stick worms

Zoom Trick worm & smaller finesse worm

Culprit ribbon tails, speed worm, and pack or 2 of paddle tails, pack of horny toads.

Rage Tail menace & craw.

For lures, I bring a few rattle traps, rapala's, bitsy bug jigs, swim jig, chatterbaits and the micro chatterbait.

 

I always carry some ultralight lures, little strike king crankbait, 1.0, little countdown rapala, rebel popr, and tiny torpedo. lastly, both sizes of the booyah pad crushers, and small grubs/crappie tubes..and always a small spinnerbait.

 

Tilapia colors, and some chartruese colored baits, and then the standard colors.

[Beeno]

Booyah pond Magic’s, rage craws rage menace, and a square bill might wanna start with these.

[SEB]

There's a small pond near my house that I fish a lot (sounds like the one you are describing where you could cast to the other side in some locations).  For softbaits I use a 4" senko, weightless whacky or t-rigged, and for spinner I use a Booyah micro pond magic, I prefer the micro to the regular pond magic because the micro has a single colorado blade with great action.  Both have worked really well for me there.  I tried using some crankbaits but in this pond they just snag on everything and I ended up spending most of my fishing time pulling lillies and weeds out of the treble hooks. 

[Kidflex]

Flukes and weightless trick worms. If they don’t bite these then fish elsewhere....

[wordty]

Weightless Trick Worm

Weightless Senko Texas Rigged and Wacky Rigged

Chatterbait with no trailer

Pop R

Devil's Horse

 

[the reel ess]

Normally, I fish all the same baits in a pond. I put more emphasis on topwaters because fish will be closer to the surface on average. I still catch dinks on bigger bass baits. 

 

However, I have a pond I've been fishing lately where I can't seem to buy bites on the regular bass baits. Zero on spinnerbait, jerkbait, frog, stick worm or any topwaters so far. But it was a little early in the season for topwaters. There are good bluegill there so I broke out the ultralight and tiny Rooster Tail and started catching bass too. Even some decent bass. I know there's at least one big mama in there because I saw her on a bed. I couldn't get her to bite, but I did catch a decent male off it. I caught a few on the Trick Worm. But mostly, I have yet to figure this place out. I want to fish until dusk there sometime and see if they'll bite better at low light. Also, I have a Pond Magic spinnerbait I'll give a go there.