Pick 5 lures for this scenario...

[lunkerboss923]

I'm a pond hopper, I carry a 702/703sf, a 685CB, a 733c, 734c versatile rod, and 744c jig rod. 

 

Here is the scenario, a large grassy (milfoil, coontail, hydrilla) pond, on a bluebird winter day (55-60 degrees), depths range from 2 to 8 feet near the bank, water clarity is about 3 feet. Pick 5 lures you would fish. 

[Trox]

... is the grass matted? Is it sparse? Does it come all the way up to the bank? Is it even alive right now? I have so many questions... All of which determine what I would throw

[lunkerboss923]

4 minutes ago, TroxBox said:

... is the grass matted? sparse? etc? Does it come all the way up to the bank? Is it even alive right now? I have so many questions... All of which determine what I would throw

 

It's pretty thick in some areas, matted on top about 20% of the water, sparse in others from what I could gather. Grass come up from the middle edge all the way to the bank. 

[Trox]

chatterbait, rattletrap, fluke, swimjig, and a t-rigged speed worm... If you had a punching set up that would have been my first choice though.

[Munkin]

Swim jig

Spinnerbait 

Frog

Trigged paddle tail

Senko

Fluke

 

Rough start but this is what I would start with.

 

Allen

[Aaron_H]

Frog for areas where the grass is thick on top. Lipless crankbait if there are areas you can run it just ticking the tops of the grass. Senko or Texas rigged plastic of choice for pitching into holes in the grass or around grass lines. Jerkbait around more open areas (or over the top of grass if you can). Chatterbait along grass lines.

 

This is what I would start with and branch out from there.

[LrgmouthShad]

Seems like all personal preference to me. There are some great lure suggestions here. I would toss a texas rig, jig, or spinnerbait just cuz I like em. I'd be looking for areas I'd think are more productive. Where is the grass green and healthy? Where are defined edges of mats? Where is the access to deeper water? If it is a small pond, where might I expect to find warmer water? What does the bank surrounding the water look like in different places? These are things I would be focused on.

 

Edit: just saw that you specified this is a large pond. 

[GReb]

Tough conditions. Either a senko, fluke, or menace.  I’d give shaking a swim jig a try as well

[Columbia Craw]

T rigged speed or gator tail worm with a 1/8 oz. sinker pegged.

 

Freedom tackle swim jig with a paddle tail swimbait.

 

Frog.  You can try one.

[Catt]

Texas Rigged Ultravibe Speed Worm, 1/8 oz bullet weight, 3/0 hook. Throw it around the outside weedline & swim it on top of the grass.

 

Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Jig 1/2 oz with a Rage Craw 

 

Stanley Rabbit 

 

Wacky Rig 

 

Chatterbait

[WRB]

What you are describing is the Houston area of Texas and should be in per spawn. All you need is your favorite weightless Wacky rigged Senko outfit and jig rod. 

2 outfits easy to carry, the 5” weedless wacky rigged Senko in open pockets and weedless swim jig to cast and retrieved.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

5 is a lot for pond hopping but I’ll say stickworm, frog/toad, jig, speedworm, and a popper 

[lunkerboss923]

Frogs in the winter? 

42 minutes ago, Catt said:

Texas Rigged Ultravibe Speed Worm, 1/8 oz bullet weight, 3/0 hook. Throw it around the outside weedline & swim it on top of the grass.

 

 

Why Texas Rig with a bullet? Why not weightless and burn it on top of grass? Won't the bullet weight it down? Explain that. Thank you. 

[lunkerboss923]

38 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

5 is a lot for pond hopping but I’ll say stickworm, frog/toad, jig, speedworm, and a popper 

I'm an equipment junkie and love to use my equipment. I've got too many rods to count. I'll usually go with 5 to 6. 

[Catt]

23 minutes ago, lunkerboss923 said:

Frogs in the winter? 

Why Texas Rig with a bullet? Why not weightless and burn it on top of grass? Won't the bullet weight it down? Explain that. Thank you. 

 

Which is easier to cast?

 

Hold your rod tip up & reel a little faster!

 

There are times I'll fish it like this with a 3/16-1/4 oz bullet weight.

 

If I'm working grass by flipping-n-pitching into holes (yes I flip-n-pitch with 1/8-1/4 oz) & I see an area I feel like buzzing it on top I don't change rods. I simply buzz it on top, the bass don't care!

 

The same with a Jig-n-Craw, everyone has flipping jigs, pitching jigs, casting jigs, skipping jigs & swim jigs.

 

I do all 5 with 1 jig ?

[lunkerboss923]

50 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Which is easier to cast?

 

Hold your rod tip up & reel a little faster!

 

There are times I'll fish it like this with a 3/16-1/4 oz bullet weight.

 

If I'm working grass by flipping-n-pitching into holes (yes I flip-n-pitch with 1/8-1/4 oz) & I see an area I feel like buzzing it on top I don't change rods. I simply buzz it on top, the bass don't care!

 

The same with a Jig-n-Craw, everyone has flipping jigs, pitching jigs, casting jigs, skipping jigs & swim jigs.

 

I do all 5 with 1 jig ?

A company I like makes a hybrid jig. I'm really fond of it because it's so versatile. 

[LrgmouthShad]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Jig

I believe you have already explained this but why again do you prefer the fluoro version of the hack attack jig? Have several hack attacks myself and like them for fishing in grass, punching (in 1oz), and doing my version of 'flipping'. 

[PhishLI]

5" Senko. Have bullet weights, O-rings and wacky hooks. T Rig weightless or add bullets weights where necessary

 

Fat IKA. Rig one weightless and one with a 1/4 weighted swimbait hook. Weighted for denser weeds and weightless for edges.

 

5" Caffeine Shad. One weightless and one with an Owner Twistlock Light 5/0 or 6/0 3/32oz weighted hook

 

Keitech Noisy Flapper. Rig one weightless and one with a 1/4oz weighted hook. A bait that can be fished weihtless on top as buzztoad or a super compact swimbait when weighted. Can be dragged or retrieved at different speeds to control depth. Casts like a bullet, even weightless.

 

Swim jigs. Swinging and standard: Strike King Tour Grade Swinging Swim Jig. 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig . Your choice of trailers.

[Catt]

4 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I believe you have already explained this but why again do you prefer the fluoro version of the hack attack jig?

 

Smaller diameter hook allows faster penetration with less effort. 

 

Ya ain't gonna bend that hook!

[scaleface]

Northern Missouri is different than Texas . I dont like to finesse fish but I have caught some big ones in ponds at  ice out with Beetle spins and marabou jigs . 

[HaydenS]

Frog, swim jig, chatterbait, t rig beaver style bait, swim jig without a skirt.

[Columbia Craw]

One bait I forgot.  The SK Space Monkey.  Run a light bullet weight and it will buzz on top or slow drop in pockets.  This bait doesn’t get much attention but it is a producer.

[Bankbeater]

Texas rigged plastic, jig and craw, weightless fluke or senko, spinnerbait or chatterbait, and a shallow running crankbait if you can get away with it.

[lunkerboss923]

4 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

One bait I forgot.  The SK Space Monkey.  Run a light bullet weight and it will buzz on top or slow drop in pockets.  This bait doesn’t get much attention but it is a producer.

How can you tell if you have open pockets in grass from the bank? The only lure that was working for me is a 3" Spark Shad with an 1/8oz Strike King Baby Squadron Jighead. I was steady retrieving popping it every so often.

[DogBone_384]

22 hours ago, lunkerboss923 said:

on a bluebird winter day (55-60 degrees)

 

You're pond sounds like one near me but you're about 30 degrees too high for a bluebird winter day, so here I go:

 

1-3: Texas rigged soft baits in small, medium, and large.  4" Senko, 3.8" Keitech, and Yamamoto Kreature. 

 

4: Vision 110 jerk bait.  

 

5: Chatter bait.  

 

Colors would be based on water clarity & what kind of forage you have there.

 

I throw lipless crank baits and blade baits all winter, but avoid them in shallow weedy ponds.