Lure choice for ponds

[Young Fisher]

I am relatively new to fishing and was looking for some help on lure choice. The pond that I fish in is small (about an acre), is only about 6 ft deep in the deepest part, has little to no vegetation/structure, and the bass only have bluegill and crawfish to eat. What lures should I be throwing? Asking for not only now but throughout the year as well. Thanks!

[Danocaster]

Hard to go wrong with a green pumpkin Senko worm - chatterbait - popper 

 

good luck and have fun 

[IcatchDinks]

This sounds really similar to the ponds I fish. 

There are many wiser anglers on this site with years and years of experience that you should listen to before me, but here's a list of what I like to use and have success with. 

 

Top water baits: 

 

Whopper Plopper

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/River2Sea_Whopper_Plopper_Silent/descpage-R2SWPS.html

 

I also like the Rebel Pop-R. There are lots of popper options. It's not even that hard to make your own. Super simple bait that works if they're biting top water. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Rebel_Pop-R_Topwater_Popper/descpage-RPR.html

 

Crankbaits: 

My favorite is the Rebel Wee Craw, but, like the popper, there are many good options. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Rebel_Middle_Wee_Craw_Crankbait/descpage-RMWCR.html

 

I also use spoons and inline spinners. And a Texas-rigged senko worm never fails either.

[Munkin]

Senkos and Flukes is what I would start with. Buzzbait when it gets warmer out.

 

Allen

[Bankbeater]

Four inch plastic worm either weightless or on a split shot rig. 

[Skunkmaster-k]

A purple worm year round. When the water warms up then bloop around a jitterbug. 

[Young Fisher]

Thanks guys this helps a lot

[Dan N]

Can’t go wrong with a wacky rig stick worm , I use yum dinger, cheap and effective.

[crypt]

3 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

Four inch plastic worm either weightless or on a split shot rig. 

this is what I would start with.then try other things as time goes by.....

[MediumMouthBass]

I cant belive no one yet has recommended a Strike King Bitsty Bug or Bitsty Flip finesse jig, these work amazing in shallow ponds (and rivers). Alot of the suggestions above are great and will get bass to bite year round but heres some additional lures and baits you should think about when pond fishing, some frogs, big curly/ribbon tail worms, creature baits on a texas rig, and lighter chatterbaits/spinnerbaits when the days have some wind.

[roadwarrior]

 

[FishTank]

Wacky senko but I would caution against doing this too often. When they rip or come off in the water, they become an undigestible meal for the few fish in the pond. 

 

Any BFS lure seems to work in my local ponds. Next would be a Ned Rig followed by a shallow crank bait. 

[BlakeMolone]

fluke jr weightless, 4 inch senko weightless, 4 and 7 inch power worms texas rigged, booyah pond magic spinnerbait, a popper, mini max chatter bait, smaller jerkbaits, ned rigs, 2.8/3.8 swimbaits and some crappie jigs would keep you catching every day of the week imo.

[OmegaDPW]

13 hours ago, BlakeMolone said:

 crappie jigs would keep you catching every day of the week imo.

 

 That's exactly what I was thinking too. If you just want to catch fish (like I do most days) I'd be throwing a Beetle Spin every cast. 1/4oz ones for the bass and the 1/32 for the panfish. 😃

[Eric 26]

@Young Fisher I’m with @MediumMouthBass with a strike king bitsy  swim jig available at Wal Mart. I always have one in what I would call peanut butter and grape jelly as I don’t remember the actual color name along with a bluegill colored square bill such as a strike king 1.0 or 1.5 and a Z-Man mini max chatterbait in a bluegill colored skirt. Those and a plain road runner in  1/16 ounce head and a Berkeley gulp alive minnow 3” are my go to favorites. Also don’t be afraid to buy the $1.00 spinner baits from Walmart in peanut butter and grape jelly color.

[MediumMouthBass]

@Eric 26 i didnt even think about ever using those as swim jigs, only used them so far for flipping jigs. Thanks for that idea!

[BlakeMolone]

I fish a super pressured clear 62 acre pond  and just discovered a deadly technique today, I took a 2 inch powerbait minnow and suspended it in the water column about 7 feet deep with a bobber and just let the wind drift it along, instantly hooked up with three healthy bass. It’s called “float and fly” but instead of a fly I just used a tiny fluke style bait, definitely worth a try if your water is clear and nothing else is working!

[JN94]

Jig 100%

[33oldtimer]

On 4/6/2024 at 7:23 PM, Young Fisher said:

I am relatively new to fishing and was looking for some help on lure choice. The pond that I fish in is small (about an acre), is only about 6 ft deep in the deepest part, has little to no vegetation/structure, and the bass only have bluegill and crawfish to eat. What lures should I be throwing? Asking for not only now but throughout the year as well. Thanks!

Just like a pond I regularly fish. I've done well there with a dropshot rig and a 4" finesse worm.

[Brian11719]

Rare to see a pond with not a lot of weeds in it (at least for me). In that case I'd probably opt for a bluegill or craw looking crankbait and bang it off the bottom as much as possible. If that doesn't work a craw on a texas rig or a jig (if you are going for larger fish) should do the trick.

[gdub17]

For small ponds my go to is t rig is a plastic worm. I like using a 6” or7.5” with as little weight as possible. Most of my fish come on 1/16th ounce rigs wits 2/0 offset shank hooks.  My favorite pond colors are red shad, watermelon, pumpkinseed, motor oil  and tequila sunrise 

[Dogface]

On 4/7/2024 at 12:40 AM, Munkin said:

Senkos and Flukes is what I would start with. Buzzbait when it gets warmer out.

 

Allen

 

And don't forget a NED rig. 

[BrianMDTX]

Does your pond have weeds? Or algae on the bottom?

 

The ponds I fish in S. Texas have a lot of algae. A LOT. And that limits me in a lot of baits I can use. Standard Texas rigs and jigs become completely matted in algae, so I mostly fish weightless Texas rigs with 5” Senkos or Zoom Tricks. 4” or 5” wacky rigs works well, also. 
 

Topwaters like a Whopper Plopper work well if the surface is clear. If you have algae, leaves or pine needles floating on the surface, you’re better off with a frog. 
 

Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits can be good, as long as you don’t get close to the bottom. 
 

Jerkbaits and squarebills work as they don’t get too deep quickly. 
 

Ned rigs got matted fast. So do shaky heads. 

[scaleface]

Soft plastics weighted and weightless, beetle Spins, Storm Thin Fin, Buzzbaits , spinnerbaits have all worked well for me in ponds.