Ponds offers anglers with some great fishing opportunities to catch largemouth bass. In this article, we will take a look at the best bass fishing lures for fishing in ponds. As well as some helpful tips and tricks that will help you catch more bass.
The following list includes 10 of the best bass fishing baits (in no particular order) for fishing in ponds. These lures all have a solid reputation and are proven fish catchers that are a great fit for fishing for bass when pond hopping.
The 10 Best Bass Fishing Lures for Ponds
- Senkos
- Frogs
- Jigs
- Spinnerbait
- Buzzbait
- Texas Rig Creature Baits
- Squarebill Crankbaits
- Swim Jigs
- Chatterbait
- Swimbait
Senkos
These baits may not seem like much, but senkos are one of the more productive baits in bass fishing and excel in ponds. Senkos are a simple bait that looks like a thick plastic worm. The subtle natural action of a senko and the fall rate is what really triggers the bass into striking.
The two rigging techniques that I recommend are the texas rig and wacky rig. Each rig has its strengths and will give your senko a different action as it falls.
Texas Rig. A senko texas rigged can be a pond catching machine and is great for fishing structure and cover due to its weedless setup.
Here is a great tutorial on how to rig a texas rig senko
Wacky Rig . Rigging a senko wacky style causes the bait to fall sideways giving it a different action than other rigging techniques. This rig can be super effective around docks and in open water. However, it tends to get hung up in brush and cover. To rig a senko wacky style simply find the center of the senko and push your hook through the middle of the lure and leave the hook point exposed.
Like a lot of other baits, senkos come in a variety of colors. You should stick with colors that you are most confident in. For me that’s the green pumpkin with red or purple flake. The water clarity of the pond that you are fishing at plays a big factor in selecting the right color. In muddy or stained water dark colors such as black and blue should be your preferred choice. In ponds that are clear, more natural colors such as green pumkin will be more effective.
My preferred choice: Yamamoto Senko, 4” Green pumpkin
Frogs
The odds are that your local pond has some type of frog specie that calls your favorite fishing spot home. Froggin for bass can be one of the most thrilling ways to catch them and ponds are the perfect place to fish this technique. Frog are also great at imitating other species that bass pray on such as baitfish, small birds, mice among others.
The most common frog in bass fishing and perhaps the most effective is the soft hollow-bodied frog. This floating lure is made of a very soft plastic, that is designed to collapse, and expose the top faces hooks when a bass strikes it.
A huge advantage of the frog is its ability to be fished in the thickest of cover. Frogs are weed-less and will have no problem being fished over heavy vegetation such as lily pads and matted weeds.
Frogs come in a variety of sizes and colors and the best color selection is a debate amongst anglers. However black, white and natural colors such as green and browns are the most popular frog colors.
Although you can catch bass on frogs most of the year, the best time to fish a frog is in the summer and fall.
My personal preference: Booyah Pad Crusher and Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog
Jigs
Fishing a jig is one of my favorite ways to catch bass in ponds. Jigs tend to catch bigger fish and are a great way to pick apart every bass hiding spot. They are versatile lure that is fun to fish with. There are a variety of different types of jigs to choose from, here are a few options that work well in ponds.
Finesse Jig – The finesses jig is typically smaller and lighter than most jigs and it perfect more imitating small bait fish and crawfish. My got to finesse jig is the Strike King Betsy Bug paired with the Strike King Rage Chunk. These smaller finesse jigs work really well in ponds especially and bodies of water the see a lot of fishing pressure.
Football Jig – A football jig is a deep dragging specialist. The football head jig has stouter hook and bigger profile. If you are fishing a pond that has deeper water or that has bigger bass, a football head jig is a great option.
Flipping Jig – The flipping jig is designed to be pitched and flipped into cover. This is a great jig if you are fishing in a pond with a lot of structure.
Swim Jig – The swim jig can be a lethal pond bait. This jig excels when fished around structure such as grass, rocks and also works well in open water. When paired with the right trailer the swim jig can be lights out.
Best Jig and Trailer Combos
(1/8 oz “bitsy bug“) or any finesse jig and use a SK rage chunk
Spinnerbaits
A spinnerbait is one of the most versatile lures because it can be fished at any time of year and in virtually any place. Its versatility and effectiveness makes it a solid option for pond bass fishing.
A spinnerbait is a lure that features one, two or more spinner blades connected by a wire to a lead weight that typically has a skirt on it. There are a variety of blade options and sizes the most popular sizes range between ¼-ounce and ¾-ounce.
Spinnerbaits are considered a contact lure by anglers. Meaning that they work best when they are bumped against structure. They are a great bait for fishing the shallow banks in ponds or bumping against rocks, logs and other type of structure.
My top spinnerbaits: White and chartreuse 3/16 ounce
Buzzbaits
A buzzbait is another top water lure that excels in cover that catches big bass. Its an easy bait to use and covers a lot of water which makes it an excellent choice when pond hopping for big bass.
The buzzbait fits into the wire bait category and has a similar construction of a spinnerbait. Buzzbaits are typically made up of a frame that is bent into j-shape, with a blade rigged on the short side and a molded jig head with a skirt on the longer side.
These baits come in a variety of styles and colors. The most common buzzbait are the single prop (non-clacker and clackers), and the double prop. Each style of buzzbait creates its own unique sounds that will trigger the bass into biting. There is also a wide selection of colors. Every angler has their own preference. I prefer a black and red buzzbait or a white are chartreuse.
Because this bait sinks, in order to fish this lure on the surface you need to keep the bait in constant motion. This bait works great on the shallow banks in ponds and other high percentage areas. This bait can also cover a lot of water quickly making it a great search bait if you have multiple ponds to choose from.
You can’t go wrong fishing a buzzbait in a pond. These are big bass catchers and will work almost anywhere.
My personal preference: half ounce Booya Clacker Buzz Bait
Texas Rig Creature Baits
A Texas Rigged soft plastic worm or creature bait is a must have when pond fishing and is one of my favorite ways to catch bass. This rig is weedless making it easy to fish in structure, grass and heavy cover. It’s easy to rig and is a great way to catch bass.
If you are fishing in a pond that has a lot of structure than I would suggest pegging the weight of your Texas Rig. This will allow your bait to fall through grass and reeds more easily. When fishing in open water an un-pegged weight is preferred as this will allow your bait to fall more naturally.
Recommended Texas Rig Setup: Strike King Rage Tail Bug and ½ tungsten bullet weight
For additional information about the Texas Rig check out this article I wrote recently: The Texas Rig: Rigging, Baits, and Tips to Catch More Bass
Shaky Head
The shaky head paired with a soft plastic bait is a great finesse tactic for fishing in ponds. This technique really excels in the summer or when fish are a bit finicky, but can really be fished all year round.
A shaky head is just a lead jig head paired with a straight tailed worm. This bait may not seem like much but it can be an absolute fish catcher.
The shaky head is an all-around great bait for bass and can be a deadly technique for catching bass in ponds. Check out our detailed guide on fishing a Shaky Head
My preferred choices:
Zoome Trick Worm
Roboworm 6″ Fat Worm
Lipless Crankbait
Lipless crankbaits can be a fun and effective way to catch bass in ponds anywhere in the water column. If your pond has grass or vegetation ripping a lipless crank through the grass will almost guarantee you bite.
Lipless crankbaits are a flat sided lure that has a tight wobble when retrieved. As stated in the name lipless crankbaits don’t have a bill or lip in the front and unlike other crankbaits will sink. For this reason, it’s important that you fish it in the right areas so that you don’t get hung up.
Lipless crankbaits come in a variety of colors made to mimic nearly any bait. I would stick with natural colors in clear water and flashy colors in dirty or stained water. They also have rattles or knockers inside that gives the bait noise as it slides through the water.
The tight wobble and versatile of the lipless crankbait makes it a great go to lure for any pond angler.
My top choices: Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap ¼ ounce to ¾ ounce
Squarebill Crankbaits
A Squarebill crank bait is one of the most popular bass fishing lures of all time, and for good reason. They flat out catch fish and are a solid option for pond fishing.
The squarebill crankbait is known for its erratic action and is at its best as it bounces off structure. This lure is designed to be fished in shallow water at the bottom. As you work this bait make sure you lure is ticking the bottom and you see the most bites when you get a big deflection off structure.
Like many other lures Squarebill crank baits come in a variety of sizes, colors and sounds.
The size of the lure will typically dictate how deep the lure runs. For pond fishing you will want to sick with a lure that runs in the 1-5 range.
Just like all of the other lures on this list you will want to match you color choice with your ponds water clarity and what the forage is. In my experience I have had the most success with reds, whites and chartreuse colored squarebills.
For highly pressured ponds a silent squarebill will be more effective. If you fish in ponds that don’t get a lot of traffic throw a squarebill that has some rattles inside of it. A Squarebill crankbait will flat out catch bass in ponds. If you haven’t already give this lure a try, you will be glad you did.
My Top Choices:
Best Rattling Squarebill’s
River2Sea Biggie
Spro Little John
Best Silent Squarebill’s
Jackall Aska:
Lucky Craft 1.5 and 2.5:
Chatterbaits
Fishing with a chatterbait can be lights out and it is one of the best bass fishing lures of all time. Simply put, a chatterbait is a jig head combined with a blade out in front. In the water the blade will kick side to side producing vibration and movement making it tough to resist for any bass.
There are so many different ways you can fish a chatterbait. You can fish this lure on the bottom, hop it along, work it through grass, fish in open water. This lure gives you versatility and can be a big time pond producer.
There are two main styles of trailers that I would recommend using. A craw style trailer and a swimbait style trailer. The best colors are going to be dependent on the water clarity and what forage you are trying to imitate.
A chatterbait is a phenomenal bass fishing bait and is a great option for pond fishing. If you haven’t already give this bait a try, you won’t be disappointed.
My top choices:
Baits
Z-Man Project Z Chatterbait
Z-Man Chatterbait
Trailers
Yamamoto Cowboy
Strike King Rage Trailer
Yamamoto Zako Swimbait
Keitech 4.8 Fat Swing Impact
For more information about Chatterbaits and trailers check out this article: The Best Chatterbait Trailers That Catch More Fish
Swimbaits
Swimbaits are great finesse technique that can catch some monster bass. There is no other bait that imitates a small fish like a swim bait. This bait is a great way to catch bass in ponds.
There is a few different styles of swimbaits you can choose from. The most popular are hard body, soft body and paddle tails. They can also be rigged with an open hook like shown in the image above, or rigged weedless to better tackle heavy structure.
Honorable Mentions
There are plenty of lures and baits that work great for fishing in ponds. It’s all about having confidence in the baits your are throwing and about trying new things. Here are some other baits that can also work great in ponds:
- Ned Rig
- Popper
- Flukes
- Drop Shot Rig
- Carolina Rig
- Jitter Bug
- Whopper Plopper
What Do Bass Eat In Ponds?
Bass are known for eating just about anything, and are only limited by what foods are available and what they can fit into their mouth. So as you can imagine, they pretty much will eat anything that crosses their path in a pond. Below are some common things a bass in a pond might eat.
Here is some likely bass forage in ponds
- Bait fish
- Insects
- Crayfish
- Frogs
- Snacks
- Small birds
Other Bass Fishing Resources
- Bass Fishing in Muddy Water? Throw These Lures & Colors
- The 10 Best Bass Lures for Shore Fishing
- How Do You Catch Bass When They Aren’t Biting?
- The Gear Every New Bass Fisherman Needs
- How to Choose the Right Bass Fishing Colors
- 11 Bold Lures to Catch Giant Bass
Where Do You Find Bass In Ponds?
At first glance, ponds may appear to be coverless and featureless. But if you take a closer look, you’ll realize there can be quite a bit of structure that bass can relate to. These more subtle areas are often overlooked by many anglers causing them to miss out on some great fishing catching opportunities. Try targeting bass in the below areas.
Best areas to find bass in a ponds:
Edge of shoreline: This is a great spot to target, and there are plenty of reasons why a bass could be taking cover in the edge of the shoreline. They could be looking for some food that dropped from the bank or trying to beat the heat. But If you’re not careful you can easily spook a big bass as you walk by, so make sure to use a stealthy approach.
Inlets: Not all ponds will have an inlet. But if you are fishing a pond that does this is a great spot to target bass. The current will cool the water and attract insects and other fish species as well as bass.
Drop-offs: Bass tend to hold to drop-offs and ponds are no different. Even a small drop off in a pond could cause a bass to hold to a spot.
Vegetation: Any type of weeds, lily pads, cattails, milfoils, grass or any other type of vegetation are excellent hold spots for big bass. They provide oxygen, cover, food and are a very high percentage area that every angler should target in a pond.
Trees and brush: Bass love holding to some type of structure and trees and brush can be a favorite hiding spot for largemouth bass. They provide shade, ambush points and food can be easily found in these areas making it perfect spot for bass.
Rocks and logs: These are also great holding spots for bass.
Points: Not all ponds will have points. But if you pond does this can be a great spot to catch fish. This includes any type of point whether it be bank that points out or a grassy point.
Shade: In the summertime shade can play a major factor in dictating where bass will be located. When the sun is up bass will head for cover and find shade.
Final thoughts
Bass fishing in ponds can be a great way to catch some big bass. Understanding the right lures, techniques, tackle and areas to target are all key in have successfully day out on the water. These lures will help you catch fish out in those ponds. I hope you found this article to be insightful. Now go out there and go catch some bass.
Tight Lines!