Tim has spent more than 30 years fishing ponds for bass! He grew up in the country, fishing every pond he could find. Over the years he’s developed a handful of confidence baits that he relies on to consistently catch fish. He also has a method of covering water to quickly determine if a pond is worth continuing to fish.
The 3 factors Tim takes into consideration when approaching a new pond are… water clarity, types and quantity of vegetation (grass), and what kind of dam the pond has. With these 3 questions answered he can quickly assess what type of pond this is and exactly how fish should be positioning. As a general rule of thumb, you should start your search near the dam, along the edges of the deepest water.
When approaching a new pond Tim uses a “top down” approach. He begins with topwater, then switches to reaction baits, then bottom contact, then finally to a weightless presentation. This stepped method allows him to quickly identify the overall mood of the pond, the quality and quantity of fish in the pond, and whether or not this is somewhere he should continue to fish in the future.
Below you’ll find links to the exact baits and presentations he recommends using for this method. We’ve included links to the exact baits, including colors, sizes, and best rigging components. We’ve also included some great budget rod and reel combos for pond fishing. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.
Topwater…
-Whopper Plopper (75 or 90):
Colors: Bluegill, Munky Butt, Loon
-Spro Bronzeye Poppin Frog 60:
Colors: Sunfish, Killer Gill, Leopard
-Zoom Horny Toad:
Colors: White, Bullfrog, Green Pumpkin Pearl
Swimbait…
Bait- Keitech 4.3″-4.8″ Fat Swing Impact:
Colors: SunGill, Copperfield
Hook- Owner Flashy Swimmer 5/0:
Style: Gold Colorado Blade
Soft jerkbait…
Bait- Zoom Super Fluke:
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Baby Bass
Hook- Gamakatsu EWG 4/0:
Creature Bait…
Bait- Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig:
Colors: Flora Bama, Magic Craw Red
Weight- Swagger Tungsten Vader 1/8 oz:
Hook- Owner Offset Shank 2/0:
Senko…
Bait- Yamamoto 5″ Senko:
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Electric Shad, Baby Bass
Hook- Owner Twist Lock 2/0:
Glide Bait…
S-Waver 168 (Bluegill):
Budget-Friendly Combo (Frog/Flashy Swimmer/Glide)…
Rod- Shimano SLX 7’2″ Heavy:
Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT:
Line- Power Pro 50 lb Braid:
Budget-Friendly Combo (Soft Jerkbait/Creature/Senko)…
Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7’1″ Medium Heavy:
Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT:
Line- Sunline 15 lb Fluorocarbon:
Budget Topwater Combo…
Rod- Shimano SLX 7’2″ Medium:
Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT:
Line- Power Pro 30 lb Braid:
Want TacticalBassin Gear?
We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here…
TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs:
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Major Equipment We Use Daily…
Trolling Motor- Minn Kota Ultrex 112:
Electronics- Humminbird Solix 15:
Anchors- Minn Kota Talons:
Net- Frabill Conservation PLD 2612:
Camera- GoPro Hero 9:
Favorite Tools and Gear…
Favorite Storage Box:
Favorite sunglasses:
Favorite Pliers:
Favorite life jacket:
Favorite Scale:
Favorite Lure Retriever:
Favorite Braid Cutters:
Favorite Split Ring Pliers:
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If you plan to do any shopping, using our links before doing your shopping at Tackle Warehouse is the single greatest way to support us! You won’t be able to even see a difference but they’ll know you’re one of us!
#pondfishing #bassfishing #senko
