As you probably know already, the fall season is one of the best times to catch bass. Autumn bass are very aggressive and are eating a lot of food.
They eat so much because they have to bulk up for the long winter when food becomes scarce and they can’t eat as much.
Because of how fast small ponds heat up and cool down, transition periods such as the spring and the fall are very short.
This means is is paramount that you capitalize on the short fall season by using the right lures.
Bass will eat just about anything in the fall season, but the best fall lures take advantage of this aggression.
Spinnerbaits are my all time favorite lure to throw, especially when fall pond fishing. Spinner baits have a lot of advantages for fall time bass such as:
All of these attributes trigger bites from aggressive fall bass that are both around cover and cruising open water to find a meal.
Crankbaits are probably the most popular bass lure there is. All the different bill sizes allow crankbaits to be fished at all depths giving you some versatility. Now, ponds are usually shallow, so I recommend a squarebill crankbait that will only dive down to 4-6 feet.
Chatterbaits are kind of like a mix of a spinnerbait and a crankbait. They have the visual profile of the spinnerbait with the vibration of a crankbait. Chatterbaits are a bit less weedless than a spinnerbait, but can be fished around more grass than a crankbait.
Everyone loves a top water bite. The loud and annoying buzzbait drives fall bass crazy. The main problem that top water baits usually face is that they can’t be fished effectively in deep, open water.
But in ponds, the whole lake is shallow. This paired with aggressive fall bass, makes a buzzbait a great option for fall pond bass fishing.
You always need a top water option when it comes to fall bass fishing, and buzzbaits are the ideal top water lure for ponds.
As you can imagine, the lipless crankbait is very similar to the crankbait. The main differences are that lipless crankbaits have a much tighter and faster action. I recommend using lipless crankbaits in late fall when bass are a bit deeper and lower in the water column.
You can either straight reel this lure, or Yo Yo fish it. Yo Yo fishing a lipless crankbait is usually used in deeper water, but can be implemented in small lakes and ponds as well.
Glide baits are fished a bit slower and don’t covers as much water as the other baits on this list. But they make up for it by being very realistic and a BIG profile.
Big bass tend to hunt larger, slower moving prey. These lunkers don’t want to waste lots of time and energy chasing after small little things that won’t satisfy them.
Glide baits match this perfectly. They are big, very realistic, and move a bit slower so that these big bass don’t have to chase after them.
The fall season is my favorite time to catch big bass in ponds. Big bass come into shallower water and raise up higher in the water column searching for a big meal. Glide baits won’t catch you a lot bass, but the bass you catch will be big. Big bluegill swimbaits are also great fall options that are very similar to glide baits.
This section is strictly about my own opinions. Everyone has lures that they favor for whatever reasons, and these are mine.
I truly believe that I have caught more bass on a spinnerbait than any other lure. I have so much confidence in this bait.
Something about the way the skirt flows in the water just below the spinning, flashing blades looks so good in the water to me. I will always keep spinnerbaits on me, and they are my #1 option for fall pond fishing.
I love glide baits for two main reasons. They care very realistic and they catch very big bass. Glide baits require heavy tackle to fish them, but it is worth it for the bass that you catch on them.
For some reason, I just love the look of a lipless crankbait. The compact, sleek look just makes me want to fish one. And bass absolutely slam lipless crankbaits like they are trying to rip the rod out of your hand.
As temperatures shift and bass become more active, adapting strategies to mimic changing baitfish patterns can yield rewarding results. As a pond angler myself, I do most of my fishing from shore, and these 6 lures slay fall pond bass even from the bank.
Successful fall pond fishing hinges on understanding bass tendencies, wielding the appropriate lures, and practicing responsible fishing for the sake of both the sport and the environment.
So, equip yourself with the best lures, hit the ponds, and relish the thrill of fall bass fishing.
