The dog days of summer. Probably my least favorite season to fish for bass.
However, I spend most of my summer fishing trips at small ponds rather than taking the boat out on the lakes.
Throughout the entire summer, I don’t use many lures. I have found it is better to stick to what I know works rather than trying to experiment with other lures.
From my experience, these are the best bass lures for summer pond fishing.
Most summer ponds have a few things in common. The water temperature is very high, there are lots of weeds and grass, and the water is fairly shallow.
The lures you use need to be able to thrive in all three environments.
You will almost never catch me using a lure with treble hooks like a crankbait or jerkbait this time of year because the pond scum and matted weeds make these lures pretty much unusable.
The evening, as the sun is going down, is by far the best time to fish in a pond.
The hot summer sun forces bass to hold very closely to shade and structure, making the less willing to chase after lures or prey.
The lowering sun brings these bass out of hiding and towards your lures.
Summer ponds will have tons of grass, algae, and weeds. Like I said before, lures with treble hooks are essentially off the table.
They just pick up too many weeds and algae. Use lures that have a bit more slender profile and single hooks. Weeds are a double edged sword.
Bass do hold to these weeds and they can offer great fishing.
But, getting your lure caught in them ruins any cast and makes it hard to fish. Try to fish close to the weeds without getting your bait in them.
My favorite summer pond patterns are Bluegill and Baby Bass. Bluegill are most likely the primary forage of pond bass.
Bluegill also spawn in early summer, putting a target on their head.
The baby bass are going to be about 3-5 months old during the summer months which makes them a perfect snack size for hungry bass.
Also Read: Best Bluegill Swimbaits
I’m sure you knew this would be on the list. Frogs are the most weedless lure that there is.
No matter how much slop, lily pads, algae, grass, or other obstructions that might be in the water, a frog will not get hung up or pick up any weeds.
And color options for frogs are a it broader than you may realize, allowing you to mimic much more than just frogs.
Also, real frogs are very active in the hot summer, often jumping into the water to cool off or swim to a new location.
You really can’t go wrong throwing a frog, and it is my favorite topwater lure for summer bass fishing.
One of the best pond bass lures from spring to fall, but the swim jig really shines in the summer. The swim jig is extremely versatile.
They can be retrieved with a steady reel, hopped through the water column, flipped into brush or up against pylons or into spaced rocks.
Swim jigs are the only jig I will ever use when fishing ponds.
I prefer to use trailers with a bit more vibration when fishing ponds because ponds are usually have stained or even murky water.
You will have success with all types of spinnerbaits, but a single Colorado blade setup is my favorite for summer ponds.
This setup allows the bait to be fished slowly through lots of water columns.
I have the best results with a gold blade in the darker pond water.
I usually don’t put a trailer on by spinnerbaits, but if I do it is a small fluke style bait.
These trailer baits don’t give off any vibration or action, they just present a more realistic fish tail to the bait.
If the bottom of your pond is filled with algae silt or slimy, matted weeds, then a Texas rig will not be a great choice.
Even though it is weedless, this slimy, sticky vegetation will get stuck on the bullet weight or the 90° bend in the hook and blanket over the bait.
But, if you have a clean or real grass bottom, the Texas rig is one of the best baits to use.
The hot summer months force a lot of bass to stay on the bottom to avoid the sun’s rays and keep cool.
The Texas rig is my favorite way to catch bottom dwelling bass. Creature baits seem to work the best in the summer.
There are two ways I fish a Senko style worm (I actually prefer and recommend the Yum Dinger) in the summer.
Weedless rigged and wacky rigged. If the pond is very weedy then I will Texas style hook the worm.
I am still fishing it weightless so that it sinks slow and stays out of bottom debris.
If the pond has a bit more open or deep water then I will wacky rig the worm. The wacky rig is a more enticing and noticeable way to fish the bait.
The main time that I fish a buzzbait is when it is raining. The rain can be a great opportunity to catch summer time bass.
The rain cools off the water quite a bit, which gives bass lots of energy and aggression.
And the annoying and obnoxious sound of a buzzbait splashing on the surface drives these bass crazy.
I will occasionally fish a buzzbait at night as the sun is on the horizon because visibility is low, but is mostly when I am bass fishing in the rain.
Bluegill swimbaits aren’t typcially as weedless by nature, but are incredible for catching huge bass.
Summer bass primarily feed on bluegill. A big, bluegill swimbait is a hyper realistic presentation that gives bass zero reason to avoid eating it.
Summer pond bass fishing with bluegill swimbaits is a thrilling way to catch massive bass that are cruising the shallows in search of a meal.
In lakes and ponds, bluegill are the primary bass forage. Especially during the summer when these bluegill are up shallow feeding and spawning. Bluegill and sunfish colors are easily the best summer options.
Smaller bodies of water tend to get very muddy and dark, especially with all the rain that falls in the summertime. Black is the most visible color in muddy water because of the dark, silhouette that it crates in the water.
Chartreuse is ideal for stained to muddy water. For whatever reason, during the summer months, bass really seem to love lures with a bit of chartreuse in them.
Q1: Why is summer considered a challenging season for bass fishing in ponds?
A: Summer is challenging due to high water temperatures, abundant weeds, and shallow waters in ponds, making bass less aggressive and more challenging to catch.
Q2: Why avoid lures with treble hooks during summer pond fishing?
A: Treble hook lures, like crankbaits or jerkbaits, easily get entangled in pond scum and weeds, making them impractical for use in such environments.
Q3: When is the best time to fish in a pond during the summer?
A: Fishing in the evening, as the sun sets, is optimal. The decreasing sunlight prompts bass to leave their hiding spots and become more active, making them more responsive to lures.
Q4: How can one fish near weeds without getting lures caught in them?
A: Use lures with a slender profile and single hooks to reduce snagging. Fish close to weeds without allowing the bait to get entangled in them for more successful casts.
Q5: What are the recommended summer pond lure patterns?
A: Bluegill and Baby Bass patterns are highly effective. Bluegill are a primary forage, and Baby Bass mimic the size of young bass, providing a perfect snack for hungry bass.
Q6: Why is the Hollow Body Frog recommended for summer pond fishing?
A: Frogs are the most weedless lures, suitable for navigating through slop, lily pads, and algae. They imitate the active behavior of real frogs during the hot summer.
Q7: What makes Swim Jig a versatile choice for pond fishing?
A: Swim Jigs are versatile, allowing various retrieval techniques. They can be steadily reeled, hopped through the water column, or flipped into different structures, making them suitable for pond fishing.
Q8: Why is the Colorado Blade Spinnerbait preferred for summer ponds?
A: A single Colorado blade setup works well in the darker pond water, allowing slow fishing through various water columns. It’s recommended to use a gold blade for better results.
Q9: How can one adapt to the challenges of hot summer months for successful pond fishing?
A: Utilize the right lures and rigging techniques, such as choosing weedless options and adapting to the bass’s behavior in response to the high temperatures and vegetation in summer ponds.
The hot summer months can be difficult to fish. Ponds are riddled with vegetation and bass are afraid of the burning sun.
But, with the right lures and rigging techniques, you can have tons of success fishing summer ponds.
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