What is the best live bait for bass in a pond? I don't bass fish much I'm used to saltwater fishing.

If it's a community fishing lake/pond you can't ALWAYS bring live bait... if it's a private pond and you can do as you please, fathead minnows and small sunfish work well enough, or live crawfish if you can get smaller 2-4" ones. Nightcrawlers work well also if you can keep the smaller fish in the lake from stealing them off your hook.

Not really worth the hassle if you ask me, as generally there aren't bait shops close to small ponds and lakes either, and artificial baits are simple and fun to fish.

Are you just looking to catch some largemouth bass for fun or are you after keepers or what?

edit: corrected issue with prior statement that seems to have offended people greatly

Just go buy shiners at the nearest bait shop. Large size would be right. Bobber, split shot and hook and you're in business.

The best live bait for a pond is the food source swimming around in it. Catch yourself some small bluegill from the pond and use them for your bait. It's cheap and easy! Pond fishing is easy with artificial baits though. Throw a weightless senko, t-rigged 7" power worm and a top water.

just catch and release for fun.

What are you talking about? You can use live bait in public ponds.



This is right on. Shiners - bobber 2-4' above a split shot and hook. Imo the best live bait rig for bass in ponds.

I like little crawdads. About 3" or so

a lot of them are marked no minnows, etc.

Just saying... and again, inconvenient to find bait shops close to most bank spots at big lakes, never mind small ponds and community lakes, like I said.

Why not just get some small jerk baits and learn to bass fish soft plastics in the first place?

Why not answer his question or say nothing at all? The OP didn't ask for a lesson on catching bass with artificial lures.

Because he doesn't want to fish artificials. . .whats wrong with him fishing with minnows?

Also, I fish 10 or 15 ponds in Lewisville, none say anything about live bait, and there are 4 places that I know of to buy bait within 10 minutes of them all.

I don't think there is a best. Here are a couple though. Shinners, worms , crawfish , frogs, grubs , grasshoppers, crickets , locust , tadpoles , dragonflies ,hellgramites , perch , shad , Take your choice. They will eat just about anything they can get their mouth around.

Should I put a bobber on my line, free line it or put some wheight on the line?

Tie a hook on. Put a small split shot about 6 inches above the hook. Then clip the bobber to your line and fish with it a foot or two above the hook. Adjust your bobber according to water depth. The split shot is to keep your minnow from swimming up to the surface. Add more weight if needed.

where should I hook him?