I recently started fishing and have been going to local ponds and lakes with bank access. Right now I show up and cast whatever I feel like and if I don't catch something soon I change it up. I feel like I'm just changing lures up too much because I'm not catching anything. So is there anything wrong with always sticking to one lure/bait? Lets just say I choose to use worms, anywhere I go just use worms? Or spinners, jigs etc etc? I this ok? Is this the way I can learn to fish each bait by sticking to one instead of changing them every 10 minutes?? Any help is appreciated guys, thanks in advance?

Yes it can help to learn each bait. I learned to fish a jig by taking everything else out of the boat. Ponds can be tough to figure out but once you do they're a lot of fun. Find a confidence bait and start there once you know how/where to catch them, you can experiment with other types.

In the ponds you will quickly find the 5 baits that get the job done the best. Then anything else you try is just for fun to see if you can get them to bite. The key here is not going to the same pond very often. Sometimes once a week is too much to get them acclimated to your best 5 baits.
Here are the ones that I like:
- Small Chatter Bait 1/8 to 1/4 oz., with a single small paddle tail trailer. Keep about 3 contrasting colors to try.
- 3.5 inch shad type plastic with the swim tail in several colors, rigged on a 1/8 oz. head with a bit eye.
- H & H spinner to clip on this same shad head above with silver & gold blade to switch up and give it some flash when needed.
- Few 2" crank baits in different colors.
- Most like senkos but I like the finesse worm or Lake Fork Fry with a pinch weight and swivel above the bait. Stock up on about 5 of the earth colors.

From the bank in this heat, you will increase your odds by fishing somewhere between 10pm and 10am. If there isn't much vegetation or cover near the bank, once the sun gets up in the sky, most of the fish will go deeper to cooler, more oxygenated water.

10pm to 7am throw a loud buzzbait, chatterbaits, and colorado bladed spinnerbaits.

7am to 10am try weightless flukes and senkos.

If there is vegetation near the bank (lily pads or other grasses/weeds), find the thickest patch of isolated cover, and pitch a 1/2oz pegged Trigged worm into it.


During the heat of the day from the bank, I'd throw a 1/2 oz c rig worm as far as you can toward the deepest water and slowly drag it back to you.

Gaining confidence in all types of lures is important. As a new angler your focus is on developing your instincts that will tell you what baits should be productive in certain situations and under various conditions. No one can really tell you to stay with this or that without actually being on the scene. Keep on chunkin. It's a lot of time on the water or on the bank and lots of trial and error. Pay attention to everything that's going on and make mental notes when something good happens and also when nothing is going your way. It's like working on a different jigsaw puzzle every day.

Try a Senko weightless.

I would take 2 or 3 poles each with a different lure and stick with them. Changing every 10 minutes, you will never know if it is your presentation or the lure. When I learn a new technique, I try to just stick with it until I learn it, leaving the other lures alone. It can get frustrating at first.

Thanks for the replies. I think I will start with worms and just have a variety of styles and colors. I have other lures, but I can go to those if worms aren't working at given location. You guys are right , more time on the water is needed.

Snake proof boots

A weightless fluke fished extremely slow is always a good choice in the summer on ponds. Lots of times that will hit while you let it sink on the initial cast. I would use that until I got some confidence and then try some other types of baits.

Another technique that I saw work in a pond produce two 5's back to back:
- Large Robber rigged line with wide gap hook with no weight.
- Fished 3 to 4 ft. deep so it will touch down before it gets to the grass line.
- Use a 3.5 to 4.5 small diameter swim tail bait with no weight.
- Cast it out so the wind will drag the rig down the bank.
- Bass love the subtle action with it touching down and the waves on the water moving it along.
- The key here is to work the wind blown banks so it is traveling parallel with the shore.
- Any direction will work just more casting involved without proper wind direction.
- This person was actually near the dam, casting out and letting the wind blow it back toward the dam.
- We are talking about 15 fish to my ONE.

Cant go wrong with worms.