fishing approach for ponds with no visible cover?

Just curious on how you guys would fish a pond for bass with barely any visible structure or cover to target?

Normally I try a top water early, shallow and then normally work my way to a swim bait or a rattle trap and somewhat blind cast. In doing this I normally catch any where from 1 to 4 bass but all usually under or around a pound.

At times ill throw a weightless senko or something but never any luck with it. Often I feel like I am wasting time casting a slow working lure like a worm or senko when there's nothing to target, just open water.

what do ya'll suggest?

take the hooks off of a 6XD and cast it around. You will start to find differences in the bottom. Cast it on heavy enough line to pull it through grass/moss. I do this all the time when I want to know depths and such.

well.. in that case, might as well tie up a carolina-rig with the weight only. You will feel way more.

Get yourself some minnows or shrimp or a can of worms even. Fish with a bobber and a hook. If you find 1 or more then fish that area with spinner bait. If your willing to do the time to scout the areas you can find some nests then cast there every time you go back. If they don't bite on a spinner bait fish a buzz bait. If still nothing do some Rooster Tail casting. If all else fails work a crawfish on a texas rig.

I personally tie on a jig or carolina rig and drag the bottoms see what i find then lately a swimming fluke texas rigged has done well in the same situations...

Yes you will "feel" way more" for sure...but you wont have any idea on depth. That's what I was referring to. For that matter...tie on a 3/4oz tungsten weight and drag it...tungsten gives you way more feel than any rig or jig...

I think if you combine these two methods you would have a winner...

Agree with the carolina rig. Drag the hell outta that thing. Start quickly until you find a difference in the bottom, then slow down and work that area. Seems like you have the rest figured out with covering water. Good luck

An element that is being overlooked is the health of the pond. I didn't read anything about the size of the place. If it's a small pond and it doesn't get very deep, I wouldn't expect the bass to get very big.
The other factor is that there might be an unhealthy population of bass in it. It could have too many bass and not enough food, or not very many bass with scarce food supply. Both of these will stunt a bass growth.
I have several ponds near my house that get about 10 feet deep in some area's but because no culling has been done, 95% of the bass are at or under 1 pound. Too many bass in the one pond.
Just something to consider.

I would recommend trying to for baitfish to see what the bass are trying to eat. Fish for sunfish and see how many you catch in a 5 minute period. If it's only 1-2, the pond might not have enough food supply for the bass. Where ever you catch them, the bass will be close by though.

Also, this weather has made fishing nuts anyway. I haven't been producing the numbers I normally do.