I used to have a lot of luck with crankbaits before I really knew what I was doing, now that I fish more often and know more about baits, i never have luck with cranking. what is the best way to fish these baits in a small pond? Type of rod? type of line? water clarity? depth? etc... 

I used to have a lot of luck with crankbaits before I really knew what I was doing, now that I fish more often and know more about baits, i never have luck with cranking. what is the best way to fish these baits in a small pond? Type of rod? type of line? water clarity? depth? etc... 

I like a bomber Square A in chartruse brown for clear to lightly stained water. Something like a fire tiger color for dirty. Medium Moderate rod with 20 pound braid. 4 feet is the average depth for this bait. I like to bang it off anything I can find or have it bounce off the bottom.

I like smaller cranks or traps in ponds. I used to catch tons of bass in ponds on a craw colored 4F Fat A, including a 6.5 pound bass that was my PB for many years. Seems that craw colors and bluegill colors are usually best. I usually fish them on a spinning rod because I'm normally using smaller baits, something like a 6' 6" or 7' M/F with 8 or 10 pound mono or copoly is what I normally use. 

All i fish are ponds and i been having fun with shallow square bills.  I cast it all over the place and I bring it as close as possible to any large objects in the water.  Im a little gun shy in the "banging" because i got 5 of my 6 squarebills snagged in 1 day, but thats how it goes.

You didn't say what the size is of ponds you call small. That said, I use the same cranks in ponds as elsewhere. No downsizing for me because most of my biggest bass have come from ponds 30 acres or smaller.

Ive been having a lot of luck throwing a KVD 2.5 squarebill around flooded area. Casting around the edges of flooded bushes and logs and such. Throwing it on 12lb test floro.

Man I never seem to have ANY luck with crank baits.

Few times I used em nothing but dinks. I am more of a soft plastics and jig fishermen

Man I never seem to have ANY luck with crank baits.

Few times I used em nothing but dinks. I am more of a soft plastics and jig fishermen

 

I've been on fishing forums for 13 years and have seen many posts similar to yours. You can have success on crankbaits if you want to.

 

For my money, crankbaits are as good fish attractors as anything. A good friend was just like you. He saw me catch fish on cranks so he decided to dip his toe in the water and bought a Baby 1-Minus. He caught fish on that, then tried another crankbait. Long story short, today crankbaits are either his most-used lure or second most.

I throw crankbaits in ponds from february to april, usually an orange belly craw KVD 1.0 on 10lb fluoro and spinning gear. I would throw it more but there are too many weeds now.