What size/weight lures are you using in small ponds? I like to fish with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, jigs. Are you guys downsizing these lures from your usual lake/river sizes? 

I tend to down size on ponds but it depends on the pond and the cover there

Depends.  But normally throw the same things and downsize a lot.  In smaller bodies of water your first couple casts are the most important and it is even more important that you make your casts a good 20 yards from the shoreline when possible.  

I don't downsize.  In fact, ponds are where I throw some of my largest baits.

I pretty much use the same lures . I dont want to lose expensive lures due to snags so weedless soft plastics and buzzbaits get a lot of playing time .

41 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I don't downsize.  In fact, ponds are where I throw some of my largest baits.

I am thinking of ponds that I can stand at any location and cast over the other bank.  I have a few.ponds I take my kids to that the biggest fish isnt even a pound.  I dont think I am throwing my 6 oz swimbaits there...

 

It all depends on the size and depth of the pond...

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

To echo others, it depends.  E.g., we have a family farm with a pond that gets very little pressure and has some big ones in it.  I definitely don't downsize there.

 

In comparison, my subdivision's 3 acre HOA pond--the water is generally very clear, and it is highly overpressured.  I tend to fish it more like a trout stream.  Smaller lures, more finesse presentations, weightless whenever possible, etc.

19 minutes ago, J Francho said:

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

I miss those days - I need to move out of these overpressured waters and back to the sticks.  

 

The idea of 6 pound bass is long since gone...I have an orgasm over 2 pound bass.  

25 minutes ago, J Francho said:

And I'm thinking about fish I've caught that are over six, not dinks.  There's a couple I can cast bank to bank.  Most are about twice that.  I rarely cast out to the center anyway.  I've caught so many over six from some small waters, that I have to disagree it's ALL about depth.  There's other factors at play.  A pond that typically produces runts has some mitigating circumstances as well.

I agree. I fish a small farm pond probably just a little bigger than 1 acre, and I've caught several bass between 5 and 8 pounds over the years. Also have a buddy that works grounds at a golf course and plenty of pigs have been caught out of the small ponds on it.

I generally throw the same size baits...not downsizing much..but I don't throw huge baits much anyway

Typical baits for me on my smaller ponds are: 

5/16ths green pumpkin sniper jig

3/8ths bladed jig in bluegill or black and blue

3/8ths war eagle buzzbait black

5 inch senko style bait 

1/4oz swim jig bluegill color with a zoom ultravibe craw

1/2 oz black booyah pad crashed frog

These are listed in order from ice out through summer on when I throw them and is it cools I basically go backwards through the list again

Also I agree with some of the above posts about small ponds having some studs in them. I have a pond that I frequent that I can fish around the entire thing in a few hours and can cast across on one end. Two years ago in the fall I caught a 25lb bag one day on a buzzbait. The fall before I caught a jig fish there that I estimate at 8lbs. Every summer I catch a few on a frog in that 5 to 6 range.

I often fish a pond that's less than 10 acres.  I don't downsize as I have caught dozens of fish over 18" there on a variety of "normal" sized bass baits.

4 hours ago, Eric~ said:

What size/weight lures are you using in small ponds? I like to fish with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, jigs. Are you guys downsizing these lures from your usual lake/river sizes? 

I think you should specify what you mean by small pond...I think small pond is something a half acre or less.

20 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I think you should specify what you mean by small pond...I think small pond is something a half acre or less.

When I say small pond I’m talking a 1 acre or less pond. 
 

In my experience throwing the larger  (3/8oz and up) spinnerbaits, chatterbaits etc will spook the small fish but will only draw the big bites!

One technique I have used for years is to cast onto the other shore if you can and then bring it into the water.  This is a dynamite technique with spinnerbaits...

A small farm pond that receives no pressure will out fish a 10,000 acre lake that receives Mardi gras like crowds......I've found.

 

I don't have farm pond tackle and lake tackle, throw same baits. 

For about 5 weeks I've been fishing a series of 11 ponds of various sizes.

 

What's hot for me right now is a Texas Rigged Zoom Speed Craw, motoroil, 1/8 oz.

My top 5 pond lures:
- 6” lizard (green pumpkin)

- 1/4 oz double willow (white)

- 5” stick bait (green pumpkin)

- fluke (White)

- Zara puppy (White)

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

Last couple of weeks I have been exploring new ponds and bank fishing, and i try to keep my gear simple so they fit in my pockets, this way I can move easier. Granted I jam my pockets full, and i bring baits mostly standard size, but also include smaller baits as well as I often do better downsizing, or if big fish, a 7" senko or 10" ribbon tail will do the trick.

 

I mainly fish the same soft baits as I do in lakes

 

Zoom Flukes, I like having standard and jr. size

5" & 7" Stick worms

Zoom Trick worm & smaller finesse worm

Culprit ribbon tails, speed worm, and pack or 2 of paddle tails, pack of horny toads.

Rage Tail menace & craw.

For lures, I bring a few rattle traps, rapala's, bitsy bug jigs, swim jig, chatterbaits and the micro chatterbait.

 

I always carry some ultralight lures, little strike king crankbait, 1.0, little countdown rapala, rebel popr, and tiny torpedo. lastly, both sizes of the booyah pad crushers, and small grubs/crappie tubes..and always a small spinnerbait.

 

Tilapia colors, and some chartruese colored baits, and then the standard colors.

Booyah pond Magic’s, rage craws rage menace, and a square bill might wanna start with these.

There's a small pond near my house that I fish a lot (sounds like the one you are describing where you could cast to the other side in some locations).  For softbaits I use a 4" senko, weightless whacky or t-rigged, and for spinner I use a Booyah micro pond magic, I prefer the micro to the regular pond magic because the micro has a single colorado blade with great action.  Both have worked really well for me there.  I tried using some crankbaits but in this pond they just snag on everything and I ended up spending most of my fishing time pulling lillies and weeds out of the treble hooks. 

Flukes and weightless trick worms. If they don’t bite these then fish elsewhere....

Weightless Trick Worm

Weightless Senko Texas Rigged and Wacky Rigged

Chatterbait with no trailer

Pop R

Devil's Horse

 

Normally, I fish all the same baits in a pond. I put more emphasis on topwaters because fish will be closer to the surface on average. I still catch dinks on bigger bass baits. 

 

However, I have a pond I've been fishing lately where I can't seem to buy bites on the regular bass baits. Zero on spinnerbait, jerkbait, frog, stick worm or any topwaters so far. But it was a little early in the season for topwaters. There are good bluegill there so I broke out the ultralight and tiny Rooster Tail and started catching bass too. Even some decent bass. I know there's at least one big mama in there because I saw her on a bed. I couldn't get her to bite, but I did catch a decent male off it. I caught a few on the Trick Worm. But mostly, I have yet to figure this place out. I want to fish until dusk there sometime and see if they'll bite better at low light. Also, I have a Pond Magic spinnerbait I'll give a go there.