Update: still haven’t caught a bass it’s been 3 months but getting closer. Yesterday I was fishing one side of the pond, on the way out saw about 15 Bass in a school after they were sitting all over I casted a few times with a wacky rig they showed no interest there near a bunch of sticks and a half pound or bigger what is the best lure for small bass or this situation to get there attention 

Try the kvd dreamshot on a dropshot rig. Use a small gamakatsu no. 1 dropshot hook, 3/16 oz clip on sinker. I catch small bass with this setup. A 4 inch roboworm is also good.

I've never had small bass ignore a wacky rig but, if they were popping baitfish on the top of the water, I'd probably throw a jerkbait at 'em.  Jerk it and wait, rinse and repeat.

smaller lures

25 minutes ago, gunsinger said:

I've never had small bass ignore a wacky rig but, if they were popping baitfish on the top of the water, I'd probably throw a jerkbait at 'em.  Jerk it and wait, rinse and repeat.

Don’t know that they looked at it I’m thinking maybe a rattle will help?

I've seen the situation you are talking about many times. It's my belief (and I can certainly be wrong) that if you see the bass then they also see you and they are just not going to hit anything. Yes, if you cast a lure out they may come look at it, chase it, nip it but seldom do they commit to taking it. I have seen bass as big as ten pounds up under docks and they see me but good luck getting them to bite anything. They just sit there moving their big eyeballs around. I usually see this situation on lakes that are just hammered to death~ wise bass.

This may be the 1st thread on trying to catch Juvenile small bass.

Rapala Original floating #09 to  #13 silver-black back minnow works for all sizes of pond bass.

Tom

Ive had luck with a 3" Gulp Minnow on a drop shot or under a bobber, Bobby Garland Baby shad on a small jig head swam or under a bobber, and cant forget my all time dink getter, the ned rig. 

Swim a ned rig/small swimbait by them

#2 to #3 Mepps Comet in Shad - I'm always catching little bass when panfishing with that.

Are you 100% certain they were bass you were seeing?

I've had bass eat a Senko while also looking at me in crystal clear water a half foot off the bank. 

 

Try a Ned Rig. There's a pond that I was convinced had no bass in it even though it was heavily pressured until one day I used a Ned Rig and caught 20+ while everyone else got skunked and have presumably stayed skunked because I've never seen anyone else catch a bass from there and I've never caught them on anything but a Ned.

3 hours ago, Bubba 460 said:

I've seen the situation you are talking about many times. It's my belief (and I can certainly be wrong) that if you see the bass then they also see you and they are just not going to hit anything. Yes, if you cast a lure out they may come look at it, chase it, nip it but seldom do they commit to taking it. I have seen bass as big as ten pounds up under docks and they see me but good luck getting them to bite anything. They just sit there moving their big eyeballs around. I usually see this situation on lakes that are just hammered to death~ wise bass.

I don’t know if this matters but they are pretty far out and you need polarized sunglasses to see them. Also would it help to stand further back

37 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Are you 100% certain they were bass you were seeing?

Yes positive black tail lateral line

I went from never landing a bass to landing 34 in one weekend. All caught on weightless Texas rig, 2/0 Gamakatsu with a Zoom Trick Worm.

 

They haven't been interested in worms lately, but they have taken an interest in poppers or Whopper Ploppers.

Weightless fluke, gets a reaction out of them even if they don't want to eat

10 hours ago, Fisher0517 said:

Update: still haven’t caught a bass it’s been 3 months but getting closer. Yesterday I was fishing one side of the pond, on the way out saw about 15 Bass in a school after they were sitting all over I casted a few times with a wacky rig they showed no interest there near a bunch of sticks and a half pound or bigger what is the best lure for small bass or this situation to get there attention 

try a 3"-3.5" curlytail grub or keitech with a light jighead(1/16 or 3/32) #1-1/0 hook depending on the size of the bait, they dont have to be special just a simple jighead.  You will catch fish more then just small bass.

I would not give up on the Senko style of fishing yet or that easily. 
 

Yamamoto, YUM a BPS all (I believe) have a 3” version. Pick up a few packs and rig them wacky style. I’m not trying to sell you anything or break the bank for you. Just get a few of the more popular colors and try that. 
 

Don’t underestimate the 3” size on larger fish that you are going to see. 

right now in MD, I could probably fill my bathtub and use a small popper and t-rigged weightless plastic and catch a couple of dinks. Every puddle seems to have them here.

I don’t know when you are fishing but start in the evening and fish til dark ( keep using senkos but try them weightless and t-rigged)

Swim shake a Ned rig right by them and get ready to swing.  Deadstick a finesse worm near them and get ready to swing.  Deadstick a Missile Baits Bomb Shot near them and get ready to reeling sweep set.

 

If they don't bite while you can see them, back off, come back later, and cast near their haunt. 

Go to the crappie section at Wal-Mart and get some jigs , any kind will do .

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

Go to the crappie section at Wal-Mart and get some jigs , any kind will do .

Yup, a pack of 1/16th ounce jig heads and some crappie plastics will always catch small bass if they are around in my experience.

Beetle Spins or Rooster Tails have never failed to catch smaller pond bass for me. 

Small hair jigs. 

I use a 1/8 oz. Pop-R when I just want to have fun. Dead stick or very light twitches. It's like fishing a fly rod bug without the hassle. Plus you can cast it farther.