No matter your level, whether a seasoned or beginner fisherman, if you want to fish for bass in a pond, you’ll be interested in the best time to do this.
Pond fishing can be a great experience – but it can be made even greater if you get there at the right time to find your bass! So, when is the best time to fish for bass in a pond?
The quick answer is:
The best time to fish for bass in a pond is fall or spring, especially after there has been a lot of rain.
In this article, we’ll answer this question in more depth and we’ll discuss both the best time of day to fish for bass in a pond as well as the best time of year.
Table of Contents
All about Fishing for Bass in Ponds
Before we get started going into detail for the best time to fish for bass in a pond, there are a few things we need to understand about ponds and fishing in them.
More experienced fishermen will already know that fishing in ponds and small lakes is a different experience from river fishing or larger lakes.
Unlike lakes, rivers and other large bodies of water that typically maintain a steady temperature, pond water changes temperature quite quickly.
And knowing this will mean you’re better equipped to know the best time to fish for bass in a pond.
Best Time of Year to Fish for Bass in a Pond – and Reasons Why
As previously mentioned, the best time of year to fish for bass in a pond is fall or spring.
Let’s take a look in more detail at why these seasons are the best.
Fall – Plentiful in Calm Waters
When temperatures begin to fall to around 60° F, it’s much easier to fish for bass.
This is due to the fact that the fish need to start their feeding regimen to prepare for winter.
This is the time of year you’ll often find bass in shallow water because all the baitfish that they often feed on move to shallower water.
As well as this movement, this season is when water often turns over in ponds.
With cool rains and cooler days, the surface temperature is reduced quickly and ends up being colder than the water below.
Water turnover can make the bass more inactive, but it doesn’t affect all areas at the same time.
In Summary: Fall is a great time of year to fish for bass and afternoon is the best time of day during fall as the sun warms the water a little by then.
Spring – a Great Time to Fish Bass
When the temperature of water rises above 50° F, you’ll notice a lot of fishermen heading to ponds again. This is because bass start venturing to shallower areas to spawn.
Before spawning occurs, weather has a great impact on fishing.
Pond water will range from 50° F to around 64° F at this time, and prior to spawning, cooler temperatures will reduce the numbers of baiting fish around as they await warmer conditions deeper down.
Don’t forget – some states will put restrictions on fishing during spawning season to protect egg-carrying females.
Summer – Should You Give Pond Fishing for Bass a Miss?
When summertime arrives, fish become scarce. This tends to occur when temperatures are above 79° F.
Really hot summers are slow in terms of successful pond fishing as many bass hide away in deeper waters or spread out.
That said, many seasoned fishermen love the big bass you can catch during this season. It seems that the heat brings in the best catches.
If you know there are big bass in the pond, find top-water lures to catch them – you might even find a 15-inch bass this way.
Another way of catching big bass in summer is to head to a muddy pond. In muddy waters, the water density is higher, which means that the pond’s shallow areas warm up faster.
Winter – Harsh all Round
As you might expect, the winter months are tricky times when it comes to fishing for bass in a pond.
With water temperatures dipping to 44° F, most people don’t go fishing at all.
While things might look beautiful with snow and frost around, it’s not very pleasant to sit in for hours on end.
When temperatures are decreasing, it becomes much more difficult to catch fish. You might get lucky, but it won’t happen often.
And since bass are cold-blooded, they become sluggish at lower temperatures. Typically, bass will stick to deep water.
If you want to know how to catch pond bass in winter, you’ll need to approach things differently.
Choose your lure type carefully (bottom feeders, spoons, blade baits, and jigs), slow down, size down, pick a neutral bait color, use a fish finder, and time it right (early or late).
Best Time of Day to Catch Bass in a Pond
Now, we’ve got seasons out of the way, we’ll look at what time of day to fish for bass.
Early in the Morning and Late in the Afternoon
If you’re wondering what time of day bass are most active, we have an answer.
It’s very common for fishermen to be up early to get out fishing – and for good reason.
Early in the morning, baitfish are more active, which means that bass are too!
It’s a good idea to use a minnow bait or a shiner, but topwater plugs and poppers work well too.
Bass come out again in the late afternoon to benefit from the lower light level, which means it’s another ideal time to benefit from topwater lures.
Night Bass Fishing
If you’re wondering if the best time to fish for bass in a pond could be at night time, you’d also be right.
Bass can go into a food frenzy during the night, so why not try out a little night fishing?
With fewer people around, there’ll be less commotion too. Nights in summer are good as the water cools and the light level is low.
This encourages the bass to come out to feed – and to bite your bait too.
Other Good Times to Catch a Bass in a Pond
Another best time to fish for bass in a pond is right after a storm.
Some people swear by this! When rainfall is abundant, the water can rise by 12 inches.
When this happens, the pond shallows refill and fill with nutrients that the bait fish love!
And where there are bait fish, there are bass! The stormwater also muddies the water, which is better for fishermen, too.
Conclusion – Best Time to Fish for Bass in a Pond
There you have it, the best time of year to catch bass in a pond and the best time of day to catch bass in a pond.
The best thing is you have lots of options available to you.
So, if you prefer early morning in spring, night fishing in summer, or late afternoon during the fall, you’ll find that you’ll catch a lot of bass!
