I've spent the last several years mainly introducing my son to fishing and the focus has been bream and we've worn them out thanks to a bucket of crickets. I thought about trying to go after a few bass on my own this year. I have access to 9 ponds (Million Dollar Lakes in Tuscaloosa), but no boat. Can y'all give some advice on some fundamental basics for increasing success rates when bass fishing from the bank? I don't have the budget to go out and get 5 different rods/reels for 5 different lures (nor a boat0. Any advice on when topwater might be best, or color, etc.? It's been a long long time since I have bass fishing much effort and feel like I'm starting over from scratch.

You don't need 5 rods, just 1. It really depends on the lake as to tactics, but I fish alot of ponds and use a combination of trick worms, flukes, and texas rigged worms and lizards. This time of year I really like trick worms and flukes. As the water warms up I catch more on worms. Spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits/rattletraps are good too if there isn't a bunch of weeds and brush. At dusk I like buzzbaits, zara spooks and torpedos. I also like using lightweight rods and rooster tails and beetle spins when I can't get anything else to work.

The only ponds I have never caught fish routinely in were ponds that had a ton of pressure on them. Don't know about the place you're fishing, but I wouldn't sweat it. Just get out there and fish.

If you're wanting to get into it on the cheap. Just get a good medium or med/hvy 6'6" spinning rod with a decent reel. Spool it up with 10 or 12 lb line. Get you some 2/0 and 3/0 worm hooks and some trick worms (junebug, green pumpkin, and school bus yellow) and some flukes (albino shad or arkansas shiner) and get out there and start fishing. I've done the tournament thing and been sponsored and have lord only knows how much $$ worth of tackle in my boat and garage but what I listed above is all you really need to catch bass and have a good time. If you want to fish something on top, go with a 4/0 hook and get you a bag of zoom horny toads. Throw it out and twitch is back in on top just fast enough to make the legs kick and stay up on top. Fish all 3 baits texas rigged so they will be weedless.

Cheap and easy, almost bullet proof as far as catching fish. While you certainly can catch a bunch of fish on spinnerbaits, crankbaits. hardbait topwaters etc. Fishing from the bank, most of the time, does not allow you the luxury to retrieve lures that get hung up and breaking off a $6-$9 spinnerbait or crank bait can get expensive if there is a lot of cover in the lakes you have access to. Hang a worm or a fluke and have to break it off, you're out about $0.50 and right back in business. Hope this helps. Sometimes less is more and I've found that people often times overthink what it actually takes to catch a bass.

I couldn't agree more with abolt, but if you want to splurge on a lure buy a Whopper Plopper. It's about the most fun you can have with your cloths on!

Beetlespin

Naw, a minnow and a bobber.

Those lakes get fished to death. Try something that you think everyone isn't throwing.

Was fixing to say this. Get the 90.

The lakesdon't get fished as much as you think they do, I've been doin pretty good on the crappie from the bank hit me Joe & we'll go after them one evening. As for bass I've done pretty good around here with just a weightless senko

Texas rig black worm hits on every pond ive ever fished

Another tip. Cast parallel to the bank when possible.

Me and the folks I fish with have had the best results on those lakes using june bug trick worms...Well on Ski Lake and Fishing Lake. I/we haven't fished the others

Start left and right (or vice versa) then out in the middle.

Awesome, thanks guys. We've fished Catfish Lake a bunch and hardly see anyone out there.

The countdown Rapala # 5 (or floating model if you can cast it) has to be one of the best going pond lures for bass. Similar lures that typically get bit are 3" white curl tail grubs on a 1/8 ounce jighead, a smallish white spinnerbait, and a bitsy bug jig (Strike King branded small jig).

When I fish heavily fished ponds, my favorite thing to do is throw a buzzbait parallel to the bank, take three steps, throw it again, rinse wash repeat. I've caught many a bass doing that.

How deep are those lakes may need to bring my boat and trolling stuff up there and see what we can catch

20-25 feet max if I remember right

Not real deep I mainly fish the ski lake & a couple of the smaller ones I know the deepest spot on the ski lake which is also the largest about 100 acres I guess is about 18 feet but it's full of crappie lot of small one but a lot of good eating size too & an occasional big one caught one little over 2lbs couple years ago

Let me know when Joe and I'll bring the boat up there and we will out your boy on some fish