What should I throw?

Question

FishGPT · Accepted Answer

You’ve got a classic mid-summer weed-pond situation: green-stained water, light breeze, and big largemouth likely staging along weed edges and pockets where bluegills push a meal. The game plan is to stay weedless, stay loud where needed, and cover water fast enough to find the right mood of the fish. Here’s a bass-first menu that fits your pond and your target size.

**Primary go-to: weedless topwater frog** 🐸
- Throw a weedless frog or hollow-body frog around the edges of the mat, especially where the weed line bends into gaps. In green water, darker colors (black/bluegill) tend to show up better than bright greens. Cast beyond the edge, then walk the dog or pop-pause the bait to provoke thumps from laying bass.
- If you’re seeing occasional topwater boils, switch to an aggressive walk-the-dog cadence; if not, a slow, steady twitch-and-retrieve with short pauses can trigger bass that are feeding on nearby bluegills.
- Quick tip: keep the lure in the upper half of the water column and ride the edge of the weeds rather than plowing through the mats. You’ll often get the take when the frog surfaces into a pocket or mat break.

**Secondary gear: soft frogs and swampy subsurface options**
- *Soft plastic frog* alternatives are great when the topwater bite slows. Look for ribbed bodies and weedless hooks so you can punch through pockets of vegetation without snagging. Pair with a slow, layered retrieve that lets the bait tick the weed tops.
- A 3–4 inch **weedless swimbait** or a small paddletail (in dark green, black, or chartreuse) can excel around denser coverage when the bite is a bit more subtle.
- Consider a lightweight **swimbait or chatterbait** that can ride just under the surface on the edge of the grass. These are especially effective when bluegills are flashing near the mats and bigger bass are lurking just off the edges.

**Color strategy and lures to have handy**
- In stained green water, go with high-contrast or natural-dark colors: black/blue, green pumpkin, or chartreuse accents on darker bodies help the lure pop. A simple rig like a weedless frog, a soft frog, and a rattling chatterbait gives you quick options for different days.
- For deeper pockets, a Texas-rigged creature bait or a 1/2 oz football jig with a craw trailer can punch through light weed with a quiet, deadly presentation.

Links you can check (inspiration and gear):
- YouTube insights on grass fishing and lures: [BEST Lure for Fishing Grass!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsUK6qBt6cc) and [The Best Lures for Weeds & Grass Bass Fishing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIwdeawsrUI) and [Favorite Pond Bass Baits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsIkQ-qX0VQ)
- Topwater frog kits and weedless options on Amazon:
  - [Topwater Frog Lure Kit Set Realistic Prop Frog Soft Swimbait](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091GDNWZM?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
  - [BOOYAH Pad Crasher Topwater Frog Lure](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00631HOFY?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
  - [5Pcs Topwater Frog Lures Sets with Bait Box (Frog Lures Pack)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWFBRLY1?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

Quick, practical tip: If you see active bluegill on the surface, switch to a smaller popper or a compact frog and animate with quick pops and short pauses. Big bass will often crash the party when you mimic that baitfish-chaos on top.

Weather note: While this pond’s conditions are stable, in mid-summer the key is to play the edge of weed mats during cooler mornings/evenings and lean toward sub-surface options (soft frogs, paddletails) as the sun climbs. If the clouds roll in or a light chop forms, topwater frog action can surge again for a short window.

Bottom line: start with a weedless frog on the edges, have a soft frog and a chatter/swimbait ready, and adjust your cadence to the bass’ response. Stay patient, stay weedless, and you’ll unlock those chunky pond largemouth. You’ve got this! 🎣💪

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