Best catches from small waters

<p>You see big lakes and rivers featured on Bassmaster.com all the time. So we wanted to do something a little different â focus on the small lakes, ponds and neighborhood holes that bass anglers fish on all the time. We asked <a href=

You see big lakes and rivers featured on Bassmaster.com all the time. So we wanted to do something a little different â focus on the small lakes, ponds and neighborhood holes that bass anglers fish on all the time. We asked B.A.S.S. Facebook fans for their best small waters photos, and the response was enormous. What follows is a selection of the top photos submitted by our fans. Got photos of your own? Share them on our Facebook page!

<p>"This one along with more than 100 others caught on the Kings River in Arkansas this May," said Aaron Copeland. "Nothing beats smallmouth fishing on an Ozark stream."</p>

“This one along with more than 100 others caught on the Kings River in Arkansas this May,” said Aaron Copeland. “Nothing beats smallmouth fishing on an Ozark stream.”

<p>"I had never caught a bass before and this was my first catch ever," said Alecia Abston, who caught this bass on July 4 using an Eppinger Sparkle Tail. "The fight was great and my adrenaline was running. Can't wait to go out and catch some more!"</p>

“I had never caught a bass before and this was my first catch ever,” said Alecia Abston, who caught this bass on July 4 using an Eppinger Sparkle Tail. “The fight was great and my adrenaline was running. Can’t wait to go out and catch some more!”

<p>Andrew Vargo caught this 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth bass out of a local subdivision pond in the Joliet, Ill., area. "I used a 6-inch green peppered worm, Texas rigged," said Vargo.</p>

Andrew Vargo caught this 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth bass out of a local subdivision pond in the Joliet, Ill., area. “I used a 6-inch green peppered worm, Texas rigged,” said Vargo.

Antonio Vallejos of Bellevue, Neb., caught this 6-5 from a trailer park pond on a Rapala Scatter Rap.

<p>"I caught this girl on Aug. 28, 2011, on a 5-inch Yum tube jig," said Austin Volmert. The bass weighed 5 pounds and was caught in Hickory Creek Pond in Washington, Mo.</p>

“I caught this girl on Aug. 28, 2011, on a 5-inch Yum tube jig,” said Austin Volmert. The bass weighed 5 pounds and was caught in Hickory Creek Pond in Washington, Mo.

<p>"This bass was taken from a small, highly pressured 10-acre urban pond in Tucson, Ariz.," said Ben Payne. "She was caught during prespawn on a pegged weight Zoom Speed Craw. Released to swim again!"</p>

“This bass was taken from a small, highly pressured 10-acre urban pond in Tucson, Ariz.,” said Ben Payne. “She was caught during prespawn on a pegged weight Zoom Speed Craw. Released to swim again!”

<p>"My 4-year-old son caught this in Peck Pond in Kent, Conn., at the end of May," said Bobby Love. "He was playing around with some salt-impregnated pink worms that I swore to him would catch nothing that day. His third cast, which only got him about 6 feet from shore, he caught this nice largemouth, proving Dad an idiot once again!"</p>

“My 4-year-old son caught this in Peck Pond in Kent, Conn., at the end of May,” said Bobby Love. “He was playing around with some salt-impregnated pink worms that I swore to him would catch nothing that day. His third cast, which only got him about 6 feet from shore, he caught this nice largemouth, proving Dad an idiot once again!”

<p>"This fish came out of an old phosphate pit I have lived on for 15 years now," said Brad Renner. "I have caught a lot of big fish out of here and really enjoy fishing it when I'm not tourney fishing with the Lakeland Bassmasters. I estimated this fish to be somewhere around 8 to 9 pounds. Hope I'm not sellin myself short!"</p>

“This fish came out of an old phosphate pit I have lived on for 15 years now,” said Brad Renner. “I have caught a lot of big fish out of here and really enjoy fishing it when I’m not tourney fishing with the Lakeland Bassmasters. I estimated this fish to be somewhere around 8 to 9 pounds. Hope I’m not sellin myself short!”

<p>"I'm military, stationed at Aviano AB Italy," said Bryan Peel. "I have been hammering bass here for three years. Italy only has northern strain largemouth. While this bass isn't a giant, 5 pounds is still very big for Italy!"</p>

“I’m military, stationed at Aviano AB Italy,” said Bryan Peel. “I have been hammering bass here for three years. Italy only has northern strain largemouth. While this bass isn’t a giant, 5 pounds is still very big for Italy!”

“I caught her out of my uncle’s pond,” said Chase Crook.

Chase Welborn caught this 7-pounder out of a farm pond in Phil Campbell, Ala.

Jami Longacre caught this 4 1/2-pounder out of a small pond near Bloomburg, Texas, on July 4.

<p>"I caught this fish on June 26 on Winnegance Lake in Phippsburg, Maine," said Cody Rattleff. "It's 137 acres with no public boat ramps, only roadside access. The fish weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces."</p>

“I caught this fish on June 26 on Winnegance Lake in Phippsburg, Maine,” said Cody Rattleff. “It’s 137 acres with no public boat ramps, only roadside access. The fish weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces.”

Cody Salzmann caught this bass from Little Platte River in Wisconsin in September 2012. He estimated it was 16 inches long and 2 pounds or more.

Corey Greenan caught this smallmouth bass in a forked creek off the Kankakee River in Illinois.

<p>"I caught them on the Alabama rig, same cast!" said Corey Prashaw. It was fall in a medium-size pond in upstate New York, 25 minutes from Canada. "The one on the left is 4 1/2 pounds and the right is 5."</p>

“I caught them on the Alabama rig, same cast!” said Corey Prashaw. It was fall in a medium-size pond in upstate New York, 25 minutes from Canada. “The one on the left is 4 1/2 pounds and the right is 5.”

Cory Rivers caught this 10-2 in a 15-acre pond in Greenwood, S.C., using a Spro frog (midnight walker).

<p>"This is my grandpa, Jim Casey, holding a 5 1/2 from a 30-acre strip cut in southeast Illinois," said Craig Richards. "We had several that size. He's 77 and goes every chance he has. Southern Illinois has a ton of small lakes and strip pits, some capable of double-digit bass that few people ever hear of." </p>

“This is my grandpa, Jim Casey, holding a 5 1/2 from a 30-acre strip cut in southeast Illinois,” said Craig Richards. “We had several that size. He’s 77 and goes every chance he has. Southern Illinois has a ton of small lakes and strip pits, some capable of double-digit bass that few people ever hear of.”

Damon and Heather Pierce caught these beauties on July 4. “They weighed 3 pounds each,” said Damon. “The lake is about 5 acres on a friend’s farm.”

Chandler Elliott caught this bass in May 2013 at Piedmont Lake in Pine Mountain, Ga.

<p>"My fiancÃ©e, Brandi Sullivan, with her 4 1/4-pound largemouth caught in a pond on July 5," said Darrell Dugger. "This is her very first ever 'keeper' bass, and I couldn't be any more proud of her!"</p>

“My fiancÃ©e, Brandi Sullivan, with her 4 1/4-pound largemouth caught in a pond on July 5,” said Darrell Dugger. “This is her very first ever ‘keeper’ bass, and I couldn’t be any more proud of her!”

“My son, Ethan, caught this one on a swimbait in the pond in our neighborhood,” said David Hockenberry.

Davis Summerlin caught this 9-0 and 10-8 on March 1 in a small farm pond in Pearson, Ga.

<p>"I caught this fish on Father's Day weekend fishing with my daddy, brother and nephews for my daddy's Father's Day gift," said DeWayne O'Quinn. "Caught her out of Blue Sink Lake in Taylor County, Fla., a small lake near Keaton Beach. Caught her on a Texas rigged Trick Worm (junebug). She weighed 10 pounds, 8 ounces! What a Father's Day gift! I had been trying to catch one over 10 pounds on artificial lures for more than 20 years!"</p>

“I caught this fish on Father’s Day weekend fishing with my daddy, brother and nephews for my daddy’s Father’s Day gift,” said DeWayne O’Quinn. “Caught her out of Blue Sink Lake in Taylor County, Fla., a small lake near Keaton Beach. Caught her on a Texas rigged Trick Worm (junebug). She weighed 10 pounds, 8 ounces! What a Father’s Day gift! I had been trying to catch one over 10 pounds on artificial lures for more than 20 years!”

Don Burmeister caught this 6 1/2-pounder from a drainage pond in Champaign, Ill.

Emily Blair caught this bass in Letcher, Ky., in early June.

Esteban Gutierrez from Fort Myers, Fla., boasts this beauty from a neighborhood lake.

<p>"I caught this girl in Pennsylvania at our family lake," said Garrett Hysong. "I caught her on the Fourth of July. We didn't have a scale with us but she was probably an easy 5 pounds."</p>

“I caught this girl in Pennsylvania at our family lake,” said Garrett Hysong. “I caught her on the Fourth of July. We didn’t have a scale with us but she was probably an easy 5 pounds.”

Gilbert Juarez caught this 4 1/2-pounder in July in Fresno, Calif.

Grant Renken’s 6-1 hit on a topwater frog in early July.

Heath and Amy Anderson caught this 8-3 in July 2012 on a small family lake in Carrollton, Ala.

“I caught this one in West Virginia at a farm pond,” said Issiah Casto. “I don’t know how much it weighed because I didn’t have a scale.”

“Caught this beauty with a Rooster Tail in a local pond,” said Jackie Sauceman of Greeneville, Tenn.

Jacob Claflin caught this 4 1/2-pounder in Conway, Ark., May 18, on a Yum F2 Mighty Worm (junebug).

James Kilgore caught this bass at Fellows Lake in Springfield, Mo. He estimates it was at least 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

Chris McDowell caught this bass in Tygarts Creek in Kentucky. “Not sure of weight,” said James McDowell, “but it’s over 2 pounds for sure.”

James Zimmerman caught this 10-4 in a far pond in Zebulon, N.C., last December using a KVD 1.5 Squarebill (sexy sunfish).

<p>"This monster was caught in Dekalb, Ill., at a small little pond," said Jason Huddleston. "The fish weighed 5 1/2 pounds but looks much bigger. I caught her on a wacky rigged Senko (watermelon/red flake)."</p>

“This monster was caught in Dekalb, Ill., at a small little pond,” said Jason Huddleston. “The fish weighed 5 1/2 pounds but looks much bigger. I caught her on a wacky rigged Senko (watermelon/red flake).”

“My son, Ben, caught this from a small farm pond in northern Indiana,” said Jason Moloney.

Jason Neveu of Belvidere, Ill., caught this 3 1/2-pounder in Dodgeville, Wis., on June 26.

<p>"I caught this bass of 1.7 kilograms on a jig during the spawning season last year," said Jean-MicheI. "I was fishing a small local dam. Just a taste of bass fishing all the way from South Africa!"</p>

“I caught this bass of 1.7 kilograms on a jig during the spawning season last year,” said Jean-MicheI. “I was fishing a small local dam. Just a taste of bass fishing all the way from South Africa!”

Jedd Brown caught this beauty on Panther Pond in Maine.

“I caught this on a private pond on my farm in Jackson County, Fla.,” said Jeffery Pittman. “The fish weighed 6.9 pounds.”

Jeremy McLaughlin caught this bass out of a small pond this past spring.

<p>Jerry Yang caught this one at Centennial Regional Park in Orange County, Calif., in early July. "I caught it on a Texas rig (Roboworm, midnight blue) with a size 1 Gamakatsu offset worm hook."</p>

Jerry Yang caught this one at Centennial Regional Park in Orange County, Calif., in early July. “I caught it on a Texas rig (Roboworm, midnight blue) with a size 1 Gamakatsu offset worm hook.”

“This is a largemouth bass I caught back in 2010 that weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces at Mirror Lake in Wolfeboro, N.H.,” said Jim Corson.

Joe Fowler caught this 6-12 on a Megastrike Megabug on a small sandwash.

<p>"This bass was caught in a private lake about a mile from my house," said John White of Calhoun, Ga. "I caught it on Feb. 16. My bait of choice was a Red Eye Shad in sexy shad color. It weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Oh yeah, it was about 35 degrees with a stiff wind that day. And caught several more on the same bait."</p>

“This bass was caught in a private lake about a mile from my house,” said John White of Calhoun, Ga. “I caught it on Feb. 16. My bait of choice was a Red Eye Shad in sexy shad color. It weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Oh yeah, it was about 35 degrees with a stiff wind that day. And caught several more on the same bait.”

<p>"I caught this in 2009 in a retention pond behind my house," said Jon DeBlasi. "I was using a Rapala SR5 (silver). Did not weigh it. Didn't have a scale with me. All I had was a pole and my brother to take a pic."</p>

“I caught this in 2009 in a retention pond behind my house,” said Jon DeBlasi. “I was using a Rapala SR5 (silver). Did not weigh it. Didn’t have a scale with me. All I had was a pole and my brother to take a pic.”

Joseph Demember caught this bass on March 23 at a farm pond in Cherry Lake, Fla. “The weight was 9 pounds, 8 ounces,” he said.

Kaleb Clifton caught this bass in June in Yadkin County, N.C. He estimated its weight at 7.15 pounds.

<p>"This lunker bass was the largest bass I have caught to date," said Kip Oetter. "I caught it in June 2010 on a private 10-acre farm pond outside of Treynor, Iowa, from the bank. The lure was a vintage Bass Oreno that my grandpa had given me as a child (which after I caught the fish I researched my lure and it's now a wall ornament). The fish was 7 pounds and length was 23 inches. This fish inspired me to get back into fishing as I hadn't done much since the passing of my grandfather. I now have a bass tracker, multiple baitcasters, hundreds of lures and fish every week. I am addicted to fishing."</p>

“This lunker bass was the largest bass I have caught to date,” said Kip Oetter. “I caught it in June 2010 on a private 10-acre farm pond outside of Treynor, Iowa, from the bank. The lure was a vintage Bass Oreno that my grandpa had given me as a child (which after I caught the fish I researched my lure and it’s now a wall ornament). The fish was 7 pounds and length was 23 inches. This fish inspired me to get back into fishing as I hadn’t done much since the passing of my grandfather. I now have a bass tracker, multiple baitcasters, hundreds of lures and fish every week. I am addicted to fishing.”

Cameron Jackson, 5, caught this 1-pound bass out of a small pond at Fort Hood, Texas.

“This is an 8.14-pound pig I caught on a Texas rigged Trick Worm,” said Luke White.

Marcus Schmieg caught this 4-13 smallie in Campbells Slough, S.D. “I caught it on a tip-up with a jig and live chub in winter 2012,” said Schmieg.

“I caught this almost 7-pound largemouth on a pond that the Milwaukee River flows into,” said Matt Streim.

<p>"I caught this hog on Lake Raven/Huntsville State Park in Texas," said Matthew Markert. "I caught it on July 2 on a craw worm. She weighed 7.1 pounds. Awesome fish."</p>

“I caught this hog on Lake Raven/Huntsville State Park in Texas,” said Matthew Markert. “I caught it on July 2 on a craw worm. She weighed 7.1 pounds. Awesome fish.”

“This is s small pond in Louisville, Ohio,” said Matthew Williams. “Largemouth bass caught on a purple flake worm.”

“My daughter, Katy (9), caught her first fish two weeks ago while fishing with me on Bay Lake in Walt Disney World,” said Michael Rogillio.

Mike Crumpton caught this 11-1 in a 2-acre pond in Ocala National Forest in Florida.

Myles Tallada caught this 5.40 ounce smallie on a small river that dumps into Lake Champlain on April 22, his birthday.

Nick Randmer holds up a 19-inch, 4 1/2-pound largemouth out of Difficult Run in Great Falls, Va.

Patrick Wilson caught this beauty out of Vanetan Creek in Oscoda, Mich., on June 25.

Jacob Robinson caught this 5-pounder in mid-June in Indiana on a private farm pond using a medium-diving crankbait.

<p>Robert Darnell caught this 3 1/2-pounder in Flower Mound, Texas, on June 4. He was fishing a Texas rigged Zoom Brush Hog (green pumpkin w/ red specks) and a 1/4-ounce lead bullet weight with 14-pound-test Stren monofilament.</p>

Robert Darnell caught this 3 1/2-pounder in Flower Mound, Texas, on June 4. He was fishing a Texas rigged Zoom Brush Hog (green pumpkin w/ red specks) and a 1/4-ounce lead bullet weight with 14-pound-test Stren monofilament.

Rodrigo Gutierrez caught this bass that weighed 1.89 pounds while fishing on Las Cuevas Ranch in Coahuila, Mexico, in early July.

“I caught this one at Sycamore Island Ponds in Fresno, Calif.,” said Ruben Clemente.

Ryan Elias caught this bass in Howe, Texas, in August 2012.

<p>"I caught this largemouth in East Hanover, N.J., at a place called Bee Meadow Pond," said Sal Gentile. "The bass was 4 pounds, 8 oounces. It was caught last July."</p>

“I caught this largemouth in East Hanover, N.J., at a place called Bee Meadow Pond,” said Sal Gentile. “The bass was 4 pounds, 8 oounces. It was caught last July.”

Andrew Hafner caught this 6-5 on a Toad Hunter buzzbait in August 2011 on 70-acre Stump Pond in Smithfield, R.I.

“This is a 7-pound-plus bass my 15-year-old son, Dakota, caught from a 25-acre pond on our hunting lease near Waco, Ga, on March 17,” said Scott Henderson.

Sean Sutton caught this 5-pounder in Conway, Ark., in May.

“This is a 3.2-pound largemouth I caught on July 1 in my neighborhood pond in Fort Wayne, Ind.,” said Steven Ziko.

<p>"My son, Landon, caught this one in the pond in our subdivision on the third cast with his new Ike rod he got for his fifth birthday with a swimbait," said Thomas Breining.</p>

“My son, Landon, caught this one in the pond in our subdivision on the third cast with his new Ike rod he got for his fifth birthday with a swimbait,” said Thomas Breining.

“I caught this 3 1/2-pound bass in the Chicago area,” said Tim Hycner.

Trevor Corbitt caught this 9-pound, 6-ounce bass from a retention pond on a crankbait.

“I caught this fish on July 4,” said Trevor McManus. “I caught this in a creek/slough that feeds into Friendship Pond. It weighs 5 pounds, 2 ounces.”

Zach Albritton caught this 9-2 on a green pumpkin lizard from a strip pit pond in Yukon, Okla., last August.