Help! In The Middle Of A Feeding Frenzy But Can't Catch One

[jkmcintyre]

Last night I was on the lake and found myself in the middle of a feeding frenzy. The water temp was 75 it was 5pm. I was in what I would call the flats in 2 to 3 feet of water very limit structure. The area was about a quarter mile wide by half mile long. The bass were feeding on schools of bait fish in a freenzy that I have never seen before. I would say that 35 fish breaking water every minute, It looked like one of those videos where the carp jump into the boat. First I move up into the flats in middle of the structure which were a couple of logs and one big rock. Started with jerk baits, moved to crank baits liped, no lip, every color. Then went to spinner baits change color size and blades. Then buzz baits with a trailer and no trailer. Nothing notta zero blank. Moved over to the channel and fished across the flats where it fell off about four feet. Used the whole arsonal same result. The schools of bait fish were massive. Any ideas what I should have done.

[Nitrofreak]

I would have let the spinner just fall through the bait ball, or I would have thrown a 4" salt and pepper fluke and done the same.

This is not uncommon to see but these 2 methods have been pretty good for me.

[Mumpy]

This is how we catch them here in the South when that happens

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/how-to/freshwater-fishing/bluegill-panfish/popping-cork-rig-video-included

[Jon Christensen]

Last night I was on the lake and found myself in the middle of a feeding frenzy. The water temp was 75 it was 5pm. I was in what I would call the flats in 2 to 3 feet of water very limit structure. The area was about a quarter mile wide by half mile long. The bass were feeding on schools of bait fish in a freenzy that I have never seen before. I would say that 35 fish breaking water every minute, It looked like one of those videos where the carp jump into the boat. First I move up into the flats in middle of the structure which were a couple of logs and one big rock. Started with jerk baits, moved to crank baits liped, no lip, every color. Then went to spinner baits change color size and blades. Then buzz baits with a trailer and no trailer. Nothing notta zero blank. Moved over to the channel and fished across the flats where it fell off about four feet. Used the whole arsonal same result. The schools of bait fish were massive. Any ideas what I should have done.

when i find a area of bass feeding i throw a fluke or a fluke jr depending on the size of the bait fish

[Fontana Finesse Man]

Largemouth, spots, smallmouth, white bass? I agree with fluke first choice, my favorite is a pearl. Also a sammy 65 if bait is small, larger sammy if you can get away with it. Third thing I throw is a minnow type bait or grub on a small leadhead, especially if bait is small.

[webertime]

In a frenzy, you one bait is just one of thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of potential things to eat. Trying to get your bait below/through the frenzy may help since large fish will often hang out and eat the stunned fish as they drop through (let the other Bass to the hard work). If you can get down to them with a fluke or something similar, that may help.

[jkmcintyre]

Bait fish were very small.

[Mumpy]

I'm telling you, rig the popping cork and start catching those fish. It's that easy. No need to even attempt another technique. When those "Wolf Packs" Come up like that and start feeding all you have to do is throw the popping cork out there and start chugging it. Even if you get there late, they'll come back up. By Late I mean you see them busting the top of the water and you start trolling over to them so you can cast to them. Sometimes you get there after they've already quit busting the top. Throw the Cork out there and start chugging and it'll turn on another frenzy.

[backpain...]

Wacky rigged 4" senko in a baitfish color. Toss it right in the action and let it fall through to the big guys lurking below.

[DeBassin619]

At what depth were they at? You could throw anything from a Pop R to a fluke. You could also try a fluttering spoon or a shad like swimbait.

[Kyle Mahaffey]

Last time that it happen to me was last week. I threw a Berkley powerbait swimbait in a shad color. Tossed it out past the schooling shad, then when I got to the school, just stopped reeling and let it fall. I got a 3lb bass, plus a couple of 2 pounders.

[Jake P]

Anytime i see schooling bass whether it be LM or sandies i throw a 1/2 oz super spot in chrome/black. I literally catch a fish a cast until the school has left the area and we cannot find them anymore. I have never not had a bite on this in a school of fish.

[WookieeJedi]

I have a few lures I use for schooling fish, especially if I'm not sure what kind of fish are in the school. Kastmaster white bucktail spoon, a Near-Nuthin popper with a bucktail, and a little George. At least one of those is going to get bit while the fish are breaking, and you will know if you are into whites, wipers, stripers, or bass. Sometimes you get a mixed bag. If the fish I get on top are dinks, I will switch to a sinking bait like a grub or cocahoe minnow. The bigger fish often hang out under the action and let the little fish do the work. If it is still dinks after that, you will need to decide if you would rather move off, or keep catching dinks. I usually stay and catch them, especially if I have a kid with me, they don't care about dinks.

[SirSnookalot]

When LMB are busting bait (I can't say this for other species) I am licking my chops. Any lure I have on my rod catches them, just like Packman89 said a fish a cast or at least a strike. The bass in my ponds have been busting over the last week, anticpating this I take only 2 lures with me, a rebel style popper and a spoon if I need distance to reach them. I strictly sight cast and seldom cast into dead water, I'm walking the bank. Keep your eyes pitched for shore birds like herons, bait fish of course and fish ripples. For me this is my favorite kind of bass fishing, I think it's the easiest too, the water is telling you everything you need to know.