I Just Can't Beat A Nightcrawler

[CalebWVU]

Okay guys, I've been getting pretty frustrated with fishing lately. I'm new to fishing in the sense that this is my first year going often, but I go fishing at least 4 times/week now and love it. Anyway, for some reason I just can't catch bass on anything besides a nightcrawler. I've tried Zoom super flukes, jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits (KVD square bill and Rat-L-Trap), Rage tail baby craws, and probably other things I can't think of at the moment. I fished yesterday for about 4 hours at a hole where I usually catch quite a few bass. I spent over an hour throwing a super fluke, switched to a baby craw for another hour, switched to a jig after that hour. After over 3 hours with 0 bites, I finally went to my worms (who were barely alive at this point lol). On my first cast with a nightcrawler, I nailed a largemouth bass. Ended up getting 3-4 bites and 2 bass in that last 45 minutes using nightcrawlers.

I've watched countless YouTube videos for jigs/spinnerbaits/crankbaits/soft plastics, and read even more articles. But for some reason, I just can't get bites using anything other than a nightcrawler. I really want to transition away from live bait, if for no other reason than to stop catching bluegill. For the life of me I can't catch a bass, or even get a bite, using any of my lures. I've seen and heard of some people catching an easy 10-20 fish in an hour using the same lures I am, and I know I'm in a decent spot. Am I the only one who has this problem? It's driving me crazy!

[roadwarrior]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

[deep]

How about this, use nightcrawlers for 50% of your fishing time, so that you're still catching fish, and you know that the fish are in the location you're fishing at. Take *one* kind of artificial- pick your poision- and use it for the other 50% of the time?

P.S. The original Rapala floaters in F7, and the X-Rap XR-8/XR-10 caught me a ton of small bass, bluegills, and crappies when I was trying to learn artificials.

[irnwrkr]

Get yourself some berkley power worms, and Texas rig em. My favorite color is blue fleck. When I can't get a bite, that's my go to bait. Just fish em super slow. Good luck.

[senile1]

A few things come to mind from your post.

Number 1 is always to consider location. You stated that, "I know I am in a decent spot." A decent spot in the spring could be a spawning flat while in the heat of summer, fishing that same spawning flat could result in a big fat zero. Keep in mind that decent spots can change based on the season. You did state that you caught two bass after switching to nightcrawlers so this may, indeed, be a good spot, but it is just something to keep in mind when judging your location.

Number 2 is to consider the type of presentation you are using. You stated that you tried "Zoom super flukes, jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits (KVD square bill and Rat-L-Trap), Rage tail baby craws, and probably other things." Is it possible that your presentation just wasn't slow enough and once you switched to nightcrawlers the fish bit because of the docile presentation?

Number 3 is to be wary of frustration. This is something that many of us have probably experienced in the early phases of developing our fishing skills. It can even happen to experienced anglers. When one becomes frustrated, his or her concentration on lure presentation can decrease and cause the presentation to suffer.

Roadwarrior's link above is a good one to get you on some fish, especially when a slow presentation is needed. Deep's suggestion of using the Rapala floater is a good one too.

[Bair]

Cover more water.

[Broke bass fisherman]

I would suggest going with artificials that mimic the nightcrawlers. If you are catching on nightcrawlers but not cranks and such, try some of the power worms suggested above or any other worm that mimics the action of your nightcrawlers and don't get frustrated, it's called fishing not catching.

[Bluebasser86]

If the conditions allow it try a T-rigged or wacky rigged weightless Trick Worm, closest thing I know of to a live crawler.

[BassinMD]

4-5 inch senko wacky rigged fish it slow you will catch bass anywhere in the USA with a senko either green pumpkin or junebug I don't like them anymore but if I am really struggling they always seem to get me something

[bassh8er]

How were you rigging the crawler? Try a similar presentation with soft plastics. I wouldn't suggest soft plastics on a bobber, but a slow, deliberate presentation like a weightless trick worm or senko might be the ticket.

I've used actual GM senkos, but prefer Bass Pro Stik-Os.

[SirSnookalot]

For a beginner wanting to see their rod bend, try live bait, it does make life easier and will curb the frustration on those days with a slow bite.

Against every fiber in my body I've been using live bait for snook once in awhile, simple because when the artificial bite is off, bait seldom fails., that said......I HATE BAIT !!!!!! Catch your bait, toss it out and wait, it isn't my style.

When it comes to bass fishing, under no circumstances would I ever use any thing but artificial lures. Sure I get skunked once in while, but for the most part bass are far from the hardest species that I try to catch. I know many call bass fishing a sport, floating a live bait and sitting on your butt is about the furthest thing from a sport I can think of.

[roadwarrior]

Well, there are different levels of live bait fishing:

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id132.htm

Targeting "trophy bass" might be more challenging than catching some saltwater species.

[SirSnookalot]

Well, there are different levels of live bait fishing:

http://www.trophybas...y.com/id132.htm

Targeting "trophy bass" might be more challenging than catching some saltwater species.

It might be, but it isn't.............there are lots of 20# snook caught, not many 40 pounders. Lots of 20-30# redfish caught, not many 80 pounders, the same could be said for stripers and any other game fish. How often are 50# muskie caught? It isn't that a trophy bass is hard to catch, but a trophy of any species is difficult.

Trophy fish are a challenge to catch for any species, not just bass, simply because fewer fish live long enough reach their potential size.

For me using bait for certain species is unthinkable, bass happens to be one of them, so are some saltwater species, strictly artificial is my choice. Only time I ever use bait is when I'm on the jettie just b'sing with my buddies, bait is never used when I'm serious fishing. Personally, few of my fish get weighed, I don't care about trophies, I only care about enjoying myself and that's throwing lures.

[CalebWVU]

Thanks for all the advice. I haven't gotten to go fishing again since I posted this, but I will hopefully get out tomorrow. I always thought I was fishing my lures slowly enough, but maybe I wasn't after reading some of those articles, especially the one posted by RW. 30 seconds between movements is a lot slower than I was working it, about 8-10 seconds between movements. Plastic powerworms and such might be a good idea as well.

How were you rigging the crawler? Try a similar presentation with soft plastics. I wouldn't suggest soft plastics on a bobber, but a slow, deliberate presentation like a weightless trick worm or senko might be the ticket.

I've used actual GM senkos, but prefer Bass Pro Stik-Os.

I was rigging the crawlers just once about 1/4 of an inch back from the head. What exactly is the difference between a trick worm and regular worm or powerworm? So many worm types

Also, what exactly do some people have against live bait? I understand it may seem less sporting than actively working a lure, but is there any other reason why it's so frowned upon by some anglers or why they won't use it for certain species but will for others?

[deep]

Can't speak for others, but I have seen and read too much to have anything against live baits, especially when big bass are concerned. I'm fishing the tool that gives me the best shot at catching the fish I want to catch.

But you can't catch an artificial lure fish on a live bait, and vice-versa!

[Jake P]

Get some Senkos and zoom trick worms and rig them weightless. This is the closest thing to live bait and WILL get you bit. Good luck!

[PABASS]

Berkley gulp worms, natural color. I guess you use split shot, if so take that concept and try Carolina rig, personally I would also try drop shot. Also i have caught bass while swimmung the worm and dragging the worm. Place bag in a ziplock bag as it leaks..

[Pittsboy]

Forget your nightcrawler and stick with artificial. When you want to master a technique fish 100% with it!