Need Help This Place Has Got Me Baffled.

[Matt22Ratcliff]

Ive been fishing this small lake for the last couple of weeks, its public and allows no boating of any kind the lake is heavily fished. Its fairly stained water, about to 2-3 feet deep along the bank and gets up to about 6-12 in some spots, post spawn, very hot July weather with little rain. There is and excessive population of bluegill in the lake and I have seen craws along the bank. There is virtually no structure to fish along the bank. Ive thrown every thing at this fish, alot of shakey heads, crankbaits, jigs, and craw imitators. Ive tried to downsize everything and fish very slow but I just cant find the bite. Ive talked to a couple of local guys and the fish are there but there not catching em either. I wont feel right till I pulled atleast a couple decent bass out of here.

If you know what these fish are doing or what they will bite your input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Broke bass fisherman]

Dynamite!

[Bluebasser86]

This is a tough time of year to catch anything some days. If you're stuck fishing during the day I'd try a 10" worm, you won't get many bites but the ones you get should be decent fish. Your best bet may be to wait until it gets dark out and try it then, those finicky bass are much more likely to feed at night when it's hot out and they're heavily pressured. Big worms are a good option then too.

[WRB]

+1 on night fishing or during low light periods and using big worms.

Post spawn is over about 2weeks after the spawn, your bass are doing their summer period thing.

Lots of young of the year baitfish available, the bas don't need to work hard to find prey and eat when they want to.

If catching keeper size bass is your goal, then use 6 to 7" worms, 10" if larger bass are your targets. A Carolina rig should allow you to cover a lot of water from shore, target the deepest area with some open water with rocks, like the dam area.

A mojo style cylinder weight or a salamander weight will get through rocks better than an egg style sinker and 1/4 oz should be a good size.

Tom

[Grizzn N Bassin]

goo early in the am an hour before sunrise and use a buzz bait ,torpedo, jitter bug. throw it down along the shore and just retrive at steady peace to get the blades buzzing alittle. this alows works for me

[Nitrofreak]

Welcome to the forum Matt,

Nice job giving us as much info as you can, it would also help to give us some info as to where you are located.

If your only option is daytime, I would suggest using a french fry, but I would have to agree with bb and wrb as well, get out there at night, the bass may be protecting their young still since you say it's overloaded with bluegill and the bass are in post spawn.

You could use a carolina rig to look for structure, just like wrb stated, it does not take much for a bass to hold to some kind of structure, as little as a 12" drop will be all they may have but that is enough for them to hold or stage there.

Good luck and be safe !!!

[logan9209]

Does it have any submerged weeds or trees growing partially over the lake? If there are anything that provides some sorta shade or ambush points then you'll more than likely find bass there. The bass are there it's just tough to make them bite. I got so used to catching very small bass lately (less than half a pound) and the other day I see one and lightly tossed a black trick worm a foot behind it. Next thing I know I'm hauling up a 6 pound bass. I haven't seen anything over 3 pounds since January. So you never know. If you're not a night fishing person then try from about 5:30am-10am or 7:30pm-9:15pm.

So far they have taken Senko (or alternatives), trick worms, poppers, spooks, craw (finally!) and lizards. Treat it like winter fishing. Take it slow and when you think you're going too slow, go slower. They don't want to work for their meals during this heat wave. So if the "bait" is dead, dying, or just moves slow the bass will go after it. Also, in some ways you have to treat it like spring. Sometimes you have to make those bass mad so they will strike to kill and not to eat. In other words, you might have to make several casts to the same spot and sometimes the bass will just plain get tired of seeing the offending object and strike it.

On the flip side, the young bass are evidently suffering from heat stroke or something. I have caught them when I know they have seen me but if I just lightly toss near them but a tad further away from me they will still grab it. Maybe the hotter than usual water is frying their brains. And they are all (the young ones) up by the bank. There's massive amounts of weeds by the banks at my lake.

[Matt22Ratcliff]

Thanks guys, I'm located in Western Indiana. So far I've only been able to get out there in the evening, I'm planing on going very early tomorrow morning. I was thinking of using a smaller weight and and about a 3in craw, any suggestions on what you would run on the Carolina?

[logan9209]

Rage Craw!

[redboat]

Rage Craw!

Thats a good choice, I've been using this on jigs with good success. Alternately, I'd throw a Grande Bass Rattlesnake on a 1/8 oz Spot Remover shakey head.

[Bair]

I would have a squarebill crank tied on one rod and a drop-shot on another. If their is no structure target the weeds, fish always hang around those.

[MichBassMan]

I agree totally with nitro. I'd use a french fry,probley something like cotton candy color or other natural tone. Smear or dip your favorite scent (I like megastrike), and carolina rig it with at least a 2 foot lead. Fish it VERY slow and feel for a tic or some weight.