Help Summertime Bass, Bank Fisherman Faq

[PABASS]

I have been having very good success this year and allot of this is thanks to this site and Glenn’s youtube videos.

My questions; I am still having a hard time with a single lake that is new to me.

It’s a 120 Acre public manmade lake, moderate to heavy fishing pressure and lots of small boats.

This lake is part of PA’s big bass program and has several submerged manmade structure, I have lake maps and know where most of this structure is. My problem is I don’t know if I am on the fish and they don't like what I am offering and or if the fish are somewhere else. ¼ of the lake is blocked from any fishing and sadly its probably the best spots for big fish.

It has a large rock dam and one creek channel that is allowed to be fished, loads of grass and structure. Water is stained to clear with visibility in the 2-3’ range.

With that said I managed to catch one bass from this lake in 4 trips, I don’t like this ratio and is now my goal to figure this lake out with your help..

I caught the one fish during March using a spinner bait and haven’t enticed any others.

My last outing was July fourth from 7PM-9:30PM, I used a pop-r for about 1:30 min, switched to an white/chartreuse chatter bait for about 45min and ended with a Heddon Torpedo. I saw one fish rise and it was a decent one. I tried this over submerged grass, rock and manmade structure, nothing..

So what would you try next?

Any thoughts on a video for summer time fishing from a bank fisherman’s perspective? What baits, techniques, locations, patterns and tips??

[Fishes in trees]

First, I'd really try to get a boat, beg one, borrow one, barter for one, whatever. Then, this time of year I'd fish the outside weed line. I'd fish a wacky rigged senko (green pumpkin with purple & black flakes) on 14 or 17 fluorocarbon line. I wouldn't try any other pattern until I had tried every foot of the outside weed edge with this bait.

[MCS]

Bank fishing down here in FL. Been having good success with worms zoom trick worms or grande bass rattlesnakes rigged weightless. Casting to culverts, inflow or outflow from pond and corner weed edges but things are getting tougher as it gets hotter. Only managed one 2.75 pounder today in 2 hours.

[Clint C.]

When I'm unsure if they are in the area I'm in I use this. Humminbird RF15. It actually does show fish decently well.

All I do is shore fish and it's unorthodox to most people but this time of year I use a drop shot with a 2 - 3 1/2 ft leader . I rarely use a worm over 5" especially when the fishing is tough. Roboworms have been working, but my best bait has been the Z-Man Finesse worm (elaztech). I think it works better for shore anglers because it floats so well and still sticks out straight. Use a light weight hook with it. I use the vmc spin shots 1/0.

So I'll cast it out and actually leave slack in my line (a light line no more than 6#, I use sunline sniper super FC). I leave slack so the worm can float up as high as I have my leader set and usually feel a hit on the fall or a couple seconds after it hits the bottom. If not I'll very lightly wiggle it, wait a few seconds, then drag it maybe a foot then sit and wiggle the line. I repeat that a couple times. Then if I still have no bites I drag it until I hit a piece of cover and wiggle it there for 5-15 sec. Rinse and repeat.

The nice thing is you know where the man made structure is. Cast it to it and feel around with the weight (I use a skinny stick weight). Nice thing is that if you do get snagged usually only your weight will get snagged and you can still get your hook and worm back.

Right now they are probably really tight to the cover so you might want to keep it in the man made structure longer. Maybe even dead stick it for a minute or two.

[roadwarrior]

Swim jig has been working for me:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/104358-grove-park-monster/

[logan9209]

Drop-shot, light weight t-rig, and c-rig are great choices for this heat wave imo. Unfortunately, I'm not a numbers guy (unless I got to my favorite point). Slow, dead, or deader is the key. Now swim jigs...well, I have gotten away from them for some reason, but I need to go back (thanks RoadWarrior). That doesn't mean that other things won't work at all. Yesterday morning I had a small bass follow my bream colored double willow (bream painted) spinner bait. I didn't get a chance to go after it because my wife wanted to go somewhere (the disadvantage of living at the lake). Naturally, my lake may not be like your lake. Mine is spring fed and has no creeks running into or out of it. It is also 85% shallow, less than 4 feet, and 95% of that is run over with weeds, some sort of matted nasty smelling substance.

[deep]

I have gotten into suspended schooling bass the last couple of times I was fishing regular bass stuff. I'd catch a few yo-yoing rattle-traps (red-eye shads to be specific), and then that bite would die off. I'd pick up a couple running a crank that dives 10'-12'. And when that bite would die, I caught a few dropping a weightless senko.

Find another school, and repeat.

[AndyTN]

First, I'd really try to get a boat, beg one, borrow one, barter for one, whatever. Then, this time of year I'd fish the outside weed line. I'd fish a wacky rigged senko (green pumpkin with purple & black flakes) on 14 or 17 fluorocarbon line. I wouldn't try any other pattern until I had tried every foot of the outside weed edge with this bait.

This is great advice. With the hot weather we have been having I have moved out to fishing in 15-20 ft. of water at night. A 10" black/red worm slowly across the structures on the bottom has worked for me. My buddy smoked my PB with this last week.

[PABASS]

Let’s have some fun, here is the MAP based on this where would you fish and using what, keep in mind that the North West of the map is completely off limits. My profile photo is that one bass I caught at this location, its driving me nuts I cant find the pattern here.

[Clint C.]

http://binged.it/N5sSA9 - I would toss a drop shot finesse worm there (or around that point in general).

[AK-Jax86]

I have to agree with MCS we live in the same area and it seems like it is d**n near impossible to pull out the amount of fish that we are use to since all of this heat.

I went out last night to fish since it is not as hot and i figured the fish would be biting, but I got MURDERED by mosquitoes!

[PABASS]

We think alike this is the spot I fish and caught that fish on. I am going to try drop shot and will report back.

[prjavelin]

have you tried the docks on the east side?

[Nitrofreak]

For bank fishing you have to include time and patience, I like the area around the breast of the dam, fish will be in deeper water, but you will need to have access to a sonar to find what you are lookig for, so for me the next best thing is getting as close to the bottom as I can.

For me a twin tail hoola grub, t-rigged is what I like to use, slow, small movements is the best way I have found to get these bass to strike on days when it's hard enough that you couldn't buy a bite.

[BassinMD]

I don't dO too much shore fishing but this place is Similar to a reservoir I used to fish, I always went to the d**n there and was throwing football jigs as far out to the deep as I could and try to get it up against a rock and just shake and let te rattle entice the bite. It is a lot tougher in the summer from shore but the deeper you can get out on points the better luck you will have try wading out as far as you can I your not having luck from the shore

[Loop_Dad]

Until recently I didn't have a boat. I don't know how far the outside weed line would be from the bank nor how thick the weed is, but here is what worked for my daughter and I.

Rig a straight worm 4" with 1/0 regular worm hook with smallest split shot possible with spinning tackle. Then cast 30 - 45 degree angle to the shore, so that you can pass the weed line, yet you can swipe the back side of the weed line a little bit. We just twitched this, feeling the lure touching the weed time to time as you go.

If you hook big one and weed is thick, you might be in trouble with this method thou.

[EddieC1981]

I've only caught bass on worms since I started fishing in early june. Got a couple aggressive ones running the worms across the pads slowly. But ever since the vast majority have been in open water and all the way up to the shore line. Weedless senkos and recently recycled my senkos (when they get all hacked up) I've been using them wacky style and jerking it a couple times reel in the slack. let it fall and repeat.