Super User Felix77 Posted June 9, 2013 Super User Posted June 9, 2013 So here are the conditions I was faced with on the water today ... Water 58 degrees Water clarity: In excess of 6 feet Structure: Rocky Bottom (not chunk) sparse weeds. Wind was rocking us around. Causing 1-2 foot waves for a majority of the day. Bluebird skies (was dark, dreary and raining yesterday. Today the complete opposite) Fishing for SMB in this large cove. FYI - Known in the past to have very good Smallies. Before I share how/what I did I am curious what you all would do if you were stuck in this situation. In other words I could not go elsewhere. Thanks Quote
Super User Scott F Posted June 9, 2013 Super User Posted June 9, 2013 I had nearly the same conditions a few weeks ago. Pre-spawn with post frontal conditions. The front had pushed the bass away from the spawning area, but there were still fish hungry and staging. We fished a rocky point that was hammered by the winds that was at the entrance to the cove. Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted June 10, 2013 Author Super User Posted June 10, 2013 I had nearly the same conditions a few weeks ago. Pre-spawn with post frontal conditions. The front had pushed the bass away from the spawning area, but there were still fish hungry and staging. We fished a rocky point that was hammered by the winds that was at the entrance to the cove. What did you end up doing to catch them? Quote
Super User Scott F Posted June 10, 2013 Super User Posted June 10, 2013 We used suspending jerkbaits, Pointers and X-Raps. I was in the area for 2 weeks. The first week the water temps were in the low 40's and rose to very near 50 by the start of the second week. We got nothing until the surface water got to 50 degrees. Then they turned on like someone threw a switch. Water temps continued to rise to the middle 50's when the cold front came in. The bass had been schooled up on the points and were just starting to spread out along the shoreline preparing to spawn when the cold front hit. The only place we could catch them was on points. The jerkbaits did very well, so well we did not even try anything else. Quote
flippin and pitchin Posted June 10, 2013 Posted June 10, 2013 You didn't say how deep you were fishing. The jerkbait in a translucent pattern and or a shimmer shad skirted double willow spinnerbait is where I would have started. A crankbait would have followed and then a heavy tube dragged. A carolina rig would have been my last resort. And ????????? 1 Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted June 10, 2013 Author Super User Posted June 10, 2013 You didn't say how deep you were fishing. The jerkbait in a translucent pattern and or a shimmer shad skirted double willow spinnerbait is where I would have started. A crankbait would have followed and then a heavy tube dragged. A carolina rig would have been my last resort. And ????????? I was fishing in waters that were 6-10 feet deep. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted June 10, 2013 Super User Posted June 10, 2013 Sounds like the perfect day for jerkbaits! 1 Quote
5dollarsplash Posted June 10, 2013 Posted June 10, 2013 Sounds like the perfect day for jerkbaits! This. Quote
Super User webertime Posted June 10, 2013 Super User Posted June 10, 2013 If Felix had the same weather for the pervious 2 weeks that we had up here on Champlain (I think he did) there's a bit more too it. 2 Weeks ago the fish were up and spawning, water was mid to high sixties, we had a full moon. Then the epic rain and COLD nights came through. Then it got really hot and rained some more. The water temps dropped back into the high 40's to mid 50's, the water levels rose about a foot and the moon was gone this weekend. Yesterday we had a tournament, the water was exactly the same as Felix stated, we were fishing an area that sounds just like Felix's. We fished the same area last year on the same date the water was slightly warmer last year and we all pounded them. This year it was a grind and when asked what guys got them on it was "Senko" "Carolina" "Lucky Craft" "Popper" "shakyhead" "Spook" "Crankbait" in other words there was no rhyme or reason to it. It may just be a case of all the weather craziness, first run of spawners had come through and moon phases just screwing up the fish in N. New York/VT/NH and they are starting to settle down after being put through a roller coaster of conditions in the area. 1 Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted June 10, 2013 Author Super User Posted June 10, 2013 If Felix had the same weather for the pervious 2 weeks that we had up here on Champlain (I think he did) there's a bit more too it. 2 Weeks ago the fish were up and spawning, water was mid to high sixties, we had a full moon. Then the epic rain and COLD nights came through. Then it got really hot and rained some more. The water temps dropped back into the high 40's to mid 50's, the water levels rose about a foot and the moon was gone this weekend. Yesterday we had a tournament, the water was exactly the same as Felix stated, we were fishing an area that sounds just like Felix's. We fished the same area last year on the same date the water was slightly warmer last year and we all pounded them. This year it was a grind and when asked what guys got them on it was "Senko" "Carolina" "Lucky Craft" "Popper" "shakyhead" "Spook" "Crankbait" in other words there was no rhyme or reason to it. It may just be a case of all the weather craziness, first run of spawners had come through and moon phases just screwing up the fish in N. New York/VT/NH and they are starting to settle down after being put through a roller coaster of conditions in the area. This explains a TON! I was on Champlain this weekend. It seemed like anything I threw at them wasn't right or at the right time. Caught one on a spinnerbait and another on a senko and that was it! They ignored my soft jerkbaits, tubes, swim jig, drop shot. It was the most frustrating fishing I have experienced to date. Now don't get me wrong it was a fun challenge which kicked my BUTT and wore me out mentally. I am just trying to learn what I could have done differently for the next time. SO far based on the posts I missed on a few opportunities 1 - Suspending Jerkbaits (pointers and such) 2 - Jig. I should have tried dragging a Football jig around. 3 - Learn to fish in current from the back of the boat. This means heavy weight an adjusted setup or a combination of the two. I could not feel bottom no matter what I tried. Thanks for all your feedback. Great as always! 1 Quote
Super User webertime Posted June 10, 2013 Super User Posted June 10, 2013 As it turns out Felix and I fished basically right next to eachother and had the same anti-depressant prescribed to us afterwards... Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted June 10, 2013 Author Super User Posted June 10, 2013 As it turns out Felix and I fished basically right next to eachother and had the same anti-depressant prescribed to us afterwards... Crazy ... I saw your group launch from where I was fishing and didn't know it. Small bassresource.com world. Quote
Super User Oregon Native Posted June 11, 2013 Super User Posted June 11, 2013 When I lived out west and fished the Columbia the wind was your friend. Would idle down the river over the waves and then point the boat back up with the wind and burn lots of bank. Many times rollers came over back but all was good while cranking or fishing a heavy football jig Quote
Crookedneck Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 I agree with alot of the points above. When the wind is blowing, it can bring the smallmouth into a feeding frenzy, if you can find them. I usually start on the most wind blown, wave smashed shore line. I start with a search bait. Crank or jerkbait are a good start. My personal favorite is a 1/2 to 3/4 oz spinner bait. The heavier weights make casting in the wind easier, and believe me when I say they are not too big for smallies. Colors and blade types I will leave to you. I personally like a willow colorado duo, in chartruese or chart/white. I like to use a trailer with a trailer hook. The heavier spinner baits are more versital when it comes to retrieves. The one disadvantage to the heavier spinner baits is if they decide to come to the top and dance...you'll tend to loose a few. Just one of my methods. Quote
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