Why The Heck Did They Not Bite? Full? Climate? Bait?

[TAlexander]

Hello everyone this is my first post. Yesterday I was fishing at Castaic Lake here in Southern California(where I usually do). I was fishing a gulch on the southeast side of the lake. While fishing there I noticed a tremendous amount of shad swimming all over the place. Sometimes curious to see my bait and sometimes swimming in enormous flocks, possibly to run away from a predator nearby. Anyways, I was able to spot quite a few bass which unfortunately, from my boat, I am never good at telling whether or not it is a large mouth or a striper. I would throw either a drop shot with a worm (margarita mutilator) or just a simple Carolina rig witha  pink work but they paid no attention. At one point I saw two large splashes which seemed to be two fish that came up to the surface to eat some of the shad and then all the shad darted to my boat to get away. I approached that spot along with another bass boat that was about 50 feet away from me. The anglers on the other boat threw an umbrella rig, and the other threw a top water bait and just walked the dog. I threw a pink plastic worm and my girlfriend and my dad each threw a drop shot with a plastic worm at the same spot. Ultimately nobody in that area had luck at catching anything especially in that instance.

 

My question is, when in a gully, gulch, ravine, or whatever have you of a lake, and it is apparent that there is a lot of bait fish swimming around, could this be a negative factor due to the fish just being full? At first I was thinking to myself this is not a good spot because the bass would be full from all the bait fish here. On the other hand, I saw bass swimming to the surface and eating them so that sort of proves my theory wrong. I am hoping that I can get a learning lesson from my poor fishing day and any insight would be helpful from others. Thanks for sticking through my long post!

 

Water depths: 10-30 feet

Water Temp: 75 degrees

Outside Temp: 95 degrees

Blue Sky

63% moon night before

[aceman387]

I would try throwing a swim bait ,fluke,white swim jig or a white spinnerbait.

[TAlexander]

What is it about the white color that you recommend? I myself am trying to learn the art of proper bait color selection. The boat next to me threw an umbrella right with all white swim baits but it didn't seem to work either.

[Khong]

More or likely Stripers chasing Shads.  To know if they're LMB, run your boat over and over that spot to see if they are still there.  If they are there for more then 5 minute, then it's a school of LMB.  You found a honey hole.  LMB are lazy like T-Rex, they prefer to ambush not chase.  Usually, they're hiding next to some kind of structure.  If they are going to ambush, they will swim quickly to hit it and rush back to their structure.   

[aquaholic]

  LMB are lazy like T-Rex, they prefer to ambush not chase.  

They also have stubby arms like a trex

[Fish Murderer 71]

Lets start with pink in clear water (IMO) bad idea....  clear water I use smaller natural colors. fluke and a hook, watermelon red is my favorite for that kind of situation.  pop, pop, pause pause pop, pop, pause pause....  if they dont strike, try a slow constant reeling....  if that dont work, small 6-8 ' crank (I'm assuming that depth cause you can see them.)  overall, be ready to change it up over and over, different colors, sizes, presentations.  Khong is right, get close to em and they may strike...  One thing I have learned- when all else fails - throw a Spiro blood craw square bill- always seems to work when nothing else does.

[TAlexander]

Thanks Fish Murderer 71, definitely helpful advice. My only last main question is, if I'm in an area that is full of bait fish, would the bass be less likely to eat my bait because they are already full?

[redboat]

 

 

Water Temp: 75 degrees

Outside Temp: 95 degrees

 

 

Wow, 95 degree air temp and 75 water?  Here in Texas when the air temp is 95 the water is like, 94.  Sounds like the lake is fed by a cold stream, from mountains maybe?

 

Anyway, that water and air temp spread, I'd go with a pumpkinseed green fluke fished weightless, chrome or red rattletrap, 1/4 to 1/2 oz jig, or spinner.  Fish real REAL slow - if you think you're fishing slow enough slow down some more.  I'd try around rocks close to shore maybe a little shallower, 5 to 10 feet.

 

Good luck!

[Khong]

Thanks Fish Murderer 71, definitely helpful advice. My only last main question is, if I'm in an area that is full of bait fish, would the bass be less likely to eat my bait because they are already full?

 

Remember, LMB will strike in two occasion, Reaction and Hunger.  If you present it right to the LMB, they will strike it even if they are not hungry.