Creekcrappie Posted October 11, 2013 Posted October 11, 2013 I'm having trouble with this. When I fish a search bait like a crank bait ,rattle trap, spinnerbait, and buzzbait I cover a lot of water, but I don't get anything to commit to my baits. When I fish a plastic or a jig I don't find the fish fast, but it is more effective. How should I get over this problem? Also, what are your favorite havoc baits? Has anyone tried the wide load? Quote
Super User WRB Posted October 11, 2013 Super User Posted October 11, 2013 The best search tool is your sonar unit. Tom Quote
Creekcrappie Posted October 11, 2013 Author Posted October 11, 2013 I definitely need one of those. Should be getting one soon. Quote
5dollarsplash Posted October 11, 2013 Posted October 11, 2013 I'd slow down your retrieve. One of the best tips I ever got as a young man golfing/fishing "Let the club/lure do the work." If you overswing or over work a bait it can lead to poor results. A search bait does not need to be burned along. Try fishing your jigs like you do your cranks etc and I bet they don't get bit either. Try being more methodical and thorough, otherwise you could be wasting casts. Best of luck. Quote
BuffaloBass716 Posted October 11, 2013 Posted October 11, 2013 I'm having trouble with this. When I fish a search bait like a crank bait ,rattle trap, spinnerbait, and buzzbait I cover a lot of water, but I don't get anything to commit to my baits. When I fish a plastic or a jig I don't find the fish fast, but it is more effective. How should I get over this problem? Also, what are your favorite havoc baits? Has anyone tried the wide load? I have the same problem, especially as a bank fisherman. Quote
1234567 Posted October 11, 2013 Posted October 11, 2013 If you're in an area that you are confident holds fish, slow your technique such as jigs or t-rig. More times than not your not going to stumble upon a bunch of fish actively feeding. However, if you're fishing slow, chances are better a lazy bass will pick up your bait to eat it. 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted October 11, 2013 Super User Posted October 11, 2013 The bass told you what they want...plastics & a jig! So what's question? Quote
Tony L. Posted October 11, 2013 Posted October 11, 2013 I have the same problem, especially as a bank fisherman. Me too. I grew up fishing from a boat, but don't have that luxury anymore because I moved to the city for school. The spinnerbait is one of my all time confidence lures, and i tried it from the bank of a brand new lake yesterday. I couldn't get a hit to save my life. I varied the retrieves all day and still had no luck. A couple times I could even see the bass I was casting to and brought it right across their nose without any success. I switched to a weightless senko and got absolutely whalloped on the second cast. Sometimes they just want something different. Quote
Super User bigbill Posted October 11, 2013 Super User Posted October 11, 2013 This why I throw a variety of different lures and colors too. When I fan cast I don't make my casts so close to each other I tend to jump around with my casts. On my tough days the firetiger color has come threw for me. Pay close attention to the water conditions the clarity will tell you what lure color and size to use plus the presentation too. Do you use scents? Don't be afraid to throw lures you don't use that often. We're like a baseball pitcher and we need to do change ups till we get a strike. Then we nailed down the patterns. Remember to vary your speed on the presentation too. Keep every cast at that one speed. You need to make each presentation an Oscar winning one. 1 Quote
Creekcrappie Posted October 11, 2013 Author Posted October 11, 2013 Do you use scents? I use bait mate fish attractant bass, the cheap on you get at academy. I need to find a new brand because it falls off after two casts. It's a big oil slick on the water. What do you use? Quote
Super User Catt Posted October 11, 2013 Super User Posted October 11, 2013 Baitmate & 1/2 oz of 100% pure anise oil Quote
Loop_Dad Posted October 12, 2013 Posted October 12, 2013 I'm having trouble with this. When I fish a search bait like a crank bait ,rattle trap, spinnerbait, and buzzbait I cover a lot of water, but I don't get anything to commit to my baits. When I fish a plastic or a jig I don't find the fish fast, but it is more effective. How should I get over this problem? Also, what are your favorite havoc baits? Has anyone tried the wide load? Creekcrappie, one possibility might be for you to combine the search bait and bottom bait. What I mean is to use lures such as small puddle tail swimbaits or speed worm and work them with steady retrieves + slow bottom hopping action both ways combined. This technique works for me. When you get bit, take a mental note of what you were doing, so that you can shift to whatever the fish want that day. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted October 12, 2013 Global Moderator Posted October 12, 2013 Up the size of your T rig weight or jig and it becomes a very effective search bait. The fast fall allows you to cover water quickly, it keeps contact with the bottom better so you can really feel what's down there (a big plus when you don't have a sonar unit), and you can still fish it slowly when you get into a likely area. Quote
JTMONEY606 Posted October 12, 2013 Posted October 12, 2013 I have the same problem, especially as a bank fisherman. Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted October 12, 2013 Super User Posted October 12, 2013 Don't think of it as searching the water with plastics, or cranks. Think of the water in sections with each section having something in it that could hide a bass. Fish the ones with the highest probability of having bass in them first. Quote
Super User Catt Posted October 12, 2013 Super User Posted October 12, 2013 Seriously guys! The bass have told y'all what they want & y'all gonna ignore this because plastics & jigs aint considered "search" baits! I want to tournament fish against you guys! When you have an established pattern you don't ignore it for a maybe. Who cares how fast or slow you're fishing as long as they are eating it! Quote
BadBassWV Posted October 12, 2013 Posted October 12, 2013 I keep a Jig, spinnerbait and some type of top water tied on when I start out fishing. This time of year I will start shallow and work my way out to ledges and drop offs. A lot of times a sonar doesn't do you any good in the real shallows any way. I don't consider it as a search bait. I am just trying to figure out where the fish are holding and what they are chasing. I have never been able to throw i.e. a spinner bait catch a couple good fish and then switch to something slower. I think you are over thinking it. If you want to start out with a texas rig and finally move in an area where you get bit then I guess you can call that searching with a texas rig. Fish the bait you have caught fish on before in the particular area you fish, if you don't get bit then switch to crank, spinnerbait or lipless crank. or whatever. I think throwing a so called search bait i.e. lipless crank and don't get bit and move on, you are probably leaving an area where a slower bait like a texas rig would have gotten bit. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted October 12, 2013 Posted October 12, 2013 I'm having trouble with this. When I fish a search bait like a crank bait ,rattle trap, spinnerbait, and buzzbait I cover a lot of water, but I don't get anything to commit to my baits. When I fish a plastic or a jig I don't find the fish fast, but it is more effective. How should I get over this problem? Also, what are your favorite havoc baits? Has anyone tried the wide load? first, learn there is no such thing as a true search bait... Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted October 12, 2013 Posted October 12, 2013 Seriously guys! The bass have told y'all what they want & y'all gonna ignore this because plastics & jigs aint considered "search" baits! I want to tournament fish against you guys! When you have an established pattern you don't ignore it for a maybe. Who cares how fast or slow you're fishing as long as they are eating it! i agree. but i dont believe in search baits to begin with, you can throw a so called "search bait" all day and never get a bite because its not what the fish want, doesnt mean there arent fish around... 1 Quote
Super User Grizzn N Bassin Posted October 12, 2013 Super User Posted October 12, 2013 I searched with a 1/16 bullet weight with a white grub... nothing so I went to a 1/2 rattle trap got bite.... next day no go for the rattle trap,,, or the grub they wanted a jig sitting still on the right side of the rock wall not the left!!!!! listen to what the bass tell you and fish.. Quote
Super User whitwolf Posted October 12, 2013 Super User Posted October 12, 2013 Catt and Red have this covered. I would like to add this: It seems to me that you're over thinking things. If you're catching fish then you have figured out what you need to do to catch fish that day. I highly suggest relaxing out on the water , fish your strengths, and as much as anything try not to over analyze things and have FUN! 1 Quote
CDMeyer Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 My favorite Berkley Havoc bait is the Skeet Reese Pit Boss. HANDS ON THE BEST Quote
Loop_Dad Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 Catt and Red have this covered. I would like to add this: It seems to me that you're over thinking things. If you're catching fish then you have figured out what you need to do to catch fish that day. I highly suggest relaxing out on the water , fish your strengths, and as much as anything try not to over analyze things and have FUN! Right on about that point, whitwolf. I too have the tendency of over-analyzing. I recently started relaxing a bit and focusing more on really enjoying the good experiences while out. Made a huge difference. Quote
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