Heavily Pressured Fishing

[BuffaloBass716]

Tons of people beating the bank at this one spot, water is still pretty cold (prespawn) and the area is really shallow.  There is some wood, new weeds re-growing too.  Any help on something that the fish will bite? Most people there were using small inline spinners, some plastics, spinnerbaits.  I've had some success but one day I counted 30 people bank fishing within an area the size of a football field... So catching one fish there was a win for me. 

[gulfcaptain]

look into fishing a weightless Yamamoto Fat Ika.  The local city park lakes around me get hit hard yet these things still produce fish. 

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Pressure is IMO the biggest issue with catching fish. However, waky rigged worms and swim bait minnows can serve well. Also, try and find other spots to drown a worm too. ;-)

[Bankbeater]

I would.throw a finesse jig. 1/8 or 1/4 ounce.

[Pz3]

Throw what they arent. If they are using common walmart gear go with finesse gear or big magnum size baits. This generally improves your odds.

[greentrout]

I fish in a large city area where the public waters are hit hard. I also fish office parks, urban creeks under expressways, housing developments and small bayous spread throughout the city I live in.

 

Downsize your lures and line. Finesse fish. Read Guido Hibdon, the master of light line and small lures. Having said that, get there early in the morning, sunrise, and pull out the baitcaster and throw your favorite top water lure, worm and spinnerbait.

 

Where I'm at there are folks fishing for Largemouth bass as cars are passing overhead on the interstate. It's fun. And there are times when a frog is needed, too in heavy vegetation.

 

Good luck.

 

.

[papajoe222]

Sounds like you were fishing from the bank also.  If that is/was the case, your odds are very slim and you were lucky to get one. If you're faced with the same situation often, consider targeting fish the bank beaters aren't.  Fishing deeper water from shore is a different ball game than targeting the same area from a boat.  You'll want to use baits that are not only able to reach the deeper water structure and cover, you'll want to be able to get both your bait and your catch back to shore without much difficulty. 

Not knowing what type of cover, or how far from the bank the area you'll be targeting, it's difficult to recommend a specific bait, however you'll want to avoid treble hooked baits.  Single hook baits would include spinnerbaits, jigs, tubes, and Texas rigged plastics.  I'd suggest spinning gear for casting distance and (I don't believe I'm saying this) fluorocarbon line or braid with a leader. Sensitivity along with abrasion resistance makes that choice a no brainer.

If you can keep some distance between yourself and other anglers, a C-rig is a great option for not only targeting deeper fish, but for it's ability to transmit bottom information back to you.  Your choice of areas, if you have a choice, would be points, transition areas where rock meets weeds, or large rock meets smaller chunk rock or where soft bottom meets hard or rock bottom. 

Don't think fish won't use deeper water to spawn. If water clearity and temps. permit, larger fish will often pick deeper areas to spawn. 

My last suggestion is to try to avoid the crowds. Week days, especially early and late in the day and later in the week can be the best time for hard hit areas like these.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

As earlier stated, if all else fails, just go when the crowds are gone. That's a sure fire way to at least better your chances.

[RoLo]

It's interesting to note that Rick Clunn (voted all-time best pro-angler) said that fishing something different

was his most important deal-maker.When we lived on Lake Weohyakapka, FL (lake walk-in-water)

I had access to a 100-acre long fishing pier. I experimented almost daily with as many outfits as I could tote to the pier.

Odd but true, any new lure was often the only lure to catch a bass, and this happened on countless occasions.

 

 

Roger

[ColdSVT]

Downsize and be different from the others!

[WRB]

30 anglers in a 100 yard bank maybe an exaggeration! 10 anglers would be standing 30' apart.

Why fish such crowded conditions? Go home and return when everyone else is gone.

Tom

[greentrout]

I truly believe bassers who fish public waters should consider reading some of Guido Hibdon's tactics for

catching bass in heavily pressured waters that most of us fish.

 

Bottom line: he believes light line and small lures will look more natural and result in more strikes which

is more chances for you to catch fish.  Big and small.

 

He won many tournaments on the BASS tournament trail and is highly regarded.

 

 

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

When you go, tell the people nearby that you have a terrible stomach virus. ;-)

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I actually told someone near me one day, and it worked!!!!

[CDMeyer]

I would try and change up my presentation, use something a little more finesse..... I was reading an article on weekend bass vs.  weekday bass and they were saying that if everyone is throwing T-rigs you could change it up to a shaky head..... the article also said that you showed make several cast to the same at least a dozen 

Here is teh article http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/weekend-bass-fishing.html

[bassguytom]

A good alternative to a stick bait is a "Gambler Baby Otter" fish this on a 1/0 EGW and a pegged 3/16 bullet wieght. This will be something different that will catch any fish that is in that body of water.

[bassguytom]

A good alternative to a stick bait is a "Gambler Baby Otter" fish this on a 1/0 EGW and a pegged 3/16 bullet wieght. This will be something different that will catch any fish that is in that body of water.

[JimmyKing]

There is a place near me that is heavily pressured and I hadn't had so much as a nibble whenever I went. Soon after discovering this site I decided to try some senkos out there. After pulling in three 5 lbers a guy came over to ask me what I was using. He told me he didn't know there were fish that big in the lake to which I responded that I didn't know there were fish in the lake.

[einscodek]

Ever try night fishin there?

Those guys must be poundin the bank cause there are good fish in there.. betcha the bigger better fish thatve survived the onslaughts are feedin at night.

[BuffaloBass716]

There is a place near me that is heavily pressured and I hadn't had so much as a nibble whenever I went. Soon after discovering this site I decided to try some senkos out there. After pulling in three 5 lbers a guy came over to ask me what I was using. He told me he didn't know there were fish that big in the lake to which I responded that I didn't know there were fish in the lake.

Lmao, I've had people do the same thing to me, but they are the ones that think there are no fish in there.  Senkos are definitely my go-to bait for this specific spot.  There may not be the biggest bass in the world, but its a nice relaxing spot where I can go and catch a few bass any day of the week.

[BuffaloBass716]

Ever try night fishin there?

Those guys must be poundin the bank cause there are good fish in there.. betcha the bigger better fish thatve survived the onslaughts are feedin at night.

I have not, but I really want to try one of these times.  That may produce some nice bass.