Where Did The Fish Go In Fl?

[Chobee143]

Started bass fishing in Feb. this year. Bank fishing a pond here in Fla. about 120 acres +/-. Up until a week or so ago, I was doing fairly well, fishing mostly black trick worms, T-rigged with a small rattle weight every time out.

For the last week, it's like the fawcet was shut off. Just 1 or 2 small ones not much bigger than the worm. I tried different colors, different retrieves and even fished a fluke too. I tried a white spinner and a crank bait as well. I walk the bank and fish the different sections that I have access.

My questions. Am I being impatient? Is this normal and part of fishing?

I see there's another thread about the bite being on which makes me even more curious tp what's going on.

 

[John F.]

I haven't been anywhere but the canal behind the house lately but thats the same thing I am seeing. I guess I haven't figured out their pattern completely. I'm not even catching small ones anymore. Been planning on venturing out toward Tradition but my lack of success has slowed me down. I thought I had it sort of figured out. 

 

I tried senkos (my go-to) spooks, flukes, spinners, frogs on top, zoom frogs, rat-l-traps, a jig, you name it... Only thing I haven't tried is fishing somewhere else. 

[DogBone_384]

I can tell you they're NOT up here in E. Massachusetts...

[C-14]

Started bass fishing in Feb. this year. Bank fishing a pond here in Fla. about 120 acres +/-. Up until a week or so ago, I was doing fairly well, fishing mostly black trick worms, T-rigged with a small rattle weight every time out.

For the last week, it's like the fawcet was shut off. Just 1 or 2 small ones not much bigger than the worm. I tried different colors, different retrieves and even fished a fluke too. I tried a white spinner and a crank bait as well. I walk the bank and fish the different sections that I have access.

My questions. Am I being impatient? Is this normal and part of fishing?

I see there's another thread about the bite being on which makes me even more curious tp what's going on.

I was wondering the same until I read some articles about pre & post spawn of bass. Here is one of the articles I found: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/post_spawn.html

 

I think with the increase in summer temps, the fish seem to be going deeper. I seem to have better luck when I fish in the early morning or late evening.

[MCS]

Deep and slow. Deep and Slllloooooowwww...painfully.

[geo g]

Down size and slow down.  Try a four inch senko or zoom centipede in watermelon, or junebug.  Okeechobee is a hot color down here.  Fish it slow, and weightless.  No weight will slow the fall and make it dart and shake on the way down.  It will fall slower in front of suspended bass, which are some of the hardest to catch.

 

Last but not least I would try another body of water.  The Alley has been hot for numbers all winter and it still is to this day.  Good luck, when in doubt, SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

[BassinLou]

That's part of fishing. Some areas are more active than others. I had a period a couple of month's back in the canals, I was catching nice quality fish. Then from one day to the next they shut off. You have to roll with the good and the bad. Sometimes you feel like you are on your "A" game, and the very next day you will be left scratching your head. That's what I love about fishing. You never know what the next time out will bring. 

[FD.]

Blue gill have been spawning.  Hard bottom areas with a small swim bait.

[bassman201]

I've noticed the same thing. I've been fishing neighboorhood ponds and have caugt very little this past week.

[Chobee143]

I haven't been anywhere but the canal behind the house lately but thats the same thing I am seeing. I guess I haven't figured out their pattern completely. I'm not even catching small ones anymore. Been planning on venturing out toward Tradition but my lack of success has slowed me down. I thought I had it sort of figured out. 

 

I tried senkos (my go-to) spooks, flukes, spinners, frogs on top, zoom frogs, rat-l-traps, a jig, you name it... Only thing I haven't tried is fishing somewhere else. 

 Sounds like we're in the same boat so to speak.

I know it's called fishing and not catching for a reason, but this is getting frustrating, going out nearly a dozen times a catching 2 tiny ones. Maybe I need to have more patience.

I'm trying different things too. Went to BPS and bought a mouse and fished that slow on and near Lilly pads, nothing.

I guess trying a different pond/lake is an option.

[bobletcs]

I've noticed the same for me too. I finally caught a dinker on my lunch break today. 1st catch in 2 weeks. Tried everything and finally a Gambler little otter did the trick. Fingers crossed

[MCS]

I've noticed the same for me too. I finally caught a dinker on my lunch break today. 1st catch in 2 weeks. Tried everything and finally a Gambler little otter did the trick. Fingers crossed

 

been using bb crickets shadow blue glitter when it slows

[FD.]

Let me say this again for those that weren't listening...

 

 

The blue gills are spawning.

 

What this means is fish where the gills are spawning and throw something that looks like a blue gill either in shape or color or both.

 

Blue gills spawn on hard bottoms.

 

Buggy whips are a good indication of hard sand bottom.

 

OR

 

Throw a heavy weighted carolina rig and find the shell areas.

 

This is how you can catch a lot of fish in June, in Florida.

[Chobee143]

Let me say this again for those that weren't listening...

 

 

The blue gills are spawning.

 

What this means is fish where the gills are spawning and throw something that looks like a blue gill either in shape or color or both.

 

Blue gills spawn on hard bottoms.

 

Buggy whips are a good indication of hard sand bottom.

 

OR

 

Throw a heavy weighted carolina rig and find the shell areas.

 

This is how you can catch a lot of fish in June, in Florida.

I hear ya, but let me ask you this because I don't know the answer.

I bank fish in a man made big pond. How do I find the hard sand bottom?

[FD.]

I hear ya, but let me ask you this because I don't know the answer.

I bank fish in a man made big pond. How do I find the hard sand bottom?

 

 

I will admit it is tougher for you bank guys, but not impossible.

 

Vegetation will give you clues.  Pads usually grow in muddy areas. Maidencane (kissimmee grass) will only grow in sand.  Bull rushes or buggy whips grow in hard packed sand.

 

I use a DD 22 or a 2 oz punch weight to dredge an area and "feel" the bottom and see what comes back on your lure.  I sometimes use a "redneck depthfinder' if the water is less than 6'.

 

If you are fishing a manmade pond then you have drainage pipes that come in and go out.   You'll probably find broken concrete rubble around these pipes and that equals a "shell bed" as far as blue gill are concerned.

[John F.]

Managed to catch one on a Storm chug bug tonight. Went out with the dog and heard a splash, grabbed the rod and hooked up. Nothing huge and only my third bass at night but it got me out of the foul mood I was in. PIcked up some bluegill colored creme swimbaits and a KVD crankbait to try but there's grass and hair algae in my canal so i do alot more weeding than anything. Can barely fish with a jig or crankbait at all. (Unless I'm doing something wrong)

[MCS]

Managed to catch one on a Storm chug bug tonight. Went out with the dog and heard a splash, grabbed the rod and hooked up. Nothing huge and only my third bass at night but it got me out of the foul mood I was in. PIcked up some bluegill colored creme swimbaits and a KVD crankbait to try but there's grass and hair algae in my canal so i do alot more weeding than anything. Can barely fish with a jig or crankbait at all. (Unless I'm doing something wrong)

 

Nope typical.....Try a bitters naked swimmer in bluegill.....or a Gambler EZ swimmer, gambler also has southern swim jigs with and without a blade in bluegill. Lipless are better choices of cranks because you can rip them free and control their depth better. 

[shawnFL]

Let me say this again for those that weren't listening...

 

 

The blue gills are spawning.

 

What this means is fish where the gills are spawning and throw something that looks like a blue gill either in shape or color or both.

 

Blue gills spawn on hard bottoms.

 

Buggy whips are a good indication of hard sand bottom.

 

OR

 

Throw a heavy weighted carolina rig and find the shell areas.

 

This is how you can catch a lot of fish in June, in Florida.

 

I've gone cold, too, in Florida. Could you recommend me a bait?

[FD.]

The hot bait last weekend was bitters naked swimmer, in watermelon shad.  Sometimes I dye the tail chartruse with JJ's magic.  T-rig with enough weight so it swims down with a little tail action.  I use a punch stop to keep the weight pegged to the nose.

 

https://www.bittersbaitandtackle.com/naked-swimmer.html

 

Another good bait this time a year is bitters vibe.  T-rig with 1/8 oz.  I like blue berry or toho gold.

 

My last bait is a fluke, over any submerged vegetation.  Mardi Gras would be my choice.

[BassinLou]

Caught a nice 20" bass this evening using a u-vibe worm buzzed on top of the water parallel to shore. 

[shawnFL]

The hot bait last weekend was bitters naked swimmer, in watermelon shad. Sometimes I dye the tail chartruse with JJ's magic. T-rig with enough weight so it swims down with a little tail action. I use a punch stop to keep the weight pegged to the nose.

https://www.bittersbaitandtackle.com/naked-swimmer.html

Another good bait this time a year is bitters vibe. T-rig with 1/8 oz. I like blue berry or toho gold.

My last bait is a fluke, over any submerged vegetation. Mardi Gras would be my choice.

That is great advice. I'm very thankful.

[John F.]

Thanks from me too.  

[Chobee143]

Thanks from me too.

I'd like to add a bit of info as well. Thinking back, a couple of days before and the day of the last full moon, the bite was on. The evening of the full moon, I had a little time to fish. 13 casts, 6 fish up to 4-5 lb, 2 lost which spit the hook and 2 hits missed. Then 1 or 2 days later, that all changed.

Going to go to BPS and try some of these suggestions so I can start catching bass bigger than my hand.

[MCS]

Good morning melon shad aces and black trick worms. My son was a happy camper

[MichaelE]

The fish are pretty much at their summer stages. Hollow body frogs and big worms.