I Need Some Advice Guys.

[Rhino68W]

            Alright, it's been a while since I posted but I am back with a few questions. I recently started kayak fishing here in Fort Worth, TX. I am surrounded by decent lakes and fellow kayakers who also have a love for bass fishing. Today I went and got skunked while others I were with were catching 5 or 6 so obviously it's the fisherman, not the fish. The water temp was about 67 degrees, overcast skies, wind 10 mph, relatively clear water (6-8 feet), and 

 

     How would you guys approach a new body of water, with no electronics, and maybe 2 baitcaster and 1 spinning setup? Obviously one with a search bait, one with maybe a topwater, and one with a slower presentation for breaking an area down. I just need some tips on what you would use, how, where ect...It's been very demoralizing going out these past few times and getting nothing.

 

Thanks guys, tight lines!

[Bruce424]

Try fishing the shallow cover YOU like to fish that is visible. Learn from what other anglers are doing. If your buddy catches on topwater concentrate on that. Bottom? Change it up. If it's what's working don't be stubborn. I'm really stubborn and it hurts me more than helps. As for rods I carry a search bait like a squarebill or spinnerbait. then a jig or Texas rigged plastic.then maybe a spinning rod with a shaky head. Hope this helps a bit

[Hurricane]

My 3 rods would be rigged with a Spinner Bait, a rapala dt6, and a senko..

[RoLo]

When someone is catching bass at the same time & place that you are not, that offers a learning opportunity.

Watch the successful angler very closely. It's not enough to tie on the same lure,

you also need to watch where he or she is placing their casts, how long they pause on the bottom,

the speed and cadence of their retrieve, and so on.

 

Frankly, it's the skunks and slumps that amplify the challenge, the stuff that keeps us coming back for more. 

Good Luck

 

  Roger

[deep]

I'm probably in the same boat (pun) as you are since 100% of my serious fishing and about 50% of my fun fishing is from the shoreline (no electronics).

 

Take my advice for what it's worth, but I do luck into a few fish here and there.

 

First off, map study is important. I hit no more than 3 or 4 spots in an 8 hour serious fishing trip. For shorter funner trips, I'll fish probably the same number of spots, but fish much faster.

 

For the fun shore banging trips, I take 1 rod and 1 reel with me. A jig is always there, and maybe a jerkbait or a topwater too if I'm feeling like it. A jig can be fished is so many different ways covering all parts of the column until the fish tell me how and where they want it.

 

For more serious trips, I have three rods with me. One is always a swimbait rod, and the second is always the jig rod. The third is either another swimbait rod, or a plastics rod (depends on the moon phase and weather conditions). I always fish top-middle-bottom, but especially the bottom, with at least two baits, and several presentations for each bait.

 

Good luck.

[BaitMonkey1984]

Pay attention to the small details. I have realized how much of a difference the smallest of attention to detail has made. Also, look at what, where, how you buddies are fishing. Can't go wrong with a wacky rigged 5" GYCB senko in watermelon creme. 

[Jmoose]

I like to use spinnerbaits. They are typically a good search bait. For breaking a spot down, the choices in plastic baits are endless. Try a bunch and see which ones you like best. Always throw your favorite lure first. You will have the most confidence in that bait and will probably fish better with it than anything else.

[ClackerBuzz]

when all else fails...head to the weeds. shallow/surface breaking weeds usually have smaller fish. the deeper submerged weeds usually have bigger girls. paddle perpendicular to shore (toward deep water) while using a jig to find the deepest weeds in the lake.  park/position ur kayak where you can cast past the deep weeds to sediment and drag ur jig/shaky head back till you feel the first sign of weed growth.  stop ur lure there and wiggle at the edge of the deep weeds. someone should poke their head out to say hello

[Hyrule Bass]

lose the "search bait" and tie on something that works. you can call anything a "search bait", but if its not working is it really a "search bait" or are you just wasting time fishing something the fish dont want?

[Master Bait'r]

Well what 3 combos are you working with?  

 

 

Honestly if you have been fishing around and they aren't biting, I'm guessing they are not up top.  I'd lean more towards deeper presentations in times like that when the skunk just won't let go.  

 

Shakyhead, jigging, drop shot, c-rig, nail weighted weedless hudd shad...  Anything I could think of to send to the bottom and still be withing weight on my gear I'd be doing just that until I found something that worked.  They're usually either there or locked in weeds and cover if I can't find them using regular open water tactics.    

[Catt]

Excellent advice offered above!

Fort Worth, Tx

I would bet the farm on outside grass line!

One baitcaster with a square bill

One baitcaster with a Texas rig or jig

Spinning shaky head or weightless