Finding Fish? Best Baits For Searching.

[Djsh8008]

So those of you who have read my introduction know I'm a college kid witch means I'm low on cash and don't have a boat lol. I have small ponds, one small lake, and a river near by. I'm looking into methods of finding fish. I've bass fished for years but with no real strategy to it. Just casting different baits until I get bit. On different spots around the water I'm fishing. Soy question is what's the best meathod to use to find fish and good search baits. Thanks!

[eyedabassman]

Spinnerbait,crankbait,topwater!

 

 

[BW208]

I still dont understand the search bait deal.  So youre teling me if you throw a crank bait and catch two fish on it you are going to switch lures cause the fish are there?  Why not keep throwing what they are biting?  Also just because they dont bite a spinner bait or crank bait doesnt mean they wont bite a jig or a senko.  I can understand if your throwing it to see if something follows it up just to see if there is fish there I guess.

[Djsh8008]

I always took it as watching for signs of fish. Maybe not a bite but signs like you mentioned following the bait or bumping the bait. I just don't know what's good for that lol I just throw what ever I think will catch fish. I haven't learned much about the colors and such to use on certain times of day or weather still doing research like I said I've fished for years but with no real strategy just throwin baits till I catch fish not thinking about color or bait type lol

[BW208]

in clear water use natural colors like green pumpkin, browns, greens, shad patterns, white.  In dark water or dirty water use dark colors like black/blue or use very bright colors like chartruse or fire tiger.  On sunny days use natural colors, cloudy days are good for top water, darker colors.  Also in murky water use something that makes noise and will attract the fish via thier lateral line. 

 

[Djsh8008]

I'll have to watch that thanks!!

[Ozark_Basser]

Moving baits. Here's how I would go about it if I were in your situation.

Clear water high skies open water with little cover - jerkbait or spook

Clear water high skies lots of cover - swimjig

Slightly stained water or clear water on overcast or windy days - square bill, lipless crank, or spinnerbait

Any water with lots of rock - square bill

Really stained water - square bill, lipless crank, or chatterbait

[danno054]

I still dont understand the search bait deal.  So youre teling me if you throw a crank bait and catch two fish on it you are going to switch lures cause the fish are there?  Why not keep throwing what they are biting?  Also just because they dont bite a spinner bait or crank bait doesnt mean they wont bite a jig or a senko.  I can understand if your throwing it to see if something follows it up just to see if there is fish there I guess.

Look at it as if your covering water to find fish. When you find fish you may never have to slow down, You might get all your work done on a moving bait. If you begin to put a pattern together with a moving bait you can potentially pick the pattern apart with a slower bait.

Also, you may have to slow down. But I try to fish fast first and cover water until I rule out moving baits. My theory is you only have so long to fish whether it's a tournament or fun fishing. You can always slow down if you need to, but you can run out of time fishing slow if you can't find fish that way.

Then again if you show up and they'll bit a jig then I'd never put down the big stick. But I prefer to fish fast to slow for efficiency.

[Catt]

So those of you who have read my introduction know I'm a college kid witch means I'm low on cash and don't have a boat lol. I have small ponds, one small lake, and a river near by. I'm looking into methods of finding fish. I've bass fished for years but with no real strategy to it. Just casting different baits until I get bit. On different spots around the water I'm fishing. Soy question is what's the best meathod to use to find fish and good search baits. Thanks!

On small ponds, small lakes, & a river you should cover the water column top to bottom.

[Catt]

I still dont understand the search bait deal. So youre teling me if you throw a crank bait and catch two fish on it you are going to switch lures cause the fish are there? Why not keep throwing what they are biting? Also just because they dont bite a spinner bait or crank bait doesnt mean they wont bite a jig or a senko. I can understand if your throwing it to see if something follows it up just to see if there is fish there I guess.

You are absolutely correct!

If they are biting it don't stop throwing it until they stop hitting it. Then go back through the area with a different lure.

I search for bass with my depth finder

[Fishes in trees]

As a bank bound college kid - you've got options.  Option #1 might be to ingratiate yourself with some professor who has a boat.   That would probably be option # 2 & 3 as well.

 

Until those options manifest, a few tools will make bank fishing better.   One - get a set of hip waders.  This will get you off the bank a little bit and allow you to parallel the weed lines better.  Two - understand that there are lots of lures that aren't a lot of use to you from the bank.  Deep diving cranks - drop shot rigs are a couple that come to mind, I'm pretty sure there are others.

 

Really, bank fishing - you only need a few lures.  A reaction bait that gets through brush & vegetation, like a spinnerbait or a chatter bait sometimes maybe a square bill, and you can throw these all on the same rod.

 

Your other rig should be for slower moving baits like jigs & worms.  If I were in your shoes as far as slow moving baits go I'd have quarter ounce Brewer Slider heads and 5"paddle tail worms, maybe something like a trick worm as a back up.  If I had to have another rig - I'd go with a Ned rig.  Be mindful that there is a steeper learning curve to using a ned rig than you might think.

 

Hope these current thoughts help.   I'll leave all the rod length & action, reel & line options up to you.  As far as the ned rig goes, use something similar to what Ned uses.

[Lacustrine]

So those of you who have read my introduction know I'm a college kid witch means I'm low on cash and don't have a boat lol. I have small ponds, one small lake, and a river near by. I'm looking into methods of finding fish. I've bass fished for years but with no real strategy to it. Just casting different baits until I get bit. On different spots around the water I'm fishing. Soy question is what's the best meathod to use to find fish and good search baits. Thanks!

I also have that problem. My grandad has a boat, but I can't take it out every day. I am currently trying to get into my schools bass team and find someone that needs a partner (though I have been trying to contact someone on the team and can't find anyone. I know there is a team though because AUM was ranked a couple of years ago and I have heard of them still fishing tournaments.) Does your college have a bass team?

[scaleface]

Make   each cast serve a purpose.  Best advice I ever got.

[eyedabassman]

I still dont understand the search bait deal.  So youre teling me if you throw a crank bait and catch two fish on it you are going to switch lures cause the fish are there?  Why not keep throwing what they are biting?  Also just because they dont bite a spinner bait or crank bait doesnt mean they wont bite a jig or a senko.  I can understand if your throwing it to see if something follows it up just to see if there is fish there I guess.

I did not explain myself in the wright way. You are wright if I am trying to find fish with a crank,spinnerbait,topwater and I find them and they are hitting on say=a crank! I am not putting down the crankbait to fish a slow bait! But if the bite stops on the crank I know that there should be more fish there and now I will go to a jig,T-rig,drop shot ect. to pick some more fish up.

[GoRavens]

How long do you guys fish a particular bait (search bait in this example) before you move to different spot and/or change lures?

[primetime]

Look for an area that has some cover and deep water nearby, start out throwing a chatterbait, Rattle trap, swim a speed worm or swimbait over the weeds, throw a wake bait like a red fin or Long A, swim a jig, spinnerbait, all depends where and when...I would use whatever technique you have confidence in, and allows you to cover water quickly to find fish...A fluke can be a good search bait, Carolina rigs are good, personally I find myself throwing traps, wakes, chatterbaits lately, and if certain fish are in the area I start working the Long A with a twitch twitch Boom action.....and wake the Jointed Red Fin, if a little ripple, I cast the biggest walking bait in my box and right now I am falling in love with the Rebel T10 and T20 walking baits, they replaced the Ima Skimmer for me, now I look at the Skimmers which are super pretty, but the Rebels cast better and flat out catch more fish. I still use the Skimmer in clear water because of the colors but the Rebel is a better walker imo and catching more fish for me lately, the T10 is similar in size and action, similar to the Tiemco bait as well, and the T20 is big like a spook or xwalk 13...It sits vertical and has an action that is awesome, cuts super sharp and kicks up more spray in the back since it is tail weighted and has a long cast system...ticked I never threw the bait until last year because it is a flat out producer, and when I worked at a local tackle shop it sold better than the spooks and skitter walks and priced the same...

[the reel ess]

If it's a shallow place, try bubble gum or limetreuse Zoom Trick Worm weightless. I friend turned me on to that and I'll bet I've caught as many pond bass on that as other lures combined. You can cover a lot of water with it quickly too. It won't produce spring thru fall on bigger waters, but will in a pond.

 

+1 on the Ratl Trap in the early spring and fall. Rebel, Rapala, Bomber Long A floating minnows, Rapala slash baits. Those are my fav's.

[BW208]

How long do you guys fish a particular bait (search bait in this example) before you move to different spot and/or change lures?

 

 

I am curious on this also.  For me its about 10 casts.