Need Some Help Fellla's

[HoosierHawgs]

Ok, so I spend a lot of time fishing a small structured reservoirs, about 9 acres in surface area. I've been fishing this lake pretty much my whole life. This weekend conditions have thrown me for a curveball. A few days ago (Tuesday) a HUGE stormfront rolled through. It caused a dramatic rise in the water, which didn't stay long due to the dam, but threw a bunch of vegetation out of the water. Their is still some coontail in the water, which is fairly fishable and then in other areas there is surface algae, which can only be covered by a frog, but for the most part, its more sparse then normal. Today due to the stormfront, the water was extremely dirty, and the conditions were typical postfront, blue bird skies, flat calm. Pretty warm, enough to make it uncomfortable. There is a rip rap bank near the dam. Near the inflow point there is a flat, with vacated panfish beds. I can reach parts of the main creek channel with casting gear, but not all of it. I would think it's no deeper than 10ft, but couldn't tell you for sure. The main forage is shad, although I've seen some crawfish, I struggle getting bites with bottom contact baits. Today I fished a 5/16 oz War Eagle Mike McClelland Finesse Spinnerbait (White/Chartreuse), a rattling 2.5 Squarebill, and a Shad Colored Frog. No luck. How would you guys attack this? Any help is appreciated! Feel free to ask for more information if I left something out, I'm working on finding a map. Thanks in advance!

[Senko lover]

I would definitely try a chatterbait, swim jig, and a lipless crankbait. And, of course, a senko

[Jon G]

Black and Blue Bladed Jig is the bait I would throw all day long.

[Ozark_Basser]

Sounds like you were throwing a lot of the same things I would be throwing in that situation minus a chatterbait. More than likely the fish are in a funk due to the conditions. I'd go weightless and fish very close to cover and the shoreline. Also since the water has came down, the fish could have pulled out to the closest edge. You might need a kayak to try and probe it out.

[HoosierHawgs]

Sounds like you were throwing a lot of the same things I would be throwing in that situation minus a chatterbait. More than likely the fish are in a funk due to the conditions. I'd go weightless and fish very close to cover and the shoreline. Also since the water has came down, the fish could have pulled out to the closest edge. You might need a kayak to try and probe it out.

Good advice. Sadly this is a strictly no Boats, Canoes, Kayaks lake.

[HoosierHawgs]

Black and Blue Bladed Jig is the bait I would throw all day long.

How would you fish it? What is the setup you like to use? What trailer do you like? Sorry for all the questions, just struggle understanding how to best utilize a bladed jig.

[HoosierHawgs]

And, of course, a senko

Texas Rig? Blakc/blue?

[Senko lover]

I personally prefer wacky, but I've caught plenty of fish on a texas-rigged senko. 

 

I usually throw chatterbaits with a small swimbait as a trailer. I experiment with waking it, similar to a buzzbait, or swimming it a little deeper. 

[A-Jay]

Before the discussion into techniques & baits, I think it may help to know & understand two important concepts:

 

1). How, where & why LMB live out their lives in the Summer months and 

2). How that relates to the water your fishing.

 

During the pre summer to summer time period, bass will make one of two distinct movements, some of the bass population will head towards the protection of the shallows and the slop often found there  and bury up for the summer months.  Or they will head towards the cooler deeper water, only moving briefly moving as shallow as they need to to feed.  

How and when they feed in your water is important as is what prey they prefer or what is most available.  This can at the very least offer some confidence in where to start.

 

Clearly to learn this takes effort & time.  You'll need to be there, on the water, or the bank trying different baits in different areas and at different times.  It's not something one needs to speed up or rush because this is called Bass Fishing and that's what we do.

 

I guarantee you, that after you figure some of this out, on your own, the confidence to keep learning and the satisfaction of putting it together will fuel you to new highs as an angler.

 

btw- I said "some of this" because unless you where born with gills, there will always be gaping holes left in this puzzle.  There are several good Summer Time articles here on BR.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[blckshirt98]

In muddy water that doesn't have too much vegetation to foul up your bait, definitely try a chatterbait.  I like the D&M version of them, and for a trailer just use a 3" single/double tail grub.  Color wise in the murk I like something really bright, something like this - http://dmcustombaits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/10/Piranha-II-Bladed-swim-jig-TooSexy.jpg

[Jon G]

How would you fish it? What is the setup you like to use? What trailer do you like? Sorry for all the questions, just struggle understanding how to best utilize a bladed jig.

A lot of guys fish the bladed jig to fast. I fish it on a slow retrieve as slow as I can to get that blade to thump.

 

My set up I like is: Dobyns 734 or 744 (I'm using a St Croix LTB 7'1 MH a lot now since I am most likely switching my Champions to LTBs.) I pair it with either a Curado 200 IHG or Chronarch CI4 150hg with 16lb Sniper (I've tried braid with it before and it was alright but it just feels better with fluoro imo)

 

For Trailers I like paddle tails. Keitechs, Swim Senkos, Skinny Dippers all work. But I saw a user here, (I think Blue Basser?) mention using a side ways rigged Pit Boss as a trailer and I gave it a shot and that is now my all time favorite trailer. What determines what trailer I use is usually how high or low I want the bait to run in the water column. Paddle tails make it run deeper and something like the Pit Boss makes it run higher.

 

I will fish the bladed jig anywhere. It has become my favorite search bait. The biggest thing I can say is if you feel the blade just stop thumping for some reason set the hook! I've noticed 50% of the time a fish will rip the rod out of your hands and the other 50% of the time when they eat the bait you can't feel them hit it but the blade just suddenly stops thumping.

[RoLo]

Ok, so I spend a lot of time fishing a small structured reservoirs, about 9 acres in surface area. I've been fishing this lake pretty much my whole life. This weekend conditions have thrown me for a curveball. A few days ago (Tuesday) a HUGE stormfront rolled through. It caused a dramatic rise in the water, which didn't stay long due to the dam, but threw a bunch of vegetation out of the water. Their is still some coontail in the water, which is fairly fishable and then in other areas there is surface algae, which can only be covered by a frog, but for the most part, its more sparse then normal. Today due to the stormfront, the water was extremely dirty, and the conditions were typical postfront, blue bird skies, flat calm. Pretty warm, enough to make it uncomfortable. There is a rip rap bank near the dam. Near the inflow point there is a flat, with vacated panfish beds. I can reach parts of the main creek channel with casting gear, but not all of it. I would think it's no deeper than 10ft, but couldn't tell you for sure. The main forage is shad, although I've seen some crawfish, I struggle getting bites with bottom contact baits. Today I fished a 5/16 oz War Eagle Mike McClelland Finesse Spinnerbait (White/Chartreuse), a rattling 2.5 Squarebill, and a Shad Colored Frog. No luck. How would you guys attack this? Any help is appreciated! Feel free to ask for more information if I left something out, I'm working on finding a map. Thanks in advance!

 

I can empathize Jakob, we deal with that situation a lot during Florida's hurricane season 

Unlike most aquatic plants, "coontail" isn't rooted, but stays in place via hold-fast hairs.

Instead of yanking it up by the root system, high winds generally relocate coontail.

 

Some situations are best remedied by "time", which ultimately heals all wounds and wounds all heels ;-))

There's a pro guide on the Stick Marsh who actually encourages his clients to take a rain check

when the water is turbid (Jim Porter). In addition, A-Jay's summation provides a lot of good insight. 

 

Roger

[HoosierHawgs]

I can empathize Jakob, we deal with that situation a lot during Florida's hurricane season

Unlike most aquatic plants, "coontail" isn't rooted, but stays in place via hold-fast hairs.

Instead of yanking it up by the root system, high winds generally relocate coontail.

Some situations are best remedied by "time", which ultimately heals all wounds and wounds all heels ;-))

There's a pro guide on the Stick Marsh who actually encourages his clients to take a rain check

when the water is turbid (Jim Porter). In addition, A-Jay's summation provides a lot of good insight.

Roger

Looks like I'll be mowing the lawn tommorow if its dried out then lol

[Gundog]

I'm no expert but when the fishing slows, no matter what the reason, I always think of fishing slow with soft plastics. Senkos, plastic worms, jigs, any lure that you can crawl along the bottom. Hope this helps.