What Am I Doing Wrong? Not Even A Bite (Clear Lake On Sunny Day)

[freelancer27]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/162926-helllpppppp/?view=getnewpost

The spinning outfit with new Plfueger reel you need to spool with 6 to 8 lb FC, use some backing so you have about 100 yards of new line. You didn't say how long or what power rating the spinning rods are, use the longer rod with medium power fast action if possible. This will be your soft plastic finesse combo.

The baitcasting combo's; the BPS ETR66MHT is a medium heavy 6'6" rod, 3/8-1 oz lure rating, use 15 FC, this will be your jig and Texas rigged worm or creature rod and your swimbait rod.

The Pro Max combo appears to be a medium power 6' 6" rod? From the discription, use this with 12 to 15 premium mono or braid w/leader for your top water, spinnerbait and crank baits or smaller swimmer less than 1 oz..

The BIWAA 7 swimbait in size 5 is about 1.2 oz, this weight is max for you MH combo, you need a swimbait combo at some point if you plan on using these lures effectively and make longer casts. The Okuma A series heavy swimbait rod with Cardiff 300 series reel makes a good entry level combo with the 20 lb FC line.

I would focus on the slip shot rig, the Hula grub jig rig and your BIWAA 7 -5 swimbaits, put everything else away until you start catch bass.

Try to find a point of land near the dam area and concentrate your efforts by working the area by fan casting complete 1/2 circle patterns, starting straight out, then parallel to shore, then split the difference about a 5 casts per pattern, then move about 50 yards and repeat until you determine what depth the bass are active in, then work those areas.

You can start with whatever combo you feel like using and alternate them.

Good luck.

Tom

Thank again Tom! Will try to follow your advice!

In regards to the rods. I actually have no issue using the two baitcaster to throw my swimmbaits. I havent encountered any issues that would have been obvious to me. Of course a bigger rod would give me a better leverage effect to cast it further, but I am a tall guy with some juice in my arms, so I should be good

[WRB]

You could use hollow body swimmers like Basstrix 6 paddle tail in bluegill on a Revenge 3/8 oz Swim jig head in bluegill. This you cast out, let it sink by counting down and receiving or bottom bouncing it. Less expensive and good year around presentation, using your jig rod.

Tom

[freelancer27]

You could use hollow body swimmers like Basstrix 6 paddle tail in bluegill on a Revenge 3/8 oz Swim jig head in bluegill. This you cast out, let it sink by counting down and receiving or bottom bouncing it. Less expensive and good year around presentation, using your jig rod.

Tom

I have already quite a few Keitech swing impact lures in different sizes and colors. The Bluegill indeed works usually pretty well. Though not in the conditions I described? Also your 6inch suggestion seems rather big, no?

[Paul Roberts]

Here's a trip report I did a while back that addresses "brilliant blue":

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/69731-brilliant-blue/

 

It was archived so hyphens and quotation marks are missing, making it a bit tougher to read. Quote marks refer to inches -as in, 15". Hope it gives you some things to think about.

[WRB]

Excellent article Paul!

Living in Colorado you can appreciate bright blue sky at high altitude, 7,000 feet is different than blue bird days at sea level.

I learned to bass fish on a clear water lake at 7,000' altitude and know how these bass behave from years of experience. In California cloudless days are the norm, however cloudless windless days are not as common.

A light breeze helps to defuse the light, light wind creating waves helps more to bend the light waves, flat calm water is a very difficult condition to catch bass in this type of lake. The bass population is conditioned to hunt prey when it's to their advantage, under low light or windy conditions.

Tom