stk44 Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 I was fishing a small, highly pressured lake. The past 2 days were warm and sunny, with a water temp of 55 degrees. I started fishing around 10 AM. I threw lipless cranks, SB's, Small jerkbaits, wacky worms and soft plastics. The only thing that remotely turned a bass was the HJ 06 & 08s. Around 245pm, sun was on pretty much all of the lake and had been warming all day. Three bass with the biggest looking slightly over 6 lbs came up from a drop off into shallow water. I cast a HJ 08 to it and it stopped, nosed the bait, and swam off. It hung out in the area for maybe 3-5 minutes. I experimented with different retrieves, pauses, etc. and none took the lure. What would you do next to land one of these bass? Quote
Big C Posted November 8, 2015 Posted November 8, 2015 Quit... Or try a really finnesse jig, soft plastic, or shakey head and just let it soak out there by or just off that drop off. Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted November 8, 2015 Super User Posted November 8, 2015 I'd throw a shallow running crankbait, or a jig. Quote
stk44 Posted November 8, 2015 Author Posted November 8, 2015 I threw a 3" shallow diver a little bit. i havent had any luck on cranks this fall. Also, I might metion that the lake is being drawn down. I'm not sure if that would positively or negatively affect them. Quote
Super User Catt Posted November 9, 2015 Super User Posted November 9, 2015 After one experience with an artificial lure, a large bass will often avoid that particular style of lure for the rest of its life! 3 Quote
stk44 Posted November 9, 2015 Author Posted November 9, 2015 After one experience with an artificial lure, a large bass will often avoid that particular style of lure for the rest of its life! Well played Quote
etrout72 Posted November 17, 2015 Posted November 17, 2015 I would go with a finesse technique, like dropshotn a finesse worm or a skaky head. Fish it really slow. 1 Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted November 17, 2015 Super User Posted November 17, 2015 If they are pulling water, slide out a bit deeper or I'd look for a deeper bluff style bank with deep water close by. Falling water may pull the bass off the bank. 1 Quote
Super User K_Mac Posted November 17, 2015 Super User Posted November 17, 2015 There are times when there isn't anything you can do to catch bass that are not interested in my experience. Sometimes a fast moving reaction bait will work; sometimes a finesse bait will work; sometimes finding other fish is the best answer IMO. 1 Quote
Super User K_Mac Posted November 17, 2015 Super User Posted November 17, 2015 I threw a 3" shallow diver a little bit. i havent had any luck on cranks this fall. Also, I might metion that the lake is being drawn down. I'm not sure if that would positively or negatively affect them. Falling water levels is often a negative in my experience. Quote
Looking for the big one Posted November 29, 2015 Posted November 29, 2015 So correct me if I'm wrong but by HJ you mean Rapala Husky Jerk, right? Start by fishing something small like others are suggesting, like a shaky head, small grub, finesse jig, drop shot, anything smaller than what you were just using. But if it's still not biting try something larger and more natural like a larger and realistic swim bait swam slowly by. This should work for a pickier, smarter, bigger bass like the one you described. It's a grind, I have even watched a nice 4-5 pound bass not take a perfectly presented drop shot fluke in a herring lake, but actually swim away as soon as she saw it, her friends all following. Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted November 30, 2015 Super User Posted November 30, 2015 I would suggest using lighter line in the 4-6 pound test range with a flourocarbon leader of similar size.Use Finesse lures and work them slow with pauses.Avoid using the same lures too often.Big bass in highly pressured lakes quickly learn to stay away from lures after they been hooked by them. 1 Quote
stk44 Posted November 30, 2015 Author Posted November 30, 2015 So correct me if I'm wrong but by HJ you mean Rapala Husky Jerk, right? Start by fishing something small like others are suggesting, like a shaky head, small grub, finesse jig, drop shot, anything smaller than what you were just using. But if it's still not biting try something larger and more natural like a larger and realistic swim bait swam slowly by. This should work for a pickier, smarter, bigger bass like the one you described. It's a grind, I have even watched a nice 4-5 pound bass not take a perfectly presented drop shot fluke in a herring lake, but actually swim away as soon as she saw it, her friends all following. Haven't been on in a while, sorry for viewing these late. Yeah HJ= Rapala Husky jerk. Hopefully I have better luck next year. It was an overall productive year for me. I've learned a lot. This is the latest I've ever fished for bass in the year. I have a ML avid X en route for XMAS so I will be doing a lot more finesse applications. 1 Quote
fisherrw Posted December 4, 2015 Posted December 4, 2015 I'd try a drop shot jackal crosstail shad Quote
Mainebass1984 Posted December 5, 2015 Posted December 5, 2015 I would try a blade bait, 55 degree water temperature in the fall is perfect. A jig will work as well. I would continue to work the area thoroughly, there seems to be a few decent bass in the area. Quote
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