targeting suspended bass?

[Turtle135]

I posted the Saturday and Sunday skunk on the local 90 acre public lake. Water was 41 - 42 on Saturday and 44 - 45 on Sunday. We got a lot of rain during the week before which took out the ice that had covered the lake most of February. The rain did do a number on the visibility, knocking it back from 4 feet down to about a foot.

I tried all my usual winter tactics and spots to no avail. Did some cruising around and was marking a lot of big fish suspended over the creek channel. The bottom of the creek channel would be down at 30 to 35 feet and the big marks were 7 to 10 feet off the bottom. There are carp in this lake but I don't think they suspend? I could id other pods of fish that looked like sunfish and other pods of fish that looked like crappie (vertical stacking). No shad in this lake by the way. I strongly suspect the big marks were largemouth. I put a football jig down to bump the edges of the creek channel and to drag the channel itself. I also put a lipless crankbait down there and stroked it off the bottom.

I have never caught them when I see that condition. Anybody else ever have some success when they are suspended like that?

 

 

[JDJ]

What depth were they suspended?

[Turtle135]

8 minutes ago, JDJ said:

What depth were they suspended?

The bottom of the creek channel would be down at 30 to 35 feet and the big marks were 7 to 10 feet off the bottom.

[JDJ]

Hmmm. Did you try a spoon?

[everythingthatswims]

If you're not catching them, I doubt anyone else is!

[Turtle135]

2 hours ago, JDJ said:

Hmmm. Did you try a spoon?

I did not. Jigging spoon? Not something I normally carry. 

9 minutes ago, everythingthatswims said:

If you're not catching them, I doubt anyone else is!

That is the nice thing about this lake, hardly anyone fishes this lake in January - February so I have the run of the place!

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I suppose I could try swimming an underspin at their level. I do see these bass suspending like this during the cold water period frequently. Just curious if someone else sees this during the cold water period and goes to a certain presentation (or if these bass should be ignored and my best bet is to look for bass not suspended like this).

 

[everythingthatswims]

3 hours ago, Turtle135 said:

I did not. Jigging spoon? Not something I normally carry. 

That is the nice thing about this lake, hardly anyone fishes this lake in January - February so I have the run of the place!

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I suppose I could try swimming an underspin at their level. I do see these bass suspending like this during the cold water period frequently. Just curious if someone else sees this during the cold water period and goes to a certain presentation (or if these bass should be ignored and my best bet is to look for bass not suspended like this).

 

I would think you're savvy enough with a fishfinder to put a drop shot on their nose??? I've done it with live baits for suspended stripers in cold water.

[Bluebasser86]

Carp suspend all the time in our lakes. Same thing for big gar and catfish.

 

I was going to suggest a swimbait like a Keitech on a jighead but a fishhead spin would be pretty similar. 

[frogflogger]

If the visibility was better it would be hard to beat float n fly

[everythingthatswims]

On March 1, 2016 at 1:10 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Carp suspend all the time in our lakes. Same thing for big gar and catfish.

 

I was going to suggest a swimbait like a Keitech on a jighead but a fishhead spin would be pretty similar. 

Yeah definitely don't combine a little swing impact and an underspin. I promise it doesn't work.