Advice needed: What to change?

[WooPigStewie]

I know this is a pretty vague question, but I was hoping for some advice:

I'm relatively new to bass fishing and just picked up a small boat with no electronics.  I've been doing some reading on how to locate bass without a fish finder, and felt fairly confident... until yesterday.

I was fishing a large creek just above the river.  I found a spot where a small muddy stream (run-off) emptied into the clear water of the creek.  There was a sizable point where the two merged, with a sandbar creating a sharp drop-off into the deeper creek channel.  There were a couple of downed trees in the area, and to top it off, the shad were jumping all around the boat.  From everything I have read, this should have been the spot to fish.

I used both a brown swim jig and a silver & blue rat-l-trap as my search baits, while my wife fished a texas rigged senko...  We worked the area for over an hour without a single bite.

Up until then, I believed we haven't been catching because I have been picking the wrong spots, but now I am beginning to doubt my technique.

Again, I know this is really vague, but if you've worked a "prime spot" for an extended period of time with no bites, should you change lures or locations?

Thanks in advance.    

[josh colley]

there are many factors going into this like water temp and clarity of water. if muddy cold water is being pushed into the creek that is the hardest to catch fish. if you find another area with warm run off or if you find a place with clear water and cover and a place for them to go get to deep water or a place with ambush spots is your best bet without electronics. things to look for are places where a bass could hide and be able to ambush prey close.

[Fish the Mitt]

Definitely vague. Without knowing much, the first few things I would ask is:

1. Location (give me the exact location if you want and we can use maps)  
2. Water temp
3. Define creek...

I ask for clarification on creek because I mostly fish creeks. However, I'm up in Michigan where the water is still too cold. Far too cold for fish to be up in small creeks yet. They're still in the deeper water up here so if I were to go to a prime creek spot, I'd be skunked. But that's not because I used the wrong lure or the spot was bad spot. Just bad timing. There are so many variables to fishing, you have to kind of look at everything.

Also, it could have just been an off day.

 

[geo g]

Start by filling out your profile so we all know what part of the country your fishing.  Then reading your post it sounds like you found an area that has the right structure for holding decent fish.  A bait like a spinnerbait with a Colorado blade might be a good alternative.  It will catch bass in muddy water.  Then I would move to find structure in cleaner water.  Without knowing the temps or location I cant add much more.

[WooPigStewie]

Thanks to everyone who's chimed in...

I hate to admit it, but I don't have a clue about what the water temperature was.  It seems obvious to me now that I really need to find some type of thermometer to carry with me.

This particular spot was located pretty close to 35.440815, -94.179543 (Google Maps) in Western Arkansas, but I guess I'm just trying to figure out if a novice fisherman (me) should work on slowing down and using more baits on fewer spots, or stick to a few search baits and keep moving until I find the fish?  I suspect there's got to be a line between spending too much time in one place, versus not taking enough time to find the right bait for the current conditions?

Thanks again.      

 

[Nitrofreak]

This is a humbling sport we find comfort in isn't it.

Who knows what really could have been after those bait fish, may not have been bass at all, could have been another preditor fish, as for your question, it's always good to finesse your way around a body of water, get to know the technique inside and out, figure out that particular body of waters major color ( what color the fish tend to bite the most ) and play with variations within that base color, example could be, green pumpkin with pepper flake, a variation would be a tail dipped in a Chartreuse dye, maybe on a bright sunny day they like a green pumpkin candy color bait and so on, first things first though, get to know each technique intimately, it builds confidence and from there the learning curve gets a lot shorter.

[bassguytom]

The first thing you should get for your new boat is a fish finder. You can get a new one for $60.00 and some used ones cheaper. Just look around and you will find one. They are easy to install and will increase your catch  substantially. Remember the main things you want to use it for is depth and water temp. This is the best advise I can give you. Hope it helps.

[GonFishin]

So you were in Clear Creek?  I fished several times down there last year.  If I looked at the coordinates correctly I am not positive that is a creek outlet. I have taken my little scamp up that way and pretty sure it just comes out around the bend in the creek. I did have pretty good luck in that general area last year. However it was on the south side of the creek. There is a sort of "cliff"/rock face drop off and there is a single stump that barely breaks the top of the water. I've had some really good luck using a wacky rigged worm around that stump. Again this was last year. 

[GonFishin]

I have actually found something very similar to this in Lee Creek.  Smaller muddy creek flowing into a larger one. There is a major drop in depth at that point. And the sonar shows fish there but haven't been able to get a bite. The difference is the bait fish are holding to the opposite side and there is no major cover in this area. So we are in the same boat just different streams. 

[WooPigStewie]

15 hours ago, GonFishin said:

So you were in Clear Creek?  I fished several times down there last year.  If I looked at the coordinates correctly I am not positive that is a creek outlet. I have taken my little scamp up that way and pretty sure it just comes out around the bend in the creek. 

I know the exact spot you're talking about, but this was just a bit east of there...  I probably used the wrong term when I said "stream", as I am pretty sure this was just the run-off from last Wednesday's rains coming off of those farm fields just to the north.

I think I'll load up on some different baits and work try working that area again soon.