Not Biting Bass

[beginningfisherman]

Today I was fishing in a pond in Iowa. It was sunny and warm the water was clear. Yet bass weren't biting. I could see them swimming about 10-15 feet from shore but couldn't get them to bite on crankbaits, worms, jigs, soft plastics or even a bluegill I caught and rehooked. They seemed completely u interested in whatever I threw their way. Does anyone have any idea why the bass weren't biting and what I could do to get them to bite?

[BassThumb]

Sometimes, shallow-water bass are well aware that a dark, shadowy figure is standing not far away.

They're not spooked enough to flee, but spooked enough that they won't bite, no matter what.

These fish are nearly impossible to catch, not even with a Senko, and the more lures you toss at them, the more they realize that something just ain't right, and the more tight-lipped they get. 

[j bab]

Like he said, it's most likely because they could see you.

The clearer the water, the longer the casts you should be making.

However it also could have been that in combination with the fish just not biting that day for any number of reasons.

[frogflogger]

ned rig

[avidone1]

roaming bass are next to impossible to catch.   Best to move on.

[primetime]

If you see them, they see you....I have that happen in ponds I fish and I usually try to make my casts a good distance back from the lake and try to use soft baits that land softly...If I see fish that won't strike, I take note and go back in the evening and approach carefully if they were big....

[loudcherokee]

I've had lock jaw days like that. Enough to think that the few fish I did catch, I must have tossed the lure into their mouth while they were yawning or something.

Sure wish I could figure em out.

LC

[bassguytom]

Like said here if you can see the bass they can see you and are difficult to catch. Next time try a wieghtless lizard. This works for me sometimes. 

[BrianMRetter]

If the water is very clear, and you have a bluebird sky, they will be difficult to catch. Downsize your lure, and use very natural colors. I regularly fish a stone quarry with 10-15ft visibility.  They're definitely hard to catch, because they can clearly see the lure.

[Dye99]

Id try a weightless lizard/super fluke/wacky senco.

 

If that fails, drop shot, shakey head.

 

If that fails, see if there is any top water action on LONG casts.

 

If that fails go home and drink beer/ clean guns.

 

Simple but effective, and its worked for me for years!

[beginningfisherman]

55 minutes ago, Dye99 said:

Id try a weightless lizard/super fluke/wacky senco.

 

If that fails, drop shot, shakey head.

 

If that fails, see if there is any top water action on LONG casts.

 

If that fails go home and drink beer/ clean guns.

 

Simple but effective, and its worked for me for years!

Awesome! Thanks!

[Pflueger Master]

Here in Eastern Iowa a few weeks ago the water temperatures were struggling to build due to some off and on chilly nights. I was down at Lake MacBride around the time you made the first post in this thread and the water temperature around that time was around the mid 50's. That doesn't mean it wasn't possible to catch any bass at that point but the Largemouth are not very active at that time when you have nights dipping into the 30's, your best shot is probably a crankbait in 15-25 feet of water. I was also not able to have any luck at the time you originally posted although I did manage to land a Northern Pike using a seven inch Zoom trickworm in the bubblegum color. From my expierinces at most lakes here in Eastern Iowa the bass fishing is best from late Summer into the Fall. I feel like the bass population at MacBride can struggle from time to time due to the bigger fish that are present there, muskee, walleye, and northern.

I'm also fairly new to fishing the area so take my words with a grain of salt.  I am going to explore new lakes in the coming weeks like Belva Deer near Sigourney, Pleasant Creek near Palo, and Lake Iowa Park in Iowa county.  Lake MacBride is cool though since it is the only place in Iowa to catch Kentucky Spotted Bass.