Slow Bite - Fishing Advise

[Jschen]

It seems like the bite has slowed down quite a bit since the fall season has begun.  Here in the Midwest we're having that day to day weather - cold one day and warm another.  I get a chance to get maybe 1-2 bites a day with a variety of baits.  I noticed yesterday when I was using a super fluke that I didn't even feel it take the bait I just saw the line moving.  I'm guessing with the colder weather they're a little more lethargic and might want a slower presentation.  Do you guys have any advise on how to fish at this time?  How about the use of noisy/water displacement baits?

[A-Jay]

A-Jay

[jr231]

I was catching bass yesterday with a bomber 4a. And I was ripping it fast. With a stop n go retrieve. I tried for almost 2 hours with soft plastic "finesse" tactics with nothing to show for it. Even though that's been my most productive practice since spring. 

[Mainebass1984]

In the fall I have a lot of success with a jig, a silver buddy or a crank bait depending on the day.

 

[scaleface]

Are you fishing from a boat or bank ? How big is the water you are trying to get bites.The bass are biting like theres no tomorrow at a 200 acre lake I go to . But first  they must be located,  which is one of the reasons I love fishing  small waters  . 

[Jaderose]

I fished for 2.5 hours last Sunday with nada.  No fish..no bite.....and then I tied on a Royal Shad  CC Super Spot and started a rip..fall...rip retrieve.  YEEHAW!!!!  I think I lost somewhere around 4-5 Spots and Traps that day but I had a 50 Cabelas Gift card in my wallet and the fish were slamming them so I threw into anything

 

[Hot Rod Johnson]

On Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 11:04 AM, Jschen said:

It seems like the bite has slowed down quite a bit since the fall season has begun.  Here in the Midwest we're having that day to day weather - cold one day and warm another.  I get a chance to get maybe 1-2 bites a day with a variety of baits.  I noticed yesterday when I was using a super fluke that I didn't even feel it take the bait I just saw the line moving.  I'm guessing with the colder weather they're a little more lethargic and might want a slower presentation.  Do you guys have any advise on how to fish at this time?  How about the use of noisy/water displacement baits?

Try a new technique called “INCHI WACKY” or Jig Head Wacky.

Some benefits of the rig are you can get more distance on the cast, you can fish deeper areas, the bait falls quicker, you can keep in contact with the bottom easier, and most importantly it creates a wicked irregular action that looks exactly like a real worm squirming in the water. Areas such as rock piles, drop offs and other vertical structure points are perfect situations where the “Jig Head Wacky Rig” will produce.

The ideal image you want to see is the ball part of the jighead going flip flopping up and down and that’s it. If the jighead is doing that, then the worm will be doing its thing. The great thing about this rig is that you can create so much action in the worm and the worm doesn’t even have to be moved in at all. Otherwise saying you can keep the bait exactly where you want it to be and stay there. In order to do this, there is a secret, and that is keeping a good amount of slack in the line. By keeping slack in the line you can shake your rod constantly to produce the wicked irregular action and still keep your bait exactly where you want it.

When fishing bottom structure you will want to cast out the Jig Head Wacky and let it free fall to the bottom. While the jig falls the weight from the jighead causes the worm to roll back and forth. After it hits the bottom you will want to shake it and continue to wind up slack and then free fall it back to the bottom. Remember that this is an exposed hook so this is not a deadsticking technique. Leave that type of fishing for your regular weightless wacky rig. The fish will often attack as the bait free falls after you shake it.

The Jig Head Wacky is also very effective on suspended fish in mid water. The key in working this bait is again the slack in the line. You will want to cast the line out and as you reach the area the fish are holding in you will want to slowly shake the bait and as you swim the jighead back in.

 

 

The most popular used worm styles for “Jig Head Wacky” consists of Zoom’s swamp crawler, Jackall’s Flick Shake, Gary Yamamoto’s Cut Tail, Optimum Bait’s Twin Teaser, and Berkeley’s Gulp Wacky Crawler.

 

http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/the-wacky-jig/

[Bluebasser86]

Where in the Midwest? It's been the best bite all year for me this past month or two. 

[Jschen]

Illinois got a couple of good fish last eeek but still a struggle to get them to bite. Usually have to cycle through a lot of different baits to get any action.  Jigs have worked the best. It's still pretty slow - getting 2-3 bites in a 4 hour span which is pretty painful. I've gone mostly during the noon hour and come back between 430-6 with the same results. 

I'm bank fishing on maybe a 50 acre lake that's connected by a runoff from a larger lake and also exits to a river.

i won't be able to fish for a couple of weeks and it will probably be too cold to go in mid November. Maybe I'll get lucky and there might be a nice warm day.

thanks for the suggestions.