I see the BIG ones!!! But they just pass by it :(

[Ze Miguel]

Hello fellow fishing friends!!

Today I went ahead to some local ponds here in Portugal trying to look for some bass, thinking that I would maybe see some beded fish and who knows what else lol!

It ended up that I only saw a litle one on a bed, all the rest of the fish where just crusing around, in the middle of the small pound, not very deep, and they wouldnt touch nothing I tried...I saw 3 big fish (5-6pd) and tried flukes, lizards and creatures, not a single bite...they just swam by the lures...I need to get there and try my luck again, what bait would you recomend me to throw, my head's thinking a good old buzzbait trying to tick them off, but opinions are welcome!

Yet, still I caught about five small ones, all the same size

Thanks for the help! Hopefully some of you out there will tell me a good lure to trick them

[Airman4754]

Usually this happens in ponds that are spring fed or have a constant inflow. The other common theme is very little cover or structure. The urban ponds in Arizona pretty much fit this bill everywhere and a couple here also.

 

It's slow and annoying, but a Senko and a suspending jerk bait fished incredibly slow are the only two things I've found that works.

 

With the Senko you will know right away. They will just go straight to it and inhale it. The jerkbait can take awhile, like 10 minutes per cast. As soon as the fish starts to lose interest and swim away give it another twitch. It's a grind, but bass fishing isn't a catch fest 24/7.

[lonnie g]

see if you can figure out what they are feeding on . minnows, crawfish , frogs , etc... try to mimic it. in my lake fish usually prefer plastic , but this year there are a lot of minnows around the bank. been catching more on crank baits and spinning baits. you have heard the saying I have thrown everything but the kitchen sink. I too have had those days that I would have even tried the sink!!

[everythingthatswims]

They might be un catchable. Cruising pre spawn females can be VERY difficult to catch. I would try to fish for something you can't see, unless one of those big ones locks onto a bed.

[jr231]

If you want one that bad. Free line a 3" sunfish. 

 

Or do what the above post says. Pretty much your options. 

[Oregon Native]

All above is great info....I have had instances where the bass know I'm there....either from vibrations from walking with heavy feet or just seeing me or my shadow.  After all you are try to fish in their "house" as they say and some of them ain't stupid.  Stealth and a floating rapala quivered on the surface has worked well for me in these situations.

Good luck