What now?

[Eric J]

So here's the deal... Since getting back into it and starting my Bass journey 'bout a month ago I've done pretty well even a PB of 7+ pounds. But recently it's gone quiet. Real slim... I mainly fish a high pressured lake local to me that's 106 acres, here in the Lower Hudson Valley, NYS. Most of it accessible by boat but a decent bit has a very walkable bank and dock with a small accessible d**n, I bank fish btw. This time of year the vegetation is THICK. Lots of tall grass or milfoil(?) under the surface. The pad sections are those plants that look like lily pads but extend several inches above the surface.

 

The water has warmed up some

 

Carp are in full on spawn making lots of commotion right now.

 

I assume it is just post spawn but not sure.

 

I have had great success with plastics; Rage Tails, worms, creature features and have not taken anything out of this lake on anything else, though that may be due to inexperience on my part.

 

Given the above can you figure any reason for this? Am I missing something or need to change up tactics? Or is it just a slump?

 

Yeah, I know... Not a lot you can tell just by this but you never know...

[Koz]

In my area the lagoons that I fish are in the post spawn slowdown. It's frustrating. None of my favorite baits or tactics are working. Not even a Ned Rig is drawing interest from the bass.

 

But I fish anyway.

 

Why? Because I know that in the very near future the bite will be on again and the big girls will be feeding and I want to be fishing the day that it happens.

[CroakHunter]

Post spawn for me means deep water or the closest access to it and topwater near vegetation. I know, very vague answers but food for thought none-the-less

[A-Jay]

The Pre-Spawn and spawn may be for the most part over in your area.

During those phases, many fish were staying shallow most all day.  So they were find you. 

Those same fish may only be shallow now sporadically throughout the day (and night).

So now you have to find them. 

The baits you've had success with in the past are still viable & effective options.

Just not in the same places.

Where ever the bass in your lake were during the very early pre-spawn,

there's a good chance they are back there right now just waiting for you.

Go get them.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

 

 

 

[Koz]

1 hour ago, CroakHunter said:

Post spawn for me means deep water...

 

Deep water is a relative term. Down here almost all of the fishing we do is in man made lagoons that are 6-8 feet deep and have very little vegetation (they are in residential communities) and no structure (like docks).  Unless there are sedimentation issues the depth is fairly uniform throughout the basins. Sediment is an issue in these lagoons, and in most visibility ranges from a few inches to a foot, although there are a handful of clear water lagoons.

 

To complicate matters, kayaks and boats are not allowed so you can't paddle around with electronics and look for low spots or hidden vegetation. Most of the lagoons (and there are 300+ in the one community that I mainly fish) are connected by the stormwater system. Tagged fish show that they do move from lagoon to lagoon.

 

So for me, locating fish post spawn can be challenging. Some days you pick the right lagoon and the fishing is decent. Other days you work on your tan.

[WRB]

Small lake so the spawning areas are limited and apparently accessible to shore anglers.

Seasonal periods are fairly predicable based on water temps when warming from the cold water period. Weather obviously affect surface and shallow water temps faster then deeper water areas. Without knowing the water temps I can only guess that it's approaching 67 to 70 degrees, bass spawn is winding down and transitioning to the warm water summer period; post spawn transition to summer? 

What happens is the male bass are trying to protect the fry, some are eating the fry, the females are recovering and some have recovered, some may still moving onto beds.

The carp could be spawning or targeting bass fry. Bluegill beds should be visible.

The bass have lots of prey sources from now to fall for you to compete with and they scatter to where ever they feel is a good location that offers prey sources and sanctuary.

If it's not the summer period this week it will be soon.

Tom

 

[tcal4404]

In the same boat, the lakes I fish are in post-spawn and it's slowed down considerably. I'm having trouble finding fish. I did get a nice lmb on topwater after sundown close to the shore but everything else has been sporadic

[Junger]

I've had a lot of success on topwater poppers at a post spawn lake from the bank. Throwing them out at 45 degrees, and what I've noticed is that most of my hits have come within 10 feet of the bank. It's most definitely post-spawn so they're not on beds, so I think they're following the lures in from farther at a drop off or point, and hitting it on a long pause near the bank.

[keagbassr]

 Sounds like postspawn for sure which is junk fishing time for me. Was out yest. Got 13 but it was like 5 on a sqarebill 4 on a spinnerbait 3 on a buzzbait and 1 on a toad. If the weeds are just below the surface it's perfect for a buzzbait over the top of them especially in low light situations.