Tight-lipped shallow suspending bass

[RealtreeByGod]

What should I do about these? I hit up a new pond/small lake, saw several bass in the 1-4lb range tucking themselves right up under laydowns and lilly pad patches, threw literally everything in my tackle box at them and couldn't even get the first glance out of one. Stuck weightless flukes, wacky rigged worms, ned-rigged TRDs, small crankbaits, small-medium sized dressed inlines, and even a little buzzbait right in front of their face and would either get no interest or have them swim away. Is this one of those times that I should just concede that the bite is turned off and try again later?

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, RealtreeByGod said:

What should I do about these? I hit up a new pond/small lake, saw several bass in the 1-4lb range tucking themselves right up under laydowns and lilly pad patches, threw literally everything in my tackle box at them and couldn't even get the first glance out of one. Stuck weightless flukes, wacky rigged worms, ned-rigged TRDs, small crankbaits, small-medium sized dressed inlines, and even a little buzzbait right in front of their face and would either get no interest or have them swim away. Is this one of those times that I should just concede that the bite is turned off and try again later?

Understand, expect & believe that if you can see them, they can see you and in most lake (especially pressured ones) that's the end of it.

 Perhaps consider making an approach & a presentation that does do announce your presence. 

Be very sneaky. 

Additionally, low light is your friend and some wind can & usually does help your cause.

Good Luck

A-Jay

[Glaucus]

Fish during low light conditions and keep your shadow off the water. Stay as far back as possible. If you're on the bank creep up and keep a healthy distance from the water. A lot of guys stand at the water's edge and this is a mistake. Pressured bass are a tough crowd. Try something new.

Also a lot of times you want to bring your lure to them, not cast it on them. Many will bite if it's thrown on their head, but many also won't.

[Johnbt]

 "Many will bite if it's thrown on their head, but many also won't."

 

Sometimes you have to hit them in the head 3 or 4 times to make them mad enough to bite back. Try a big, ugly, gaudy lure - chartreuse spinnerbait maybe with a chartreuse silver flake trailer - and throw it at them hard few times.     I was amazed when I first realized how often the guy in the back of the boat could catch a big bass on the 5th or 6th cast to the same spot as the driver up front was giving up and moving on. You just never know. And always fish it all the way back to the boat.

[Bankbeater]

The bass are doing the same thing around here.  I've been casting out past them and trying to bring my bait right alongside them.  That will usually trigger a strike.  I think they are focused on the bluegill beds.

[Paul Roberts]

Sounds like sight-fishing 101. First, realize that sight-fishing can be tough on the ego. Esp, when it suddenly dawns on us that the same sortof stuff is going on even when we can't see them! 

 

Agree with others that being sneaky is likely the way in. "Hitting them on the head" is worth a try, and you'll know right away if it'll work. But it also may put the whole bunch down.

 

They are not waiting for just the right lure. None of them are "food", and become even less so the more alarmed they become from bombing them. After a time, they might become used to your presence, but, IME, you are more apt to simply put them off.

 

Some of my sight-fishing GoTo's are a wacky'd stick-worm, 6" straight-tail worm, tube, or finesse jig. Stay out of sight, cast beyond them, try not to let your line splash down over them (esp if its sunny), gently retrieve in to them, and let it fall. That fall is a major attractor and trigger. How fast a fall can matter. Watch for fish to follow it down... then... kill the bait (on cleaner bottom), or slow the fall with line tension (on vegetated bottoms). Then... watch your line for a twitch. I use braid for this, bc it floats and makes a great strike indicator.

 

Another option, esp for fish that are jaded to killed/twitched baits, is to swim a 6" ribbon-tailed worm above them. This is surprisingly effective, even on edified fish. But first, don't let them know you are there. Hide behind a bush if you have to, and, be careful where and how your line lays down on the water. Again, braid is best for this bc it lands like cotton thread on the water's surface.

 

Good luck, let us know.

[928JLH]

I would recommend skipping a senko or swimbait right on up to them. The skittering splashes trigger something in their brains and they react to eat. It doesn't spook shallow bass either. If I had a nickel when I've went back through skipping baits after pitching and caught bass I'd have $1.35 LoL. Skipping really draws the reaction bite.