Saw something strange today

[DitchPanda]

Was out fishing my local pond today having no luck...not uncommon this time of year being bank bound and the water being so cold. At the end of the day I saw fish busting on balls of shad...water is maybe low 40s at best. Not sure if they were largemouth,smallmouth,white bass or pike...whatever they were I couldn't get them to hit anything. Seemed odd to me in water that cold. Anybody else had this in cold water?

Also what should I throw to catch them? Never fished schoolers in these conditions

[Michigander]

If the calories gained by eating are greater than the calories expended to eat, yes, even cold water bass will massacre some bait balls.

 

Typically, you want to stand out to the fish. It has 2,000+ little targets swimming about, what are the chances that it even sees you lure? More flash, a hair bigger than the bait, a bit more commotion. Anything to get the fish to zero in on your presentation instead of the members of the horde.

[DitchPanda]

I'm kinda hoping this keeps up for a few days...I'm off Sunday and would love to catch a few. Weather looks good so I should have a shot. I was throwing a twister on an under spin and a jerk bait today...the shad they were feeding on were bigger than the twister smaller than the jerk bait...they just wouldn't commit. For Sunday I've got a small single blade spinner bait, a lipless and a finesse jig tied on. See what happens I guess.

[Michigander]

I also struggle against the buffet. The advantage is that you know where the bass are feeding, the disadvantage is all the competition. I usually have my best luck running a subsurface fluke through the mayhem or slow working a popper over top of the carnage. They are pinning the bait against the surface, so if you're a couple inches too deep they might ignore the bait.

[Fishes in trees]

A couple of thoughts . . .If you're throwing at the schooling activity and your bait lands in the activity, it could still spook them.  If it is possible to throw well past the activity and bring the bait through it, that might be best.  Maybe in in-line spinner, like a Mepps, Maybe a shallow diver, like a Minus 1, maybe a swim jig/trailer combination.  I think it is important to throw past the commotion if possible  and bring your bait through it.

[BigAngus752]

I've had three recent outings where I found shad stacked in the backs of coves.  I caught zero bass by fishing THROUGH the shad.  I caught numerous bass by using a lipless or spinner on the outside of the shad.  The bass were all waiting on the perimeter either for stray shad to pop out or for their turn to rush in and eat.  I caught bass after bass 2-5ft away from the bulk of the shad.  Usually near a grass line or some kind of cover.  

[Sam]

Suggest you consider throwing a spoon or a small lipless crankbait about the size of the size of the shad directly into the ball and letting the bait fall for the bass under the ball to consider eating it.

 

Good luck.

[keagbassr]

10 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

small single blade spinner bait,

While i haven't exactly lit them up lately (or this year really) just about every bass I've caught the last 6-7 weeks were on a spinnerbait with a single size 7 colorado blade.Just something to think about.