What are they eating?

[Randy2828]

I fish from shore at a gravel pit in West Michigan. I have caught several bass on a tube near shore at the weed line but I see fish breaking the surface out 60 or 70 feet. I see water bugs near shore,is that what they are eating or small fish near the surface. How would you cast a small lightweight lure out that far and what bait to use.

[roadwarrior]

You might try a Red Eye Shad.

[jimmyjoe]

   I'm a shorecaster, and I fish a sand quarry that has the exact same activity that you've described. I have a 7' ML/F St. Croix Avid-X spinning rod with 6 lb. Stren Original. When I saw activity such as you describe, I threw these lures as far as I can. None are "lightweight":

   1/4 oz.) Eppinger Dardevle Spinnie and Devle-Dog, Rat-l-Trap, Worden's Roostertail, and Mepps Aglia Long.

   1/3 oz.) Eppinger Cop-E-Cat.

   3/8 oz.) Mepps Aglia Long, Rapala Countdown and Worden's Roostertail.

 

   I also have a M/MF casting rod with a Shimano Curado 70 on it; I use it for casting a fair distance with anything over 3/8 oz. The fish in these circumstances seemed to prefer the smaller lures.

 

   70 feet isn't very far. You can use mono if you wish. I was casting over 50 yards, because that's where the activity was, but I also overcast activity that is nearer to shore, so as not to spook fish.

   I benefited from braid, but I'm still experimenting with that. 

   The fish I got were all largemouth, all about 1 to 1 1/2 lb., and all were hooked within very few feet of the surface. Don't ask me what they were feeding on or chasing; I couldn't see. Considering the lures that they hit, I doubt it was any insect life. Those lures are associated with minnows.

   FWIW, I've never seen this kind of activity close to shore, only out over deeper water.

   And BTW ...... make sure you're not seeing carp broaching!

 

   Hope this helped!  ?     jj