Bass Acting Strange

[Buzzbaiter]

Long time lurker on the website, this is my first time posting.

 

I went fishing at a local pond yesterday and I noticed that the bass were acting differently than they normally do. They were sitting very visibly in the shallows, holding right up against the bank near submerged timber. They were just sitting there in broad daylight, not even hiding in the shadows. The fish were all about the same size, 12-14 inches. Whenever I tried pitching to them, they always spooked. I tried tubes, Texas rigs, senkos, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits, all to no avail. What were they doing, and how do I catch them? For reference, the water temp was a bit more than 50 degrees. It was prefrontal, low pressure day with mixed cloud cover on a new moon.

[TheBasslayer]

Hello and Welcome! I don't know much about specific weather conditions since I have been fishing for 4 years, but if they can see you, then they usually won't bite. Try standing back as far as you feel like, and then cast over them. If that spooks them, then try the most finesse rig that you can.

[LCG]

My guess is that the bass are either getting ready to or already spawning. This reproduction process gives way to more bass in the pond. 

 

Usually the bite dies off for a bit and picks up after the spawn and the bass have a chance to recoup. 

[CrankFate]

Sounds like normal behavior to me.

[diehardbassfishing]

Spawn activity has started. Normal.

 

 

Karl

[Deleted account]

30 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

Sounds like normal behavior to me.

X2

[RDB]

Maybe it’s an instinctual thing.  I frequently sit staring out the window in anticipation of a FedEx delivery and will run away when the wife interrupts with a honey-do.

[FishinBuck07]

Sounds like the males up there fanning beds getting it ready for the females to come up and spawn!  

[DitchPanda]

Those fish that you see in those conditions get extremely spooky and almost impossible to catch. I've found if I fish in the area I'm seeing fish but target a little bit deeper water and fish for the ones lurking that haven't pushed up I'm much more successful.

[WRB]

Welcome to BR!

Doesn’t sound like spawn activity to me at 50 degree water temps. Did you measure the water temps?

Several same size bass grouped up in the sun indicates they are warming. The 1st activity for bass to begin the nesting phase of the spawn is seeing the bass cruise along the shore areas. 

Next step is the male selecting a bed site individual bass, not in groups. The females are pre spawn in deeper water, fish deeper for bass you can’t see.

Tom

[J Francho]

That wood warms up the water faster.  They park there to get a boost in metabolism.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

That wood warms up the water faster.  They park there to get a boost in metabolism.

Or just enjoying the radiant heat from the wood. The dark wood above or near the surface warms up, rest of the submerged part tries to reach equilibrium, the water near the submerged wood leeches heat off - ergo the water near the wood is warmer than that further away and the bass (any fish really) will congregate near it to get some of that heat.

[J Francho]

Wood or steel is always a good spot to check in spring for prespawners.

[N Florida Mike]

The little bucks are doing that up close to the bank on my lake.

Waiting for big mama to come by...

One is locked onto a bed halfway under my boat. The bream are driving him nuts trying to run them off .

Not sure of the water temp at the moment but its most likely around 70 here.

These fish are real aggressive and easy to catch for me with any soft plastic. I usually leave em alone and let em do their thing. 

[E-rude dude]

Males guarding beds

[garroyo130]

What youre describing is what's happening where I fish except there are lots of fingerling bass and larger bluegill as well. I can see the nests and they are empty and there are tons of fry near the shore. To me it seems like possibly the first wave of bass has already spawned and these fish came up to feed. They definitely are not guarding anything but will occasionally chase and eat the fry.  Like with you, they refuse any artificials but we took some on live worms when I took the kids fishing.