Haven't caught a bass since May 2nd

[TriStateBassin106]

I hate making threads like this because it sounds like I'm complaining, but I have no where else to express my frustration, weather here in NJ sucks recently plenty of rain and temps dropping back down into the mid 50s from the 70s we had back in late April and the bite stinks with it, the fish are supposed to be spawning but I haven't seen a single bed at my ponds and now the water clarity has dropped to like 6 inches and the water level has risen from the rain. 

 

I don't know what to do, I've thrown the kitchen sink at these fish the past week and to make matters even worst two of my friends yesterday managed to get on a nice few but I went home with a skunk. (Mind you this was after fishing brutally slow for like 3 hours) Anyone have any tips for this situation I'm in? Will I have to just wait it out until the weather gets warmer? Are the fish lockjaw because of the spawn or the fronts? 

 

I never thought the spawning period would be so hard. 

[TnRiver46]

I was watching some coverage of the BASS elite at Neely Henry and one of the competitors said he caught a fish off a bed on day 1,2, and 3 of the tournament. This is in north Alabama. I’m in East TN and I’ve caught one fish off a bed I think, and I didn’t see it (the fish bit in the same spot 6 times in a row so I’m assuming it was on a bed). Also this was a spotted bass, not a LM. If fish are just now spawning in Alabama , what makes you say “fish are supposed to be spawning right now” in NJ? They will spawn when they are ready, not when humans say they are supposed to. I would imagine you’ve still got a little ways to go that far north but I can’t say for sure. I would suggest finding a few other places to fish for a change of scenery if that’s possible 

[TriStateBassin106]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I was watching some coverage of the BASS elite at Neely Henry and one of the competitors said he caught a fish off a bed on day 1,2, and 3 of the tournament. This is in north Alabama. I’m in East TN and I’ve caught one fish off a bed I think, and I didn’t see it (the fish bit in the same spot 6 times in a row so I’m assuming it was on a bed). Also this was a spotted bass, not a LM. If fish are just now spawning in Alabama , what makes you say “fish are supposed to be spawning right now” in NJ? They will spawn when they are ready, not when humans say they are supposed to. I would imagine you’ve still got a little ways to go that far north but I can’t say for sure. I would suggest finding a few other places to fish for a change of scenery if that’s possible 

Fish spawing in the middle of May has been a tradition in NJ. The past three years this time the fish were mostly on beds already protecting fry. There was a few on beds as far back as April 25th if I remember this year. But this weather has just been awful, most bed fish who haven't recieved eggs yet probably retreated back to deeper water, honestly I just want to know what to throw at this point. I know the fish are there but there just being lock jawed. 

[TnRiver46]

6 minutes ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

Fish spawing in the middle of May has been a tradition in NJ. The past three years this time the fish were mostly on beds already protecting fry. There was a few on beds as far back as April 25th if I remember this year. But this weather has just been awful, most bed fish who haven't recieved eggs yet probably retreated back to deeper water, honestly I just want to know what to throw at this point. I know the fish are there but there just being lock jawed. 

Maybe the fish don’t know about the tradition, did you send them an invite in the mail? Every year is different, I would say let them tell you what they are up to. From your description, I would guess they are mostly still pre spawn and you have a good bite in your future 

[DitchPanda]

The fish don't get on bed just because they are "supposed to" because that's what they did the past 3 years. The two things that draw them up to spawn are length of day and water temp. The weather for you sounds like what I've been experiencing and my temps are in the mid 50s...still in prespawn. I caught 4 bass yesterday between 2.5-3lbs. 1 on a black blue senko 3 on a spinner bait...also missed one on a senko and my buddy lost 1 on a spinnerbait. With your water clarity and temps I'd throw a moving bait...either spinner or chatter.

[rtwvumtneer6]

Sounds like very similar weather to what were getting in western PA.  I've caught one fish off a bed (male) and I was blind casting.  That was in a few acre pond in shallow water that warms quickly, during the few days we had of "spring-like" weather.  Otherwise, I've seen so real indication that it's time yet for the majority.  

 

I think we could be close, but I'm back into the 30s over night and the weather has been anything but stable.  Expect they are ready to move as soon as we string together a few nice days and nights.

[TriStateBassin106]

23 minutes ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

Sounds like very similar weather to what were getting in western PA.  I've caught one fish off a bed (male) and I was blind casting.  That was in a few acre pond in shallow water that warms quickly, during the few days we had of "spring-like" weather.  Otherwise, I've seen so real indication that it's time yet for the majority.  

 

I think we could be close, but I'm back into the 30s over night and the weather has been anything but stable.  Expect they are ready to move as soon as we string together a few nice days and nights.

I really hope so, I feel like the 40 degree nights we've been having here is really ruining everything. It's hard to kinda figure out any patterns atm.

[throttleplate]

same here in minnesota, i walked the shoreline of a major bass lake with very little fishing pressure for a mile and didnt see any spawning bass in prime areas or sunfish.

I didnt have a pole as i was waiting for the evening hours to catch some crappie so i went looking to pass the time. Earlier in the day i caught some bass but just dinks.

 

It was a cool windy 60 degrees today with the nights dropping into the low 30s and water temp still at 48 and with the fishing opener this saturday i wonder if anything will change from last saturday or will the wait continue untill the water heats up?

 

 

 

By the way when i got home i had a friend stuck into my leg, a tick was burrowed in just a bit so he was easy to get out.

[Darth-Baiter]

I’m no expert.  I think it’s water temps and longer daylight hours that put them in the mood. 
 

go deeper in the water with the drop shot?

[Bluebasser86]

Have you only been fishing "brutally slow"? I've caught them on a little bit of everything lately and rarely what I expected to catch them on. We had a big cold front move through yesterday with temps dropping from the high 70's into the high 30's this morning. I caught my fish on a wakebait when I stopped for 30 minutes after work. The fish don't care about what they're "suppose" to be doing. 

[TriStateBassin106]

8 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Have you only been fishing "brutally slow"? I've caught them on a little bit of everything lately and rarely what I expected to catch them on. We had a big cold front move through yesterday with temps dropping from the high 70's into the high 30's this morning. I caught my fish on a wakebait when I stopped for 30 minutes after work. The fish don't care about what they're "suppose" to be doing. 

I've tried speeding up, even burning lipless cranks and bladed jigs. Just can't hit the nail on the head right now with a pattern, it'll be better once the temps rise back up. 

[softwateronly]

Since your bio says bank fisherman, it's possible and even likely, that you're unable to reach the deeper water staging areas.  I think you're correct in thinking that warmer temps will bring them back to within reach.

 

scott

[Spankey]

We are not that far apart. I’m not seeing spawning evidence on the river yet. The recent weather has been the issue. River Smallies might just be spawning up into part of June. I’ve seen this numerous years. I’m not sure how smaller retention bodies of water work but imagine they warm faster but are more susceptible to colder nights. Mornings have been cold. Have been doing a lot of trout fishing at sun up. 

[Michigander]

Sustained windy and cold in these parts. I turned the heat back on the other day.

[Nelson Wormefeller]

Take a break if fishing gets you upset. Time off can be beneficial. A nice little reset, then go back and have a banner day ! 

[TriStateBassin106]

UPDATE 

 

Still haven't caught a bass since May 2nd. I got the water temps today and they're different at both ponds, average temp of pond number 1 right now is 59.6 degrees, pond number 2 (which is shallower) at 7 feet is 62.5 degrees, wasted what seems like an entire day at both ponds. Bluegill are starting to become more noticeable though, I guess that's a good sign. 

[DitchPanda]

Got out again yesterday...heard the water temps around me are 58ish. Caught 4 bass again between 1.5 and 4 lbs. Green pumpkin chatterbait accounted for 3 and my biggest came on a weightless green pumpkin stick bait(bps stik o I think).

[TriStateBassin106]

Just now, DitchPanda said:

Got out again yesterday...heard the water temps around me are 58ish. Caught 4 bass again between 1.5 and 4 lbs. Green pumpkin chatterbait accounted for 3 and my biggest came on a weightless green pumpkin stick bait(bps stik o I think).

how did you retrieve the chatterbait? were you fishing the bank or casting to the deeper water?

[DitchPanda]

2 minutes ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

how did you retrieve the chatterbait? were you fishing the bank or casting to the deeper water?

Fishing close to shore in 2 foot of water. Straight retrieve....medium pace.

[NYWayfarer]

I got my first Largemouth of 2021 today. Carolina rig was the key. Dragging the bottom and pausing.

[TriStateBassin106]

12 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

I got my first Largemouth of 2021 today. Carolina rig was the key. Dragging the bottom and pausing.

How are the temps up there in NY? guessing you're also having 40 to 30 degree nights? 

[NYWayfarer]

Just now, TriStateBassin106 said:

How are the temps up there in NY? guessing you're also having 40 to 30 degree nights? 

 

I am north of the capital region of NY. Adirondack mountain area so it can get pretty cold here at night. Last weekend I saw there was still some snow on top of one of the ski area mountains.

[MIbassyaker]

It seems perfectly plausible to me that bass in a small, still-watered pond in NJ could all have been spawning over the last week, and that could by why you're having trouble.  The smaller waters in my area are right now about to spawn and probably will start over the weekend, provided weather is as stable as it's predicted to be.  NJ is both warmer than MI and has much less volatile weather, being near the coast (I lived there for 4 years before moving here).

[Bird]

This year may very well be different than Last year regarding water temps. 

We're under a freeze warning for may 12th here in VA.

Last year was my best year ever, this year not so much. 

Keep slinging baits til they get bit.

[TriStateBassin106]

1 hour ago, MIbassyaker said:

It seems perfectly plausible to me that bass in a small, still-watered pond in NJ could all have been spawning over the last week, and that could by why you're having trouble.  The smaller waters in my area are right now about to spawn and probably will start over the weekend, provided weather is as stable as it's predicted to be.  NJ is both warmer than MI and has much less volatile weather, being near the coast (I lived there for 4 years before moving here).

I remember seeing like 1 or 2 bed fish at the very end of two weeks ago (Around the beginning of May) but since the beginning of last week we had a few days of heavy rain, surface temps dropping from 70s and even 80 degrees at the end of April to high 50s and low 60s with nigh time temps in the low 40s. at my pond right now the water is a few inches higher than normal and the visibility is around 6 to 8 inches compared to it's usual 1ft of visibility. any beds I remember seeing are now gone, probably because of the water clarity making them out of sight. 

1 hour ago, Bird said:

This year may very well be different than Last year regarding water temps. 

We're under a freeze warning for may 12th here in VA.

Last year was my best year ever, this year not so much. 

Keep slinging baits til they get bit.

This time last year my ponds and lakes I fish here had bedding fish everywhere, really started to warm up mid April and stayed like that all May. but this year is different, this is also my first full spring bass fishing from start to finish.