Firing Up Suspended Fish

[papajoe222]

Suspended fish have been my daddy for years, so I rarely target them.  One of the few things I've tried that seems to fire up the school is twitching a Red Eye Shad right in the school.  Similar to stroking or vertical jigging, but with much more subtle rod movement, the bait flops on its side when falling a short distance prior to twitching it again.  Once/if I hook up, I fight the fish at that level prior to reeling it in.  Subsequent casts get a much more aggressive retrieve and the fish seem to be more aggressive for a while.  Sometimes I can get a couple more fish before the school returns to their neutral mood. Obviously these are fish I've marked on my electronics. 

What presentations do you guys employ for suspended fish?

[A-Jay]

Just now, papajoe222 said:

What presentations do you guys employ for suspended fish?

My favorite ploy for suspended brown bass is to first, reach into the cooler and grab a sandwich.

Then wave at them on the graph as I eat it and pass right on by.

I gave up fishing for 'chilling fish' a long time ago.

So few things I've ever tried work enough to call them even remotely effective.

Rather go look for fish that are on some structure / cover.

Or at least relating to something rather than hanging out in 30 ft over 60.

No Thanks

?

A-Jay

 

[WRB]

The term “fire up” is misleading imo. Suspended bass without a baitfish school nearby aren’t active feeding bass.

When they decide to turn on and feed on nearby baitfish or move onto structure then they fire themselves up becoming active hunting. It’s a timing issue, target active bass.

Jigging Spoons work on suspended bass as well as anything you can use. Tail spinner like Little George and dart head w/4” curl tail worm all can work.

Tom

[Bankc]

I have the best luck with deep diving crankbaits that runs down to about their depth, maybe just above it.  Pull a little past them to give the crankbaits space to get down.  Spoons also sometimes work.  But nothing works well.  You almost have to snag them.  I usually ignore them unless I've run out of other options.  Like I might try for them in the middle of the afternoon if the bite has turned off.  

 

Targeting suspended bass is a waste of time, so I only go after them when I'm trying to waste time.  

[Bluebasser86]

An underspin with a paddle tail swimbait will occasionally pick up some suspending fish for me, but I'm with @A-Jay on this one. Unless they're following a school of bait, suspending fish are usually a waste of time in my experience. 

[GreenPig]

A Spybait will work occasionally on our Spotted Bass.

[Catt]

Y'all need to watch what Patrick Walters did to the suspended bass on Lake Fork!

[scaleface]

If the suspended bass are relating to a point , sometimes they are catchable . I usually throw a deep diving crankbait at them . Red Eye Shads and Texas rigged worms with the hook exposed have worked too .

[Mobasser]

They're some of the hardest bass to catch at times. If I can count down to the correct depth, a 4" plastic worm reeled slowly through has worked, but sometimes they're not really feeding, so I move on

[Catt]

21 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

If I can count down to the correct depth

 

Legendary angler Mark Pack was known for targeting suspected bass with a weightless M-Pack Shad (7" Fluke style). Try counting that down 25-30' while holding the boat in place with your trolling motor.

[Mobasser]

18 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Legendary angler Mark Pack was known for targeting suspected bass with a weightless M-Pack Shad (7" Fluke style). Try counting that down 25-30' while holding the boat in place with your trolling motor.

Catt, the " counting down" is the hard part. Lots of guys probably are too far above or below the fish. It seems like you have to put the bait right through them to get them to hit. It's tough

[scaleface]

10 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Catt, the " counting down" is the hard part. Lots of guys probably are too far above or below the fish. It seems like you have to put the bait right through them to get them to hit. It's tough

Thats why I throw a diving bait . I dont have to guess the depth it is at . I know how deep "some" of my baits dive so I can get them close . 

[scaleface]

10 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Once/if I hook up, I fight the fish at that level prior to reeling it in.  Subsequent casts get a much more aggressive retrieve and the fish seem to be more aggressive for a while.

I do that too . Sometimes I'll catch a double .

[E-rude dude]

Over the years I’ve come to look at suspending Bass as the ones who already ate at the buffet. 
I go looking for the ones waiting in line.

[Catt]

19 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Thats why I throw a diving bait . I dont have to guess the depth it is at . I know how deep "some" of my baits dive so I can get them close . 

 

You're correct but in the conditions Mark was fishing they wouldn't touch a crankbait.

 

4 minutes ago, E-rude dude said:

suspending Bass as the ones who already ate at the buffet. 

 

And are waiting for dessert ?

[scaleface]

A trick I learned  on this forum is to let out the same amount of line as the length of the rod and count it down . The length of the rod is already known .

[papajoe222]

9 hours ago, scaleface said:

A trick I learned  on this forum is to let out the same amount of line as the length of the rod and count it down . The length of the rod is already known .

That's exactly how I do it.  7ft. rod X 2.5 equals .5 ft above fish hoilding at 18ft.

[bigfishnfreak]

in southern California clear waters, and deep lakes, i target suspending fish alot.

I troll lead core and a crankbait, kastmaster, its deadly, but cheating to some.

i fish were the fish are.

 

tight lines