Going against the grain

[Glenn]

Let's talk about those times when you caught fish when "common knowledge" said you couldn't.

 

 

[NavyToad]

Fishing 2’ of water in August when the air temp. is 95+. I’ve had some (not many) days when I’ve fished every depth in a lake and decided to fish the shallowest section of the lake and had a bonanza. There’s usually algae blooms and the fish seem to go there for shade/cover even if the water is uncomfortably warm. My brain said no, but the fish had other ideas.

[Zcoker]

 

For me, bass fishing is centered around my days off, not so much with the optimum fishing conditions during a particular day or particular night or even month or season. It's also centered around driving distance, especially now with these crazy gas prices! So there's a lotta little things or life events that might interfere with the perfect bass fishing scenario in any given body of water here in S. Florida. As such, I've gone bass fishing during the worst of times, conditions that no one in their right mind would ever consider fishing in, totally against the mainstream, even laughable or sometimes down right dangerous. So I've had to adapt. And I've prevailed. Not so much by using this or that, or not using this or that, but more so by just being out there and having a bait in the water, whatever the conditions or presentation may be. I've learned over time that bass are on/off like a light switch regardless of most anything, and being out there during their "on" events, or flurries, is key to unlocking many nice catches.  

 

 

 

[the reel ess]

8 hours ago, NavyToad said:

Fishing 2’ of water in August when the air temp. is 95+. I’ve had some (not many) days when I’ve fished every depth in a lake and decided to fish the shallowest section of the lake and had a bonanza. There’s usually algae blooms and the fish seem to go there for shade/cover even if the water is uncomfortably warm. My brain said no, but the fish had other ideas.

I caught an almost 8 pounder in about 1.5' of water on a Chug Bug in late July. The air was so thick you could drink it.

I caught a bass on a Whopper Plopper in February.

[Bird]

Just yesterday I caught a couple of bass in an easy wind. Lol

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, Zcoker said:

 

For me, bass fishing is centered around my days off, not so much with the optimum fishing conditions during a particular day or particular night or even month or season. It's also centered around driving distance, especially now with these crazy gas prices! So there's a lotta little things or life events that might interfere with the perfect bass fishing scenario in any given body of water here in S. Florida. As such, I've gone bass fishing during the worst of times, conditions that no one in their right mind would ever consider fishing in, totally against the mainstream, even laughable or sometimes down right dangerous. So I've had to adapt. And I've prevailed. Not so much by using this or that, or not using this or that, but more so by just being out there and having a bait in the water, whatever the conditions or presentation may be. I've learned over time that bass are on/off like a light switch regardless of most anything, and being out there during their "on" events, or flurries, is key to unlocking many nice catches.  

 

 

 

You sir have hit the nail on the head. I don’t put much stock into the weather  pattens because the bass don’t live in the air and they don’t know what humans think they should be doing 

 

7 hours ago, Glenn said:

Let's talk about those times when you caught fish when "common knowledge" said you couldn't.

 

 

great video, your wife was cracking me up on that first fish 

[N Florida Mike]

 Ive caught  some big fish in July in the middle of the day , when it was very hot and still …

I caught a 4 pounder on a doughball fishing for catfish.

Ive also caught bass with dead cut pieces of shiners while also fishing for catfish.

I’m sure there’s something involving artificial baits too but nothing comes to mind…

[Smokinal]

A few years ago we were fishing jerkbaits in the spring in 3-7'. Fishing was good but the wind really picked up and the bite shut right off. After a while, I let the wind blow us up into 1-2' of water where you really couldn't fish a jerkbait "how you're supposed to".

 

Well we were having a hard time fishing, catching weeds etc...  On one cast, I cast out, and picked out an overrun, and had one on when I picked up the slack. I thought....hhmmmm....cast again, didn't reel or twitch the bait, just let it drift on my line in the wind, and got another. My buddy started doing the same thing...just "drifting" his jerkbait and we ended up hammering them for a good hour with this crazy technique.

[king fisher]

This must be why I continue to try and catch bass in tree limbs that are 10 feet out of the water.  

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, king fisher said:

This must be why I continue to try and catch bass in tree limbs that are 10 feet out of the water.  

Hey you never know, might catch a duck 

[DitchPanda]

A couple years ago I had a barn burner of a day in fall on a buzzbait...water temp couldn't have been much over 50. Most people would say that's too cold for topwater..especially a moving topwater...myself included up until that point. That was the biggest 5 bass bag I've ever caught.

[WRB]

I miss fishing with son when he young because he would try things I knew wouldn’t work and proved me wrong a lot.

What that taught me is knowing bass are in the area something may trigger a strike thinking out of the box. With Tommy he was bored and trying what looked good to him. 

I was too narrowly focused on what I wanted to use for the conditions. Good lesson.

Tom

[Catt]

Bout the time I think I have them figured out they prove to me I don't!

[ReggieT]

Recall as a kid of about 9 yrs old. My Mom & Dad took my brother & I fishing in my great uncles "Catfish pond" in early March and 35 degree weather!

 

My Mom & kid brother had enough and scampered towards the house & warmth, my Dad caught 2 catfish, and a chunky 3-4 lb. bass! I landed my 1st fish a 4 lb. catfish! 

 

All on chicken liver!

 

My uncle swore it was ONLY filled with cats & turtles...and they ONLY bit in the dead heat of Alabama summer & nightcrawlers?! LOL?

#PreciousMemories

[LrgmouthShad]

Of course I'm gonna make a post about spinnerbaits, but I hear so often "bass don't bite spinnerbaits below 50 degrees." 

 

What... do the bass have a digital thermometer that tells them what temperature the water is and when it reaches 49.9 degrees, they say "ope, that there flashy object just don't look good no more. I'm a little chilly, I need a blanket." 

 

Ya'll cannot reach speeds I reel spinnerbaits when "true" slow rolling with your 7 speed reels! But if KVD caught em burning a spinnerbait when it's 45 degrees, I wouldn't be surprised either!

[thediscochef]

Great thread. One thing I've learned about bass fishing is that surprises are certain. My PB came on Christmas at 10pm in dead calm water. I rarely do well in those situations but for whatever reason that worked. Right place right time is huge when it comes to catching big ones blindly from the bank. Electronics help but there are never guarantees. It can really affect your mental health if you're throwing at nothing for a whole day, but equally if not more when you're casting at something that never bites. 

I think my best example of this is the muddy little sports complex pond I caught good bass and solid crappies in. The best part of the pond is the tip of this weird canal bit that's maybe 5 feet deep and 10 feet wide. All but one of the multipound bass over caught there were in that weird little spot.

[Spankey]

12 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

 Ive caught  some big fish in July in the middle of the day , when it was very hot and still …

I caught a 4 pounder on a doughball fishing for catfish.

Ive also caught bass with dead cut pieces of shiners while also fishing for catfish.

I’m sure there’s something involving artificial baits too but nothing comes to mind…

Over the years I’ve had a few times of the unexpected Smallie catch while fishing for catfish with cut shrimp. They were nice fish. Not dinks or runts. I generally don’t fish for catfish. Admittedly I don’t think I know how to fish for them properly. 

[Aaron_H]

On 3/23/2022 at 5:38 PM, N Florida Mike said:

 Ive caught  some big fish in July in the middle of the day , when it was very hot and still …

 

The most miserable conditions, but the big ones still gotta eat.

 

July 26, 2018. Upper-80s, zero wind, unbelievably muggy and miserable, getting torn up by mosquitoes. But the big girl came out to play and ate my chatterbait right at the bank, came in right at 7lb 0oz.

[geo g]

It is thought by many that during a sudden cold spell bass often move off to the nearest drop off and go deep.  Although this often happens, I have found bass hunkered down under thick shallow mats like they just pulled a blanket over themselves.  It could be only a foot or two deep.  The thick cover holds some heat from the day, provides security, some food sources live there, and ambush points.  Look for the thickest, greenest, cover around.  Bass don’t always seek the depths during cold fronts.  The longer the cold spell the more likely they are to seek out deeper waters.

[slonezp]

On 3/23/2022 at 6:22 PM, WRB said:

I miss fishing with son when he young because he would try things I knew wouldn’t work and proved me wrong a lot.

What that taught me is knowing bass are in the area something may trigger a strike thinking out of the box. With Tommy he was bored and trying what looked good to him. 

I was too narrowly focused on what I wanted to use for the conditions. Good lesson.

Tom

You struck a chord. When my son was young, he'd mix and match colors and trailers and whatnot. I never corrected him and would offer help if he asked. I watched him learn what worked and what didn't and he taught me a lot, although I will probably never admit it to him. He and I fished buddy tournaments together for years. I can only hope he learned something from me. We stopped fishing tournaments after I tore apart my shoulder 10 years ago. He's been fishing as an "alternate" since then with other anglers. He fishing as a non boater and has a partner this year for the entire season. We talked about it today. I told him to keep his mouth shut when he has to and open it when he needs to. I told him to learn and to teach. I told him to have fun. 

[WRB]

Talk to your kids while you can, don’t hold back. 

I would give everything to say whatever is on my mind if I could, Tommy passed away from cancer 2 years ago.

Be a proud dad,

Tom

[N Florida Mike]

9 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

 

The most miserable conditions, but the big ones still gotta eat.

 

July 26, 2018. Upper-80s, zero wind, unbelievably muggy and miserable, getting torn up by mosquitoes. But the big girl came out to play and ate my chatterbait right at the bank, came in right at 7lb 0oz.

At least it was cloudy! 

Thats my philosophy too. They have to eat sometime , even in unfavorable conditions! Nice fish !

[Aaron_H]

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

At least it was cloudy! 

Thats my philosophy too. They have to eat sometime , even in unfavorable conditions! Nice fish !

 

Yeah the cloud cover was a (small) blessing that day. Didn't stop us from being absolutely drenched in sweat but probably saved the bite a bit. Your post about catching them in the dead heat of July reminded me of that day.

 

A lot of summer days are just dinkfests for me, but every now and then I'll be fortunate to happen across a bigger one. I'll be out there either way, can't catch any bass from the couch. The only weather that's a hard no for me is lightning.

[N Florida Mike]

When I was  a teen, I somehow discovered that some of the biggest bass in the lake stayed in the deepest hole in the middle of the day during summer. Id anchor the boat and toss mann’s Jelly worms into the hole and never move them , just let them sink to the bottom and wait as long as I could stand it. I  caught several over 6 that way. One of the fish bit after 15 minutes of waiting ! That’s pretty unconventional!!

[scbassin]

I don't there is a class for Bass so they can be taught the rules.