the free-rig. i think i understand.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, RRocket said:

I do have an anecdote, though I have no idea of the significance. Maybe someone will have insight..or not.

Could be that you simply missed a feeding window, and that particular bass wasn't hungry.  Circling cruisers often aren't eating or willing.

 

Just like when fishing during the day you might be fishing dead water, or the fish in the area are gorged. I've observed that the aggressive night-bite windows are short in a single location. Not often longer than an hour, and often less. Miss that, and you've missed the boat. However, when you find one or can trigger one, you'll have a nice rally.

 

Yesterday morning's bite window clicked on a little after midnight in a lake we've rarely fished, but not before we spent 3 hours without a whiff, and it wasn't just us. A well known local hammer got blanked fishing within a football field or so of us on and off for the first 3 hours. We finally pushed way up north to the super shallow end where the springs feed the lake and we found them. He stayed put and didn't.

 

But without the clouds that rolled in and the wind that came with them we probably would've struggled getting any to bite even though they were there. It worked out though, but not without work and thought. I'd spotted very few small baitfish on the southern end. Mostly small schools of larger bluegill. I played a hunch that smaller baitfish might've pushed into very shallow flats, and I was right.

 

 

 

[FryDog62]

Dang gravel lizards keep hitting my Geecrack Free Rig… I guess they like the smell of burnt Fritos too ?

[Pat Brown]

On 9/4/2023 at 1:17 PM, RRocket said:

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

 

Once again.

 

I do have an anecdote, though I have no idea of the significance. Maybe someone will have insight..or not.

 

Before heading home I stopped by the harbour. Was going to try some skipping. Several of the boats have what I would call "mood lights" shining into the water from the swim platform. One had a blue light and I could see a HUGE bass lazily cruising in/out of the light.

 

I threw everything under the moon. The bass investigated every single thing. Very slowly, very lazily, very deliberate. Just checking things out. No sign of urgency, no aggression..Nothing. Just a lazy stroll. No idea what any of this means, if anything. I do wonder what, if anything, would have triggered a strike.

 

I must admit....I got REALLY excited the first time the fish approached my bait....but no, it was just trolling me! LOL ?

 

 

Sounds like it's time to work some obnoxious reaction baits into your regimen!

 

Ever try the tiny chatterbaits/Buzzbaits/lipless crankbaits/suspending jerkbaits?

 

You could try a weightless caffeine shad and twitch it around violently in their faces also.

 

 

I betcha those impartial investigators might get to swiping and biting if you kinda make em react!

[RRocket]

4 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

Sounds like it's time to work some obnoxious reaction baits into your regimen!

 

Ever try the tiny chatterbaits/Buzzbaits/lipless crankbaits/suspending jerkbaits?

 

You could try a weightless caffeine shad and twitch it around violently in their faces also.

 

 

I betcha those impartial investigators might get to swiping and biting if you kinda make em react!

Used chatterbaits and buzzbaits.

 

Zilch.

 

It's a lost cause here I'm afraid.

 

 

[waymont]

Tried the Free Rig two times this season, which in February is REALLY early in the year for Illinois.

I got 9 bass in two trips on the Free Rig and a 2.5" gill flat type bait. I really like the way it moves in the water. Oddly enough I tried a T rigged creature bait in the same spots but didn't get a sniff, changed to the Free Rig and started catching them. I'm going to using it more coming up.

This is the earliest I've caught bass around here.