HELP!!!

[JigNBig]

hey yall i need some help. i live near a lake that i fish in about 4 times a week and we catch a great number of bass junk fishing with anything in our tackle boxes. but theres a catch...when those bass move up to bed they wont bite ANYTHING. I think i have caught one bedding fish since i have been fishing here. they always spook of and never bite or just do that nudging thing with their nose that they always do. any tips or suggestions???????

[Guest Texas_Bass_Pro]

Use a 3" to 4" plastic bait, (tiny bush hog), Texas rig with light weight, (1/16th ounce). Fish it slow starting about a foot or more away from the bed and work it slowly to the center of the bed pausing it there and shaking the bait. Always works for me!! Good luck!

Keep us posted on how well you do on these bedding fish when they start.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

Fish deeper structure. I don't fish for bedding bass.

[hi_steel_basser]

I like to throw a jig-n-pig on beds, some people swear by lizards, other people love tubes, but the important thing in bed fishing is the presentation. First, set up far enough away that you can barely see the fish. Usually that is a long pitching distance on clearer water. Second, throw your lure to the backside of the bed. Third, shake the lure gently through the bed. Watch the fish. If it is looking, sometimes a quick hop will trigger the bite, sometimes stopping the lure entirely will do the trick. If it starts to turn away, hop the lure aggressively. The fish will instantly turn back around and stare at your bait. Last, be patient. Some fish hit on the first cast, others hit after ten or fifteen casts. My PB largemouth hit a jig-n-pig on the third cast into the bed, on the drop. She weighed a little over 10 lbs. Another fish that spring, an 8+ fish(it was a good spring) hit after working the jig through the bed for about 45 minutes. These fish are very aggressive this time of year, so don't get frustrated when one refuses your lure the first few casts. Keep aggravating it, and it will hit sooner or later. Good Luck, hope I helped some.

[JigNBig]

thanks for all the tips. for the guy who said fish deeper structure, i have caught numerous bass with a bomber fat free shad over the only grass bed in the lake.  one thing i forgot to mention in my original statement is that in the particular lake the bass are no more than 4 lbs.

ANOTHER QUESTION REGARDING BEDDING BASS

since the lake is quit small and the bass gobble topwater are there any particularly good topwater baits that will cause a reaction strike while the bass are on the beds

[bassnleo]

For the bedded fish try a swimbait like Matt's Lures in a bluegill. Let it fall into the bed, it will sit nose down like a gill trying to rob the nest of eggs.

A topwater trick for bedded fish that has worked for me, take an original Rapala floating stickbait, shave a little of the sides of the bill off so it won't dive, weight the tail so it floats a little tail down. Stay back from the bedding area and make casts to that area, make short jerks with the bait so it spits then let it sit, repeat, I have caught quite a few fish that way.

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

Use a 3" to 4" plastic bait, (tiny bush hog), Texas rig with light weight, (1/16th ounce).  Fish it slow starting about a foot or more away from the bed and work it slowly to the center of the bed pausing it there and shaking the bait.  Always works for me!!  Good luck!  

Keep us posted on how well you do on these bedding fish when they start.

I agree

[manny]

when you talk of "shaking the bait" what motion do you make with your rod? just a side to side motion on semi-slack line? will that cause your bait to jiggle on the bottom?

[chitwnbass]

Biggest single mistake in fishing most bedding bass is being detected by the bass.  Most bass are close to shore in shallow water and very spookish. Make sure you can spot the beds from a distance and approch very slow and quiet.  Fishing from the shore you may want to try casting from 10-20 feet up on the bank instead of right on the waters edge.  Anything that can break up you silouette aganst the sky is goood too. Try fishing right infront of tree or kneeling next to a bush if avaliable. If fishing from a boat aproaching slow and silent is best and keeping a small silouette by kneeling or sitting is key. Also casting considerbly past the beds and bringing your bait slowly back to it is a good tactic.  Trying a little tact and camoflage when stalking these bedding bass will really pay off

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Are the bass definately bedding where you are?  January?  If so, there are a few articles above regarding tactics during the pre-spawn and spawn.

Although I no longer fish for bedding bass, if you campout on the fish, 8 out of 10 times, you can catch her.  Takes time to aggravate her enough to latch on and often times, she is just moving the bait off the nest.  Stay focused.

[Vyron]

For bedding fish i would use t-rig or jig.

As LBH said, r u sure u have bedding fish at this time?

[Guest Texas_Bass_Pro]

Posted by: Vyron Posted on: Today at 8:00am

For bedding fish i would use t-rig or jig.

As LBH said, r u sure u have bedding fish at this time?

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Posted by: Low_Budget_Hookers Posted on: Today at 6:43am

Are the bass definately bedding where you are? January? If so, there are a few articles above regarding tactics during the pre-spawn and spawn.

Although I no longer fish for bedding bass, if you campout on the fish, 8 out of 10 times, you can catch her. Takes time to aggravate her enough to latch on and often times, she is just moving the bait off the nest. Stay focused.

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I think he is talking about when the bass start to bed later on in the year. I think he just wants to get everything ready for that time.

LBH--Why don't you fish for bedding bass anymore?

[JigNBig]

like somebody said, i am preparing for this spring. the fish now are not eating anything but an occassional deep diving crankbait.