Lures are right in front of a bass but no hits?

[Lard_Bass]

Over the past 2 days, I spotted 2-3 pretty decent hanging out right by a spillway in 2-3 feet of water.  I dropped tubes, worms, flukes, lizards in front of them and couldn't get a strike.  I literally hit on the head with several of my plastics but still no takers.  I bounced it around them trying to annoy them into a strike and still no hits.  Any advice?  The bass look like 4-5 lbs and just hover in place right near a spillway wall.

[Paul Roberts]

Lures are not food. They are rarley of any interest to bass unless they are manipulated appropriately.

Some thing to try:

-Do not let the bass see you

-Cast from the closest distance that they cannot see you

-Do not cast directly on them

-Cast to one side, reel the  worm/jig/craw/creature near them and then kill it, long pause, then twitch it ever so slightly.

-Swim an active topwater past them

-Try them at different times, especially early and late or under overcast.

-Rest them 10 minutes after each lure attempt.

Let us know how they react.

[Lard_Bass]

Paul,

I actually did what you recommended prior to my posting here.  I cast well beyond them and the reeled back slowly and killed it.  I let the bait sit there 5-10 minutes but still had not hits.  

I actually found them while shore fishing with a Pop-R on the surface.   I fished a Pop-R, Hula Popper, and Chug Bug near them but no reaction strikes that I was hoping for.  

This is why I am perplexed.  They were acting more like suspended bass in shallow water.  No interest in anything I threw their way.  I am surprised because they have been camping out by the spillway the last 2 mornings I fished that lake.

[grimlin]

If you saw the bass,chances are they saw you....so you blew it.I would have left them alone and come back later with a different approach.

95% of my bites are bass i never saw.I saw 5 decent bass cruising the banks and weedlines and not one was interested in my offerings this weekend.

It does lead me to thinking these fish are much,much harder to catch.They ain't as stupid as some of us think they are.There's a reason they got to be 4-5 pounds.

That's my opinion.

[Lard_Bass]

That's what I thought.  I figured I blew my chance when they saw me.  I was surprised when they did not dart away though.  

[ian515]

If you saw the bass,chances are they saw you....so you blew it.I would have left them alone and come back later with a different approach.

95% of my bites are bass i never saw.I saw 5 decent bass cruising the banks and weedlines and not one was interested in my offerings this weekend.

It does lead me to thinking these fish are much,much harder to catch.They ain't as stupid as some of us think they are.There's a reason they got to be 4-5 pounds.

That's my opinion.

im gonna disagree with that. I was staring a bass in the face a couple weeks ago, it was being really stuborn too. finally shook a senko in front of it for what felt like 5 minutes, and she finally chomped it.

I think sometimes they are smart enough, and sometimes not. thats what makes fishing so interesting, you never know what you are gonna get!

[fishizzle]

Inactive bass are very hard to catch--make a few casts and move on

[dumb_dog11]

burn a crankbait or a spinnerbait through and try to get a reaction strike

or slowly reel a mattlures ultimate blugill by them

[David P]

Not sure where you live, or the water temperatures, but if the fish were on beds, they can often be much tougher to catch. Patience and persistence is the way to get these fish. They're not looking to eat, but if you tick them off enough, they will pick up the bait to move it.

Like I said, I'm not sure if the fish are on beds yet, or if they're already off beds, but sounds like maybe you're just dealing with some grumpy bed fish.

[Catt]

Some days bass just plain ole don't bite regardless of what we think  

Oh yea I caught 10 yesterday in 2 ½' of water crystal clear, they could see me & I could see them. I'd throw a baby brush hog 8-10' away & watch the wake as the streaked towards it. Some days it matters but if they are feeding it don't matter what you do!

[basspro96]

<BIG> DIP NET <BIG>

[Grey Wolf]

Some days bass just plain ole don't bite regardless of what we think

Oh yea I caught 10 yesterday in 2 ½' of water crystal clear, they could see me & I could see them. I'd throw a baby brush hog 8-10' away & watch the wake as the streaked towards it. Some days it matters but if they are feeding it don't matter what you do!

X2

[-BassMasterBling-]

its seems that the fish are much harder to catch when you can see them. And alot of people give away there position when the walk up and walk loudly. Your best bet would be to stay about 15 ft away and cast as far past them as you can. Every time i spot a fish i automatically use a senko and sometimes i throw it right on top of them and they take it right away.

This is a "fish"! dont let it outsmart you.

[Tin]

Snagging hooks

[BassFishingMachine]

burn a crankbait or a spinnerbait through and try to get a reaction strike

or slowly reel a mattlures ultimate blugill by them

Yeah, I'd definetly consider bringing a spinnerbait past them, great reaction strike bait imo.

[Avalonjohn44]

I also agree on burning a crankbait... I have an old Poes Cedar Crank, a big ugly clunky thing.  The only way I catch fish on it is if I see a fish in shallow water, cast past it, and crank it fast in a bee-line for the bass.  Sometimes they run away, sometimes they attack back...