Chasing bait

[Shad_Master]

I have tried purusing the articles and have not found this.  If I overlooked it, please provide the link.  When, and under what conditions, do fish start "chasing bait".  The reason I ask is that in the last few weeks I have noticed a sharp drop in the numbers of bass hitting on cranks and spinner baits.  They seem to be more after plastics on the bottom now that the heat has really picked up.

[Guest B4553R]

Startin n' the fall big Bass start bustin' minners all the way up the creek. Its a bananzer!!

git lucky soon'''B4553R

[DDbasser]

Here in Northeastern OK, I've been catching bass busting small shad right at daylight for about 30 minutes in the mouths of coves and on main lake points.

[SBM-RL]

in michagan i havent had problems catchin fish espeacially on cranks and spinnerbaits

[Guest avid]

Bass are always chasing bait. I think your talking about when the shad ball up in the fall.  But they can do that anytime the predators are lurking. Don't get locked into a single pattern.  If the crankbait bite is off switch to something else. If you really like crankbait fishing then go to different sizes, colors, and depths.  The fish are still there and their still eating.

Maybe something else has changed.  The water temp, clarity, lake height, etc.  My experience right now is just the opposite of yours.  I can't catch anything with a c-rig or worm.  If it's not a topwater, or shallow jerkbait it don't catch fish.  But tomorrow is another day.

[Rattlinrogue]

Down here in South MS,the bass stopped hitting hard baits about the first week in July.You can catch 'em on plastics early and late and especially at night.Down here 100 degree heat with 80-100 % humidity is the norm.It really hasn't started getting hot ,yet,for us.