You're Not Catching Any Bass?

[roadwarrior]

It seems like we're getting a lot of posts from guys that are having a hard time catching anything right now. So, I have a couple of suggestions if you just want to catch a few bass, probably not PBs, but fish none the less.

Early and late, in low light tie on a Zara Spook Puppy, chrome black shad. You might want to try a Heddon Torpedo, too. These are very similar lures which almost always attract a few small bass. Although I rarely throw them, I can't recall ever being shutout.

Throughout the day, Ika, not my favorite Fat Ika, but it's smaller cousin. You'll need a small hook, 1/0 EWG for this lure. I've caught a couple of good fish at the Secret Pond on this bait, but it's really a small bass lure. It's very effective weightless.

[senko_77]

the spook puppy is a great bait to catch fish with.  you can also use a white 1/6oz. rooster tail or a 4inch. manns finnesse worm.

[DDbasser]

I'm catching fish, they're just small, 12" to 16" can't seem to get the bigger ones to hit, but I think I've been fishing the wrong cover, been fishing shallow weeds and as long as I'm catching some fish( even though they are small) I'm having a hard time making myself fish other water.  

[Lummer]

Roadwarrior, great topic to post in this heat of the summer. Down here in South Florida it seems the fish are hitting the best right before sunrise and about an hour after. In that time frame from 6:15-till around 8:30, I can usually go 4-6 nice bass...

I have been mainly using the Zoom Baby Brush hogs, and I have tried the Zara Spook Puppy also but just didnt seem to have the luck or I didnt use it long enough...In the 2 hour time frame, I would hate to waste 20 mins casting that spook and no hits. Any suggestions? Conditions are warm calm water, no to slight breeze, no cover...

[roadwarrior]

Lummer,

This thread isn't for you! Keep doing what you're doing. The lures I mentioned generally attract small bass. If you're catching nice bass and want to fish topwater, I recommend the full size Spook and Sammy, those are big fish lures.

[goldenmonkey]

if Im not catching any bass, I never have a problem catching a buzz 8)

[Max-in-Mn]

Just remember too guys, don't overlook that slop in a foot of water. The water under slop can be as much as 10 degrees cooler, as with docks. It doesn't matter if it's a hot blue bird day, they will come out of that slop to smash a moss boss, frog, etc. Just go where the other guys ain't!! Keep this up with more summer tips guys.

[5bass]

I'm catching fish, they're just small, 12" to 16" can't seem to get the bigger ones to hit, but I think I've been fishing the wrong cover, been fishing shallow weeds and as long as I'm catching some fish( even though they are small) I'm having a hard time making myself fish other water.

DD,you may need to fish a little deeper to get the bigger bite this time of year.I know it's hard to leave fish shallow to find fish deep.....you just have to ask yourself what's more important.

[Guest avid]

I have been doing really well on bigger bass this past week with the horny toad.  The bass have really been jumping all over it.  The best technique is to throw it on the bank and hop it into the water next to weeds.  If there is slop, I skate accross the top and twitch it into the water. Ka-BOOM totally cool, but you really to set the hook.

[Guest avid]

My go to bait for catching bass when I'm not concerned about size is a 4" Senko.  I don't think I have ever been skunked throwing this lure.

[DDbasser]

DD,you may need to fish a little deeper to get the bigger bite this time of year.I know it's hard to leave fish shallow to find fish deep.....you just have to ask yourself what's more important.

Yeah, I know I've got to make myself go to the better fish if I'm going go have any chance at winning tournaments next year.

[Hot n Tot]

Fishing was slow here, but Sunday evening I had a  great outing. Several fish by slow rolling 1/2 oz tandem willowleaf spinnerbaits in deeper water, and around sundown several really nice fish by fishing senkos in a around 10-12' of water. Sunday night was one I'll remember for awhile!

[roadwarrior]

Oddly enough, this is my best time of year for catching really big largemouth bass. Deep water, big soft plastics and a slow presentation are the keys. I'm catching my best bass in 15-20 ft of water on weighted T-rigged tubes and Kut-Tail worms.  

[abelfisher]

RW,

are you weighting those tubes with sliding, pegged or snugged up in the tube??

[Sweetwater]

My goto bait is a weightless watermelon seed trick worm.

Easy to fish, cheap, and it gets eaten everywhere I fish.

[roadwarrior]

abelfisher,

1/4 oz bullet sinker and bead, unpegged.

[AceHigh]

Not catchin' fish?

1) GO ALONE! If you are anything like me you are always trying your best to make it a good trip for your guest. So between making sure they have everything they need, the boat is always in perfect position for them, their hang ups are retrieved, etc. such that you can't concentrate on fishing.  You end up fishing one spot too long using the wrong lures too long and never taking the time to think things through.   In a tournament I tell my non-boater that he can have total control of the boat for exactly one half of the time and I get to choose when, but I will totally ignore him and his needs or wants during my half of the time; that way I can fish seriously.

2) Don't linger long where you are not catching fish and you believe you've given them a fair chance (a 1/2 hour is plenty),

3) Change lures often (in a crankbait area I may change crankbaits every half dozen casts unless I am using what I absolutely know is best),

4) Never leave fish - I have caught a lot of fish by watching fast moving fishermen.  They will be moving to cover a large area then all of a sudden they will catch a couple of fish, but then they just keep on with their route fishing more of what looks like the same exact cover.  They think they will find more just like those somewhere further on and I know for certain there are still fish where they caught the others.  I simply go to where they caught the fish and usually will catch half a dozen or more from the same exact spot in 15 or 20 minutes.  This is probably the most misunderstood part of bass fishing, I call it being a pattern idiot.  When you catch a fish under a green willow tree (or whatever structure) it is ten times more likely than there is another fish under the same tree that will bite than it is that there will be a fish under every willow tree on the lake and its ten times more likely that there is something about that specific area (oxygen, light, baitfish, water temp, etc.) that is keeping them where they are.  In short, when you catch one, beat the immediate surrounding area to death.  

5) Never leave fish - its worth repeating again.  In 40 years of bass fishing I have have a lot of days when I caught 20 or more fish, but I cannot recall any when I did not catch virtually all of the fish that day out of a spot less than a half acre.

6) Go back to basics and use your confidence lures.  If its springtime find some 2-6 foot water  and throw spinnerbaits and crankbaits; if its summer hit every major and minor point with worms; if you can fish shallow during the the time when you can see before the sun rises and the last half hour before dark.

7) in my book bass fishing is 40% skill, 30% concentration, 20% confidence and 10% luck - you can take care of 90%.    

[Raul]

I'm catching my best bass in 15-20 ft of water on weighted T-rigged tubes and Kut-Tail worms.

Hmmmmm, that Kut-Tail suggestion sounds kinda familiar to me. I told you, those things are lethal.

[bassaddict62]

This time of year (summer) "they" always say fish deeper, cooler water. I think "they" forget that some ponds and lakes literally have no deep water for bass to go to! The ponds I fish are 6 feet deep at most, and in Georgia that means the water is smoking hot. So where do the bass spend most of their day? In the shade. Usually, that means under the slop. But one lake I fish has very little slop, so the bass pack into the shade of overhanging trees, and any logs the beavers drag into the water. Beavers are a pond fisherman's best friend in these ponds.

[bowjunkie35]

Not catchin' fish?

1) GO ALONE! If you are anything like me you are always trying your best to make it a good trip for your guest. So between making sure they have everything they need, the boat is always in perfect position for them, their hang ups are retrieved, etc. such that you can't concentrate on fishing. You end up fishing one spot too long using the wrong lures too long and never taking the time to think things through. In a tournament I tell my non-boater that he can have total control of the boat for exactly one half of the time and I get to choose when, but I will totally ignore him and his needs or wants during my half of the time; that way I can fish seriously.

2) Don't linger long where you are not catching fish and you believe you've given them a fair chance (a 1/2 hour is plenty),

3) Change lures often (in a crankbait area I may change crankbaits every half dozen casts unless I am using what I absolutely know is best),

4) Never leave fish - I have caught a lot of fish by watching fast moving fishermen. They will be moving to cover a large area then all of a sudden they will catch a couple of fish, but then they just keep on with their route fishing more of what looks like the same exact cover. They think they will find more just like those somewhere further on and I know for certain there are still fish where they caught the others. I simply go to where they caught the fish and usually will catch half a dozen or more from the same exact spot in 15 or 20 minutes. This is probably the most misunderstood part of bass fishing, I call it being a pattern idiot. When you catch a fish under a green willow tree (or whatever structure) it is ten times more likely than there is another fish under the same tree that will bite than it is that there will be a fish under every willow tree on the lake and its ten times more likely that there is something about that specific area (oxygen, light, baitfish, water temp, etc.) that is keeping them where they are. In short, when you catch one, beat the immediate surrounding area to death.

5) Never leave fish - its worth repeating again. In 40 years of bass fishing I have have a lot of days when I caught 20 or more fish, but I cannot recall any when I did not catch virtually all of the fish that day out of a spot less than a half acre.

6) Go back to basics and use your confidence lures. If its springtime find some 2-6 foot water and throw spinnerbaits and crankbaits; if its summer hit every major and minor point with worms; if you can fish shallow during the the time when you can see before the sun rises and the last half hour before dark.

7) in my book bass fishing is 40% skill, 30% concentration, 20% confidence and 10% luck - you can take care of 90%.

Now that is a great post AceHigh! Agreed 100%