Finding the Baitfish

[Redtail]

This is probably a dumb question but here goes

I always here that if you find the baitfish you find the bass.  How do you find the baitfish?

Sometimes I see a shiner or two, but never big balls of them like some people say.

Thanks for your help.

[bassackwards]

great question...  no such thing as a stupid question...  write that down.  lol

if they are in big balls, bein chased, you will see them breakin surface.  sometimes looking in the water, I'll see some schools of baitfish just swimming around.  however, if you see one or two baitfish, I would imagine there are more in that area.  take it for granted there may be fish there.

however, I'm no expert on this so I'll let someone else answer to this better.

[gatrboy53]

this time of the year i fish shad pods a lot they are more predictable to locate. in larger lakes w/ coves creeks, underwater structure like points ,drops humps,  ledges, the bait will congregate i will search these areas w/ my d.f. smaller lakes that are void of any features shallow small round bowls  its pretty much by sight or luck running across them. some lakes i fish they seem to be in the same area yearly. fall they tend to congregate in backs of coves creeks indents, and r usually productive because the fish r feeding up for the winter.

[Samsonian]

This time of year where I live on overcast days the shad will come up and boil the surface I assume being chased by bass. I've had good luck throwing a big fin x fluke right in the middle of them and letting it fall. I've seen black balls on my fish finder but they move around so much its hard to fish.

[Ben]

Depends on time of year and what type bait fish is in the lake.

In lakes with shad, you use your depth finder to find large schools near some type of structure, point, creek channel, humps etc.   Bass will hold on this structure and have a feast.   Just finding schools of shad in open water usually don't help much.  If they are too deep for a crank, white tube worms and white of silver jigging spoons work great (something a similar color of the shad).

When bream are bedding, look for bream beds and work a bream colored crank out from the beds.  Bass will hold out away from them to pick off and easy meal.

Find areas where the crawfish are plentiful, and you will find bass.  Setting out traps baited with cat food late in the evening and checking them early the next morning is a good way to find areas with crawfish.

Coves with a heavy crop of hydrilla or milfoil that has open pockets in it and plenty of small bream swimming around is another good location.  Drop a Sinko, lizard or worm in these open pockets.  If there's water above it, so you can work a jerk bait or top water is deadly.

Just some of what to look for.

[Bass Hammer]

Often times you can find them pushed up near wind blown banks.

Hammer