Need some advice on shore lake fishing..

[sleemie]

I did as suggested and read up on some of the materials on the site and I did get some valuable information, but there's  alot to absorb so I'd appreciate some fine tuning advice on doing some shore fishing in a small/medium sized lake.  I read the specific articles about fishing on the shore.  

I've fished here twice already this year and all I got was some tiny fish.  I know some of the basics about how to catch bass from reading up on it, but haven't had any luck.  One of the problems I've had is that in order to cast in to the type of areas where Bass would be, my hook tends to get caught up in the brush.  Not sure what it is, but what it looks like is a bunch things sticking straight up, I guess reeds maybe.  I tried going early in the morning and I've used the crank baits and the poppers and also night crawlers just in case something else was out there biting. I just wanted to catch a fish other than something so small that it wasn't worth keeping.  So, from what I've read, in the early morning I should shoot for the surface area with the crankbaits and poppers because the bass would be more inclined to come to the surface in the morning.   I tried to hit areas around the brush, but like I said, I tend to get my lure caught in it so I've been limited in what I could do.  I lost my carolina rig because the hook got caught.  I've also tried the rubber worms and an ariticial shad.  

So...how should I approach this....

I'm going to a small/medium lake on the shore in the morning.  I'm in the DC area and the temps are like 40s at night and 60-70 during the day.  I've got no idea what water temps are.  I've read reports about this lake and it's supposedly well stocked with Bass.  At various times I've read reports that said to use different lures in this lake...once the report said go with crankbaits and poppers, the most recent report said to go with  4" worms in red shad or blue fleck colors.   There are some shore areas that don't have as much of the brush that I could cast in to more safely, but from what I understand you're not really going to find the bass in the open type areas like that.  There are like no real structures in the lake, such as docks or anything else.  There's an area where there's some type of drainage unit and I've read that that's a good area to hit...I've tried it from the shore, but no luck.  Oh, they also have a couple of fishing areas set up, but I'm assuming those aren't good areas because they're over fished.  They're built out of wood, but the base of the structure is really close to the land and it's overgrown with brush, so no area for the fish to hang out underneath it or anything like that.  

so, how would you recommend I approach this??

Thanx a bunch.

I just started fishing and I've been like 5 times now and haven't really caught anything and am getting discouraged.  I can live with not catching something everytime I go out, but I would hope to at least be like 50-50 as far as catching something worth keeping.   I've been out on a pontoon boat in a larger lake also...same results.  

[roadwarrior]

Try a bag of Yamamoto Fat Ika in a dark, natural color (042J, 194J, 208, 286 or 297). Gamakatsu 3/0 Offset EWG hooks. Rig the Fat Ika weedless and weightless with the skirt up. This wil not hang up, or at least not often.

Start by throwing it parallel to the brush or cover. Let the lure settle and sit for at least 30 seconds then move it 6-12" with a slow horizontal sweep. Let it settle on slack line and sit for at least 10 seconds. Repeat until you feel you are out of the zone. Move up 5-10 yards and cast again. Occassionally cast the Fat Ika right into the cover, let it sit and work it out. This will trigger a strike if there are bass in the grass. If you still have no luck, continue fishing parrallel to the shore, but out another 5-10 yards.

Good luck!

[sleemie]

Thanx for the info...

So just that?  No backup lure if that doesn't work?  

[roadwarrior]

Nope. Concentrate on working this lure, it is very effective. If there are any bass in the lake, trust me, you will catch a couple.

[sleemie]

Okie dokie...I just got off the phone with Dick's sporting goods to see if they have them and they do, so I'll pick some up and give em a shot.  

[Hamlet]

Hey roadwarrior I got a question for you about those ikas. I have read on the yamamoto website that some people will use these like an underwater spook, have you ever worked the lure that way?

one other thing, on the horizontal sweep do you just drop your rod to the side and pull the lure forward and up about a foot and then give it slack so that it can do its little shimmy backwards?

I just bought a pack of the kinami version last week and i have only used them for about 30 minutes with no sucess.

[roadwarrior]

No

Yes

They are the same bait (Fat Ika = Palm Tree), but the color might be important. I usually catch fish right off the bat, but 30 minutes isn't really much of a test for any lure. You know, "the right place at the right time". Keep fishing them, the Fat Ika has been my #1 producer for largemouth over 5 lbs for the last 18 months or so.

[sleemie]

Would you say the same for going out on a john boat on the lake?  I ask because I may be doing that in a couple of weeks if it doesn't get too cold.  

[roadwarrior]

sleemie,

You wrote that you have only fished five times without much success. The bait I recommended is a consistant producer for me and I think it will work for you. If you fish with just this bait for awhile, I think it will help you concentrate on learning a little more about the feel of the equipment, structure and cover that you fish. This is not necessarily the best bait for you to fish and it's definitiely not the only lure to use. I just think it might be a good place to start.

Maybe you should get a spinnerbait, too. If you are anxious to try topwater, get a Heddon Zara Puppy and/or Torpedo. These are all easy to use and a good start for most beginners.

[pmoravek]

Sleemie

Where are you at?

I am in Northern VA and I might be able to help.

Pete

[fish-fighting-illini]

I'd have to agree on several of the ideas already posted. I too am knew I started bass fishing last year in July. I fish in a couple of small lakes and exclusively from the shore. Spinnerbaits are a very good choice as they are one of the most naturaly weedless lures there is. You can often bring them over tree limbs and not get hung up like you would a crankbait with treble hooks. Spinnerbaits are fairly inexpensive, try the Walmart ones for a $1 then it is not so hard to lose them. Gander mountain sells skirts that you can easily change to give you an inexpensive variety of colors. I've got to the point that I make my own from online stock and have even started selling them.

I would also agree about casting sideways. I very seldom have success by just throwing out as far as I can. I almost always cast sideways this works very well at dusk in summer when the the bass come close to shore. I've also caught 3 or 4  18" bass less than 4 feet from the shore ( often by a tree limb though). The one constant I think I've learned is that nothing is constant one week it is spinnerbaits, next it is cranks or buzzbaits. I have been the most consistent on standard spinnerbaits though.

Also ask questions at the lake and see if you can fish with someone once or twice who knows the lake well.

Keep us posted as being a new fisherman myself it will be interesting to see what works for you.

[sleemie]

Hey Moravek...I'm in Northern VA also.  The lake I'm talking about is Burke Lake.   What part of VA are you in?  

I was hoping to hit up the lake saturday morning aned would have been able to give you a report, but it's going to be raining so I'll have to until the following weekend.  I've been under the assumption that I should be shooting for early mornings, what about after work in the early evening this time of year?  Well, that might not work because I wouldn't be able to get there until like 7:00 and it's sunset by that time and the park where the lake is closes and I don't think you're supposed to be out there.

Will the spinner baits be okay as far as not getting caught up in the brush?  The only way for me to really hit those spots I have to reel my lure back in through it.  I don't know exactly what it is, but it's like there are a whole bunch of reed like things sticking straight up, and the hooks tend to get caught in them.  

[pmoravek]

Burke is tough because it is heavily pressured.

Take a ride out to Ashburn and fish the lake at the sports pavillion. If someone asks, you are a guest.

The fish are small. (8-12 inch ususally) but you will see quite a bit of action. Then you can take the techniques you learn to other lakes and try them out.

Good luck

[sleemie]

Thanx for the info.  I just googled it to see how to get there.  

What does heavily pressured mean?  I've been hearing that term a lot.  Does that mean a lot of people are fishing that spot?  

[sleemie]

Just found this report about the lake I'm talking about.....

Largemouth Bass

The largemouth bass population of Burke Lake is in excellent condition with bass averaging around 3 pounds and 6 pound bass common. In the spring 2003 electrofishing sample, fisheries biologists collected 96 largemouth bass in 67 minutes of sampling. The bass looked to be in great shape with the size structure of the population evenly distributed from 12 to 22 inches. The data revealed the CPE-P to be 42. CPE-P is the index used in analyzing sample catch rates. It stands for the "catch per effort of preferred fish." The CPE-P for LMB is the number of bass 15 inches or larger that are collected in one hour of electrofishing. Based on CPE-P, Burke Lake is the top ranked bass fishery out of 19 popular northern Virginia impoundments sampled by VDGIF biologists during the years 1998-2003.

Due to the combination of fishing pressure and abundant forage, the largemouth bass are difficult to catch. Burke Lake bass feed heavily upon schools of gizzard shad. Anglers should concentrate their efforts along the willow weed beds that line the banks of the cove across from the park boat ramp. Anglers are encouraged to try different techniques not normally used by average fishermen. The use of a different lure or retrieve may turn out to be what the bass are looking for. A good fish finder will allow you to find schools of shad and the bass feeding on them. Anglers should try a variety of shad/bait fish imitating lures such as crank baits (lip-less and diving) and soft plastic jerk baits as well.

[pmoravek]

Thanx for the info. I just googled it to see how to get there.

What does heavily pressured mean? I've been hearing that term a lot. Does that mean a lot of people are fishing that spot?

You got it.

Seems like every Dad with a pole & bobber brings his kid over there.

(Not that there's anything wrong with that)

[pmoravek]

J...Due to the combination of fishing pressure and abundant forage, the largemouth bass are difficult to catch.....

That's just what I mean. If you hit it early in the Spring you might have some luck.

I went out today (Crappy conditions and all) and had a go at a different lake that someone had suggested.

1 fish  

But...I suppose it's better than working.

[sleemie]

Do you know anything about Fountainhead? I've read some good reports about it.  Any other suggested places?  

[pmoravek]

I haven't had any luck there, but to be honest...I haven't fished it very hard.

I'm big on taking my 8 year old to Ashburn bank fishing because kids like action, ya know?

If I want to fish pretty serious, then I go out to Lake Frederick or Brittle and rent a jonboat.

[sleemie]

I'm gonna have to give ashburn a shot.  I mentioned it to my girlfriend and she told me one of her co-workers lives in ashburn village.  Is that in Frederick, Md?   how far away?  So, what are your best fishing spots?  

How late in the season do you plan on fishing?  

[sinker48]

Anybody feel free to tell me if I'm wrong.  If the base of that structure has 6 inches of water and the right conditions the BASS version of Moby Dick could be waiting there for you.

                                     Good  Luck !

                                              Sinker 48  

[sleemie]

Hey PM...I went out to Ashburn.  I guess maybe I misunderstood when you mentioned it....I guess I was expecting there to be some Bass there.  It's just as you said, the fish are small and I'm sure I could have gotten some action there because you could like right in the water and see the fish, but I didn't think that would be very sporting, and I really didn't want to catch any small fish, especially ones that I couldn't keep.  

So, I left there and went to fountainhead and rented a johnboat with the electric motor and caught my first ever "real" fish...a 2.5 lb about 16-18"  bass.  

[fish-fighting-illini]

Congrats on the 2.5 lber. That is a fun size. I think about any bass is fun... 3/4, 1, 1 1/2's. I've caught 5 or 6 3's and everything has been from the bank. My next goal is a 5 we'll have to see how that goes. Might have to get a boat to pull that off.

What did you catch the 2.5 on? and what time of day?

[sleemie]

Caught it with a jig...don't ask me what kind, just know that it was blue and I got it from the Marina because that's what was recommended.  It was around 12:00 or so.  

It was fun.