bass suspending 2-3 ft under surface.

[Whopper Stopper]

I went fishing today and caught three on a 3" crawdad while sight fishing.

Here's my question. I saw a ton of bass suspending about 2 or 3 feet under the surface. I couldn't get them to hit for nothing. I thought If I used a suspending rapala that I would get them, but it didn't work. They didn't seem interested at all with anything I threw at them. So how do I get them to bite?

[Nick_Barr]

First try a fluke type bait, then if they aint hittin that i would throw a senko, Lastly it them over their heads with a big topwater, youll either catch them or they will go down deep and not bother ya.

[nwgabassmaster]

My first question would be what color was the Rapala that you were throwing to them?

The bass that I have been catching on my Smithwicks have been doing the same thing, but I have been catching them using a clown color.  I believe that they were hitting the jerk out of reaction.  Although I believe the color had a part to the equation, all the bass hit it while it was sitting still.

My next guess would be to do like Nick said, and to pop a Senko in their faces.  If they aren't willing to hit that, then I would try whirling a spinnerbait by them.  

Finally, I would throw the top-water.  With those combination of lures, either you will catch them, or annoy them enough that they will leave.

[senko_77]

are they all small bass???  we have these all over my lakes.  groups of small bass cruisin the shallows suspended real shallow.  usually, these fish arent catchable, because if u can see them, then they usually can see u.  if they are gonna bite anything, i would continue throwin the rapala

[CJ]

Suspended fish are hard to catch sometimes.Usually when I get bite from them I am showing them a presentation that is above them.One thing to try is throwing a spinnerbait behind them and reeling it in over their head from behind.This will sometime get a reaction strike.Suspended fish with some exceptions are usually in a negative feeding mood.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

I'd have to agree that seeing those bass ruined chances of catching them. They will probably be there again, so stay way back and make long casts. I'd go with a topwater stickbait like a Zara Spook early mornings that can cast far and walk the dog with it, pausing, twitching. If that didn't work then a natural colored whacky rigged Senko follow-up on 8# fluorocarbon line and spinning rig dropped nearly weightless in front of them ought to get your line straightened out. I'dalternate between the two before changing to another set like a 1-2 foot Rapala Original Minnow in shad or bluegill colors with a follow-up Zoom Fluke in white or shad lightly weighted to allow it to spiral down.

Jim

[Chris]

Speed reel a small wood crankbait that runs 3'. That Lucky Craft 1.5 RC works also. I have seen fish drop down before just to nab it. Don't cast to their head cast beyond them and bring them to bass. The other options listed are great answers and have worked for me also.

[Will]

First you want to be fishing at their level or above them, you don't want to fish below. I would try a suspending jerkbait. Throw it past him and twitch it towards the fish, when you are right in front of the fish let it sit for 10 seconds or so and if they don't hit it give a couple hard jerks trying to get reaction bite. Also a buzzbait might work.

[Guest avid]

I think dropping back out of sight and waiting an hour or so is a good start.  Then burn a ratltrap past them.

[Whopper Stopper]

I wondered about using a topwater, but I thought it was too early. The bass have just started eating about a week ago and the water is still cold. Am I on the right track here or am I missing out by not using topwater or fast moving presentations. Yesterday I was fishing with a guy who was using spinnerbaits and rattle traps and I was using soft plastics. I caught three bass and had six hits, and he only caught one bass.

I just can't see a bass chasing a spinnerbait, rattle trap, or topwater this time of year. If I'm wrong please correct me.

I also have another question.

We just had about six hours of hard rain I'm going to a small pond that I fished a few days ago after a rain turned the water into chocolate milk. The other day I assumed that they wouldn't see soft plastics, so I figured I would go with something noisy. I fished a colorado blade spinner bait and a small rattle trap. After four hours I hadn't caught anything.

I've always thought that bass hit soft plastics because they see them, but then, I heard about using them while night fishing. Can I still catch them on soft plastics in muddy water? I think muddy water fishing would be simular to night fishing.

By the way, all of the bass that I've caught this week have been on 3" crawdads. After I ran out of them I couldn't get a hit off of any other baits.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

LMBs are the laziest of all, being mostly opportunists that will go after an easy dying meal quicker than using up pre-spawn calories to chase a hard to catch meal. They start that activity when the water is warmer and their metabolism is cranked up, until water gets too warm during summer, then they chase again come fall. That's why I think slow and falling is better than ripping right now, so slow sinking and topwater baits are better for pre-spawn when the bass are still cold, very hungry, not up to speed for the chase. Ripping brings the reaction bite, so the ripped lure has to come close to them. A slow falling Senko should get bit more often. The reaction bite route, for me, is for locating eligible bass. Topwater is never too early if bass bite it.

Jim

[Jeff_NHBA]

Why not try to hang a white grub or 4" tube on a jig 2 - 3 feet beneath a slip bobber.  You can let the bait sit there and the slightest movement from current or wind will impart action on the bait.  It's almost too easy but it works.