Nothing but Dinks

[huskertko]

I don't know what the problem is all I am I catching are dinks.  I mean the lures I am using are almost bigger than the fish.  Saturday, I caught two fish on an X-Rap and the lure was 3/4 the length of the fish.  Last night I had three fish throw the hook fight before I landed them, i thought it was because of poor hook ups, but when i saw the fish, I realized that is was becase the fish was so small it couldn't evne get the hook in its mouth.

Could it still be too early for the bigger fish to have move into the areas I am fishing? Or am I just simply catching small fish?

The water temp is probably mid 50's, my cheap pool thermometer says about 65 but I don't think I really trust it.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

You need to be at least fiarly sure about the water temp. I'd trust an undamaged pool thermometer. If it's 65 then the big bass are very close to spawning areas. Anytime large lures are not producing on big bass I downsize. Also, get away from the little bass, out a little deeper. Little bass like the shallows, are driven off bedding areas either into very shallow backs of coves, or out deeper than they want to be unless the area is plagued with lots of bream and crappie, too many for male bass to keep off beds. In that case maybe the adult males are there, but of course not in a feeding mood. You'll have to find the sweet spot on his bed to get him to bite, or abandon the area for a better one with fewer small fish. I'd be targeting the large females downstream a little ways, with smaller classes of males waiting their turn to spawn. Those are pre-spawn fish, most of which will be actively feeding. Those would be more likely to eat your larger lures. That X-Rap is best in a little cooler water, early pre-spawn, water temp in the mid to high 50's. So is a lipless crankbait good ripped over tops of vegetation in cool water, out in 4-8 feet of water, for a reaction bite. By the time the water hits 60-62 their metabolism is increased enough to go for a wider variety of baits that require some chasing.

Jim

[huskertko]

Thanks.  I have been throwing a lipless crank  the majority of the itme lately.  Fishing from shore is kinda limiting me now, but very soon I think I am going to get a kickboat so i can get out to the larger fish.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

  Quote

The water temp is probably mid 50's, my cheap pool thermometer says about 65 but I don't think I really trust it.

Trust it ...... Gardner was at 66-68 last weekend and Kill Creek almost hit 70  Seems pretty early

[huskertko]

I didn't check Kill Creek last night, but Shawnee Mission was 68 yesterday about 1 PM.

[Guest avid]

If your catching dinks, then the bigs ones are  there.  Ratltraps are always a good choice, but try slowing down with a big tube or jig.

[senile1]

Smithville Lake was 62 degrees earlier this week and Truman was 68 degrees on the Tebo arm last weekend.  So 65 sounds pretty close for Gardner.   I agree with avid.  Try a slower presentation.

[huskertko]

Went to another lake, Shawnee Mission, last night and still a lot of small ones.  I caught 3-4 on a wacky rigged senko, and another on a trick work on a spot remover, but all were less than 10".  I saw a couple small ones guarding what probably were beds but I couldn't coax them into hitting anything, they were very curious but stared the bait down, but then ignored it.

[senile1]

Hmm . . . I don't know Shawnee Mission Lake.  I fish the Missouri side, but I know the last two weeks most of the bass I've caught of any size have been on the edges of spawning flats in a little deeper water.  They hadn't moved up yet.   Since you're fishing from the bank maybe that's part of the problem.

[huskertko]

Hopefully tonight the fishing from the bank issue will be resolved.  I am going to Cabelas to get a pontoon/kickboat so maybe I can get out to some of the better areas.

[langs15]

I think it's still to early for big fish, I havn't even got a bite and usually I don't come off the water empty handed, well not catching anything.

[Bankbeater]

What is the main food source for the bass?  Where I fish the lakes with shad have some bass in the 5-6 pound range.  On the small lakes where bluegill is the main food I have caught nothing over 1 pound.