*UPDATE* new guy need help!!!!!!!!!

[redcarpet]

I live on a privite pond or lake, it's about 50 acers. I just hooked my 1st largemouth about 4 months ago. I've do alot of saltwater fishing, but I have to say that Bass fishing offers the most enjoyment to me.

I'M STUCK IN A RUT. The people that live on the lake say that ever year at the end of may the bass school and strick at bait fish, but the last to years have not been the great. I saw this and casted a tiny torpedo, and got 3 fish around 7:45pm. The next day I went early from 9:00am-1:30pm. I got three that day, but they were swimming along the sea wall, so when I saw them I would just cast to them and they would take it( jitterbug & torpedo). I didnt get any stricks without seeing the fish 1st. I did get a 5pounder my biggest so far.

The last couple of days Ive started at 4pm till 9pm. I can't get any action. Ive fished the banks with(JITTERBUG, TINY TORPEDO, ZARA SPOOK, AND A ZARA PUPPY wisth no stricks at all. Ive also tryed a RAD-L along the banks with no luck. I did get a 6in bass last night on my zara puppy.

I see them hitting the bait fish on top, and cast on top of them, but they will not bite.

I'll tell you alitte about the lake and what lures I use.Anyone that can help please do.

You can see about 9ft in the lake. The lake also has some saltwater in it from the ashly river. Lots of docks. No grass just sand. there are a couple bays if you can call them that, but that is where i get most of my fish. The water temp is about 86f

Thanks for you help!!!!!!!!!!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Seeing as how you're another salty dog, like myself, I'll put in salty terms.

Ever be on a school of stripers or blues that are thrashing bait on top? Ever have it where for some reason, they won't take a single topwater you throw when the day before they would bite a spark plug if you threw it in there?

What do you do? Get merely sub surface with a fly. All but a gaurentee.. Right?

Apply that logic to schooling Largemouth. Try somthing like a manns baby 1-. Somthing that runs just sub surface and can be floated to the top. Original floating rapalas come to mind also in size 9,11 or 13.

Then there's the other option. When on schooling stripers, this is always a good time for a heavy bucktail jig or a nice big chunk on a weight. Somthing that will get under the school quickly. Big fish are lazy fish, they sit under these melee's and suck up the free bits that fall.

Try getting "under" the scool with soft plastics or deeper running cranks.

Oh,...and WELCOME ABOARD!!  

[Chug Bug]

It sounds like all you fish is topwater.  Have you tried sub surface lures at all with any luck?  Welcome to the board!

[redcarpet]

I have a ss minow. I haven't tried that in the schools. I did use the torpedo tonight, and got 2lb and 3lb. I will try a subsuface lure. But what about in the morning?

Thanks for the help!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Time out,...let's track the score here and keep things in perspective.

You've been in the game less than 5 months

You have a 5 and a 3 under your belt. No little task in many areas of the country.

Took me 4 yrs in RI to get a fish over 4 lbs.

Attempt all lures at all times and seek a pattern.  That's learnin' fishin'.  

try the ss, also try a super fluke.

[redcarpet]

Thanks, Ever since I caught my 1st LMB I've been hooked. I fish 3hour before work and 3 after. Some people around my lake said back in 1994 they pulled out 2 11lb. No one really fishes the lake any more, so I really looking foward to this new hobby. I'll update you guy tommorow night!

[Hale]

Whatever your presentation may be with those topwaters, you can still slow it down. Setup a cadence, no matter if your walking it, popping it, etc. Make sure you establish pauses in there. Why would a fish pick your lure over the school of bait? Becuase yours looks easy prey by being wounded, crippled, dazed, etc!

[redcarpet]

Hey guy. I tried the ting you said and didnt have any luck. I did use the spinnerbait to cast to 5 Bass swimming along the seawall. One of the Bass took it, I mean swam away with it. I using some new XXX SPIDER LINE 8LB. Its thiner that the reg spider line I use, so for some reason its hard for me to tie a tight knot. I used the TINY TORPEDO and hooked one, but he spit the hook at the boat. I had another strike , butr couldnt set the hook.

After fishing I went to the tackel shop and bought so sharp bleeding hook for the torpedo. I guess that did the trick, because i hooked every fish that stuck later that night. In the P.M. I tried the worms and spinnerbait with no luck. I stopped 2 bass swimming along the seawall. Well I landed him, thank God! I cruise the bank with the Torpedo. I casted under some trees that overhang in about a foot of water, as soon as it hit all I saw was a HUGE CARPI was cruising the bank with my TINY TORPEDO today. I casted under some trees that overhang in about a foot of water, as soon as it hit all I saw was a HUGE CARP about 3 1/2FT long with his mouth with his mouth wide open taking my lure. After 15min of fighting him I thought maybe he was done. so I grabed my camera, but once again he saw the boat and dove deep.He repeated this a couple more time, but on the last time my line rubeed the boat and snaped. My heart dropped, I felt like the love of my life just left me for another man lol. What really made me mad was I lost me luck Torpedo!

thanks guys i'll try the spinner and worm tommorow!

[redcarpet]

7/28/06

[Tom Bass]

Hmmmm...and the problem is?

Looks like you are doin' just fine.  8-)

[redcarpet]

I can only hook up if I see them, So its like I'm sight fishing which is not that fun for me. I did notice that as soon as the sun goes down they start to school and under the heavy cover they hit top water, but only for about half an hour.

[Tom Bass]

Sorry Redcarpet,

I guess I missed your point.

[coachjoe]

that xxx spider line mono is the worst fishing line I ever tried.  Lost two lures pop - r on the hook set and a spinnerbait on a cast.  Will never use it again.... gave it to wife to use with beads...LOL