Clarification please... schooling vs. territorial

[Vorlin]

I think this is the source of my troubles. I was under the impression that larger bass are simply territorial bullies with the biggest and baddest kicking the tail of all others so that they can take over the easy feeding spots (like the best current breaks, feeder creeks, etc.).

This has served me well until about a week ago... I'd figure out the prime spot that the dominant fish would be holding in and soon had him for dinner. However, I haven't had any luck at all for about ten days now.

I keep seeing references to bass schooling up for feeding frenzies on shad. Is this only the medium sized fish or do the larger ones abandon their holding spots to hunt "in wolf packs" as well?

Is this just a seasonal / fall thing?

It could explain why I suddenly can only find tiny perch in what used to be the holding areas for 2-4 lb bass.

Thanks for any insight.

Vorlin

[Chris]

Well,...

Large fish will take up the best available cover, structure, or feeding areas available in a given area. When things change is when conditions change or environment that cause the larger fish to move and take up new areas. Fall is kinda throws a wrench into things because these larger fish will move off and follow bait. One summer I was fishing the main lake and caught a nice 6lb bass on a crankbait. It's "home" was an old drainage pipe and I caught the same fish over and over throughout the summer. This fish was unique because it had a place on it that was identifiable. Later that fall while fishing a feeder river to the lake I was fishing about a mile up river. This would be about 2 miles away from where I caught the same fish in the summer. This time I caught the fish next to a bridge hanging around some old stumps on a spinnerbait. Big fish move if the main food source moves in this case the shad migrated up river.

[dale]

The lesson I have learned about fall fishing is that with the abundance of food the larger bass seem to be more selective. You really need to match the hatch and get away from the baits you have been throwing all summer. Fall is a time of change for the fish and it should be for fishermen also.

Hope this helps

Dale

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

More selective, definately.  Lots of food around, your offering has to be slightly different, injured,etc.  Has to stand out but not in a way that will trigger a "flight" reaction.

In early fall, I like horizontal baits.  Flukes and cranks did OK this week when the bite was at a stand still.

Jigs will be the mainstream bait from about next week or so till the water is hard.  At first, I will be fishing them horizontally till the fish tell me they want it differently.

[Keithscatch]

his has served me well until about a week ago... I'd figure out the prime spot that the dominant fish would be holding in and soon had him for dinner. However, I haven't had any luck at all for about ten days now.

Well, it seems logical to me that if you keep catching and eating the dominant fish then you will be struggling to catch another one from that area. So I would suggest releasing your fish so that you can catch them again later when they get bigger. That is why I am so adament about C&R.

[Chris]

Oh WOW I didn't catch that part : Yeah it will take awhile for another fish to move in particularly if it is isolated cover. Main structure or cover close of main features will take less time.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Darn, Keith beat me to it. It is gonna be hard to catch any fish if you dont put some back in. Think about it....

[Grey Wolf]

PLEASE don't eat the big ones.

[Vorlin]

Umm, guys? I'm not that dumb LOL. There are dozens of great holding areas and I never take more fish than I can eat in the next 48 hours. I have only 2 fillets in my freezer and I have never taken home a limit, except from a charter boat outing on the Chesapeke Bay.

In fact, the only time I took home more than 2 fish they were catfish... which are over-running certain areas around here.

Everything else is C&R.

When I say that the holding areas aren't producing fish, I'm not talking about the same 20 square feet of water. If you have 5 boulders and 3 downed trees spread out over an area the size of a football field, and you take home one fish from one boulder this week, when you go back the following week you should be able to find at least a fish or two in the other 7 holding areas even if it is only a little C&R 2 lb fish that needs to grow up. I mean that there is NOTHING biting, regardless of size, in any of those areas.

Vorlin