What would you have done???

[jiangtao]

I was fishing from the bank 2 nights ago and caught 3 bass on a jig while another guy was fishing live bait and he got nothing. Last night I was at the same place and got nothing while the same guy from the night before reeled in 3 Crappie and about 5 bass. I fished jigs, poppers, buzzbaits, and even a shallow diving Rapala. All black in color except for the Rapala. We were fishing an inlet where it starts at about 1 foot and drops to about 8 and the place was full of small baitfish going nuts on the top. Is there something else I should have tried???

[fishbear]

I think I would have tried a fluke or a a senko, thrown weightless, and used like a jerkbait.  I have used that before when the bait fish are schooling on top, and have caught bass.

[the ohh face]

I will usually try to match a fluke to color of ther baitfish i see in that situation.  Ill try it weightless first around the edges of the baitfish, not too close so as not to spook them, and if that doesnt work ill throw a weight on it and try to get underneath the baitfish.  When the fluke doesnt produce ill drop a senko or a grub underneath them.  I probably hit about 60/40 with those techniques in that situation i think thats pretty good but im sure some others will have better tips too.

[edbassmaster]

It sounds like you were in one spot...if so move around. Also look for the baitfish to make sudden rushes, it looks like a gust of wind. This usually means a bass is chasing them, whenever I see that I cast a senko directly in the rush and almost always land one. But the real key is to keep moving.

[jiangtao]

I moved around and hit the place from every possible angle!! What about tubes in that situation? Maybe throw in the middle of the baitfish and let it slowly drop, drag/bump it and reel back in? I have never fished tubes or flukes and really have no clue on how to.

[Guest avid]

It would be a great help if everyone would post their general location.  This is a question in the profile that for some reason alot of newbies ignore.  If you want to make it even easier for experienced bassers to give you the best advice for your conditions, then putting your state or region in the sig line is best.

I think the thread starter can only be answered in the most general of ways because nobody knows where you fish.   Especially at this time of year.  Some areas like Maine, are already experiencing frosts, other areas like me here in SE Florida still have days in the mid to high 80's.  

We experienced bassers truly want to help new bassers find success, but some items that may seem unimportant are really pretty vital to giving good advice.

Good luck to all and POST YOUR LOCATION  

[jiangtao]

Texas, Lake Gladewater, water was moderately clear, temp during the day was in the lower 80's, and the time I was fishing it was somewhere between the upper 60's and lower 70's. Good amount of light around the dock I was fishing too.

[Guest avid]

Blue and chrome ratltrap.

Baitfish "going crazy on the top" is a sure sign of predation.

It's good that your put your location in the post.  But what about next time?

[edbassmaster]

The rattle is a good suggestion...if it doesnt work try following up with a 5" senko. The sudden turn off also could have been due to pressure.

[shimanogloomis man]

rat l trap match the color of the baitfish

[Alpster]

I have had success throwing a spinnerbait into the frenzied baitfish. The bass are coming up from below to smack those baitfish. A spinner bait just below all the action can get em sometimes.

Ronnie

[FIN-S-R]

In a situation like this, I go through what I have termed the reaction gradation. Its a table i have built where i have arranged a group of lures I am confident throwing into categories from most reaction orented to least.

1. Vibration Bait (Vibe/LVR/Rattle Trap)

2. Buzz Bait

3. Horny Toad

4. Popper/Stick

5. SpinnerBait

6. Mid/Shallow Crank

7. Large Deep Crank

8. Hard Jerk

9. Swim Bait

10. C-Rig

11. Jig

12. T-rig

13. Spilt Shot

14. Jig Worm

15. Drop Shot

16. Weightless (Soft Plastics)

Just go through the gradient matching the techniques to your conditions, and more than likely you find what the fish are keying on.

[JiggaMan512]

Although at the time, im sure you felt that you could compare your sucess to the sucess of the person fishing around you with the live bait, but  think of ALL the variables and "what ifs".  Were you throwing your baits in the EXACT same spots as this guy on both nights? if not, that alone is enough to disclude a comparison. I know bass tend to usually stick around the same spots night to night, what if there was fish somewhere one night, and then not there the next? i dont believe you mentioned what kind of live bait the guy was using. Was he using minnows, shiners, or shad? was it on the same night that the bait fish were going crazy (getting attacked by predatorial fish)? I gotta run, but those are just a coule things to think about. Oh yeah, sorry i didnt even answer your question! i get side tracked sometimes.

[fishingJ]

It reminds me of one of my Grandpa's fishing trips. There was a guy at this place that sold frogs and worms, he would tell you what was working each day, the frogs or the worms. My Grandpa went with his advise and had success both days he was there, this other group that was there didn't follow his advice and came back empty handed. So maybe you were fishing worms when it was a frog day if you know what I mean.

[jiangtao]

The other guy was fishing minnows on both occasions. I went again tonight and tried everything all you guys mentioned and I only got one little Bass from 3 hours of fishing. Conditions the same and the baitfish were also the same. I have only 4 days of good fishing out of almost 3 months out here. I'm starting to worry!

[George Welcome]

The presence of bait fish jumping and swirling about does not always indicate that bass are chasing them up.

What kind of bait fish? If in fact bass bait fish, what size bait fish? Next time you see this occuring try downsizing you bait.

[fish-fighting-illini]

The down sizing sounds good. I found this summer that big spinnerbaits worked early then no luck. I ended up going to Crappie size spinnerbaits 1/16 & 1/32 oz and caught bass. Maybe try a swimbait as it mimics a minnow almost perfect. I have found that 4" swimbait little or no go but switch to a 3" or 2" and it worked much better.

In short same principal (downsizing) is worth a shot no matter what type of bait.

Try a couple of stom swimbaits in bluegill or Firetiger color with the paddle tails and see what happens. They are .50 ea so what have you got to lose. I have found the color to be no major deal. It is the action of the tails that I think works.

[womanangler1971]

I think sometimes it's just the luck of the draw too.  Sometimes there is just no rhyme and reason to it all that's for sure and it gets frustrating but hang in there, i deal with the same thing, although on a boat and not the shore, the person i fish with only uses live bait and use mostly plastics and crank bait.  Sometimes it just takes alot of perseverence and don't get caught comparing yourself.  Enjoy the relaxation of fishing and see you gained at least that during your time...Know what I mean?

To answer where i am from:

Maryland

[jomatty]

id def try a rattletrap, and a fluke.  if you can get under the frenzy on top you may find some of the bigger lazier fish hanging out below.

matt