Mouths Closed

[PondBoss]

Sorry I'm new to this place and I'm not sure what or how to do anything.

My main question I have right now is:

It seems like the fish where I'm fishing have their mouths closed.  I get tons of bites/hits but it seems like they are hitting it with their forehead or something.  When I do manage to get a hook up I seem to hook them in the bottom lip.  Any help or ideas would be much appreciated.  Thanks

[eastkybass]

first welcome.  Try to slow down your approach.  If you are using fast moving baits try to slow it down with soft plastics or jigs.  Good luck

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

We need a little more information: What are you fishing? What are the lake conditions? (Shallow, deep, rocky, sandy bottom, etc.).  It sounds to me like you are being picked at by small baitfish or feeling sticks, rocks or grass. Fish don't strike with their mouth closed.

[Grey Wolf]

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As RW said , more info is needed.

[PondBoss]

Well I'm fishing 2 seperate farm ponds both of pretty clear visibility, I'd say some where around 4-6 feet.  I've tried fishing any and all finds of baits.  I'm sure I'm not running into bait fish or cover, just by the simple fact that I've fished these ponds for over 20 years and I'm seeing the bites on most casts.  I"m a pretty simple fisherman and really only fish a few different types of baits.  Mainly Spinnerbaits, Plastic worms, Crankbaits, and or Topwater.  When I've slowed down and gone smaller the bite seems to almost go away completely.  Yet when I throw a reaction bait I get strikes but it's almost like they are just running into it.  Maybe I just want to much from my ponds.  I mean last time I went out I only caught 2 fish and only had 2 really solid bites.  One was a lil under 6lbs and the other around 2.  If any more info is needed lemme know.

[roadwarrior]

Pick up some 5" Senkos (not knock-offs) and Fat Ika. If the fish picks up or strikes these baits they usually hold on (they like the taste and texture).  

[frogtog]

Water might be to clear, and the fish can see you. Try what RW said and back

away from the pond edge a little this will help some. Also what do you have on your hands! Like any gas,oil,perfume,bug spray etc. some times fish will pickup on odors that are on your hands and will just nibble at the bait and then leave

it alone altogether. I have found that fish in clear ponds tend to be a little

spooky. 8-)

[PondBoss]

Well the weather today was perfect, and the fishing was pretty good too.  Caught a lot of fish but nothing of any size every fish was about 1lb or less it was pretty unnerving.  But I'd rather catch a lot of little fish than nothing at all.  The bite was weird today though.  I was getting very little action with my spinner bait (spinning real) or my minnow bait (bait caster).  Some random thought ran through my head to put the lures on the opposite reals and it started raining fish.  What a huge difference by such a subtle change.  Was still catching fish hooked in the bottom lip or in some cases hooked outside of the mouth.  Not sure whats goin on there, any ideas?

[frogtog]

Ok another thought what size line. I don't think you switching gear had anything to do with it. Must be your line size. Under clear water conditions I will use 6#

or 8# test. Try this and see what happens. As far as hooking them in the lower

lip, your bait must be running upside down or the fish or hitting upside down. ;D

No I was just kidding. I would need a whole lot more info on that part, like

what type of bate, how fast are you cranking, what type hook are you using,

how long are you waiting before you set the hook etc. 8-)

[PondBoss]

On my spinning tackle I'm geared up with 8lb test and on my baitcaster I've got 14lb test.  I just thought that it was odd that as soon as I switched I started catching fish on both baits.  I"m starting to think that maybe they are biting upside down or are just ramming into the bait, I also hooked a couple of fish outside of the mouth both on top and underneath.  As far as hooks go I'm using the standard hooks that come on the baits.  So whatever size renegade puts on their 4inch stick baits.  And I was using 1/8 oz Strike King miniking.  THe neat thing about my stick bait is I accidently broke the lip off of it.  I took my wifes nail file and smoothed down the lip so it's not there.  Oddly enough it still dives but only goes 6-10 inches under the surface.  It really doesn't have a side to side action it almost just glides through the water.  Man the fish love it!  I generally use a medium pace but Jimmy Houston once told me that I should always see my spinnerbait when I'm throwing it so it's just under the surface.  

[Redlinerobert]

Something else to consider is that if you have been fishing the same body of water for 20 years, using similar baits, the fish may be on to you.  

I agree with RoadWarrior, Ikas' and Senkos' may be the ticket to your success.

[frogtog]

Is there a lot of small bass in this pond? I'am talking a lot. Do you see many small bream around. Why i'am asking is that it could be the pond is over populated with small bass and small bass will hit short, run with your bait and

kind of play with it. Remember a small bass can beat the big fish to the bait most of the time. Lets go back to what RW said. This weekend get you some sinko's and 3/0 wide gap hook. Rig the singo wacky stile on 8# test, with no

weight. Cast it out and work it back one little bump at a time and see what

happens. I think Watermelon seed will be a good color. Leave the rest of your baits at home. Try this and let me know what happens. 8-)

[bigdog]

Welcome...

[PondBoss]

I agree with your school of thought on the fact that the ponds could be and most likely are over populated.  I take out as many little fish as I can.  I do not see any form of small bream or any other type of bait fish for that matter.  On occasion I will cut open a fish or 2 to see what they are eating on and it usually is blue gill or crawdads.  Everyone keeps saying I should get some sinkos, I"m not sure I'm familiar with this bait what is it?  And when you say wacky style, is that hooking it through the middle of the bait?  I most defiantely do agree with your color choice, it seems that watermelon seed with red fleck is a killer on farm ponds.  Thanks for all the advice guys. 8-)

[Needemp]

Welcome! A little something that might help you. Underwater observations have shown a couple of things here. One is that bass have been noticed to literally 'play' with a lure. For whatever reason, they will nudge it and hit it with thier noses, and even inhale it or put it barely between thier lips. However, when they do this, they almost immidiately spit it out. When they were just playing with it, it was observed that very rarely would one get hooked. The second observation that was made is a little more scientific. Bass have tiny taste buds between thier teeth. Hundreds of them, and they often will chomp down on a lure to see if it smells, feels or tastes ligit. Hope this helps

[PondBoss]

Finally a scientific end of the spectrum.  I totally agree with what you say and have seen the studies myself.  As a fisheries biologigy major in college, I've been enthused by the bass behavior for a good while.  Just rescently I've had the idea to scuba dive these ponds I'm not sure that the water clarity is good enough in one but the bigger of the 2 is natually spring fed and the visibility is very good.  Would be quit an ordeal to swim with the fishes.

[Needemp]

Finally a scientific end of the spectrum. I totally agree with what you say and have seen the studies myself. As a fisheries biologigy major in college, I've been enthused by the bass behavior for a good while...Would be quit an ordeal to swim with the fishes.

Glad that helped. Watch out, I think the term 'swimming with the fishes' might have more of a negative connotation than you desire :-/

The Senko idea is a good one to help you catch fish. The Senko is a brand name of a stick worm made by Gary Yamamoto. Some fisherman swear that you should only use the Senko brand. Personaly, I disagree with that for two reasons. First is that I like the Gulp Sinking Minnow over the Senko. Second is that each brand of stick worm performs differently. I think its a good idea to have a couple of brands, but thats up to you. Wacky rigging is just how you described it, hooked through the middle.