no wind, glassy clear water, blue skies, and mid to upper 80s

[cccsguy]

Equals no bites. >.

[Sam]

Right.

Cold front probably blew through and shut down the bite.

Wait until tomorrow and go out and you will have better luck. 

[Raul]

I 've got some great luck fishing in those conditions with poppers.

[Fishes in trees]

late 70's - early 80's the old Fishing Facts magazine had a slogan - The fish are deep - or shallow - or somewhere in between.  They attributed that slogan to Buck Perry.

Anyway, if you fished all day under those conditions and didn't catch any fish, all that means is that you didn't figure it out that day.  They weren't biting that day for you.

Every day is different.  If you had the day to do over again, what would you do different?

I think it is tough to learn stuff on days that didn't go well, but you've still got to try.

[Tin]

I 've got some great luck fishing in those conditions with poppers.

x2    weird

I typically focus on the deepest ledge I can find as well

[Catt]

Blue Bird days are when I catch up on Honey Do's, while I can catch on these days I do significantly better on overcast days.

[backpain...]

With my schedule I can never pick my days to fish. With that being the case I end up fishing a lot of days where the conditions are less than ideal. I just put my time in and try to into a mindset that if it were tournament day, I would have to fish the conditions. I do my dead level best to figure them out, and if not, at least learn from the experience.

This season I have been able to fish twice. Once in early March when the winds were howling, the rain was pouring, and the water here was cold mud. I learned that trip that I still love fishing, no matter the circumstances. I totally blanked that day lol. The next trip was early April and the sky was bright and high, again with a howling wind. I pushed through the frustration and caught a few buck bass and missed one larger girl that I didn't get a good look at.

I have come to think that normally my problem isn't getting fish to bite. It is more finding where they are at a given time. What do you do to find them on those days when it seems you should have stayed home?

[Raul]

I have come to think that normally my problem isn't getting fish to bite. It is more finding where they are at a given time. What do you do to find them on those days when it seems you should have stayed home?

The two locations I 've had luck fishing with surface lures under those conditions are completely opposed, the first location are shallow flats ( 10/12 ft deep ) with aquatic vegetation growth, the other location are bluffs, yeah as crazy as it sounds, those bluffs that plummet to 30-40 or more feet in depth, the fish rise from the depths to hit the bait.

Normally when you fish a bait like a popper you chug it hard and the bait makes PLOP!!!!!!!, well, on water like glass that 's not the approach I use, on the contrary, I try to make the least ammount of commotion, more like plip, and then wait a little before the next "plip"; methodical and deliberately slow pace.

[Paul Roberts]

Thoughts/suggestions:

-Bright sun is a bigger detriment when sun angle is high (summer). What months were talking depends on what latitude you hail from. In the cold/cool water periods high sun can be a plus.

-Bass may go into heavy cover. Break out the flippin'/punchin' stick. If you cannpt get to them (tackle, technique), then pick deeper waters or those without cover. Use stealth.

-When fishing shallow under bright sun bass can be paranoid spooky. Lures in the air, splashdown, and even line splashdown can clear the water in front of you of fish. Among my responses to this has been to use braid. It lands like cotton thread -a huge advantage.

-Learn to stop casts just above the water for a silent entry. Some lures land more quietly than others too.

-Plan your approach and casts. Don't just start bombing.

-Look for areas that offer shade or steeply convoluted cover -like ledges, steep shoreline, towering trees. It's not just that these hold fish -they might not -but presentation is easier to get away with in some such locations.

-Pray for wind.

Some more chatter on brilliant blue days (what I think tends to be going on):

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1250965728/8#8

[Crestliner2008]

I have come to think that normally my problem isn't getting fish to bite. It is more finding where they are at a given time. What do you do to find them on those days when it seems you should have stayed home?

The two locations I 've had luck fishing with surface lures under those conditions are completely opposed, the first location are shallow flats ( 10/12 ft deep ) with aquatic vegetation growth, the other location are bluffs, yeah as crazy as it sounds, those bluffs that plummet to 30-40 or more feet in depth, the fish rise from the depths to hit the bait.

Normally when you fish a bait like a popper you chug it hard and the bait makes PLOP!!!!!!!, well, on water like glass that 's not the approach I use, on the contrary, I try to make the least ammount of commotion, more like plip, and then wait a little before the next "plip"; methodical and deliberately slow pace.

I like that idea! A "plip" instead of a "plop"! And I totally agree, you either have to entice them or aggravate a strike. A plain ole' floating Rapala is hard to beat under these conditions. You can "plit" it very effectively!

I believe the bass are holding very tight to cover during this time and are not going to go out of their way to feed, per say. You have to either "make 'em an offer they can't refuse" - or - really p--s 'em off to the point where they are forced attack!

A slow worked hard jerkbait can be just the ticket for the later approach. Also be aware that your "approach" is super critical during this time of stress. If you zoom in with your main engine, you've already blown your chances. "Stealth" is the way to go.

[Catt]

One pattern that works will down south & is quite similar to punching in that you'll throw your arm out but if you stick with it you could get your arm broke. There's a period between late may & mid-June when the hydrilla flats are not quite matted with the tops of the plants within 2-12" of the surface.

This is when I go Ole School on the Hawgs switching to a Rattlin' Saltwater Chug Bug VS Frogs. My color of choice is Bone/Orange Belly or Clear. With my boat positioned about 10 yds off the outside weed line I work the area by casting slightly in front of the boat but all the way up on top of the grass flat .

Raul, I can see this working in Mexico

[Matt Fly]

Those conditions would have me putting baits tight in cover, working shaded sides of cover and structure.

    Catt,

            love working a Quad Shad spinnerbait on the tops of the grass flats when they are chasing bait in those periods when a top water isn't getting the blowups.

      

   

   

[Raul]

One pattern that works will down south & is quite similar to punching in that you'll throw your arm out but if you stick with it you could get your arm broke. There's a period between late may & mid-June when the hydrilla flats are not quite matted with the tops of the plants within 2-12" of the surface.

This is when I go Ole School on the Hawgs switching to a Rattlin' Saltwater Chug Bug VS Frogs. My color of choice is Bone/Orange Belly or Clear. With my boat positioned about 10 yds off the outside weed line I work the area by casting slightly in front of the boat but all the way up on top of the grass flat .

Raul, I can see this working in Mexico

Well I 'm farther to the south than you  and that 's the exact situation I 'm talking about, large weed growth but with about half to a foot and a half of water above the aquatic plant growth, the fish bury in the vegetation, it 's a matter of location "holes" ( places where for whatever reason the weeds are shorter than the surrounding weedbed ) in the weed carpet, Also it 's a matter of patience, to slap you on the head every time you feel the urge to give some action to your bait. That 's how and where I caught my first 10 lber, but it was with a Rapala Minnow, not with a popper.

[Catt]

Raul, when it's quite they want I'll throw a Heddon 7" Wooden Mag Zara Spook in Lake Fork Shad.

Matt, I also like a small bladed buzz if there's any breeze

[evrgladesbasser]

Those conditions would have me putting baits tight in cover, working shaded sides of cover and structure.

Catt,

love working a Quad Shad spinnerbait on the tops of the grass flats when they are chasing bait in those periods when a top water isn't getting the blowups.

Fished this fashion in the everglades on cinco de mayo... conditions very similar and had decent luck. Someone else mentioned being quiet... couldn't agree more. I like to downsize everything on a day like this and land my cast as gently as possible, working super slow through lily pads and around structure.

[Fish Chris]

OMG !!! Those are like absolute dream conditions ! I never experienced more than a couple hours of conditions like these, all freaking year !

Just give me 1 full day like this. Please !

I'll find 3/4's of the big fish in that water (okay, exaggeration) and I'll worry about catching them later..... If not later that same day, then later in the week.

So anyway, with conditions like that, you had to have seen some good ones, huh ? You should have sighted them..... then left.... then snuck back up on them later, and fly-lined a crawler to them

Peace,

Fish

[Daniel My Brother]

So anyway, with conditions like that, you had to have seen some good ones, huh ? You should have sighted them..... then left.... then snuck back up on them later, and fly-lined a crawler to them

I don't know about the OP, but I have to say that seeing fish in the water I fish a trick I haven't figured out. With bluebird skies and no wind, visibility is usually a few feet at best. Thick vegetation grows anyplace light can penetrate, and even with good sunglasses, I see very little...except when they're up shallow to spawn.

Any advice for me?

Right now, on bluebird days I find grass and fish it. Pretty complicated I know.