Are those bass?

[lollerskated]

So I went out to my local lake today and caught a decent bass on a T-rigged senko. Now I saw fish constantly break the water surface and when I threw my worm there I wouldn't get nothing. Now I was wondering what they were eating if they are bass and probably a sinking worm obviously wouldn't be the best to catch one. What would be the best to get these fish? I was thinking a spinnerbait, but clearly I don't know too much.

[Shad_Master]

Don't know the conditions at your lake, but two ideas came to mind while reading your post:

1) it could be carp - they like to jump and are not likely to hit on a bass lure

2) if it is bass, then a top-water bait would be your best bet - either a "walk-the-dog" type bait or a Popper would be my suggesiton - even a buzz-bait might draw a response

[Nitrofreak]

Don't know the conditions at your lake, but two ideas came to mind while reading your post:

1) it could be carp - they like to jump and are not likely to hit on a bass lure

2) if it is bass, then a top-water bait would be your best bet - either a "walk-the-dog" type bait or a Popper would be my suggesiton - even a buzz-bait might draw a response

x2

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Or a weightless Fluke or jerkbait.

[D4u2s0t]

every time someone asks about fish breaking the surface, the only thing that is ever brought up is carp... 

what I see regularly is the bass schooling up the baitfish and taking swipes at them, keeping them near the surface, and the baitfish are boiling the top of the water.  What works in these situations?  depends...  But I like to throw a spinnerbait PAST the rolling water, and work it through with alot of twitches and jerks.  Most other baits I won't get bit on in this situation.  Another one I like is a trick worm weightless.  I've tried working topwater through the area, and seems like every single time all it does is scare the baitfish away, which also moves the bass away.

[Shad_Master]

every time someone asks about fish breaking the surface, the only thing that is ever brought up is carp...

Well, you see, it wasn't the only thing I brought up - but it could the what is happening.  You make a good point about bass feeding on top and that was why I suggested a top water.

[D4u2s0t]

every time someone asks about fish breaking the surface, the only thing that is ever brought up is carp...

Well, you see, it wasn't the only thing I brought up - but it could the what is happening. You make a good point about bass feeding on top and that was why I suggested a top water.

wasn't saying you, I meant more in general...  sorry if you took it that way.

[Shad_Master]

Not a problem

[cBooms@SML]

Don't know the conditions at your lake, but two ideas came to mind while reading your post:

1) it could be carp - they like to jump and are not likely to hit on a bass lure

2) if it is bass, then a top-water bait would be your best bet - either a "walk-the-dog" type bait or a Popper would be my suggesiton - even a buzz-bait might draw a response

i totally agree

[J Francho]

Unless you see bait fish fleeing, I'd ignore the noise.

[helms83]

I like to throw swimbaits 5 to 10 ft past the explosion, work to the area quickly, and start twitching the bait like crazy through the top feeding. It has worked everytime!

[evrgladesbasser]

Down here you see mudfish breaking the surface all day long. Along with the occasional gar, and of course bass when they are giving chase.

I like to throw a topwater like a pop-r right into the action if I can see that they are bass feeding.

[lollerskated]

Sorry I'm still relatively new to this, but is there a quicker way to switch from my traditional zenko to a spinnerbait without cutting the line and re-tying it? I would prefer not to carry a hundred rods on me though.

[airborne_angler]

Get yourself an ultralight setup and throw some small spinners. I had the surface of my lake erupt and couldnt figure out what it was,I threw everything in my Tackle bag around where the surfacing was. I trolled a small spinner through the commotion and found it to be Bluegill feeding on the bugs/gnats. In the cooler months it will be Trout,at least in my home lake

[Nibbles]

If it's bass feeding, the water will boil, not unlike the way a large spitting popper spits - on a larger scale of course.

[oprcsr]

I've seen shad boil at the surface with nothing eating them. That gets frustrating.

[wisconsin heat]

My guess is that they are bass. i see them all the time leaping at dragonflies, bass of all sizes too, i catch them with a med light spinning rod and a small finesse worm, weightless t-rigged with a 1/0 offset round bend hook, make sure you have light line to launch that worm, good colors are something to match the d-flies, something kinda blue-brown-black, so black/blue or okeechobee craw, or junebug are good colors. my favorite worms for this are strike king elaztech super finesse worms (4-inch) because, they actually float.

you should look for jumps or boils or whatever before you cast, and then cast near them ( but not right top of them)

i think u should cast side-arm, so that the worm looks more like a d-fly buzzing over the surface, and the strike should come pretty quick after he worm touches the water. if u don't get bit, make a couple of twitches then pause, if still no bites, reel in for another cast.

( i have also tried sticking a jig's weed-guard strand thru the bait to mimic legs, and that worked ok.)

hope they're bass, good luck.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I have come to ignore surface disturbances that are questionable. At the lake I fish, shad are constantly breaking the surface, if it's not huge then I don't really bother and still then I  probably won't.  I have never even had a bite on topwater at the lake I currently fish, and it's not for lack of trying.

[Owasco]

Sorry I'm still relatively new to this, but is there a quicker way to switch from my traditional zenko to a spinnerbait without cutting the line and re-tying it? I would prefer not to carry a hundred rods on me though.

I'm A guy that does alot of shore fishing and only carry 2 rod setups with me.  What I do may sound silly or stupid but it seems to work for me.

I my rod I will tie a snap swivel on.

Then on each of my most used baits, like Spinner baits and buzz baits as well as some soft plastics (the hook) I will tie on about a 10-12 inch line with a small ring tied on the other end.  Then all I need to do is snap my baits on and off.  I have yet to notice any drop off in production.  More time in the water for me means more fish.

Two things to keep in mind though are: be sure to check your knots after a good fight and be sure to use a good strong snap swivel. And don't directly snap the swivel to the bait as it can inhibit the natural movement of the bait.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

[D4u2s0t]

I would just work on tying quicker knots... with some practice, you can tie a knot just as quickly as you can change your bait on a snap swivel, and it eliminate extra hardware... keep in mind that knots are weak points, so adding extra knots to the setup is something you would want to avoid if possible.  Shouldn't take any more than 6-7 seconds to cut and tie on a new bait, if you're in that much of a rush.  Then you have only 1 knot instead of 3, and no extra hardware.

[bassin is addicting]

Sorry I'm still relatively new to this, but is there a quicker way to switch from my traditional zenko to a spinnerbait without cutting the line and re-tying it? I would prefer not to carry a hundred rods on me though.

i commonly take 2 rods.  one i have a spinnerbait tied on and the other i use a duolock snap.  no swivel and it works fine with plastics and allows me to change hook size or type of plastic or if i happen to want to throw a crank bait.  is it best to use a snap?  prob not.  but it doesn't hurt any hookups.

good luck.. 

[BassmanTX]

Get yourself an ultralight setup and throw some small spinners. I had the surface of my lake erupt and couldnt figure out what it was,I threw everything in my Tackle bag around where the surfacing was. I trolled a small spinner through the commotion and found it to be Bluegill feeding on the bugs/gnats. In the cooler months it will be Trout,at least in my home lake

I second this great advice..

[D.R.BassSeeker]

Bowfin (or Grinnell), Alligator Gar, and Pickerel (or Jackfish), as well as Carp frequently break the water where I fish. A frog or buzzbait sometimes elicits a hit from them.

[tritz18]

Where I fish we see this quite alot and have gotten close and it just seems to be sunfish feeding on the surface.

[OHIO]

I would just work on tying quicker knots... with some practice, you can tie a knot just as quickly as you can change your bait on a snap swivel, and it eliminate extra hardware... keep in mind that knots are weak points, so adding extra knots to the setup is something you would want to avoid if possible. Shouldn't take any more than 6-7 seconds to cut and tie on a new bait, if you're in that much of a rush. Then you have only 1 knot instead of 3, and no extra hardware.

It will take a lot more than 7 seconds to cut and tie on a new lure. Cutting braid takes longer than that for me as it is.