on bed.....no bite??

[bassin is addicting]

are there times when they just won't bite if on the bed?   :-/

went to my favorite place last night...saw two LARGE ones around a bed i found, they were on and off it...i could see them chasing bluegill away.

i was bank fishing....i didn't get too close (at least i didn't think so)..i had to stand about 8 feet above since it was too steep to get real close.

i tried all these..

5" trick stick wacky watermelon candy

4" tube green pumpkin

bubble gum trick worm

chartruse gulp crawler

zoom lizard watermelon red

berkley chigger craw

swim senko pumpkin blk/grn flake

even tried a jointed shad rap...suspending.. right on their nose

all got attention...but ZERO bites..

i tried for over almost 2 hours...  

idea's  or suggestions??  or are there times they just won't hit anything??  after i left i thought maybe a jig??  since i have never had much luck with a jig i didn't think to try when i was there.

FYI... i catch and release ALL.....  so no thought of keeping any bedding bass..

thanks....

and yes,  Bassin is addicting...  8-)

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Yep sometimes they just won't hit and sometimes they will just plain spook out.

You have to try multiple retrives with the baits though.Deadstick,hop,twitch.I even lightly twiddle the line with my fingers instead of using the rod.

Try a rattle.It sounds like something marauding the nest.

Use a heavier weight to keep the bait in place better

If the fish is committed to the area and not leaving.Rapidly pitch the bait over and over,twitch then pull out,do it again,hit the fish with your bait.Change sizes.They can get real aggressive against a larger bait.

Watch where he or they are putting their noses after they run their little circle and return.There is a sweet spot that will always get a sure reaction when you hit it and may even trigger a response from the female lurking nearby.

Sometimes you gotta bust the buck first to get the b*tch

[Derek Chance]

In my experiences, If the fish does not leave the bed when you are pitching at it, it can normally be caught. You jsut have to figure out how and how long are you willing to work on him.  I found this past weekend, the only way to get one to bite was to pitch my tube in the bed and hop it so it hit em in the face.  This is not always the case, so there is no perfect way to do it, jsut have to experiment and figure it out.

[Nitro-bass]

In my experiences bedding bass can be very skittish. They can be very finicky as well. Like others have said you have to experiment with different baits and presentations to entice a bite. In these scenarios I like to burn a swim worm through the bed a couple of times then come back with a trick worm and let it sit in the bed for several minutes. I might even burn the speed worm beside the bed while the trick worm is sitting in the bed. Sometimes it takes a lot of time to agitate that bass to bite.

Also, a shaky head rig in and around the bed can produce a bite. When other presentation fail.

[BassAssasin2]

Ive had the same problem before. Found bedding bass tryed every lure i had. And nothing... Took out my trusty zebco 33 put a bobber and a night crawler on it threw it right on top of their heads and BAM! They ripped it up. Got both of them. (and let go) When all else fails i try night crawlers, sometimes live bait is the way to go. : ;D

[TheRushFactor]

The other day I went to a local pond around the area where my school's at, and caught about  7 or 8 bedding bass on a dropshot worm wacky rigged. Just depends on what's working. The next day I went again, this time with my buddy and he caught the only one on a Red-Eye shad dropped right over the bed.

[Andy B]

Had the same prob about a week ago no matter how often I threw on the bed.......nothing.  :-/

Wasn't till I switch to a jig rigged with a craw-bug (pretty big rig) then I finally got the bite.  Ended up with two caught and released and two missed within about 50 mins (seemed the two that I missed just wanted to pick the bait up and move it to the side).

[ryanwood99]

ish tube w/ stinger hook, let it sit on the bed for as long as it takes (sometimes 10 minutes or so) eventually they will take it.  I have a left handed reel just for this, I am right handed but I can really make the rod quiver with out moving the bait forward when holding the rod with my right hand.  The stinger helps because they will often times just nip at it and not really eat it.

[midnighthrasher]

Get yourself a fat nightcrawler on a small hook and let the worm wiggle around right in front of his mouth. That bass will see it and inhale it. With all the baits on the market real worms are often overlooked.

The natural wiggle and jiggle of that worm will be irrisistable!!!

[csizzle]

I was out bed fishing with a friend pretty recently, and we where throwing similar jigs to the same bed with one major difference.  He had a rattling jig and the bedding fish clearly preferred the rattle.  I think it is worth a shot especially since you didn't throw anything at them with a rattle.  Good Luck!

[flipinstick88]

My best bedding rig last year was a white finesse worm on a drop shot. Man, you can shake that drop shot on that bed all day without moving the weight. If that doesn't work, try nudging the fish on the nose with the worm.  

[STK001]

I sometimes spend an hour on a fish if I have to but I start off and finish by hitting that fish every single time until it can't stand it anymore. Eventually you will get bit, just be ready. I've caught a lot of bed fish with a Mattlures Ultimate Bluegill and the Crappie....they don't like this bait one bit! Good luck. Storm makes a few small, inexpensive swimbaits that work well also.

[bassin is addicting]

thanks for all the ideas...and your successes...or lack of...  :-/

i'm goin back this evening...it is supposed to be raining...maybe they won't see me....i'm wonderin' if maybe that was it....but i was as far away as i could get.  

i did try the swim senko...swimming right past their noses and lettin' it fall....also shook the wacky worm and trick worm right in their faces...i thought i could at least aggravate them into takin' it..

i'm gonna try a jig with a rattle and trailer... and just leave it there..

i'm afraid of missing them if they just pick it up and move it though.  i am weak on my jig fishin'  since i do 95% bank fishing i tend to get hung up too much to work on it.

and if that doesn't work a drop shot....

i do have some old storm swim baits (bluegill)  that i may try too.

i haven't bought crawlers forever......but....i just may...

i'm not familiar with a "stinger hook"??

thanks again for your guys input...

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

If they are picking it up or nipping at it then it's game on.Start bumping them with it either when you pop it or pitch it on top of their heads.They will eventually try to crush it and kill it instead.Then up size if that fails.They will usually get more agressive towards that bigger bait after they have been worked up.

[fishfordollars]

If they are on and off the bed it will be next to immpossibe to get them to bite. Try to find the ones that are locked on and then throw plastics and keep changing up until you can get bit. If a bass stands his/her ground just keep at it and let it sit as long as you can stand it before makling it move.

Good luck