trevor Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 So today I went to the Pocomoke River. I had been looking forward to this trip for about a week. I had a full tank of gas, every lure I own, and a game plan. I was going to cast spinnerbaits around lily pad edges, laydowns, and shallow lily pad beds. I had a jig rod to flip around cyprus roots and laydowns. I had a spinning rod with a wacky rig to fish little laydowns. I had a buzzbait rod to cast over pads. I fished every way I know how. I tried areas with wood structure, plant structure, lots of current, no current, shade, sun, back creeks, main channel. Nothing. Not a freaking bite. I don't know what I did wrong! VERY frustrating trip, and any tips are appreciated. Quote
brushhoggin Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 i feel you. it's tempting not to think about it too much, as comfortable as it is to have a game plan. but it's cool cause you gotta improvise in bass fishing since you don't really know what you got till you get out there. try and let the conditions dictate your approach. i'd like to think we all have to get skunked sometimes since we don't have the ability to force feed them whats the weather like there? there aren't any fish in the shallows where i fish right now. they're staying deep even in the mornings Quote
Super User Raul Posted July 27, 2011 Super User Posted July 27, 2011 I don't know what I did wrong! You went mentally prepared with a game plan and sticked to it no matter what. Quote
Super User Grey Wolf Posted July 28, 2011 Super User Posted July 28, 2011 Sometimes you get them and sometimes they get you. You probably didn't do anything wrong. Quote
Super User Sam Posted July 28, 2011 Super User Posted July 28, 2011 Why did you not ask us for help on the Potomac? With the water temps in the upper 80s heading to 90, the bass are deep. You fished the river correctly if the water temps were in the lower 80s. The bass are seeking cooler water with more oxygen. Fishing in the Virgnia tidal rivers is tough right now. My club had a two day tournament on the Chick River and the fishing was difficult. Make plans to go back to the Potomac in April next year if you can and have some fun in the grass. Quote
WdyCrankbait Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 Sometimes the bass just dont bite. It sounds like your prepared well and that might be the lesson to learn for this past trip of yours. I would love to catch something on every trip (I tell Sam I do), but things dont work out. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 Why did you not ask us for help on the Potomac? With the water temps in the upper 80s heading to 90, the bass are deep. You fished the river correctly if the water temps were in the lower 80s. The bass are seeking cooler water with more oxygen. Fishing in the Virgnia tidal rivers is tough right now. My club had a two day tournament on the Chick River and the fishing was difficult. Make plans to go back to the Potomac in April next year if you can and have some fun in the grass. he said pocomoke, not potomac lol Quote
trevor Posted July 29, 2011 Author Posted July 29, 2011 Thanks for the encouragement. I did not stick to my game plan... I tried everything to no avail. Are you guys thinking fish deep? Also I was able to go striper fishing that night with great success. 8 striper landed, 3 bluefish, and many stripers and blues got off. Quote
eagles Posted July 29, 2011 Posted July 29, 2011 well my advice to you would be to think simple, fish are shallow early on in the day and move deeper as the day goes on, but drift back to shallower water in the evening when it cools down. Simplify your lure selection and try not to over think it. Just remember that different weather conditions effect bass fishing, air pressure being on of the main along with temperature. Low Pressure days = great bass fishing, High Pressure days = finesse tactics needed. Try to pay attention to details such as shad moving through the water or channels and drop offs in the body of water. And one more thing, pick 3-6 colors that you have the most confidence in and use only them, you don't need every bait in every color, just what you have the best confidence in. That's how I catch most of my big bass. Quote
Oscar O. Posted July 29, 2011 Posted July 29, 2011 You mentioned fishing pads and pad edges, did you bring a frog along for the trip? They're more subtle than a buzzbait in my opinion and work great when it's hot and fish are holding under thick vegetation or some overhead cover (like lily pads). Around where I am, I have yet to catch a fish with a buzzbait, but when I tie on a rage shad, it works where the buzzbait doesn't and it is more weedless than a buzzbait. Definitely consider both of these options when fishing pads, topwater is my favorite way to fish in the summertime! Quote
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