Skunked! What To Do

[tmier]

I haven't caught a bass in over a month. I've tried everything in every presentation possible and haven't got a good nibble. I fish a private lake about 100 acres all long. The fishing before 80 degree water was great but it shut down in july. I've tried senkos cranks swimbaits long worms jigs jerkbaits and poppers at night. I've seen smallmouth tearing up the shad and tried casting baits thru them. I'm going to a shallow channel in the morning what should I br trying? Jigs and craws orbworms? I was planning on senkos and jigs, what do you think?

[Bluebasser86]

When it gets tough this time of year I go one direction or the other. I either switch to finesse and slow down or power fish and stand on the trolling motor. Looks like you've already tried some power fishing stuff so I'd switch to finesse; shakeyhead, dropshot, or a flick shake would probably be my picks dealing with smallies. Another bait you might try is a fluke. You say they're chasing baitfish so try fishing it fast just below the surface where they're busting bait or slow it down and fish it erratic like an injured baitfish if you don't see schooling bass. You might try really bright colors too, smallmouth are curious and sometimes just hit something out of curiousity.

[tmier]

I made it a point to fish a fluke this whole weekend. I tossed it over schools that were being attacked but no bites. This lake is killing my optimism. I'm gonna go out early and fish the outflow channel and see what happens,

[j.bruno]

Have you tried a wacky rig?

[slonezp]

For me, my bites have predominantly been on jigntrailer in the shallows or swimjigntrailer in the open water. The lake I mostly fish is relatively shallow with an average depth of 4ft. The shallow fish have been tight to structure,and hitting soft. The open water fish have been relating to weeds. There is a lack of deep structure/cover and swimming the jig thru the weeds in 8-10fow has brought out bass, cats, walleye, and musky, catfish being the most agressive of all the species.

My son has had success throwing a fluke underneath overhanging trees right up to the shoreline. You'll need braid and alot of patience to pull this off.

[Jim_M]

Perhaps you're competing against mother nature. Sounds like your lake has plenty of food and they're just not interested. Maybe work at inciting a reaction bite? Noise and flash might just work. Zara Spook One Knocker. Buzz bait. Chrome colored Lipless cranks like Red Eyed Shad. These lipless cranks are working for me in a similar lake for me with tons of natural food. Anyway...

[1234567]

I agree with Jim, try something that makes your bait stand out. Maybe a pink fluke jerked or a spro bbz shad twitched or burned. At least you know the fish are there.

[slaynbass365]

Don't give up, that's all I can really say. Try some new spots, try some new rigging and lures. I personally also havent got much in the past month but have been having the most luck around heavy weeds and cover with senkos, u-tails and flukes. Good luck bro.

[tmier]

There sure is plenty of food. There was a 20" bass on the shore by our dock today. I tried a shakey head fished slow right in his face and watched him pass it and swim down to the neighbors dock. I followed with a wacky senko and nothing. I really miss the action we used to have on the dock. If the big fish weren't biting, we used to pound bluegill with worms and horse flies under bobbers but even the gills are absent.

[smac024]

Been a rough month here as well. Plenty of food for the bass with all of the shad and bluegill. Drop-shotting in about 20-30 ft or frogging weed beds have produced some results but nothing consistent. I've been trying a finesse presentation and if that doesn't work go with a fluke which produces some followers but nothing hungry enough

[RangerEnthusiast]

It's been tough in the north east Florida region too. I would say keep to the Senkos and drop shoting is not a bad idea either. Fish on top of any sort of cover the bass seem to be clinging really tight to all cover. Also try to find some sort of pattern and stick to it! Keep Grinding at it and you'll eventually catch fish. Good Luck!

[slonezp]

Live bait.

[tmier]

Ha. I just pushed a treble through a horse fly and threw it out with a bobber. The baby bass ate everything off except the hook

[tmier]

Slonezp, sirsnookalot mentioned live bait also. We don't have a bait net but we did grab a few belly up baby bass and shad. No luck. We ran the fish light all night with the bait just below for catfish or late night lunkers. Checked the lines this morning, bait wasn't touched.

[Fishes in trees]

This is a classic case of go figger. Contrary to some of the other people on this post, I've had a pretty decent July and so far August. Water temps are high, but if you think about it, that should stimulate the bass metabolism, making them as active as they are going to get this year. That should stimulate the digestive process and they will eat more. While bass are digesting, they aren't as active as you might want them to be.

So, going back to the original In-fisherman formula (Fish + Location + Presentation = Fish), It seems to me that you've got location issues.

Some things you never did say. You've got a hundred acre lake. Do you have access to the entire lake? Are you fishing from a boat or the bank? What about electronics?

For me, given your history with the lake this summer, I'd start looking at off shore structure that intersects the thermocline. How clear is this lake? Fish can be really skittish in warmer clearer water. The fix for that, for the most part is to have your gear in shape and be ready to make long casts.

You didn't say what the depth range of this lake is, or if there was any significant current. Some shallower lakes with current don't develop a real defined thermocline.

Anyway thats where I'd start on this lake, looking for off shore structure/cover. What about weeds/grass? Is there a significant amount of vegetation? If there is, that's where you start, on the deep outside weed edge.

So, there you go, remember what Buck Perry said, "The fish are shallow, or deep, or somewhere in between." The best piece of fishing tackle you've got is that lump between your ears. Figure it out.

[Jigfishn10]

I hit the wall last summer. Speed up! I burned a spinnerbait as fast as I could reel it in and got my fair share. I read about the technique a few years ago and thought "no way in this lake/pond". I tried it and, man, it worked. You give the bass no chance to think about it. Give it a whirl.

[tmier]

I will get very specific. 100 acre lake that resembles a beer bottle in shape. Top to bottom would be west to east. Depths reach 40 feet straight up the middle and the only underwater structure we have found is a ridge of silt going staight across (if the bottle was half full) from and inflowing creek on the north shore to an outflowing channel on the south. Water clarity is about 4 to 5 feet and very weeds on the bottom. Lilly pads are all over. The bottom of the bottle is a state preserve on the ne corner and very shallow, weedy. The se corner has the launch which has the only rock bottom on the lake. Water temps are around 82 degrees. The inflow is very narrow and shallow, kinda like a stream. The outflow is bout three pontoons wide and completely shaded.

[tmier]

Sorry for the double post

[Jim H.]

I would love to have your opportunity to catch schooling smallmouth! I think you are trying to make it too complicated. I am assuming the water in your lake is pretty clear... think outside the box. Try an old topwater Heddon Tiny Torpedo, clear plastic or white. If that doesn't produce, try dropping a Mr. Champ spoon or a Little George through the school. No joy there, try a Rapala or a sinking Rebel "stick' bait. Finally, when all else fails take a white 1/4 or 1/8 oz old fashioned white maribou jig dressed with somrething black and wiggily. Cast past the surface activity and "buzz" the jig back to the school and stop and let it sink straight down. I would almost bet my favorite wooden Zara Spook that that one of these suggestions will work.

Then you still have the Rattle Trap, Super Sonic, *** Blade, solution. Don't have those old lures? Read up on them and find the "modern" equivalents. Personally I still use Rebel Teeny Shallow Wee R's. They are sometimes available on ebay starting at $25 + shipping. Do the old baits still work? You betcha!

Just an old man's opinion.

[dulouz]

You are not alone. Here in eastern Iowa it has been pretty slow. We have had a stretch of cooler weather, and it hasn't rained in quite a while so water levels are low. I think fishing pressure is taking it's toll as well. I remember the past two years have been slow at this time of the year. I am just happy to be out on the water with a rod in my hands.

[tmier]

Ill drink to that. I appreciate the time on the water even if the fish don't love me. I'll have one more shot in the morning before I'm gone until labor day weekend.