Alright Here We Go...help!

[dhami013]

I'm back at school in Norfolk. Fishing Little Creek Reservoir, across the street from Lake Smith.

Here's the lake.

Not very deep, I'm not sure as to how deep it is. But on average it's around 3-5ft.

Water is very murky, about 6" of visibility, maybe a foot.

I've seen a lot of sand around the banks, there's also clay. The Virginia usual. Lots of structure and cover, trees, sections of pads, old cypress stumps. Very few docks.

The water is like an olive green in color. 193 acres in size. Water temp I would say upper 70s.

I have noticed that there are A LOT of carp. Very active too, lot of jumping, coming up and mouthing at the top of the water. A lot of panfish action as well. Popping at the top of the water.

From local forums I have heard that there are a lot of good fish in this lake I just can't seem to land any at all. Not even a dink.

I have used, shad spinners, fire tiger spinners, chart. spinners - I got some short strikes on those.

Shad cranks, fire tiger cranks, bass colored cranks.

Black blue fleck rage craws on a 1/8oz weight, 1/4oz black and blue jig

Green pumpkin 10" powerbait worm, Green pumpkin baby brush hog.

Watermelon flukes

Green and yellow Spro, Natural red Spro.

Shad poppers

Black buzz baits

White poppers on a fly rod.

I dropped a forum post for help on a local forum there too, one guy said junebug dingers, and black grape trick worms. I have the trick worms, I don't have any junebug colors.

I'm having trouble locating fish.

Any insight. There has got to be a way to crack this code.

[lynyrdsky1]

I'm back at school in Norfolk. Fishing Little Creek Reservoir, across the street from Lake Smith.

Here's the lake.

Not very deep, I'm not sure as to how deep it is. But on average it's around 3-5ft.

Water is very murky, about 6" of visibility, maybe a foot.

I've seen a lot of sand around the banks, there's also clay. The Virginia usual. Lots of structure and cover, trees, sections of pads, old cypress stumps. Very few docks.

The water is like an olive green in color. 193 acres in size. Water temp I would say upper 70s.

I have noticed that there are A LOT of carp. Very active too, lot of jumping, coming up and mouthing at the top of the water. A lot of panfish action as well. Popping at the top of the water.

From local forums I have heard that there are a lot of good fish in this lake I just can't seem to land any at all. Not even a dink.

I have used, shad spinners, fire tiger spinners, chart. spinners - I got some short strikes on those.

Shad cranks, fire tiger cranks, bass colored cranks.

Black blue fleck rage craws on a 1/8oz weight, 1/4oz black and blue jig

Green pumpkin 10" powerbait worm, Green pumpkin baby brush hog.

Watermelon flukes

Green and yellow Spro, Natural red Spro.

Shad poppers

Black buzz baits

White poppers on a fly rod.

I dropped a forum post for help there too, one guy said junebug dingers, and black grape trick worms. I have the trick worms, I don't have any junebug colors.

I'm having trouble locating fish.

Any insight. There has got to be a way to crack this code.

Try chartruese spinnerbaits, chartruese/black back 1.5 squarebills, black/blue or black/red jigs with a matching trailer(probably Paca Craw or Rage Tail), top water baits, and just play with the different areas. If you got structure the spinnerbait should be killer anywhere the way the lake sounds.

[Gatorbassman]

From your description it sounds like that lake is getting a pretty good algae bloom. With visibility like that I go to dark colors and noisy lures.

Spinnerbaits with a single Colorado blade, white and chartreuse

Dark jigs with rattles.

Dark soft plastics, T-rigged with a bead between the hook and the weight. Sometimes two beads

JJ's Magic on all jigs and plastics.

Bump that spinnerbait into everything and have a trailer hook pegged on it. Fish as slow as you can with every bait you use untill the bass show you they want it fast.

When bass are faced with low visibility they like to put their nose on something. Be it a dock post, rock, stick, peice of grass, anything. They don't feel safe unless they can see something. Make several accurate casts at everything you can.

[Jigfishn10]

Not to go against the grain, because there are some good ideas here, but to me it doesn't sound like the bass are drawn to reaction type lures. You do have murky water conditions, how about a dark colored jig with a rattle?

 

[Gatorbassman]

Reaction baits are good in conditions like that if they can be worked slow. I wouldn't use a Rattle Trap or anything were I had to reel it very fast though. That's why a big Colorado bladed spinnerbait is about the only reaction bait I would concider. Another option is a big bladed chatterbait. When I get a hit on the spinnerbait I pick up the jig and work the area slow and hard. There are usually other fish in the area.

[dhami013]

Yeah yesterday I was using spinners, but I didn't pull out my Colorado blade Spinner. I only have one and it's almost fire tiger colored. Would that do well?

[Hyrule Bass]

berkley red shad shakey worms, t-rigged with a 1/8oz weight, 5 or 7 inches will work

and like has been mentioned, if youre getting short striked on the spinners, add a trailer hook...

also try some lipless crankbaits

i also would try some dark green colored lizards dragged slowly along the bottom with pauses in between

[Jigfishn10]

I agree about the big Colorado bladed spinnerbait. I actually use a single colorado blade more than any other combo. I think if you do go that route try not to make too many repeated casts, I find a colorado bladed spinnerbait will turn off fish faster than any other combinations. Have a follow up lure ready and also try and use a helicopter technique near those laydowns and/or other structure.

MHO of course.

[dhami013]

Helicopter technique?

[Gatorbassman]

When a spinnerbait falls the blade spins like a hellicopter. So hit the cover and let it fall down, or you can try a YoYo retrieve.

[Nitrofreak]

Is there a feeder waterway into this lake?

I have had luck with a light blue and brown jig just dragging it slowly across the bottom with a rattle in it in lakes around that area(looks like a small crab)

If the fish are mouthing the top of the water it could mean the o2 levels are low that will cause the bass to be inactive as well.

[Lund Explorer]

Wow, a bunch of great responses, and a vastly superior question in the original post. We don't see nearly enough detailed questions like this one and it makes it a lot easier to provide an answer to.

The only thing I'm going to add as a response is to target shallow water cover. I've always found that bass will move into very skinny water when it's dingy.

[dhami013]

Is there a feeder waterway into this lake?

I have had luck with a light blue and brown jig just dragging it slowly across the bottom with a rattle in it in lakes around that area(looks like a small crab)

If the fish are mouthing the top of the water it could mean the o2 levels are low that will cause the bass to be inactive as well.

The only water that feeds into it is Lake Smith I believe which is right across the street. I've tried throwing a spinner in there. I'll try using a plastic or a jig there.

[MuffinMan]

trailer hook on those spinners you were getting short strikes on.

[Crestliner2008]

Try a Chatterbait as a search tool. Then switch to a Fat Ika after you locate them.

[dhami013]

I've tried using a shad colored chatter bait. I bought some trailer hooks last night, along with some June bug senkos. I'm going out this evening.

My rods are rigged with a chart Colorado blade spinner, a black and blue Colorado spinner, June bug senko, black back to chart crank, rage craw black/ blue fleck, black grape trick worm on a shaky head.

This is what I'm starting with.

[Nitrofreak]

Sounds like a pretty good start, Just keep in mind you need to let the baits fall and rest and as for the jig try slow and steady, Good luck!!!

Be safe and have fun and let us know how you did.

[dhami013]

Fall and rest? I always let them hit the bottom and wait a couple seconds on plastics and jigs, for Spinners I usually start the retrieve when they hit or within a couple seconds.

You're saying I should do the same for Spinners?

[Nitrofreak]

Fall and rest? I always let them hit the bottom and wait a couple seconds on plastics and jigs, for Spinners I usually start the retrieve when they hit or within a couple seconds.

You're saying I should do the same for Spinners?

Your looking for something different, A spinner is just a different version of a jig, As you let it fall is when the best action happens on a spinner and as the bass may follow it down it may decide to watch it go all the way down and wait for it to hop back up and hit it.

I have had some good times using this technique give it a try, Fall to the bottom, wait 3 seconds, pick it up and let it fall and repeat.

You may have to play with the pause times but it works.

[dhami013]

Interesting, I've always thought of using the spinner in a steady retrieve or playing with the retrieves but never hopping it on the bottom.

[dhami013]

Finally caught a fish. Not too big, 1.5lb. Missed a couple others. Missed a fat girl on the top water frog. Talked to some guys that fish the tournaments around here, they said it's been tough lately. So I guess it's not just me.

I caught my fish on a black and blue fleck rage craw, my roommate had 2 get off of a june bug senko.

Nice blue bird day, and was out in the early evening so I wasn't expecting too much.

[Jigfishn10]

Interesting, I've always thought of using the spinner in a steady retrieve or playing with the retrieves but never hopping it on the bottom.

That's the helicopter retrieve nitro is talking about and what was been posted earlier...killer around structure as well as a early and late season technique when baitfish start to die.

Glad you hooked into one today.

[Nitrofreak]

Congrads!!!

That is what makes us better fishermen... homework and time on the water.

Keep in mind we have just had an earthquake and a hurricane back to back so the fishing is a little off right now, they get really spooked at the slightest things.

We all get skunked from time to time and we all go through spells of...What the crap? why isn't this working?

Sometimes it's our technique, Other times it's just a lack of attention to detail that gets us in trouble but it should never be from lack of confidence.

Now that you know what was wrong with the puzzle you can continue putting it all together.

GOOD JOB !!

[dhami013]

Nitro are you hitting Anna this weekend? I'll be in town, a buddy of mine is back from bootcamp so we'll be hitting the rapp along with squid, even though there's a cold front.

[Nitrofreak]

Nitro are you hitting Anna this weekend? I'll be in town, a buddy of mine is back from bootcamp so we'll be hitting the rapp along with squid, even though there's a cold front.

No, My youngest daughter and I are fishing an open tournament on the shennandoah in shennandoah at the dam.

You are more than welcome to join us though if you would like, It's 35 bucks, starts at 7am and goes to 3pm with a slot from 11-14'', pay out of a single 200.00 bucks, should be a lot of fun.

Tell your buddy I said thank you for serving this great country of ours though if you decide not to join us, And I wish you guys the best of luck.

Good luck and be safe my friend!!!