A question on lizards

[Surge489]

I have been wondering this year a little about fishing lizards.  My question is, what kind of success do you guys have during the summer, fall, and winter months using lizards vs. spring?  I noticed I was getting a lot more bites on lizards in the spring / late spring, however since then, i'm not seeing very much action on them.  I primarily fish highland resevoirs, mostly deeper clear lakes, structure consists of rock banks, laydowns, with very little natural grass to speak of.  Any thoughts on your success rates on these would be helpful.  I'm wondering whether to stick the lizards in the bottom of the bag at this point or if it's just something thats in my head.

[Shane J]

During the summer, when the fish moved out deeper after the shallow bite slowed in the morning, I would have a lizard on a Carolina rig ready to go, and it almost always produced fish for me.

[JDK.]

carolina rigged magnum lizard is my favorite summer deep water bait.. it always catches a fish or two

[bocabasser]

i have had great succes with lizards using them like this:

-carolina rigged

-a small black or white lizard thrown on a bed

-swimming a gambler loco lizard on top through the pads. i believe bass think they are baby gators

good luck.

[whoopbazz]

Generally, bass hit lizards out of protection of their nest. Or as instinct to protect the nest and fry.  Without holding me to a for sure...the number one predator of bass eggs are lizards.

I mean bass will take an easy meal anytime...but the aggressiveness towards lizards is definatley related to the  (pre)spawn.

[looking4structure]

Generally, bass hit lizards out of protection of their nest. Or as instinct to protect the nest and fry.  Without holding me to a for sure...the number one predator of bass eggs are lizards.

I mean bass will take an easy meal anytime...but the aggressiveness towards lizards is definatley related to the  (pre)spawn.

x2

[CHEVYRIDAZ]

In clear water i have much more success on worms than lizards!

[aarogb]

Generally, bass hit lizards out of protection of their nest. Or as instinct to protect the nest and fry. Without holding me to a for sure...the number one predator of bass eggs are lizards.

I mean bass will take an easy meal anytime...but the aggressiveness towards lizards is definatley related to the (pre)spawn.

Agreed.  I have much better luck using  Loco lizards as bed baits during the spawn.  That doesn't mean I haven't caught bass on them during the Summer though.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Actually what they depict is a salamander and they dont eat fish eggs at all its just instinct to eat them and slam them btw one word RAGETAIL

[Gangley]

EXACTLY Maxximus Redneckus!

Many people dont realize that the lizard is designed after salamanders, not lizards, but somehow the lizard name stuck. Secondly, Salamanders dont eat fish eggs, thats a common misconception. Salamanders main diet is small waterbugs and surface insects. The salamander spawn and the bass spawn occur around the same time, and since salamanders are born in the water, the salamanders go into the water to lay their eggs, thus putting them in contact with the bass population. After the salamanders spawn, they crawl back out and find a dark, moist place to live. Bass will bite the salamander because they are generally in the shallows at the sime time as the bass spawn, and simply because they are a readily available source of food. Again, salamanders do NOT raid bass nest for eggs.

[senko_77]

Lizards have always been productive for me in the Spring.  I like them on a Carolina rig in the summer, but it's tough to beat a Texas rigged lizard pitched around shallow cover in the early Spring/Spring.  I really don't think it has to do with fish thinking it's going to eat their eggs, I just think they see it as....

A.  A big, slow moving meal which is prime in early spring

B.  A big, slow moving threat to their nest of eggs.  

I'm sure they work all year, but I mainly break them out when your fishing them.  As Maxx Redneck said, give the RageTail series a try.