Bass Talk

[EC1]

With the opener coming up this weekend, I've been losing sleep just thinking about hitting my location at sunrise to find myself some Largemouth, and possibly some smallmouth. I haven't noticed anyone talking about it yet, so I think I want to see what you guys are up to in terms of tactics.

 

First off, the weather is not looking as good as it said it would have been last week.

It's pretty much going to be the coldest day of the week, and the rain looks pretty much like it's going to happen, whether we like it or not.

 

With this weather, I am kind of feeling that this might act like a minor cold front, so what are you guys thinking about using on your lake? Do you think that the topwater bite will be affected?

The rainy conditions might also lead to low light conditions for much of the day, so will that play into your strategies of fishing?

Do you feel that the fish will stay in the shallow weedflats with some surface weeds, or would have moved to deeper water by Saturday?

 

Let's have our bass discussion

[EC1]

BTW, I think I will start by throwing some frogs, poppers, and topwater crankbaits in a variety of colours, mainly firetiger, chartreuese, white and black. All of this will be done near surface weeds or a shallow weedflat less than 5FOW.

 

Depending on the results, I think I would move onto texas rigged plastics, senko's, tubes, and creature baits (Bubblegum, Junebug, Black w/ Red flake) and finally spinnerbaits (white) into the same area. If these tactics are not enough to bag some fish, I think I would move onwards to flipping jigs either through mats or possibly into deeper water.

 

If that STILL doesn't work, it's probably probably time for me to try to crank some fish in some deeper water, hoping that something will come up to attack...And if all of the above fails, I believe it's time to pack it home and quit fishing

[alexcba]

im just gonna drop shot for walleye and if i happen to catch some bass, so be it. lol

[MCTFisher9120]

Going to start throwing a popper across a weedbed or sand flat...then might start throwing a spinnerbait through the pads and around docks...sparse weeds etc.

[Dave Bailey]

Chug Bug for me. It's reliable and I LOVE topwater strikes!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

I was gonna go fishing tomorrow(Friday) but then remembered bass season opens Saturday, so going Monday. Gonna be using plastic worms.

[OhioFisherman]

If you are fishing a lake you have fished before? Go to where you have caught fish before! There is usually a reason they frequent a "spot". Bass may move in close to shore at night to feed, or perhaps to avoid being a snack for larger predatory fish, pike or ski`s. Start shallow, work deeper, unless you know a "spot".

 

Noisy surface lures early? Ya works sometimes, not always the best way to go though, sometimes a quiet approach is the best one. Pitch a texas rigged lizard right up to the bank and work it deeper, lateral lines, they can feel it coming, day or night.

 

Don`t get stuck on one lure because you think it is the right lure for the day, area. Don`t get stuck on fishing one water depth, I have caught L/M deep (15-20 feet) and S/M shallow (1-5 feet) when there was no apparent reason for them to be there.

 

Have a great day! fish or no fish, it beats working!

Edited June 24, 2010 by OhioFisherman

[lew]

If you are fishing a lake you have fished before? Go to where you have caught fish before! There is usually a reason they frequent a "spot". Bass may move in close to shore at night to feed, or perhaps to avoid being a snack for larger predatory fish, pike of ski`s. Start shallow, work deeper, unless you know a "spot".

 

Noisy surface lures early? Ya works sometimes, not always the best way to go though, sometimes a quiet approach is the best one. Pitch a texas rigged lizard right up to the bank and work it deeper, lateral lines, they can feel it coming, day or night.

 

Don`t get stuck on one lure because you think it is the right lure for the day, area. Don`t get stuck on fishing one water depth, I have caught L/M deep (15-20 feet) and S/M shallow (1-5 feet) when there was no apparent reason for them to be there.

 

Have a great day! fish or no fish, it beats working!

 

Paul, your always a great source of information to the bass guys on this board and over the years I'm sure many have learned a great deal from your experience.

[EC1]

Great! Thanks for the tips everyone! So who is feeling good about the opener this weekend?

[Toddyc20]

I'm going to be up in Pembroke for the weekend so i'm going to be just looking for somewhere to try and bass fish. My goal of the year is to learn and master pitching jigs. I can't wait to start using them. While in Pembroke i'll probably start using spinnerbaits and if they don't produce move to tube jigs. I won't have room to bring up all of my rods so i'll just stick to one universal rod and throw some basic baits.

[JohnF]

Great! Thanks for the tips everyone! So who is feeling good about the opener this weekend?

 

ME! Still planning my itinerary. Gonna drive and wade about 5 miles of river bottom. Well, the driving won't be in the river bottom. I'll be chucking wacky worms, tubes, shallow crankbaits, stickbaits & topwaters. There's also a certain patch of lily pads I'm sure has bass hiding under so the toads will be flying there. If the bass don't cooperate I've got a pike hole in mind. It'll just be nice to be able to throw out the whole arsenal without worrying about the OOS fishies.

 

JF

[g_clot]

I'll be at Mountsberg piking early morn Sunday and slopping my jigs for LM mid-morning onward. I'd like to try some chatter baits that I picked up this off-season. Anyone have thoughts (good or bad) on these?

[Toddyc20]

I'll be at Mountsberg piking early morn Sunday and slopping my jigs for LM mid-morning onward. I'd like to try some chatter baits that I picked up this off-season. Anyone have thoughts (good or bad) on these?

My brother thorws a white/red chatterbait all the time as his go to bait. He catches more fish on that bait than most people catch on all their tackle combined. He has had unreal luck with it. I went out and bought some chatterbaits but have had very little luck with them. I guess it's all about confidence.

[MJL]

 

First off, the weather is not looking as good as it said it would have been last week.

It's pretty much going to be the coldest day of the week, and the rain looks pretty much like it's going to happen, whether we like it or not.

 

With this weather, I am kind of feeling that this might act like a minor cold front, so what are you guys thinking about using on your lake? Do you think that the topwater bite will be affected?

The rainy conditions might also lead to low light conditions for much of the day, so will that play into your strategies of fishing?

Do you feel that the fish will stay in the shallow weedflats with some surface weeds, or would have moved to deeper water by Saturday?

 

Let's have our bass discussion

 

Surely you can’t be serious trusting the Weather Network (or any weather forecast for that matter)…They can’t even predict the correct forecast for the next 4hrs not to mention the next 4 days.

 

When they give you a P.O.P figure other than 0% or 100%, it really means, "you're guess is as good as ours"

 

Good luck on opener

[Devious]

I'll be at Mountsberg piking early morn Sunday and slopping my jigs for LM mid-morning onward. I'd like to try some chatter baits that I picked up this off-season. Anyone have thoughts (good or bad) on these?

 

Love the chatterbait! Started using it last summer had some good results. They cause some violent strikes thats for sure...

[EC1]

Haha, Thanks Mike, and you're right about the weather. I don't think the thunderstorms actually made it over to the GTA last night.

I'll give it to them on the weather for now, and they better not be too far off. Sunny and a light breeze would make the day much more awesome though.

 

And are chatterbaits just another name for buzzbaits? I've no experience on them, maybe so I can learn another tactic.

Edited June 24, 2010 by EC1

[g_clot]

Haha, Thanks Mike, and you're right about the weather. I don't think the thunderstorms actually made it over to the GTA last night.

I'll give it to them on the weather for now, and they better not be too far off. Sunny and a light breeze would make the day much more awesome though.

 

And are chatterbaits just another name for buzzbaits? I've no experience on them, maybe so I can learn another tactic.

 

 

I picked a few of these up in different colours:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10211227____SearchResults

 

I guess you could consider it an underwater buzzbait or spinnerbait on steriods maybe. Lots of vibration, longer yet more slender profile than an spinnerbait yet just as weedless.

[lookinforwalleye]

I will be on holidays next week and plan on spending a lot of time pounding the weeds on Dalrymple, I like to pick up a new plastic bait to try every year (probably why my plastics bag weighs about 30 pounds)this year I am trying a Strike King Rage Tail Eeliminator!! Watch out you Bass!!

Edited June 24, 2010 by lookinforwalleye

[Garry2Rs]

I don't think you need to worry about a mini cold front, because the overnight lows are staying about the same.

In my area I think we have had some rain everyday this week.

In the morning, I expect to find fish in 3 -4 fow, in weeds. I will start with a Fluke in a bay full of sparse weeds.

I'll switch to a toad and work into a heavily weeded spot. These are both areas that paid off early in the season for the last couple of years. If you recall we had lots of rain then too. As Paul said, "...there's a reason those fish were there." I expect to find them there again...grin. After that It will be senko time and I will work shallow to deep and weeds to rock...If I am still going after that, Cranks in deeper water and over rocks and shoals etc.

Our tackle bags sound like they will be about the same, but I'm fishing very clear water and I think I will be using lighter colours than you mentioned.

Garry2R's

[EC1]

Don't think I'll be in water that is going to be all that clear, but even if I was fishing in clear water, I think those crazy colours would still be what I would have thrown.

Hope you get into some quality fish with those techniques Garry!

[Whitespinnerbait]

I'm going to get an Osprey to catch a couple of bass for me...