Bass Lures for different conditions (morning, windy, sunny, etc)

[Tjames09]

This is a very beginner basic question.

 

So I was fishing this weekend, and all three days had different conditions and different results for bass. First day was calm water and overcast and the fishing was amazing on slow plastics presentations. Next day was calm but very sunny and hot fishing was not as good but still ok on plastics again. Last day was overcast nut quite windy and we had zero luck.

 

My question is for each of those conditions what types of lures work best for bass. So overcast calm day, clear skies sunny calm water, and then windy rough water.

 

I never really know when it's best to theough a spinnerbait or a crank bait, or to move to slow presentations soft plastics.

[AKRISONER]

Dont feel like giving everything away in a public thread...but shoot me a PM if youd like. I was lucky enough to have some members guide me along so maybe its time I can pass on the invaluable information that was given to me.

 

I am by no means as good as some of the guys on here as i am only a few years into the process, but some of the basics really really changed my angling experience.

Edited July 19, 2016 by AKRISONER

[msp]

I believe what you experienced was a front moving in. The last day was probably high pressure post front conditions. Typically these are the toughest days for fishing. Usually the best days for fishing ( as you experienced ) is just before the front is moving in.

This is the best time to use faster moving baits like spinnerbaits , topwares ect.... the bass will be feeding heavily.

During the post front conditions ( high blue bird skies ) is when you would be better off throwing thinks like soft plastics ( senkos ) and jigs.

Slow things down and pick your areas apart methodically. You know the fish are there from the previous day so the strike window is now smaller.

[grimsbylander]

it's a combination of where to fish and which bait/presentation. The first day you were catching fish that were active and up on the outer edges of cover. Great time for horizontal baits such as crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Plastics will work great as well but you'll cover a lot less water. The second day was very similar with the exception of the light conditions. The fish will be active but are pushed back into heavier cover to escape the sunshine. Remember, they don't have eyelids! LOL Now is the time to pull out the jigs and plastics. The bad part is it forces you to slow down your presentation, the good side is, it concentrates the fish into easily recognized areas as opposed to day 1 when they were scattered. Day 3 is the toughest day because the fish are transitioning from active to inactive. This can be a great time if you can locate the active fish because they'll be super active. Go back to your spinnerbaits and jerkbaits and get out on the windward side of points, islands and humps. Fish FAST...throw up tight to shore and burn the baits back to the boats. Don't worry about finesse, the fish that are sitting in the wind are on baitfish being pushed up by the wind and have a huge strikezone. Cover lots of water and go, go go. Have fun!

[OhioFisherman]

The bass club I was in had a tournament years ago at East Harbor, a bay off of Lake Erie. The guys in the club were all very good bass fishermen and also fish other bigger events. This was one of our favorite places to have one, always a chance for big fish and we had a 3 fish limit, you usually needed around 15 pounds for a chance at a win.

 

I came in 3rd in our spring trip there with just under 11 pounds and I was eager for the late summer tournament there, we had 12-15 boats 24-30 guys, and no one got a fish! The bay is shallow except for the navigation lanes, sheltered water but the wrong wind direction blowing all day caused the water levels to drop. No one was able to locate where they moved to, or get one to bite, even fishing the deeper edges, or 8-12 foot channel to Lake Erie.

 

There will be days that look good, but turn out not to be! Lure selection didn't help.

[huzzsaba]

I have a question somewhat related to this thread. Is the bass bite better in the day compared to night? My buddy tells me that unless you put the bait in front of their face at night, they will not go for it, however the biggest bass I caught was at night off the pier using live bait.

[muddler]

Well is largemouth or smallmouth bass? Sorry AKRISONER but there aren't many secrets today on the information highway. So here's my take.

 

Calm waters I go with surface plugs (Chug bug is my No 1) working weed edges and shallow structures. Docks, blow downs and rock piles.

 

Sunny days work deeper structure (up to 40 feet) with drop shots and the old Texas or Carolina rigged plastic worm (especially LMB). Go to 4 inch worms for SMB,

 

Windy and overcast. Spinner baits are my favourite. 1/4 ounce jig and a Yum twister tail (white) worked around structure can be awesome some days.

 

I throw blade baits with a blue and chrome finish to locate fish when all else fails.

 

Then there is my daughter's go to bait. A 3 inch pinky on a slip float. There are many days that she out fishes me with that simple rig. I guess finesse works more often than not. When the bass are aggressive just about anything will work. Yes I even got one on a cigar (on a bet). They were hitting everything for about an hour. Never seen anything like it before or since.

 

I still make my own pork frogs. I skim them in heavy pads with only a weedless hook. Piles of fun.

 

Mud

[OhioFisherman]

I have a question somewhat related to this thread. Is the bass bite better in the day compared to night? My buddy tells me that unless you put the bait in front of their face at night, they will not go for it, however the biggest bass I caught was at night off the pier using live bait.

You may find that to be a lake to lake thing, some lake, rivers, and ponds here have great night bites, others that produce well during the daylight hours don't, and on some it seems even pointless to try.

 

A lake I fished regularly in New York had an excellent night bite for smallies and largemouth, it also had pike and muskies in it. Trying to catch a bass at night at Pointe Au Baril, which also had pike and skis seemed like a waste of time.

 

I used 4 inch ringworms and 1/8th ounce hair jigs with a pork rind for a lot of years when night fishing, I seriously don't believe I got lucky enough to put them in front of a bass's face that often. That lateral line helps them detect movement and vibrations that we couldn't feel.

 

Light can attract baitfish and fish in general at night, that is why lights at night for fishing is illegal in some places. Piers with lights here in places can have lots of baitfish around the lighted area at night, so it stands to reason live bait, like a minnow may work well there.

 

As a kid here Lake Erie could be a sea of lights at night, small boats with a coleman lantern on a holder in the oarlock, it attracted emerald shiners, they attracted schools of white bass, I missed the Walleye and Blue Pike action as a kid! but dad said it was the same!

 

Time on the water? some lakes will produce at night, some won't, it takes time to learn, or very good friends! One pond I used to fish? You could fish all day with lures and not get a bass, but a big shiner or chub could get you a 5lber!

[Tjames09]

thanks for the awesome replies guys, really helpful. Its always been a crapshoot when I decide to throw spinnerbaits or crankbaits or soft plastics.

[misfish]

So many over think.LOL

 

First light no matter if it,s calm or a bit of chop, throw some top water. You will find out fast if the bite is on. Then go to the spinner bait. Great bait to locate quick. Then drop a tube. I like to start light wieght at first then go heavy and drag or hop it. Dont be afraid to think small. I had a great day on sunday throwing micro tubes on 6lb floro. I love to throw jerk baits, but in the early fall.

 

Just get out and try different things. Thats the fun of the whole game. You,ll figure it out on your own. Thats the best.