I tried looking for this topic in the archives with no luck.
Every now and then I will be working a spot and I will, out of the corner of my eye, catch either some movement, a jump, or bubbles.
Here is the question, do you guys normally stop working the spot and move over the to the irregularity or continue to work the spot.
Because, sometimes I can be overwhelmed with moving constantly based on some small hint of water movement.
I generally freeze and look for the source. Lots of times it's frogs, and more than once, otters sticking their heads up to look at me!
Josh
I'll cast to the movement if it sounds right and have landed some pretty nice fish that way. But where I'm at lots of invasive species bust the surface.
Trying to chase every movement would end in disappointment!
Movements I will always investigate are:
-Cattails, Tulies, Pads, or stickups moving rapidly as though something just swam by it chasing bait
-The same vegetation moving rhythmically as though a fish is resting against them
-Large fish busting through matted vegitation
I stay on the spot I am working. Most times it is a turtle, carp, or gar. Plus if I am throwing a crank bait in a search pattern I do not want to stop the arc which I am in. If I see shad popping I just keep a eye on that area to see if more action happenings.
The one pond I fish regularly has a beaver living there.. Needless to say, he scares the crap out of me all the time smashing his tail off the water..
Watch out for beavers, they can be rather ornery at times.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/11/newser-beaver-kills-man/2074145/
When I used to lake fish more, I'd throw a cast as close as possible. Often it was stripers busting bait. If stripers are biting, I'll abandon bass as long as they'll keep it up. .
I'll cast to whatever moves. Even if it's a frog or rat or something, because a bass may be interested in the disturbance too.
When the snapping turtles show up the fishing dies off.
I have had my share of tail slaps from beavers for sure. At daybreak the first sign of light at twilight I see fresh water otters at every place I fish. They are there in the very low light then disappear as it gets lighter. They swim right at me and go under the low bridge I fish from.
I witnessed otters splashing two fawn at the shoreline trying to get a drink while the doe watched on. They were 40 yards from me.
Being there everyday in the dark till light there not afraid of me I see the same deer all the time.
Nature puts a show on everyday while your sleeping early in the morning.
Funny......a 48" long beaver measured with his tail works all night long clogging the drainage pipe that keeps the pond from over flowing. The guy from the town comes out with a backhoe to clear it often. This coins the phrase busy as a beaver.
FYI: when you want to find something that is in archives do a google search by typing the subject & then add bass resource to the end.
I do not chase noise or movement but if it's within casting distance I'll fire a cast to it.
On 10/2/2015 at 10:25 PM, BillsFan721 said:The one pond I fish regularly has a beaver living there.. Needless to say, he scares the crap out of me all the time smashing his tail off the water..
So my girlfriend's family lives on my favorite lake. When I started to fish, the beaver tail slap scared the hell out of me. Now, I am use to it and play back with either a sandal or whacking the paddle against the water. I demonstrated this once on a party boat ride and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.
I cast to bait fishing breaking the service but otherwise I cast to my pre-determined targets.
Depends. Movement can put me onto feeding activity, and the focus of the action. But I don't chase everything! Eventually you begin to recognize the stuff worth moving for. Sometimes I'll look for it first. Many of my waters have a lot of milfoil. Bluegills like to be up top of it feeding. Bass groups aren't spread all over so I'll look for them. Signs can be subtle if you aren't used to it. Bass move more water than sunfish so I look for the right size wakes. And I listen and watch for surges (bass chasing 'gills). This can get pretty boisterous sometimes though, and I've seen such carnage from across a pond or bay and made a run to it. It definitely pays to fish with your eyes and ears open.
On 10/3/2015 at 12:58 AM, Catt said:FYI: when you want to find something that is in archives do a google search by typing the subject & then add bass resource to the end.
Thanks
Lurkers
Turtles.
Picture this my very first encounter,,,,
I never seen freshwater otters locally before. I seen the movie predator when it goes under the water.
I'm fishing from a low bridge three feet above the water. The channel under it connects both small lakes on both sides of the road. I look and see three small torpedoes just under the waters surface coming at me from 50 yards away. They stop before the bridge and pop there heads up. All I thought was the movie predator. There wise guys.
Bad enough I'm in the rural area in the wilds and hear strange noises all the time. You hear weird stuff in the dark.
We really only get 2 kinds of surface activity here - carp jumping or baitfish scattering. Baitfish I always throw into, carp jumping I ignore.
On 10/3/2015 at 6:14 AM, Wayne P. said:
Those deer fish are good eating, if you can hook one.
Very Sneaky ~
A-Jay
I have Bigfoot stories but that's another post maybe.
I've caught a lot of nice bass by casting at one minnow jumping out of the water .
About something under the water. Do you guys ever see wakes from something but nothing is there making it? I will watch these tiny V's shoot right at me sometimes in water so clear I can see the bottom perfectly and nothing is there. They can come all the way up to the bank and literally end only because there is no more water and nothing is there.
Can fish shoot off little wakes that carry for another 10 maybe 20' all on its own? I always expect to see a little bass or bluegill maybe even some little minnows or fry of some kind but they are like phantom wakes and it seems weird.
On 10/3/2015 at 11:18 AM, bigbill said:I have Bigfoot stories but that's another post maybe.
Quite possibly the greatest BR thread ever.
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/139552-something-scary-is-happening/?hl=+raider%20+bigfoot
On 10/6/2015 at 12:50 PM, hatrix said:About something under the water. Do you guys ever see wakes from something but nothing is there making it? I will watch these tiny V's shoot right at me sometimes in water so clear I can see the bottom perfectly and nothing is there. They can come all the way up to the bank and literally end only because there is no more water and nothing is there.
Can fish shoot off little wakes that carry for another 10 maybe 20' all on its own? I always expect to see a little bass or bluegill maybe even some little minnows or fry of some kind but they are like phantom wakes and it seems weird.
Have seen it lots of times. It is small tornados (dust devils on land).
On 10/6/2015 at 12:50 PM, hatrix said:About something under the water. Do you guys ever see wakes from something but nothing is there making it? I will watch these tiny V's shoot right at me sometimes in water so clear I can see the bottom perfectly and nothing is there. They can come all the way up to the bank and literally end only because there is no more water and nothing is there.
Can fish shoot off little wakes that carry for another 10 maybe 20' all on its own? I always expect to see a little bass or bluegill maybe even some little minnows or fry of some kind but they are like phantom wakes and it seems weird.
Seen it. I think it's the wind.
On 10/7/2015 at 5:48 AM, lo n slo said:Seen it. I think it's the wind.
Ya maybe. It's weird though because I have seen them go in different directions and also change directions and turn.
On 10/6/2015 at 1:56 PM, everythingthatswims said:Quite possibly the greatest BR thread ever.
http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/139552-something-scary-is-happening/?hl=+raider%20+bigfoot
That is some quality posting. 16 pages of laughing in tears.