I give. They’ve beaten me. 2024
BubbaBassin’ reply :
I’ve been fishing lake west point in GA from sunup, to sundown for four days now via a Kayak, I ‘ve looked for some deeper structure with no luck and have hammered every bit of shallow stucture i can find with everything from a Umbrella rig to a dropshot. Not. A. Bite. Water is suuper clear, at least for me. This is my first time fishing this lake. Air temps are 70’s in the morning and mid 90’s in the afternoon. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Koz reply :
You stated the water is clear. Do you see the bass? Or any fish?
You'll probably see this repeated throughout this thread, but the first option is to slow down. When I do that I use a Senko or a jig.
You didn't mention trying a topwater. In my area of the south a buzzbait or Pop-R is killer in the early evenings depending upon whether they are biting on fast or slow presentation. In these early evenings I've had luck in open water and not along the shoreline. Topwaters have worked the best for me in the summer months, especially buzzbaits.
During the heat of the day is always hit or miss for me. However, running a buzzbait close to any cover along the shoreline usually triggers a strike if the bass are there.
BubbaBassin’ reply :
@Koz I have seen plenty of bait, mostly fry. Nothing larger though. I’ll give a buzzbait a go.
TnRiver46 reply :
I used to watch a guy host a TV show on that lake, I want to say it was rusty faulk but that doesnt seem right.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 2:53 AM, TnRiver46 said:I used to watch a guy host a TV show on that lake, I want to say it was rusty faulk but that doesnt seem right.
That's funny you mentioned that, I was thinking O'Neil Williams.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 3:25 AM, Jigfishn10 said:That's funny you mentioned that, I was thinking O'Neil Williams.
He was my second guess
BubbaBassin’ reply :
@Koz just spent an hour with a senko and an hour with a buzzbait. Nothing.
WRB reply :
Late post spawn with fry schools...
This tells me a few things, fishing the back of protected coves if seeing fry schools and not catching bass, the bass are not there or not active.
Move out to secondary points, then further out and continue using soft plastics on deeper breaks with wood (brush) cover. A Spy bait also works and also requires patients and finesse.
Timing and location, both need to come together.
Tom
ike8120 reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 5:40 AM, BubbaBassin’ said:@Koz just spent an hour with a senko and an hour with a buzzbait. Nothing.
Welcome to my world
Koz reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 5:40 AM, BubbaBassin’ said:@Koz just spent an hour with a senko and an hour with a buzzbait. Nothing.
Sorry about that. Take a cue from @WRB , he's the master to my apprenticeship.
BubbaBassin’ reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 7:34 AM, Koz said:Sorry about that. Take a cue from @WRB , he's the master to my apprenticeship.
All good man.
On 6/26/2019 at 5:58 AM, WRB said:Late post spawn with fry schools...
This tells me a few things, fishing the back of protected coves if seeing fry schools and not catching bass, the bass are not there or not active.
Move out to secondary points, then further out and continue using soft plastics on deeper breaks with wood (brush) cover. A Spy bait also works and also requires patients and finesse.
Timing and location, both need to come together.
Tom
@WRB I looked at the fishing report, and it doesn’t make much sense to me. It uses markers that I can’t seem to find. And it’s a week old. But it also says that the fish have been on road beds? Is that like spawn beds or similar?
WRB reply :
Road beds are roads that existed before the lake was flooded when the dam was biult.
Meaning they can start at the shoreline or anywhere and can be any depth. A good topo map or didgital 1' Navonics map will show road beds.
What does a road bed offer bass? Structure. Roads have a flat surface with well defined edges, culverts, bridges, cuts through higher hill areas, all kinds of structure elements.
What is important to know is what depth are the bass being caught at? You may be able to determine that by the lures listed in fish reports. My guess is between 6 to 10 feet if the bass are post spawn.
Look at maps and Mark road beds from the shoreline to 10'.
Tom
BubbaBassin’ reply :
Hey @WRB sorry to bother yu again but I went out again this morning, (it’s where i’m at now), and these bass are eating these 1 inch baitfish and chasing them across the top of the water in the back of this cove but I can’t get them to eat? I got a bite on a wacky rig under a tree but didn’t hook up. Any advice?
TnRiver46 reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 9:44 PM, BubbaBassin’ said:Hey @WRB sorry to bother yu again but I went out again this morning, (it’s where i’m at now), and these bass are eating these 1 inch baitfish and chasing them across the top of the water in the back of this cove but I can’t get them to eat? I got a bite on a wacky rig under a tree but didn’t hook up. Any advice?
Small curly tail white grub on 1/8 oz jig head when they are chasing like that
EGbassing reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 9:44 PM, BubbaBassin’ said:Hey @WRB sorry to bother yu again but I went out again this morning, (it’s where i’m at now), and these bass are eating these 1 inch baitfish and chasing them across the top of the water in the back of this cove but I can’t get them to eat? I got a bite on a wacky rig under a tree but didn’t hook up. Any advice?
Have you tried imitating the baitfish? If you have a ned rig that would probably work well, but you could always cut down a bigger soft plastic in a pinch.
Boomstick reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 9:44 PM, BubbaBassin’ said:Hey @WRB sorry to bother yu again but I went out again this morning, (it’s where i’m at now), and these bass are eating these 1 inch baitfish and chasing them across the top of the water in the back of this cove but I can’t get them to eat? I got a bite on a wacky rig under a tree but didn’t hook up. Any advice?
I would try a small plastic swimbait, something like a Creme Lures spoiler shad or a Storm Wildeye swim shad in a 2" or 3" length. I have birds nested casting them before and while my bait was sitting in the water had a bass swallow one up. They mimic these small baitfish and are highly effective in clear water.
Also try a small 1/4oz popper. Sunrise and sundown should be your best times.
WRB reply :
If the fish feeding on tiny 1" fry are bass they should react to a Splash-It or Zip n Ziggy in baby bass retreived quickly. The fish may not be bass you see feeding, every predator eats small baitfish including carp.
Soft plastics I like baby bass color Basstrix Bait Fry and Flashtrix minnow or Roboworm FX Sculpin on a drop or slip shot rig for those cobpditions.
It can be very frustrating chasing surface feeders when you don't know what species the are your trying to catch. Sometimes a 1/4 oz Nickle spoon like a Kastmaster will catch whatever the feeders are.
Tom
PS, use whatever lures you have similar to those brands referenced, I use what I have confidence in.
Boomstick reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 11:09 PM, WRB said:If the fish feeding on tiny 1" fry are bass they should react to a Splash-It or Zip n Ziggy in baby bass retreived quickly. The fish may not be bass you see feeding, every predator eats small baitfish including carp.
Soft plastics I like baby bass color Basstrix Bait Fry and Flashtrix minnow or Roboworm FX Sculpin on a drop or slip shot rig for those cobpditions.
It can be very frustrating chasing surface feeders when you don't know what species the are your trying to catch. Sometimes a 1/4 oz Nickle spoon like a Kastmaster will catch whatever the feeders are.
Tom
PS, use whatever lures you have similar to those brands referenced, I use what I have confidence in.
Yeah, like what I was saying -- downsize and go with baits that mimic baitfish. Should it be bass feeding on these smaller baitfish, I would imagine you'd have success with the above (or a small soft plastic swimbait).
BubbaBassin’ reply :
@Boomstick @WRB Finally got one as the sun was setting.
Koz reply :
On 6/26/2019 at 9:54 PM, EGbassing said:Have you tried imitating the baitfish?
a) I heard that he tried, but he couldn't hold his breath that long.
b) He did, but the fish didn't think it was that funny.
c) He wanted to but was afraid someone would charge him with cultural appropriation.
Thank you, I'm here all week. Try the veal!
frogflogger reply :
ned rig - ned rig -
Hook2Jaw reply :
Walk a fluke on top to imitate the fleeing baitfish.
Troy85 reply :
https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#boating@11&key=u{xhE~sofO
Check that out. It will Give you a better idea of whats going on under the water.
Glenn reply :
https://www.bassresource.com/maps/fishing-spots-maps.html
BassNJake reply :
On 6/27/2019 at 9:25 AM, BubbaBassin’ said:@Boomstick @WRB Finally got one as the sun was setting.
Way to keep after it!!
You didn't give and they didn't beat you.
I like to view the time that I am not catching fish as the time that I am spending practicing my casting skills.
That way I can look at the situation in a positive way instead of a negative one.
N.Y. Yankee reply :
Big 'ol fat nightcrawler on a #2 baitholder hook and a couple of big split shot 18" up. Put her out there in a good spot and let her soak. If anything is there, it's gonna get bit.
Boomstick reply :
On 6/27/2019 at 9:25 AM, BubbaBassin’ said:@Boomstick @WRB Finally got one as the sun was setting.
Way to go! You didn't let the bass win!
Also, should you find a day where it's perfectly clear but a night storm is coming in, you can absolutely kill it. The ideal time is usually as those clouds are rolling in but before the rain begins, often when it drops 5 degrees and the bariometric pressure rapidly increases. Last night, I fished a spot which I only fished a couple of times earlier this year but figured would become prime night time fishing on topwater and perhaps a jerkbait as well, and proved my theory right. We didn't have very long before thunderstorms rolled in unfortunately but we each landed a fish and my friend kept getting bites on his senko and I lost a much larger one. I thought to mention this because it looks like some clouds were rolling in.
Topwaterdog reply :
With all the flooding here in OK, and record rainfall for months, I had a bad spawn/post spawn and got a little burnt out. My solution was to go catfishing with live bait. It never hurts to branch out and see what other kind of fish might be biting!
Bankbeater reply :
You finally got one as the sun was going down and you said the lake is super clear. It could be that your not casting far enough and the bass are seeing you and getting spooked.
Shimano_1 reply :
Good job keeping after it. I know from experience it takes some determination. As stated already I'd try a ned rig. Drop shotting a robot worm, deep diving cranks, and big 10 inch worms are my go to summer baits. My local waters have been screwy this year too from alm the rains and weird weather. It's just now settling down a little bit. Just keep trying different depths and baits. Use your electronics if you have any and try to locate something in a lil deeper water they may be holding on
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