Why can't I catch bass 2024

RippinLips57 reply :

Hey everybody I just bought a boat and I've been out a couple times and accumulated a couple baitcasters and a good bit of tackle and every time we go out we never get anything except a couple Lil specs but people around us are catchin bass but we can't I don't know what we're doin we go out from early mornin to late afternoon and troll up shorelines and skip around docks but nothing. I've been throwin chatterbaits, jigs, crankbaits, Frogs etc but I haven't really tried soft plastics yet I picked up some Keitch 4.5 inch swimbaits in electric shad and a pack of senkos and I'll try that this weekend but I don't know what I'm doing wrong though I switch up my retrieves and everything and I think I'm fishing them right lol bang Cranks up against wood, drag frogs through lily pads, yo yo or drag jigs across bottom. But I don't understand why we can't catch bass I know that there in the river were fishing at because we see people around us catching them. The waters a tea color and the river were fishin in is called fowl river if anybody is familiar with our neck of the woods in lower AL. if anybody has any suggestions of what I'm doing wrong please tell me, Thanks.

scaleface reply :

Sounds like youre fishing cover . Learn the Texas rig. Throw it in the cover and work it out . You will eventually get the hang of it , "if" you stick with it . The Texas rig will make you a better angler with all other lures .

visagelaid reply :

We killed them on C-Rigs with smokin blue zoon finesse worms, and with shakeyhead with a green pumpkin black flake zoom trick worm with the tails dipped in JJ's chartreuse and sprayed with Bang!...this was last weekend, we didnt throw anything else, but Ive also been crushing them on a lipless crank and chatterbait. Good luck!

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 10:05 PM, visagelaid said:

We killed them on C-Rigs with smokin blue zoon finesse worms, and with shakeyhead with a green pumpkin black flake zoom trick worm with the tails dipped in JJ's chartreuse and sprayed with Bang!...this was last weekend, we didnt throw anything else, but Ive also been crushing them on a lipless crank and chatterbait. Good luck!

Not to familiar with the Carolina rig man but I hear people using it all the time I'll have to give it a try. I've only thrown a chatterbait a couple times but haven't had any luck with it, how were you workin it and where would you concentrate on throwin it

On 4/5/2017 at 9:56 PM, scaleface said:

Sounds like youre fishing cover . Learn the Texas rig. Throw it in the cover and work it out . You will eventually get the hang of it , "if" you stick with it . The Texas rig will make you a better angler with all other lures .

Yeah im fishing a little bit of cover but not a ton but ill definently have to rig up a Texas rig this weekend thanks for the advice man

visagelaid reply :

The chatterbait has been just a cast and retrieve, Ive been trying different depths. The c-rig we were using on Logan Martin this last weekend. You are down south, so the fish should be spawning right now I would imagine. All the normal spring time baits and spawn tactics that you can read about here on this website should be in play. My neighborhood has a lake thats about 31 acres, I have located bottom structure and rocky bottoms. That where I concentrate when im fishing from the bank. But this website contains tons of good articles about what to use and what to target in the different seasons of the year.

scaleface reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:04 PM, RippinLips57 said:

Yeah im fishing a little bit of cover but not a ton but ill definently have to rig up a Texas rig this weekend thanks for the advice man

If you are doing a lot of casting and reeling randomly then those are mostly wasted time. Make every cast count for something ., anything .

Scarborough817 reply :

it's not what you are fishing but where, spot is much more important than lure choice

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:11 PM, scaleface said:

If you are doing a lot of casting and reeling randomly then those are mostly wasted time. Make every cast count for something ., anything .

I cast a pretty good bit but I'm not just aimlessly casting and burnin it back but I do need to pay a little more attention to where I'm castin sometimes

On 4/5/2017 at 11:20 PM, Scarborough817 said:

it's not what you are fishing but where, spot is much more important than lure choice

I agree. There's canals, grass lines, some little grass mats, overhanging trees, underwater wood, docks, rocks, and a little marina in our river. What would you focus on most?

TOXIC reply :

The Senko will end your slump. Texas rig a 5 inch senko on a 4.0 EWG Gamakatsu hook and throw it around the cover. Fish it S_L_O_W.

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:29 PM, TOXIC said:

The Senko will end your slump. Texas rig a 5 inch senko on a 4.0 EWG Gamakatsu hook and throw it around the cover. Fish it S_L_O_W.

That's what I was gonna try this weekend, yesterday I bought a pack of 5 inch yum worms in watermelon red with purple flake and a pack of 5/0 small wobble heads to rig em up on idk if 5/0 is to big but we will see lol Thanks for the advice man

Scarborough817 reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:21 PM, RippinLips57 said:

I agree. There's canals, grass lines, some little grass mats, overhanging trees, underwater wood, docks, rocks, and a little marina in our river. What would you focus on most?

this is going to be vague but fish the seasons and where the bait fish are. i would start with wood and rocks right now they will be the quickest to warm up so fish are likely more drawn to them, in the summer i would go more towards the pads, mats and docks

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:29 PM, TOXIC said:

On 4/5/2017 at 11:47 PM, Scarborough817 said:

this is going to be vague but fish the seasons and where the bait fish are. i would start with wood and rocks right now they will be the quickest to warm up so fish are likely more drawn to them, in the summer i would go more towards the pads, mats and docks

Aright I'll start targeting wood and rocks more I've been trollin up banks and throwin jerk baits lipless cranks and jigs parallel to the bank and working them back but that's where you think that they will be is rocks and wood?

Scarborough817 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 12:31 AM, RippinLips57 said:

just my thinking but i don't know what exactly what stage they are at in your area do you see beds? are there fish on them?

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 12:32 AM, Scarborough817 said:

just my thinking but i don't know what exactly what stage they are at in your area do you see beds? are there fish on them?

I really don't know what stage they are in but my buddy said he has a bed by his dock but there was no fish on them now, and I haven't seen any beds I've looked but haven't seen any, it's around 80-85 degrees here in lower Alabama but I don't know how warm the water is but it's probably around 70 but not for sure

WRB reply :

Talk to the successful anglers you see catching bass, most anglers like to be helpful. Next slow down, you have a boat and can fish anywhere, that can be problem because bass in a river locate at specific areas that offer current breaks. Are you targeting Smallmouth or largemouth bass?

Tom

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 12:51 AM, WRB said:

Talk to the successful anglers you see catching bass, most anglers like to be helpful. Next slow down, you have a boat and can fish anywhere, that can be problem because bass in a river locate at specific areas that offer current breaks. Are you targeting Smallmouth or largemouth bass?

Tom

Largemouth. I don't think we have smallmouth

WRB reply :

Looked up the Fowl River, it's 14 miles and brackish water, don't know how far up the salt water extends? I would think you would have some tidal affects similar to delta fishing.

LMB prefer slow or current areas and if there is a tide the water level changes flooding bank areas the receding. Cover is key along with current breaks. Look for cover areas where the current is slack or something is breaking it. I believe you are using the right tackle and lures. I would add a T-rigged or 3/8 oz swing jig craw worm in black blue like a Biffle bug, ideal for where you are fishing.

Tom

fishingram24 reply :

You may want to move a bit farther north and get up into the Delta area above I-10. Not my personal favorite but I have fished the Delta quite a few times and there is a lot of water to fish. Coastal rivers are much different than big lakes and reservoirs with tides having a major impact on the fish. Never heard of Fowl River being a prime bass location, Dog River not much better. One more thing, Snagless Sally in the Brusier color(black, blue, purple) or chartreuse/white will catch you some fish.

CTBassin860 reply :

Sounds like maybe wrong colors for stained waters and you're bank fishing from a boat.Invest in some sonar my friend and make your life a little easier.

OCdockskipper reply :

WRB has better specifics than I could offer you.

However, on a general note, don't get discouraged with the lack of success. Instead, realize that you have just identified baits, areas, techniques or combinations thereof that don't work. If you eliminate enough, you eventually will stumble onto something that does.

Take advantage of this knowledge of what hasn't worked and make changes in areas or techniques until you find answer. If crankbaits near docks don't produce, remember that problem could be bait, the location or the technique. Don't change all 3 at once necessarily, change one at a time. Eliminate variables.

Also, as odd as it sounds, make sure that you are expecting to get bit, so that then when it doesn't happen, you have the urge to change something up. Without that, you may just continue to do what isn't working over & over and be complacent with the lack of results.

david in va reply :

Just could be like my Dads first cousin always told me, you aint holding your mouth right. You will get it keep trying.

RoLo reply :

You've mentioned over a half-dozen lures you fished, more than I generally fish on a given day.

I might be off-base, but it sounds like a "locational" issue to me, followed closely by lure delivery.

To be sure, there is no lure and no color that can substitute for the correct Location and Delivery.

Roger

lonnie g reply :

don't know about the river chain you are fishing , but the cussa river chain great for KY spots . use bullet nose or shaky head with finess worm. green pumpkin red works well. fish rocky points. work worm real slow. sometimes all you feel is slight tic. jerk shes there. there is some kind of green colored eel they feed on. best of luck to you.

papajoe222 reply :

My suggestion is to put your rods in your car, go out and scan a section of the water with your electronics looking for structure and baitfish. If there is cover there also, so much for the better. Go back to your car, get your rods and fish those spots with an appropriate presentation. If you still don't catch anything and others are.......................take up golf.

Angry John reply :

If there is a lot of water to cover and it's sainted or muddy try a black blue 4" swim bait on an owner weighted hook swim jig or chatterbait. These are good for covering a lot of water until you locate the fish. If the fish are up shallow a 4-6 inch lizard will get bit this time of year. Green pumpkin or other dark colors would be first choice. If you can get out fish an incoming front. While the pressures drop the bass seem to tie on the feed bag.

AustinHellickson reply :

ned rig

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 5:53 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Sounds like maybe wrong colors for stained waters and you're bank fishing from a boat.Invest in some sonar my friend and make your life a little easier.

What's you're suggestions on colors man it's not real muddy, you can see around 3 or 4 foot down but it's like a tea color. I'm not fishing on banks fishing around little islands we have a bunch of big islands in the middle of the river with a bunch of overhanging cover and all kinds of stumps and under water wood and you would think that they would produce but they don't or im doin somthin wrong lol, but yeah some electronics will be my next purchase

On 4/6/2017 at 7:27 AM, papajoe222 said:

My suggestion is to put your rods in your car, go out and scan a section of the water with your electronics looking for structure and baitfish. If there is cover there also, so much for the better. Go back to your car, get your rods and fish those spots with an appropriate presentation. If you still don't catch anything and others are.......................take up golf.

What's a good forum for golfin lol nah man I'll keep tryin I'll figure it out cause I know there in there just gotta keep on keepin on

CTBassin860 reply :

Soft plastics throw stuff like solid black,black/blue,junebug.Same with jigs.As for hardbaits imitate the natural forage.Not sure what that is where you are.

geo g reply :

I will give you a bait that will catch-em when nothing else will, all over the south. Get a bunch of 4" senko's or BPS stick-o's in watermelon red for clear water, and junebug or black for dirty water. Pair it with a 1/32 bullet weight and texas rig it. The light weight will allow it to flutter through the water column and allow you to get some action with the bait along the bottom. Fish it slow!!!!! First dead stick then slowly jerk and pause and change up on how long it sits. Remember what you were doing when the bass hit. Was it sitting still, was it just just jerked off the bottom, or were you dragging it along the bottom. Did they bite it on the fall. You can throw it in the heaviest cover and with the light weight it will swim through and over without hanging up. This bait has saved many a day for me for over twenty years. It will catch bass of all size if you get it in front of their face. Great in open water along drop offs. Just let it flutter all the way to the bottom. It often doesn't make it, before you see the line jump. Good luck buddy. Remember slow, slow, and slower, in and around the thick stuff.

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 9:03 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Soft plastics throw stuff like solid black,black/blue,junebug.Same with jigs.As for hardbaits imitate the natural forage.Not sure what that is where you are.

That's on the lines of the colors ive been throwin but my jerkbaits aren't natural but thanks for the advice man appreciate it

On 4/6/2017 at 9:09 AM, geo g said:

I will give you a bait that will catch-em when nothing else will, all over the south. Get a bunch of 4" senko's or BPS stick-o's in watermelon red for clear water, and junebug or black for dirty water. Pair it with a 1/32 bullet weight and texas rig it. The light weight will allow it to flutter through the water column and allow you to get some action with the bait along the bottom. Fish it slow!!!!! First dead stick then slowly jerk and pause and change up on how long it sits. Remember what you were doing when the bass hit. Was it sitting still, was it just just jerked off the bottom, or were you dragging it along the bottom. Did they bite it on the fall. You can throw it in the heaviest cover and with the light weight it will swim through and over without hanging up. This bait has saved many a day for me for over twenty years. It will catch bass of all size if you get it in front of their face. Great in open water along drop offs. Just let it flutter all the way to the bottom. It often doesn't make it, before you see the line jump. Good luck buddy.

Thanks man ima give it a try next time I go out this weekend, bought a pack of yum 5 inch worms in watermelon red with some purple flake and some wobble heads Yeaterday, hope you're right and it will catch me some fish thanks for the help man

geo g reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 9:12 AM, RippinLips57 said:

That's on the lines of the colors ive been throwin but my jerkbaits aren't natural but thanks for the advice man appreciate it

Thanks man ima give it a try next time I go out this weekend, bought a pack of yum 5 inch worms in watermelon red with some purple flake and some wobble heads Yeaterday, hope you're right and it will catch me some fish thanks for the help man

When its tough, slow, slow and slower!!!!

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 5:31 AM, fishingram24 said:

You may want to move a bit farther north and get up into the Delta area above I-10. Not my personal favorite but I have fished the Delta quite a few times and there is a lot of water to fish. Coastal rivers are much different than big lakes and reservoirs with tides having a major impact on the fish. Never heard of Fowl River being a prime bass location, Dog River not much better. One more thing, Snagless Sally in the Brusier color(black, blue, purple) or chartreuse/white will catch you some fish.

I don't know man but i know there's a pretty good population of bass in fowl river because I see people catchin them all the time. I've never heard of the snagless sally but I'll have to check it out thanks for postin

RoLo reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 9:12 AM, RippinLips57 said:

That's on the lines of the colors ive been throwin but my jerkbaits aren't natural but thanks for the advice man appreciate it

Thanks man ima give it a try next time I go out this weekend, bought a pack of yum 5 inch worms in watermelon red with some purple flake and some wobble heads Yeaterday, hope you're right and it will catch me some fish thanks for the help man

I'd suggest fishing nothing but green-pumpkin lures, then put lure color totally out of your mind.

Now devote 'all' your attention to finding fish and lure delivery. You might be amazed.

Roger

NCbassraider reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:29 PM, TOXIC said:

The Senko will end your slump. Texas rig a 5 inch senko on a 4.0 EWG Gamakatsu hook and throw it around the cover. Fish it S_L_O_W.

I agree with this except fish it weightless on the 3/0 Gamakatsu. Gary Yamamoto says the 5" Senko is made to fish weightless on a 3/0 and I agree.

And fish it SLOW. It will fall about 6"/second so be patient and every time it hits bottom twitch it around gently like a Ned rig before pulling it up again.

Almost everyone fishes every bait too fast but especially Senkos. It comes from watching to much power fishing on TV fishing and general impatience, I imagine.

roadwarrior reply :

Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 6:50 PM, roadwarrior said:

Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own

Thanks for the links man I'm goin to definitely try you're idea with the senko next time I go out thanks for the help appreciate it

jimf reply :

On 4/5/2017 at 11:20 PM, Scarborough817 said:

it's not what you are fishing but where, spot is much more important than lure choice

This is exactly what I would base the advice I would give which would be to simplify - pick a lure and fish it the way it was intended in the cover intended, and do it all day. Concentrate on nothing but that lure in the water and what it's doing.

scaleface reply :

It boils down to experience . A correct lure at a correct place at a correct time . If you dont mind putting in long hours with little to show for it , then it will come .

I dont use ned rigs , wacky rigs , drop shots , Alabama rigs , split shot rigs ... and still catch good numbers with a few big ones thrown in .

CDMeyer reply :

Sounds like alot of cover. My approach to that would be tossing a 1/4 oz swimjig that matches the hatch aroudn the area. Alos have rod with a senko and another with a T-Rig (you will have to experiment with beavers/creatures/powerworms to see what you are best at and what works). I fish the swimjig as a search bait and then I slow down around really high precentage areas and toss the soft plastics.

dk2429 reply :

Texas rig a watermelon red or pumpkin seed trick worm with a bullet weight, cast toward the shore/ cover and work it back. If nothing else gets them to bite, those bass can't hesitate a texas rigged trick worm

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/7/2017 at 7:16 AM, dk2429 said:

Texas rig a watermelon red or pumpkin seed trick worm with a bullet weight, cast toward the shore/ cover and work it back. If nothing else gets them to bite, those bass can't hesitate a texas rigged trick worm

That's what I'm gonna try this weekend that's what everybody has been tellin me, hopefully it works thanks for the advice man appreciate it

RippinLips57 reply :

Has anybody had any luck with the kietech 4.5' in electric shad well any color but I picked some up and I was going to tie one of them on and chunk it out there and see if they like them, has anybody had any success with them?

WRB reply :

Does the Fowl rivers brackish water have a Shad population.....or any other slender minnows? This is your problem, trying to find a panacea instead of locatin the bass.

Tom

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/7/2017 at 9:58 AM, WRB said:

Does the Fowl rivers brackish water have a Shad population.....or any other slender minnows? This is your problem, trying to find a panacea instead of locatin the bass.

Tom

Yeah we have all kinds of little minnows and baitfish not too sure about shad but yeah.

fishingfuji reply :

On 4/6/2017 at 5:53 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Sounds like maybe wrong colors for stained waters and you're bank fishing from a boat.Invest in some sonar my friend and make your life a little easier.

I'm going to have to agree with this...the right colors for the right color waters is key. And if you have a boat get a sonar and learn to use it, youtube is your friend. The sonar will help be in the right place more often. I even use it when bank fishing with the Deeper Pro+. Saves time on searching

CTBassin860 reply :

On 4/7/2017 at 9:57 PM, fishingfuji said:

I'm going to have to agree with this...the right colors for the right color waters is key. And if you have a boat get a sonar and learn to use it, youtube is your friend. The sonar will help be in the right place more often. I even use it when bank fishing with the Deeper Pro+. Saves time on searching

Thats exactly what i meant by bank fishing from a boat.If you have a boat dont go out blind.

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/8/2017 at 2:26 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Thats exactly what i meant by bank fishing from a boat.If you have a boat dont go out blind.

Hey everybody sorry for not givin any feed back lately, but I went out Saturday and Sunday throwin Texas rigs and soft plastics like y'all said but I didn't get anything, I'm not talkin crap to the people who told me too use that lol I could have been workin it wrong or somthing but we launched around 8 and came in around 6 both days and didn't have any luck but we went out Wednesday and yesterday and I started throwin this mid diving crank in chartreuse shad that I picked up Monday and they started hitting it like crazy I caught 2 on it Wednesday afternoon and lost 2 and yesterday we caught 3 and lost 1, they weren't big they were between 1 and 3 pounds but it was still awesome to finally start makin some progress and catching some of themi, but I lost the lure in some carpet underwater lol that sucks ima have to pick it up again but thanks for everybody who gave me advice I appreciate it i figured I'd just give y'all some feedback

visagelaid reply :

At least youre catching some fish!

RippinLips57 reply :

Yeah I know man, glad I'm starting to figure them out a little bit

dk2429 reply :

And because you don't have the $100k Ranger of course! jk

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/15/2017 at 1:59 AM, dk2429 said:

And because you don't have the $100k Ranger of course! jk

Lol

dk2429 reply :

On 4/15/2017 at 12:01 AM, RippinLips57 said:

Yeah I know man, glad I'm starting to figure them out a little bit

Yeah it takes some time. I'm surprised you couldn't get them to hit on the texas rig. Like I said, I'm sure most can agree when I say if nothing else works, that texas rigged worm will. But like the other guy said, at least your catching them. It's really trial and error. Watch youtube videos, and just get out there and start trying different things. Matter in fact, I'm in your same boat right now when it comes to saltwater. I used to have a bass boat, and I've grown up bass fishing. But I recently got a bay boat to go after the trout/reds in the salt and I'm still trying to figure them out.Just takes time man!

RippinLips57 reply :

On 4/15/2017 at 10:53 AM, dk2429 said:

Yeah it takes some time. I'm surprised you couldn't get them to hit on the texas rig. Like I said, I'm sure most can agree when I say if nothing else works, that texas rigged worm will. But like the other guy said, at least your catching them. It's really trial and error. Watch youtube videos, and just get out there and start trying different things. Matter in fact, I'm in your same boat right now when it comes to saltwater. I used to have a bass boat, and I've grown up bass fishing. But I recently got a bay boat to go after the trout/reds in the salt and I'm still trying to figure them out.Just takes time man!

Yeah I don't know man I could have been workin that Texas rig wrong or somthing. That's the same as me lol ive been fishin offshore And inland out of daulphin island my whole life but I just bought a little 16 foot Lowe about 2 months ago and fishin freshwater is a totally different story from fishin saltwater but I'm starting to figure it out a little lol but good luck to learning that saltwater man

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