Help us!!!

[Dub J]

Hey guys, My name is Jason and Ive been reading/observing the site and have to say I love it. Me and my buddy paul have been fishing for a few years now and we feel like we are just "Guessing" how to catch bass. Sure, we watch all the shows and try to use all the right baits but it seems something is missing. We generally fish OHL and cumberland towards ashland city. My Question is, how do we get good? I know that sounds like a dumb question, or mabye just relative, but seriously........how do you figure out when they spawn and where, moon positioning, bait choice, color, water temp, offshore structure, etc, etc, I watch Bill Dance every chance I get. But he just doesnt satisfy my curiosity for knowledge. Is there a book I need to read? Should I just fish with guys that know, and learn from them? I want to stop the guessing. I talk to pros that I know and they say just plug it out man.....youll figure it out eventually. Can anyone help? :o Thanks!

[sterling21]

Hey guys, My name is Jason and Ive been reading/observing the site and have to say I love it. Me and my buddy paul have been fishing for a few years now and we feel like we are just "Guessing" how to catch bass. Sure, we watch all the shows and try to use all the right baits but it seems something is missing. We generally fish OHL and cumberland towards ashland city. My Question is, how do we get good? I know that sounds like a dumb question, or mabye just relative, but seriously........how do you figure out when they spawn and where, moon positioning, bait choice, color, water temp, offshore structure, etc, etc, I watch Bill Dance every chance I get. But he just doesnt satisfy my curiosity for knowledge. Is there a book I need to read? Should I just fish with guys that know, and learn from them? I want to stop the guessing. I talk to pros that I know and they say just plug it out man.....youll figure it out eventually. Can anyone help? :o Thanks!
hey guys im glad you decided to atleast try this sport an have a will to learn you know you can watch tv ,read books ,info off of computer but the best thing to do is fish !!!!! go out an start looking your book info and websites can only help u get started once you get to the water you have to determine were you are going to start fishing you can start at the boat ramp you dont have to run a bunch of miles to catch fish you can catch fish inside a good sixe creek year around you dont have to go every which way . If you will take a creek an start fishing never go out of it just go from different sides of creek remeber what you caught your fish on ,how ,when how fast you were moving it an just start looking for that same pattern that day you can usually be percentent that day ,as off shore structure that takes some learning how too read maps an making them useful on the water if you are ideling n the middle of the lake an you see a hump or something thats irregular pick a rod up an cast to it you never know try using a heavy sinker on a texas rig you will tell alot what it is rock , trees you never know til you try . try an error spend of time on the water an you will start figureing how excatly what the info you have seen an read actually makes since . by the way bill dance fishes in a pond he has some good info but dont think you can go out an catch big fish all day long like him inless you can talk him in to taking you to his personal ponds lol so there is no better way then spend some time on the water

[Dub J]

Thanks Sterling21!!! Will take your advice, I appreciate the input.

[sterling21]

Thanks Sterling21!!! Will take your advice, I appreciate the input.
no problem you cant learn if you dont try everyone has there own favorite color or baits or way of fishing go find yours when you first start buying baits get a variety an find out what works for you just because it might work for me or somone else dont mean its going to work for you , you have to find your own style an ways that is confortable for you . you never know you might run across something totally different from everyone else fishing that day an it might be the way to catches the biggest fish for that paticular day . you will ever know til you try you have to catch one before you catch two,you cannt catch a fish setting on your couch just because you caught a few that day an somone else caught a bunch dont mean you want go out tom an figure out a way to catch more be open minded an wet a line

[tsuggs]

i fish the closest put in to my house which is stones river.i save on gas n time but for me the thing that has helped me out is slowing down my presentation.ive noticed alot of guys just cast n reel and do not pay attntn to thir bait or line and when the bite is tuff people want to pick upo and move.for me i fish 95% time in skinny water and have caught all species year round and when u get skunked sit back and realize how lucky we are in usa and how peaceful mother nature is.o yea try and log yer trips,airtemp water temp,baits used,bait fish observations,etc.

[Travis C.]

My Question is, how do we get good?

Answer: Lots of time on the water applying what you learned while off it.

You can shorten the beginning curve by taking a guided trip with someone familiar to he water you will be fishing. But, what your pro friends say is true. You will eventually have a "light bulb" moment where you realize what you're doing is working. Then continue to build off of that.

I would first say instead of trying to learn as much about how to catch bass you should really learn about the bass themself. Learn the seasonal patterns, food preference, habitat, spawing cycle and etc. If you start here then move onto the how-to part it will mean much more to you. Also, it will give you a better idea of when/where to apply it.

Example would be...When they say fish bigger baits slower in the winter time.

Sounds simple enough right but the reason has to do with a bass metabolisom is slowed down because they are cold blooded and simply won't move far for food unless it is worth the energy expended to catch it.

There are a lot of books and various other media available to help. Almost every Bass Elite has some sort of articles on their site to help.

Check these out:

http://www.bassresource.com/

http://www.bassedge.com/

http://www.in-fisherman.com/

http://www.dougoutdoors.com/dougoutdoors/Doug_Outdoors_Home_Page.html

[Dakota]

Hey guys, My name is Jason and Ive been reading/observing the site and have to say I love it. Me and my buddy paul have been fishing for a few years now and we feel like we are just "Guessing" how to catch bass. Sure, we watch all the shows and try to use all the right baits but it seems something is missing. We generally fish OHL and cumberland towards ashland city. My Question is, how do we get good? I know that sounds like a dumb question, or mabye just relative, but seriously........how do you figure out when they spawn and where, moon positioning, bait choice, color, water temp, offshore structure, etc, etc, I watch Bill Dance every chance I get. But he just doesnt satisfy my curiosity for knowledge. Is there a book I need to read? Should I just fish with guys that know, and learn from them? I want to stop the guessing. I talk to pros that I know and they say just plug it out man.....youll figure it out eventually. Can anyone help? :o Thanks!

Go when ever you can!!
Break the lake/river down into small lakes/rivers. Dont get overwhelmed on covering every square foot of the lake/river in a day. Find a confidence bait for all water depths and get really really good at them. We all have confindence baits. I love fishing a jig with netbait trailer. Try it and throw it into cover. Dont be worried about hanging up, its more weedless that you think. I like to fish for many species which keeps it interesting. Make notes/remember what happened that day/year. Ask other anglers, who fish the same areas. Just have fun and be safe out there. Enjoy, Dakota

[Jim]

I agree with what everyone is saying. Practice on a small area and figure it out. Once you find the fish, you can tweak your presentation to get better and better.

It also helps to simplify in the beginning. Fish with two rods and put a white spinnerbait or shad colored crankbait on one and a dark-colored jig or worm on the other one. Use the first set up to search and cover water and toss the worm into any good looking cover as come across it.

I like spinnerbaits for shallow cover, make it hit and go over, through, or past any cover. If you keep it moving they are amazingly snag resistant and bass love them. Crankbaits are good for covering shallow open water and finding cover you can't see. Just pick on that dives to the typical bottom depth you are fishing and when it hits something pause it. Bass love these also. After you hit something with the crankbait, cast right back to the spot with the worm or jig. Use the crankbait as the search tool to find the cover and the jig to catch the fish.

Get really good with a few lures so you know what a fish, cover, snags feel like. If you change bait size, type, or weight too often it is hard to develop a feel for the lure.

I really use the spinnerbait/worm combo most, but have friends that wear them out with the crankbait/jig combo also. If you get the spinnerbait, crankbait, jig/worm down, you can catch bass anywhere in the country.

Good luck,
Jim

[clean air]

What kind of boat do you have and how old are you?If you can you should go with somebody that knows so you can learn the hows,whens and whys.You can pulg away but if your not doing things right you wont catch much.Then you get discouraged and stop going.Is it just bass you need help with?Can you do pretty good on other species?

[ALANRAYG2]

Hi, First I want to say this is my first post on this site. This is the best site on the internet that I have found. A Big Thanks for the person hosting this site.
I had the same problem many years ago that you now have. I lived in Ohio and fished a shallow 100 acre flat mud bottom lake. I wanted to catch bass . So I read two magazines. In-Fisherman and Fishing Facts. They taught mostly structure and how different species used it and seasonal movements. After reading and watching tv shows and trying to apply what I could on my little lake. I caught fish and was known as one of the better fisherman on that little lake. I wanted to know more and to fish better lakes.
Mostly what I read was about structure fishing. " no structure on my little lake". So I had to improvise. I tried to imagine what I saw above ground and what it would look like below the surface and where would the fish travel and locate. Every where I went I did this. Then I moved to Tennessee !!!! I had a real problem understanding what I saw on the depth finder and tried to imagine what it would like above the water. I spent long hours just idling over points, humps, and following ditches. Throwing bouys really helped me a lot. Good maps are needed. My success was getting better but I really work hard for my lessons. Then one day a local friend took me out and showed me how to fish this structure. The light went on and I was getting better almost over night. I fished with lots of bass fisherman and learned everything I could from each of them. Over all, I feel I can just about hold my own on the area lakes.
I suggest every thing the others have posted, I have a couple suggestions for you too. Fish Priest. It is loaded with small bass. Almost all types of structure can be found there. You can use all the techniques used around the country for them. The lake is pressured as the best lakes usually are. But you need to catch fish. Even small ones. Never stop learning. Always be aware of the water color, current, wind, clouds, temps in the water and air. Observe the lunar tables. Watch the birds especially the gulls. Learn about the food supply; crawfish, shad, bluegills...ect. The bass will not be where there is no or limited food supply. And most of all " Enjoy your trip and share it with good friends. Good Luck

[Dub J]

Wow......I didn't expect this much help!!! I really appreciate it. Im 32 and have caught bass plenty of times before just few and far between. And when we go....there's never any rhyme or reason to when or how we do or don't catch fish. Its like we just guess. Alot of days we get skunked. We just toss bait in the water and hope for the best. We try to pick appropriate color based on water clarity and sometimesit pays off. I need to learn patterns like you were saying. And spring is coming so I know they will be spawning shallow...right?? I just want to feel more confident and like you said it takes time I guess. Oh by the way, I bought an old G3 and fixed it up with cast decks and storage compartments to answer your question clean air. I have pics if u guys are interested.

[clean air]

I would fish smaller waters before you go to the main lakes.It can be easier to fish the rivers and creeks on the lakes than fishing the main lake.There isnt really an answer for your question cause what is working for one body of water may not somewhere else.Sometimes it takes years to develop a pattern that works year round.I think the fastest way to get good on a certain lake or river is to hire a guide or find somebody that knows what there doing.Within a few trips that should get you started in the right direction and you wont have alot of wasted trips figuring out what side of the lake you should be fishing.They will also know about colors, baits,water temps,and all the other factors that make fish feed.

[Jim]

As far as patterns go for Largemouth bass. We are still in a late winter pattern. Deep basin areas near structure and cover. Things will change quickly as the water warms. Fish will begin to move toward the back of creeks and bays and will generally follow the creek channels. This movement will take a month or two for most of the bass to get to their spawning grounds. So look for major points that hit the creek channels or creek channel banks near main lake basins first, then midway back into the creeks and coves, and then all the way back as it warms up. The fish will move further into the creeks and bays as it warms and drop back when a cold front comes through. They will not all move at once or at the same time is all areas of the lake. Once the bass spawn, they will generally reverse the path back out to main lake areas, especially ledges and humps along the old river channels. That is the best summertime pattern.

Since you have a boat. Guess where they will be based on water temp. Closer to 45 start near main lake basins, closer to 60 start in the back of the creeks. If they are not where you start, then move to the next closest area on their pathway. Repeat until you figure out where they are and then work on similar areas trying different baits until you zero in on the fish.

Sounds easy, but it is not. That is the practice and experience part. If you pick good bass baits. Crankbait, spinnerbait, jig, and worms, donʻt worry about changing lures as these definitely catch bass. Just keep moving until you find them. Then slow down and see what they really want.

If you find the bass during a prespawn run, you can really catch a bunch. And if you find the big females, you can put a huge stringer of fish together fast. Just remember to carefully release all big fish in the spring as they are heading in to spawn and the big females produce the most babies.

I hope that helps and good luck,
Jim

[jebtcop]

I agree with what everyone else has already said. Basically, you need to fish as much as possible. If you can, get with someone who is experienced (and has the patience :D) and tag along when they get on the water. Don't feel like you have to acquire every kind of lure on the market. Many of them are better at catching us, the fishermen, than anything else.

Learn how to use some of the basics...plastic worm, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless cranks (like Rat-L-Traps/Cotton Cordells etc...) jigs, and maybe a topwater bait. You will be able to cover just about any depth with those lures. Also, these lures can be used, quite effectively, by simply casting to a an area and reeling them in. Be sure to speed up and slow down the lure during your retrieval. Pay close attention to your presentation. When you catch a fish, try to remember specifics of that cast. The fish has just told you what it wanted. It may have liked the speed of your retrieval, or maybe you returned your lure by a stump and the fish ambushed it. Then, on your subsequent casts, try to duplicate that successful cast. As you become more proficient with a lure, you will be able to develop more advanced methods of fishing it.

It is also beneficial to learn as much as possible through fishing magazines, books and this forum. I've found the folks on this site to be very kind and helpful whenever I've had a question. As far as the 300 different fishing shows on the air nowadays... I used to watch all that I could find. I began to realize that while I enjoyed watching these shows, I usually didn't learn that much. They tell you what kind of bait they are using and some of the basic information about depth and location, but many don't really break it down and get into specifics. Sometimes you can get the idea of what they are doing by watching their presentation, but a lot of times, the camera is on their face while they talk. When I was a kid, these shows were even downright depressing. I would buy the same lures, in the same colors and never catch a thing. Meanwhile, the guys on TV seemed to only catch 5-10 pound fish on every other cast. :D I didn't learn until a few years later that a 30 minute segment could have been put together from 3 days of fishing.

Good luck and have fun!

[Dub J]

DUDE...............Its like you took the words right out of my mouth, I watch KVD and hes like.......try my new red eye shad its the best damn lure in the world! So I go out and buy like one of every color and fish it just like he says to fish it.....reel reel reel then let it drop.................reel reel reel..........drop. Nothing. :confused:
Its more the "where and when" that plagues us than anything else. We "seem" to pick the right bait for the water color but its the location I think that gets us confused. We fish docks, shore line, and any structure that we see...but have a hard time putting the pieces together. I see these guys on TV out in the middle of the lake, catching the @#$% outta fish and Im like........How the helll did they know where to put the damn boat!!! I think I need to get a good graph, Ive been looking at the new HDS units but they are pricey. As of now we use a crappy little wide 100 hummingbird. I know that if I had a good finder, that it would probably make a big difference. You guys dont realize how big of a help you are and how cool it is to have a site thats focused on our waterways right here in Tennessee. Im Thankful!!!!!

[Jim]

Iʻm going to change my answer for the third time :D

As you keep adding information, it really helps to understand where you are as a fisherman.

One thing, your depthfinder is fine. It was state of the art 6-10 years ago and can really work if you take the time to learn it. Donʻt worry about looking for fish in the beginning, just zig-zag in a good looking area (off a point or down some shoreline) and see where the drop offs are. Look for the creek channel.

Once you find it, use a heavy football head jig (1/2 oz at least), a heavy texas rigged worm, or maybe best a very heavy (1 oz) carolina rig with a lizard. Take your time to work the point or channel all the way out. Cast across it and up and down it and you will feel things with the heavy weights. All are pretty snag resistant, but great for "feeling" what is down there. When you find something, cast to it repeatedly until you are sure there are no fish by it.

Focus you effort on depths from 5 to 20 ft deep until much later in the prespawn. Lots of time the sweet spot seems to be 8 to 14 ft deep. I think it is the typical depth where most crankbaits and spinnerbaits go right over the top.

Wait until the end of March to even consider pounding the shallow shoreline cover unless you want crappie. It is not that no bass will be shallow, but 80% will be where you are fishing.

This definitely works on Old Hickory.

Good luck,
Jim

[Travis C.]

I watch KVD and hes like.......try my new red eye shad its the best damn lure in the world! So I go out and buy like one of every color and fish it just like he says to fish it.....reel reel reel then let it drop.................reel reel reel..........drop. Nothing. :confused:

Don't feel bad about that man. There are pros that fish against him every tournament thinkin the same thing.

I am 31 and he is by far and away the best crankbait fisherman I have ever seen.

[Travis C.]

I think I need to get a good graph, Ive been looking at the new HDS units but they are pricey. As of now we use a crappy little wide 100 hummingbird. I know that if I had a good finder, that it would probably make a big difference.

Does it have the fish ID's?

Is so turn them off. I used to sell sonar and that is one of the biggest jokes that have came along in years. The units with fish ID when that is on can't tell what is junk floating or fish. They only way to curb some of that is put it on manual and learn tell by the "arch's." One good example are those fishing over a spot and it is showing fish stacked up off the bottom. They will fish that for hours when it is actually a tree. Fish don't stack on top of each other. Also, that is one reason very....very few LEI (Lorance) units have them. They are highly inaccurate.

You can out it on manual, then adjust your sensitivity more will send more power down but will also bring in more clutter at the top. Think of it like a flashlight in a closet probably works fine but take that same light into an auditorium you can't see as much so you will need more power.You can also send to signal down twice to get a better shot of the bottom. Say you are in 10ft and set the depth to show 20ft the signal will go down up then down giving you a "double bottom" on your screen. That can help you pick a tree laying on the bottom with the not so high-def models. If all this seems a bit much just try leaving your unit on auto and just adjusting the sensitivity up/down until you get surface clutter then back it off one and that will help you out.

Also, if you are in an area where you caught fish before yet don't see them on the screen anywhere. It is possible they are still there. Sonar doesn't show true bottom. You can drop your line down by the unit (only works with 2,000watts/240vertical pixles or higher) and the lure will disappear before hitting the bottom. The fish could be there just laying on the bottom. There are no telling how many are passed up because they aren't "seen" on the graph. On units that are capable of seeing you lure and fishing by sight you can see the fish come out of no where to hit it.

You can get a lot out of you unit with a few tweaks here or there but also learning how to fully use it. They say electronics is something you never go cheap on but in the same sense I am more than in the same boat as some who can't quite fork over the HDS/1197SI $$$ yet.

Just another piece of the puzzle that will help find those bass.

[RiverShoes]

I'm the other half of the equation here.... Me and DubJ go fishin together. Fresh water is brand new to me, I just started fishing it last year as I grew up on the coast.

I've read the InFisherman and that seems to be a good source for info. I noticed they have the lunar charts in the back. How does that effect the fish?

And also, how about this scenario. We fish the south harpeth a lot since it's close to the house. The fish are small, but in early to mid summer there are a lot of them. Come to the end of summer or right now, and they're nowhere to be found. Where the hell have they gone! I mean that river goes on for MILES and MILES. Do they swim all that distance to some spot that is deeper, and then come back to spawn in the shallower parts?

[Travis C.]

I've read the InFisherman and that seems to be a good source for info. I noticed they have the lunar charts in the back. How does that effect the fish?

As far as a scientific answer I don't have one. But a lot of species spawn depends on water temps and a full moon or a moon phase. There are three spawns as bass fishermen that we should have our eye on and they have to do with moon phases.

First, Largemouth Spawn when the water is in the 60's in the mornings start looking for a full moon on your calendar. They will tend to make their first move to spawn at this time. Granted this not a guarantee for all but something to look for. The larger fish will spawn early and not all spawn shallow.

Second, Shad Spawn reaches its peak most of the time the full moon following the peak of the Largemouth spawn. Bass will target them heavily as come off bed looking pack back on everything lost from the spawn.

Third, Bluegill Spawn usually falls around the first full moon in May. You can always smell the strong "fishy" smell around the lake when this happens. Bass key in on this and cruise the edges to pick off the bluegills who are trying to spawn since all are condensed into a small shallow area.

Another thing with the moon to keep an eye on is its "moonrise" and "moonset." Just like the sun coming up and going down creates a period of a good bite. Again I don't know the science of it but I do fish a lot at night and especially on full moon nights this is big and I guess it goes back to light penetration into the water just like with the sun.

[Travis C.]

Almost forgot another important one. Crayfish are bass top food choice when available. They molt (change skins like when a snake grows) at night spring thru summer on full moons. Bass will be up in the shallows hunting them pretty hard on these days because right after they shed their new shell isn't hard right away. It is like a soft shell crab delight to them.

[RiverShoes]

THAT'S the kind of info I'm talking about! That's great information Travis, thanks!

[Dub J]

Yes that is definitly the type of Info that we were looking for!! Thats gonna help alot man.....thanks Travis. Now I gotta go put it to use!! :D

[jokerwld]

You say you beat the shore and alot of fish are caught doing that. one thing to add to that is make sure you cover all angles for the cover you are casting at. As an example if you are cast to a downed tree don't just cast one side of it. Work the whole tree. I cant tell you how many times either my self or my partner pulled a fish off a piece of cover that the other person already fished. one of use had a different angle or other subtle difference and the fish reacted to it. also always try different presentations on retrieves. KVD is reel,reel,reel, drop and that works for him try reel reel drop or reel reel rip or something. Find what works for you.And last but not least pay attention to your equipment. What I mean by this is when I first started throwing big crank baits my reel gear ration was 6.5 or something goofy. besides wearing my arms out I was cranking that bait so fast a bass couldn't have caught it unless he had turbo. Once I figured out what the issue was and dropped to a 5.1 geared reel my arms stopped looking like popeye and I was catching big bass in the middle of the lake that could actually catch my lure :)

[Travis C.]

also always try different presentations on retrieves. KVD is reel,reel,reel, drop and that works for him try reel reel drop or reel reel rip or something.

I want to second that and explain it how someone once told me. Bass are predators and you have to trigger interest in what you are presenting. Think of it like you took the hooks off your lure and pitched it over to the house cat. If you just reel it in the cat may or may not come after it. The cat may just follow it to see what it does. Now instead of just reeling it straight back stop it, wiggle it, move it quick then stop and so forth. You will find the cat has a far different reaction now.

A predator is a predator they are all wired the same.

[tsuggs]

very useful info.did i mention how much i love this site!!!

[RiverShoes]

I think the point about the predator instinct and presentation is a good one, as well as the different angle approach.

I noticed this very thing a couple of times last summer. Once, we were fishing a spot off the cumberland where there was a point. When I slowed my presentation, jigged it a little, and started to go at an angle down the bank and out the point, I caught like 2 bass and a catfish on my crank bait in the very same spot we had fished several times that morning. And DubJ had just cast into the same area.

[Dub J]

What he forgot to mention was how hes a fish thief!!!!:mad: Hahahahah We were fishing this creek late last fall when the shad were schooling and I was fishing a Strike King "Burner" white spinner bait......pauls fishin a Chartreuse color spinnnerbait. I cast on to this log several times and had bites on the blade of the bait. I tell paul "Hey cast over that log buddy!!" By that time we'd trolled a little down past the tree...anyway he casts and snags a damn 3 pounder!! MY FISH!!! Guess its partly my fault but the point is, that you are right Jokerwld. It can be the simplest thing it seems that trigger a bite....color, one side of the structure or the other, or retrieve etc etc. Makes sense man.

[Travis C.]

What he forgot to mention was how hes a fish thief!!!!:mad: Hahahahah :D

I did that once with dad. We were on Table Rock fishing for smallies and I had just caught about a 2lb smallmouth when dad hung up. He couldn't get it out so I told him let me have a shot at it. I popped it out but as soon as it came loose it got real tight again. This time it was due to a 3 1/2lb smallie on the other end.

As you can imagine I have yet to live that one down.

[jebtcop]

That's not as bad as fishing a spinnerbait for probably 20 minutes straight, without any interest...handing the rod to your buddy while you dig through your tackle box and watching in disbelief when he gets a bass on one cast of your rod. Lmao! :D

[Dub J]

Paul did that to me once too!!!!:mad::mad: A-hole!! hahahah We had to stop for a minute so I could make a phone call.....he gets bored waiting so he just nonchalantly just throws a spinnerbait over his shoulder without even lookin where it landed and drags in a 3 pounder. HAHAH What the hell?? :confused: I was pissed. :mad:

[RiverShoes]

I told you, the fish gods were unpleased with your work phone calls in the boat! :)