The past couple of weeks I've been finding huge schools of bass laying under bait balls on ledges. Only problem is I can not get many if any to bite. I can watch them chase on the graph and have one occasionally bust the surface so I know at least some of them are actively feeding.
What would you do to pull a few off of these spots? I feel like I've thrown everything short of dynamite at them but I'm sure I'm missing something
I've always had a hard time catching them if there is a ton of bait in the area unless they are busting them on top.
Jason
2015 Phoenix 919 225 ProXs
Match the hatch?
Sometimes, you just simply can't catch fish on artificial lures...even moreso if they are heavily pressured.
I've been matching the hatch the best I can but I'm just tossing hay into a haystack
I may try up sizing like I do when they push the bait into creeks during the fall.
Try a 3/4 to 1 oz spinner bait. Position the boat off the ledge, cast to the top and work the spinner bait in short hops down the ledge. When you see a school under the trolling motor, rip the spinner bait back up from the bottom with a series of rapid turns of the crank and a short pause, until you have the bait back to the surface. Hang on to the rod.
I fight with this situation all the time but with smallmouth. I've been succesful with 3.5" Swim Senko on 1/4oz jig head in baby bass color to match the hatch. Most of the bites come on the initial fall, if the bait makes it to the bottom I then yo-yo back to boat just like stroking a jig or blade fishing. Quick but expensive way to find active fish. I've tried other smaller SB's but its the profile/color that make the bait work.
had same thing today .. can be tuff some days and some days like taking candy .. LOL
How big is the bait in the balls? I've not fished the ledges on these TVA lakes so anything I say on the topic should be taken with a grain of salt, but one thing I've had some success doing lately around here is fishing something right through the bait that's big enough to spook them. We don't have shad here except for on the river, but here's an example of what I mean: The other morning I was out fishing a big grassy point and there were fish busting balls of small panfish, maybe 2 inches long. I threw a lot of stuff in and around them trying to get a bite before finally getting pissed and just ripping a chatterbait right through the middle of the ball that sent those little panfish flying everywhere trying to get out of the way. I caught two really nice largemouth that way that absolutely crushed that chatterbait before the sun came up and the bait scattered.
Maybe ripping something through the bait that's big enough to cause a commotion could get the bass to come take a look, then decide to take a bite once they realize it's food sized? Sort of intuitively makes sense I guess...if your bait blends in with the thousands of naturals there, what are the chances yours gets bit? Or maybe it's even appealing to the competitive instincts of the bass. Whatever the reason, it's worked for me more than once.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
I have had some luck by using spinning and a 1/8 oz shaky head with a 3" white to off white senko. don't skin hook the senko fish it exposed. finesse it . some real toads have fell for that and a ton of fun with spinning in deeper open water. I have one rigged about all the time now
Pick a shad rap the same size as the bait they are eating.
Try a spy bait
you might try this take a standard fluke either albino or sungill color , weighted falcon hook ( I use at least a 3/0 ) rig the bait like you normally would and cast it out it will fall down head first and if it makes it to the bottom then simply lift up ( vary this from short hops to big hops) and hopefully hang on lol ! Lots of times ive found baitfish and schools just like you have and I think they may just be gorged on the baitfish or something hasn't triggered them to start feeding. they are like us lol hard to make us eat more when were stuffed !
its a real stealthy approach and that zoom 4 inch fluke is hard to beat matching the size of baitfish. there are a lot more colors but these 2 work for me fishing deep structure ( 15 to 30ft) and they fall like they are injured or crippled and that may be the ticket to getting a bite or 2 .
Hope this helps
After I throw the kitchen sink at Tn Ledge fish, then I break out the fairy wand with a 4" drop shot worm. I HATE that thing, but it has saved me more times than not.
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