Need Tips/ Advice

[Kurt P]

So I went out and fished 14 hours this weekend (8 Saturday and 6 Sunday) and I only boated 4 Bass. I tried just about everything I could think of and I couldnt get on a pattern. The only thing that resembled a pattern was late Saturday. I was fishing a swim jig tipped with a fluke with a swim tail. I had 4 bites in 20 min and got one up to the boat that was probably about 1 LB before it shook off. I couldnt stay on this because my trolling motor died. I am going to detail what I used and how I caught my only 4 fish.

Fish 1
Time: Saturday 10am
Depth: 9 ft
Water Temp: 54
Lure: Med diving crank (internal rattle / small profile)
Size of Fish: 1.5 lb
Notes: I was fishing parallel to the shore right at the mouth of a channel. The water had a sharp drop from 4 to 9 feet and I was fishing along the 9 foot line.

Fish 2
Time: Saturday 3pm
Depth: 5 ft
Water Temp: 56
Lure: Swim Jig tipped with fluke w/swim tail (About 3” in total Length)
Size of Fish: Estimated 14” – maybe 1 lb
Notes: I had 4 bites on this in 20 minutes. Only got a hook set on this one. I fished a cadence to resemble a dying shad. 1-2-3-4-stop for 4-1-2-3-4 etc.. The area also had some grass and a lot of Big Rocks, but it wasn’t rocky..they were random large rocks.(Thinking these may be good ambush sites later in the year to run things past)
Time: Sunday 1pm

Fish 3
Depth: 9 ft
Water Temp: 54
Lure: Swim Med Diving Crank bait (internal rattle / small profile)
Size of Fish: 13” –less than 1 lb
Notes: I was fishing similarly to the way I was when I caught fish number 1 fishing parallel to the shore in about 9 feet of water running my crank over it at about 6 feet. Thought it may be a pattern and I fished the two channels I had these fish on for about another hour with nothing else to show for it.

Fish 4
Time: Sunday 2pm
Depth: 4 ft
Water Temp: 56.6!
Lure: Spinner Bait (Red White double willow blade)
Size of Fish: 14.5”
Notes: I found the warmest water in the lake in the back of a channel in about 4-5 feet of water. I was casting way back into and running the spinner over the grass. I had 1 other fish follow it up to the boat and break the surface after it when I pulled it out. I also had one follow a chatter bait with similar colors fishing it the same way.

I tried throwing a whole slew of things at them with no luck. The only thing I would say that i found out is that they were typically after baits with smaller profiles. I threw square bills at down trees, fished a Sweet beaver on a Texas Rig and a 1/2 oz Jig n'pig through several trees and 2 beaver dams. Through a jerk bait for a good amount of time and a Ratt'l trap. I also throw swim baits for a while..a small blue gill sized one and a larger shad one.

I fished several spots, but i didnt shore bang the whole lake. The areas I fished had 2 things in common. Warmest water in the lake 54+, and shallow water adjacent to deep water.

Based on my notes from this weekend does anyone have any suggestions? Anything I missed or they would have tried to throw at them??

I know this is a Potomac forum, but you guys are probably the best source for help and information. looks like a couple of you did alot better than I did this weekend! Im gonna get out on the river soon because I got my outboard running this weekend.

I know there are fish on the lake because Ive seen plenty of bass boats dropped into the tiny lake and i talked to someone who said he caught a 5lber on a jerk bait and someone caught 2 10 lbers last year.

-Kurt



Modified by Kurt P at 6:15 AM 3/21/2011

[goose]

Well one thing right off the guys that did well was on a river systum not a lake
The lake may take longer to start off with the bass staying deeper than you fished
even though you caught fish on the banks which end of the lake did you fish The west side should worm up quicker & turn on first If you find sunny banks might draw then into it better That's all I can give at this moment If I told you more You'd send all your time catching fish & not going back asking questions

[Kurt P]

Yes I fished the West side..I probably spent a good 10 hours fishing about 4 channels..I stuck to some spring basics that have worked before..1.Fish the West side of the lake because it gets the most sunlight and is the warmest water making bass most active(I also looked for other warmer pockets elsewhere but didnt find many above 55) 2. work from the mouth of the channel in..Id start with deeper baits running the crank and swimjig in 6-10 feet.. and spinners and shallow divers in the back in 3-5 feet of water..I typically look at a map and pick the areas I think the fish are going to be at with deep water near by and I fish them pretty hard hitting the whole water column..I wish I could go back today because I hate being outsmarted by fish...I was told that once it gets into the 60s it really pops off at that lake and 10 LBers have been pulled out of it so maybe patience is the key. Nonetheless ill be out there again this weekend trying to have a good day before I move onto another body of water..Id also like to run my outboard a bit more on this lake before I venture out onto the mighty potomac.

[Tom B]

Problem was you did not throw the rattle trap

[Kurt P]

Ill admit I didnt give the rattle trap the attention it deserved and Ill blame that on a gear shortage. The only ratt'l traps I had a pretty large profile and the success I had were on smaller profiled baits..I also didnt have any Red Ones which is a huge downer..I did throw a Ratt'l trap for about an hour but it was a bigger one black gold shad with no red in it..ive got some Rattl traps on the way and ill chuck them this weeekend..although with a cold front and rain in the forecast the fishing may slow down

[James.Harner]

Like Tom said....Rattletraps. Better yet, use a 1/2oz Strike King Red Eye Shad in red or red/chartruese. Great search bait with a lot more rattle than billed crankbaits. The Red Eye Shad casts and tracks so much better than other lipless baits as well. No, I am not sponsored by Strike King.....KVD used up their sponsorship budget already

[Tom B]

James you can have the red eyes....not impressed with them...i dont care what KVD says

[goose]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Tom B &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">James you can have the red eyes....not impressed with them...i dont care what KVD says

</td></tr></table>

You mean them stripper baits That's what I call them They're like stripper after a little work they're cloths comes off
You can't keep the paint on them

[Kurt P]

I do really like the strike king red eye series. I was chucking a Shad-A-Licious swim bait with the red eye and it looks really good in the water. I think there will be a time when that will really light them up. Unfortunately early spring in 55 degree water wasnt the place. I ordered some red eyes from BPS last friday and theyre not expected until next tuesday(dont get me started on BPS shipping). I think ill run to Dicks and grab a couple and fish that Saturday. Thanks all for the advice.
Question- I don't have a lot of experience fishing Rattl Traps because quite frankly I never used to start fishing this early. I think I may have maybe caught 3 or 4 bass ever on a Rattl Trap. Do you just burn the Rattl trap or do you fish any kind of cadence and twich or jerk it?


Modified by Kurt P at 11:20 AM 3/22/2011

[goose]

Kurt sent you an IM

[James.Harner]

I run it right over top of grass. When it feels like it's getting hung in the grass...Rip it and hold on, that's when the bite occurs. Braid is essential. As for paint coming off the Red Eyes, I have been using them for three weekends in a row in tournaments and have not had an issue. Maybe they have changed something.....or maybe banging them against tree limbs is more than they can handle. Just kidding Goose, just remember an old post about the one time you got your lure hung in a tree.

[Kurt P]

I may swap up my combos and put my 6:4 with 50 lb braid on my medium heavy althought the lake isnt choaked with alot of tall grass. I might fish the Occoquan Saturday and I know that has growth for sure because I saw all the Pads last year as I go over the bridge on 95. Will definitely chuck a ratt'l trap for a few hours before i switch it up this weekend.

[Tom B]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by James.Harner &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote"> Goose, just remember an old post about the one time you got your lure hung in a tree. </td></tr></table>

That is a day and picture that will live in infamy

[goose]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Tom B &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

That is a day and picture that will live in infamy

</td></tr></table>

Ya it's hard to believe it will be 5 years this rally that I made the cast of a life time

[Kurt P]

Ah its alright goose! I have a cast that will live in infamy as well!! I was about 10 years old and got my spinner bait caught in a tree..I was whippin it pretty good to get it ffree. Well it came free, but my mom will no longer get on a boat with me after having a 5/8 oz chunk of lead with 2 blades and a lazer sharpend hook go whizzing by her face. She still brings it up and it was at least 10-15 years ago.

[ricogt113]

Hahahaha <table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by James.Harner &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Like Tom said....Rattletraps. Better yet, use a 1/2oz Strike King Red Eye Shad in red or red/chartruese. Great search bait with a lot more rattle than billed crankbaits. The Red Eye Shad casts and tracks so much better than other lipless baits as well. No, I am not sponsored by Strike King.....KVD used up their sponsorship budget already </td></tr></table>