What am I missing?

[yofoo]

Ok so I have gone to fishing a shallow creek to work on my technique. Anywhere I throw I can see the lure(usually a crankbait, plastic or spinnerbait) and any following fish. I have noticed that nearly every cast has a fish following it, usually a decent catch in the shallow creek.

I have two questions on this situation.

1. Am I doing anything wrong causing the fish to eventually turn around instead of hitting the bait?
2. Should I expect there are fish following in other spots, even if Im not getting hits?

Thanks in advance.

[frogfisher]

what lures are you using? perhaps you should change the colors and/or lures... sometimes one color can be dynamite one day while another color is garbage but then the next they may want the opposite.

[frogfisher]

my bad i missed the part where u said crankbait plastic or spinnerbait

[yofoo]

i figured someone would say that >.< crankbaits arent cheap...i'll see what i can do next week... can i get a couple of good colors???

[jooleyen]

When the fish is following, try speeding your lure, twitching it hard, or dead stopping it. How clear is your water?

[frogfisher]

yeah whats the water clarity?

[pbruessow@msn.com]

Try downsizing your line (14 to 10 pound for example) to reduce visibility or try flurocarbon. I'm assuming it's clear as you described seeing a fish following it. You may also want to downsize the lure. It may be just a tad to large to provoke a strike.

If you are seeing them, they maybe seeing you. Make yourself as "invisible" as possible by keeping low to the water and not casting shadows on the fish.

Hope this helps...

[Jim80]

Originally Posted by jooleyen

When the fish is following, try speeding your lure, twitching it hard, or dead stopping it. How clear is your water?

gotta agree , change your retrieve untill you find what they are looking for sometimes the more erratic the bait looks the better

[Jigger]

They may be getting too good a look at your bait and sense something's wrong and it's a phony. Try fishing when the fish can't see as well such as during low light periods caused by wind creating a disturbance on the water or early or late or at night. Also "burn" the bait really fast to keep the fish from getting too good a look at your artificial. Also, use a color they can't silhouette and get a good look at, like smoke.

[carolina-rig-01]

like everyone else said, try making small changes both in your presentation and make small changes in the bait you are using. i say make small changes in the bait because if they are following it, then there is something about it that they like but since they are not eating it then there is something not quite right. i would recommend a faster retrieve and once you see a fish follow the bait then kill your retrieve suddenly and see if that helps. as for the second question.....i strongly believe that on every cast you have to be convinced there is a fish watching your bait, other wise you won't be making the best presentation you can. this all goes back to having confidence in what you are doing. confidence is by far the most important part of fishing. without it you are just not gonna fish as well as you should.

[yofoo]

the water goes from 0-4 feet and i can see everywhere....i dont know the scale for water clarity but you can see the 4 foot bottom...

[Jim80]

in water that is really clear like that stick to earth colors you greens,browns and such for spinners white with a silver willow blade .

[BigBassin144]

When fish follow like that, then there are normally a couple things you can do.

1. Switch to a deeper crankbait so it hits the bottom.
2. Switch colors.
3. Vary your retrieve. Reel the spinnerbait steady, then just stop and start reeling again. Or reel steady then pull it fast for a foot or two, then keep reeling.
4. Try a lure they haven't seen. Try using a superfluke as a jerkbait.

Also, I'd switch my line to 10lb fluoroclear. or add a fluorocarbon leader to whatever you're fishing. But I say forget fluorocarbon as a mainline, too much chaos.


BB

[pbruessow@msn.com]

One more tip: Try a tube lure in smoke with silver fleck or green fleck with a very small splitshot in front. Work it like a plastic worm. Don't know why but creek/river fish in clear water love this thing. Try a medium sized one.

Again, downsize your line or use fluorocarbon and use a spinning outfit so you can cast this light rig.

P.S.- A standard rapala silver/black back also works well.

[rangerryan]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

When fish follow like that, then there are normally a couple things you can do.

1. Switch to a deeper crankbait so it hits the bottom.
2. Switch colors.
3. Vary your retrieve. Reel the spinnerbait steady, then just stop and start reeling again. Or reel steady then pull it fast for a foot or two, then keep reeling.
4. Try a lure they haven't seen. Try using a superfluke as a jerkbait.


Also, I'd switch my line to 10lb fluoroclear. or add a fluorocarbon leader to whatever you're fishing. But I say forget fluorocarbon as a mainline, too much chaos.


BB

bassin,
i agree. this is some good stuff maybe even bouncing a small jig off the bottom to creat a cloud of bottom debris to hide the bait a little.

[BigBassin144]

Also try some finesse baits. Dropshot, splitshot rig, wacky rig, Downsize a carolina rig to a 1/4 oz sinker and a baby brushhog, or tiny fluke.

BB

[Abbeysdad]

I recently noticed a bunch of little guys following my bait in. They were nothing to catch, but as I toyed with them (and them me) I noticed that if my retrieve was steady, they'd just swim behind, but if I paused, then accelerated the retrieve, they would hit.
Now these little guys could get that bait, let alone the hook, in there mouth, but the fact remains that the change up would seem to produce a hit every time.
A swimming prey can be followed, but a darting prey may escape, so better strike!?

[buddy_fuentes]

jooleyen is on the money. Try burning the bait and then stopping it dead. They will many times react to this. If that doesn't work, put scent on your bait and try different retrieves before experimenting with colors and sizes. Sometimes it is just a very small change that will make the difference.

Good Luck.

Buddy