just cant catchem

[javelinbill]

i fish a clear lake here in n.c lake james. i sometimes fish a small tourney . but always wind up last or nearly last. ilike to fish the shakeyhead jig with a watermelon shakey or feness worm. seems this is the only thing i can catch them on and than not often. and there small.what else could i use that might help. my boat is full of tackle. i just dont know what to tie on HELP""" thanks guys....bill

[Buckeyefishing]

I don't know where you are fishing on the lake but I've caught fish by rigging the worm
wacky style when they wouldn't hit anything else. Run the hook through the center of
the worm, cast, let it sink slowly, then twitch your rod tip so the worm pulsates through the water. It's worth a try. By the way watermelon candy works great on the lake I fish
but it is probably not as clear as the one you fish. Look for underwater weedbeds away from the bank. They usually hold fish.

[Fathead]

if your tackle box is full tie on anything and give some different presentations just know how to match lure to what type of water you are fishing but i will tell you something that will catch alot of bass almost anywhere, fish the Zoom Trick Worms in Watermelon Red color weightless and weedless and try different retrieves and youll get on em

[Buzz Wing]

Lately, when the fishing is tough, a Wacky-Rigged Senko type bait is killer, especially on wood and timber. Give it a try and see what happens!

-Buzz

[scbassman]

try the new lures from storm . they are holographic and look like a real shad. they even move in the water like a real fish. i have used the 3 inch wildeye swim shad for the first time today at two different clear water ponds and caught five bass off of them at both and only fished at one for ten minutes and caught two.

[Jigger]

Bill,
This is not exactly in response to your question but the answer may not be in the baits you're using. If you're consistently coming in last or next to last as you describe, there are probably other problems. If the lake has a good experienced guide with a good reputation, it might be money well spent to call him up and book him for a trip or two after telling him that you want to polish up your techniques in preparation for the tourneys. Tell him you want this to be more of a learning experience than a "catching" experience and that you want him to walk and talk you through a season on the water at this particular lake. I used to do this when I'd go to a new area in the mountains to trout fish that I'd never been to before. If I were going to be there 4 or 5 days, I'd hire a guide the first day and tell him that although I'd like to catch a few, I was mainly interested in him showing me some good locations, proper flys to use and the proper techniques. You could do the same thing with an experienced successful angler/friend but it's sometimes hard to get the competition to give up their secrets for free.