What would you try?

[keithdog]

Today I fished a lake I havn't fished in about 30 years so I am unfamiliar with the lake. I know a little about the structure from looking at a map and talking to guys who fish the lake and so I went out with that knowledge. The conditions were tough. Weather : Strong front out of the north, bright bluebird skies, moderate to strong winds making boat control very tough. John boat with transom trolling motor here. The lake has very clear water with coontail weeds extending deeper into the water than most lakes around here. In the shallows they form mats on the surface that make it hard to work most lures. I tried working the tops of the weed mats with texas rigged worms, floating do nothing worms, weedless spoons and frog baits. Nothing. Also worked the outer thinner weeds with surface baits early, worms, spinner baits and shallow cranks and stick baits. Nothing. Went deeper to the outside edges and tried working deep running cranks, jigging spoons, jig and pigs, weighted texas style worms, heavy spinner baits with willow leaf blades and lighter line for depth. Finally tried trolling the lake to try to locate some fish. Still nothing. Can you think of anything I could have done differently? Maybe I should have tried a carolina rig but after all I did try it seems hopeless. Maybe a trip to Bob Evans was the best choice!!!!!!!!!

[pig n jig]

There is nothing wrong with going to a new lake and striking out the first time.It should have stoked the fire to want to go back and figure the lake out.Fish your strengths, its difficult to produce with a lure your not comfortable fishing alot with.I would have been content pitching a 1 oz. jig with a gene larew trailer to the thick cover.The Smelly jelly scent I use allows the jig to slide through the thickest of cover without much trouble.My second choice would to use a senko type lure.That way you've covered the water colum. Every time out I always fish a bottom presentation and a mid to upper water presentation.This allows you to catch a fish , or 2 and figure out a holding pattern. It most likely was you didn't fish the depth they were holding at, or you didn't disect the heavy cover thoroughly enough.Multiple fish will hold in a very small area of heavy cover at times.Finding them is the chore where most people don't have the confidence to keep going without switching to something different.The longer you go without catching a fish when flipping, or pitchin in heavy cover,the closer you are to catching alot of fish once you find them.I am just typing , it is impossible to know what you should have done, did you make multiple casts to the same targets ?Were there anyone else catching fish in the area you were fishing while you were fishing ?Many times there are fish where your fishing, they just won't bite.You have to find the ones that will. P N J

[keithdog]

I'm beginning to think it was just "one of those days" when the fish don't react to anything. Observing other boats around the lake, no one seemed to be catching anything either. I was really surprised when my Strike King floating worm rigged wacky style and placed into the middle of open pockets along the shaded portion of the shores didn't produce either. Finding fish in the heavy weed cover would be like finding a needle in a hay stack as there is literally acres and acres of floating mats of coontail. So I concentrated on areas I was told to be known to hold fish and that were near deeper water. Wish I had a depth finder to pin point that bottom structure!!! Good idea for my Christmas wish list, LOL.

[pig n jig]

It was a good idea to fish the heavy cover nearer deep water, they usually hold fish year round .It would be interesting to see how many bass spawn on those flats next spring ?Here there are glacier made lakes.You can follow the land contour into the water and usually be knowing the contours of the lake bottom.Of course there are the spots within the spots that will produce fish consistantly.I don't think I would go out on the water without a depthfinder on a man made lake.That would really limit your ability to find new areas to fish without fishing alot of non productive spots. Of course the Southern lakes have got some really great maps to help out. Our lakes are to steep and too deep to get a good topographic map for bass fishing purposes. P N J

[Rebbasser]

Keith, the only other thing I might have tried is a C-rig on the outside edged of the grass or maybe a dropshot in the same areas. Sounds like you just had one of those days-been there and done that more than once.. Post frontal conditions are real tough to fish.

[lizardsrule]

Just keep chucking the baits, not much else to do, other than what you are already doing, and learning the lake. It took me a year to "really" figure out a 250 acre coal pit. I could usually catch some fish, but after time on the water I almost always caught lots of fish. Keep working on it, and I agree with the above advice. I personally would have worn out the weeds/mats. I bet my right (well you know) that the fish are there, just not biting. Happens to everyone.

Lizards