Bass feeding on shad on surface

Barthez · 07-06-10, 12:01 PM

This time a year the Occoquan Reservoir in VA is abundant with bait fish, large balls of shad and bass feeding on them, mostly on surface. I have tried some topwaters, some shallow and lipless crankbaits plus weightless texas rig worms -senkos- but got no response on surface. However, got a couple of 2lbs on a carolina rig.

What would you suggest when bait fish in moving around on the surface?

Cavs1123 · 07-06-10, 02:12 PM

shallow running cranks

carolina-rig-01 · 07-06-10, 03:15 PM

Baitfish activity can be a huge help when it comes to catching bass. However there comes a point where there is too much baitfish in an are, there will be bass there but if there is too much baitfish it makes it tough to catch fish. Too much baitfish activity makes it too easy for fish to get a belly full of shad so they become less likely to chase down artificial tackle. But to answer your question when I find fish busting baitfish on the surface I like to use:

1. Lipless Crankbaits
2. Topwater baits (buzzbaits, pencil poppers, popping baits like Chug bugs, Spooks, and Sammys)
3. Finesse spinnerbaits (I think that a smaller profile spinnerbait gets me more bites when I am fishing is schools of baitfish, War Eagle makes a good one)
4. Spoons (a lot of people overlook how good a spoon can be in these situations because of their flash and unpredictable action on the fall, they look a lot like an injured baitfish)
5. Tubes (the have an unpredictable action on the fall, not as much flash as a spoon but an injured baitfish type of sinking action just the same)
6. A deeper diving crankbait can get you some bigger bites in schools of baitfish too because a lot of the bigger fish will hang out under the schools letting the smaller fish do the damage on the schools and just eat the dead baitfish that fall to the bottom.

There are a lot of other baits that can get you a lot of bites in this situation but these are my go to's. Hope this helps.

Welcome to the site by the way!

bamabassman · 07-06-10, 05:20 PM

ROOSTER TAILS WORK TOO NOW, LOL. c-rig hit it on the nails head. we caught 4 last night with a lizzard texas rigged. go figure huh?

Barthez · 07-06-10, 05:23 PM

Thank you guys for the warm welcome to the site and for sharing your knowledge and experience!
My guess was not far from what are you saying. If there is too much baitfish in the water it is easier for bass to have a full belly. I will definitely try some spoons, always been fond of them.

best,
Manuel

bassinbob · 07-06-10, 06:19 PM

Welcome Barthez. Like the idea of the spoon.

walkeraviator · 07-06-10, 06:40 PM

Ill be honest... never fished in this situation, but it seems to me that a bait ball happens because schooling fish make it hard for a predator o zero in on one particular fish for the strike... so you need to make yours stand out... and seems to me that imitating a dying shad is teh ticket here... so i would say Spoons (like mentioned above), Flukes, Rapala Husky Jerks with suspend stris to make em sink slowly, CountDowns, all good options...

If i were to give this a shot, i would start with spoons and flukes... but again, all based on thought work only as i have never fished these conditions...

Tavery5 · 07-06-10, 07:28 PM

I am with walker on this one try a weighted fluke worked around the edges of the bait ball, throw it out and let it sink like a dieing shad. I have also used with some sucsess the red eye shad fished in the same way, they have a particularly good fall, they stay balanced and quiver alot like a senko, match the color and size to the shad your fishing around, when it hits the bottom, try ripping it up off the bottom, the rapid shaking and rattles might draw a strike. Good Luck.

skeeter1804 · 07-06-10, 10:42 PM

I always have an unweighted fluke bait tied on this time of year. I use a 5/0 hook for a little weight but personally I like them to fall slowly and occasionally like them to break the surface of the water.

walkeraviator · 07-07-10, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeter1804

I always have an unweighted fluke bait tied on this time of year. I use a 5/0 hook for a little weight but personally I like them to fall slowly and occasionally like them to break the surface of the water.

Bingo......

lilmule · 07-07-10, 09:23 AM

Yes the fluke,often schoolers will slash at baits so if a miss occurs do not reel back in and recast merely kill the bait,another will pick it up on the fall or even off the bottom.

Barthez · 07-07-10, 09:25 AM

Good morning guys,

A THANK YOU to all of you. I have read each reply in detail and I am sure that with all the good advice I will be able to approach this situation more effectively!
In fact I recently read an article in Bassin magazine (June/July 2010 issue) by Kevin Van Dam titled "Don't Overlook Soft Stick Baits". The article goes into some detail about Zoom Fluke and Strike King Caffeine Shad and how effective they can be when properly used, specially from post-spawn through fall.

MississippiBoy · 07-07-10, 09:46 AM

Try going a little bigger with your lure, also. If you can tell the average size of the baitfish, or can guesstimate, throw something larger. That may make it stand out from the crowd a little bit.

Barthez · 07-07-10, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeter1804

I always have an unweighted fluke bait tied on this time of year. I use a 5/0 hook for a little weight but personally I like them to fall slowly and occasionally like them to break the surface of the water.

Hello Skeeter,

This presentation sounds very effective. What size fluke would you recommend for a 5/0 and a 3/0 hook?

thanks!

Barthez · 07-07-10, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

Try going a little bigger with your lure, also. If you can tell the average size of the baitfish, or can guesstimate, throw something larger. That may make it stand out from the crowd a little bit.

I would say the bait fish could be easily around 3-4 inches large. At one point the boat was surrounded with shads on both sides!

keithdog · 07-07-10, 10:34 PM

The lakes I fish dont have shad and so I don't find myself in this situation ever. So this may be way off base but the idea came to me. Inline spinners are largly ignored nowdays, except for Bama and his Roostertails.

But what about an inlide spinner here. Namely a larger version such as a #4 Mepps. If you have a silver or gold willow blade and a mylar skirt, wouldnt that throw off a shine or glitter in the sun the same way a ball of shad would? Plus it could be easily worked quickly around those balls of shad.

Rebbasser · 07-08-10, 03:04 PM

Welcome to the forum!

I've had success with several different baits, but my favorite is a spoon, but not fished in the "conventional" manner when they are feeding on the surface. I throw it past the school and burn it back through it as fast as I can reel. They will absolutely hammer it.

Other successful baits:
Lipless crankbaits-chrome/blue back
Walking baits like a Zara Spook
A paddle tail grub on a jighead reeled through the school.
Prob baits like a chrome Tiny Torpedo.

Dave63 · 07-08-10, 06:50 PM

I've had the best luck with a rattle trap, but I don't think you'll find a 4" one!

geezer1 · 07-09-10, 11:07 PM

It's been a while since I chased schooling Bass, but back when I did there were two baits that were especially effective for getting under them to the big ones. The "Little George" & the "Near Nothing". Both were heavy weighted, dropped fast, & were absolutely deadly.

07-06-10, 12:01 PM	#1
Barthez BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: McLean, VA Posts: 16	Bass feeding on shad on surface This time a year the Occoquan Reservoir in VA is abundant with bait fish, large balls of shad and bass feeding on them, mostly on surface. I have tried some topwaters, some shallow and lipless crankbaits plus weightless texas rig worms -senkos- but got no response on surface. However, got a couple of 2lbs on a carolina rig. What would you suggest when bait fish in moving around on the surface?

07-06-10, 02:12 PM	#2
Cavs1123 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bellevue, Ohio Posts: 1,398	shallow running cranks __________________ Tom

07-06-10, 03:15 PM	#3
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	Baitfish activity can be a huge help when it comes to catching bass. However there comes a point where there is too much baitfish in an are, there will be bass there but if there is too much baitfish it makes it tough to catch fish. Too much baitfish activity makes it too easy for fish to get a belly full of shad so they become less likely to chase down artificial tackle. But to answer your question when I find fish busting baitfish on the surface I like to use: 1. Lipless Crankbaits 2. Topwater baits (buzzbaits, pencil poppers, popping baits like Chug bugs, Spooks, and Sammys) 3. Finesse spinnerbaits (I think that a smaller profile spinnerbait gets me more bites when I am fishing is schools of baitfish, War Eagle makes a good one) 4. Spoons (a lot of people overlook how good a spoon can be in these situations because of their flash and unpredictable action on the fall, they look a lot like an injured baitfish) 5. Tubes (the have an unpredictable action on the fall, not as much flash as a spoon but an injured baitfish type of sinking action just the same) 6. A deeper diving crankbait can get you some bigger bites in schools of baitfish too because a lot of the bigger fish will hang out under the schools letting the smaller fish do the damage on the schools and just eat the dead baitfish that fall to the bottom. There are a lot of other baits that can get you a lot of bites in this situation but these are my go to's. Hope this helps. Welcome to the site by the way! __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

07-06-10, 05:23 PM	#5
Barthez BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: McLean, VA Posts: 16	Thank you very much Thank you guys for the warm welcome to the site and for sharing your knowledge and experience! My guess was not far from what are you saying. If there is too much baitfish in the water it is easier for bass to have a full belly. I will definitely try some spoons, always been fond of them. best, Manuel

07-06-10, 06:19 PM	#6
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	Welcome Barthez. Like the idea of the spoon. __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

07-06-10, 05:20 PM	#4
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	ROOSTER TAILS WORK TOO NOW, LOL. c-rig hit it on the nails head. we caught 4 last night with a lizzard texas rigged. go figure huh? __________________ so many lures, so little time.

07-06-10, 06:40 PM	#7
walkeraviator BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,119	Ill be honest... never fished in this situation, but it seems to me that a bait ball happens because schooling fish make it hard for a predator o zero in on one particular fish for the strike... so you need to make yours stand out... and seems to me that imitating a dying shad is teh ticket here... so i would say Spoons (like mentioned above), Flukes, Rapala Husky Jerks with suspend stris to make em sink slowly, CountDowns, all good options... If i were to give this a shot, i would start with spoons and flukes... but again, all based on thought work only as i have never fished these conditions...

07-06-10, 07:28 PM	#8
Tavery5 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,427	I am with walker on this one try a weighted fluke worked around the edges of the bait ball, throw it out and let it sink like a dieing shad. I have also used with some sucsess the red eye shad fished in the same way, they have a particularly good fall, they stay balanced and quiver alot like a senko, match the color and size to the shad your fishing around, when it hits the bottom, try ripping it up off the bottom, the rapid shaking and rattles might draw a strike. Good Luck.

07-06-10, 10:42 PM	#9
skeeter1804 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Edgerton KS Posts: 321	I always have an unweighted fluke bait tied on this time of year. I use a 5/0 hook for a little weight but personally I like them to fall slowly and occasionally like them to break the surface of the water.

07-07-10, 09:23 AM	#11
lilmule BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Buchanan,Tn Posts: 2,685	uh Yes the fluke,often schoolers will slash at baits so if a miss occurs do not reel back in and recast merely kill the bait,another will pick it up on the fall or even off the bottom.

07-07-10, 09:25 AM	#12
Barthez BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: McLean, VA Posts: 16	Good morning guys, A THANK YOU to all of you. I have read each reply in detail and I am sure that with all the good advice I will be able to approach this situation more effectively! In fact I recently read an article in Bassin magazine (June/July 2010 issue) by Kevin Van Dam titled "Don't Overlook Soft Stick Baits". The article goes into some detail about Zoom Fluke and Strike King Caffeine Shad and how effective they can be when properly used, specially from post-spawn through fall.

07-07-10, 09:46 AM	#13
MississippiBoy BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ridgeland MS Posts: 3,923	Try going a little bigger with your lure, also. If you can tell the average size of the baitfish, or can guesstimate, throw something larger. That may make it stand out from the crowd a little bit. __________________ I smell smoke, and I hear sirens. Do you think that's a problem?

07-07-10, 10:34 PM	#16
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	The lakes I fish dont have shad and so I don't find myself in this situation ever. So this may be way off base but the idea came to me. Inline spinners are largly ignored nowdays, except for Bama and his Roostertails. But what about an inlide spinner here. Namely a larger version such as a #4 Mepps. If you have a silver or gold willow blade and a mylar skirt, wouldnt that throw off a shine or glitter in the sun the same way a ball of shad would? Plus it could be easily worked quickly around those balls of shad.

07-08-10, 03:04 PM	#17
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	Welcome to the forum! I've had success with several different baits, but my favorite is a spoon, but not fished in the "conventional" manner when they are feeding on the surface. I throw it past the school and burn it back through it as fast as I can reel. They will absolutely hammer it. Other successful baits: Lipless crankbaits-chrome/blue back Walking baits like a Zara Spook A paddle tail grub on a jighead reeled through the school. Prob baits like a chrome Tiny Torpedo. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

07-08-10, 06:50 PM	#18
Dave63 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Farmersburg, IN Posts: 341	I've had the best luck with a rattle trap, but I don't think you'll find a 4" one!

07-09-10, 11:07 PM	#19
geezer1 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Lakehills, Tx Posts: 185	It's been a while since I chased schooling Bass, but back when I did there were two baits that were especially effective for getting under them to the big ones. The "Little George" & the "Near Nothing". Both were heavy weighted, dropped fast, & were absolutely deadly.

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