Bass Fishing HomeBass Fishing Forums

Go Back   BassFishin.Com Forums > Serious Conversation Only > Techniques, Strategy & Presentations

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 11-24-12, 02:52 PM   #1
bwhite
BassFishin.Com Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Terre Haute, IN
Posts: 3
Default Schooling bass ... how to approach it?

OK ... I fish a 731 acre lake (Mill Creek Illinois) and the bass there seem to school up A LOT. When they do it seems as though the banks are bare of any fish and there can be twenty or more schools of bass chasing shad in the middle of the lake at any time. I can catch some on buzzbaits and things but they seem to be smaller fish. The banks are covered in (moss,grass,scum) and most wood (besides a few laydowns that stick out beyond the moss is covered. My question is how should one approach this? Am I a fool for chasing small schooling bass even though they are everywhere? And where are the LARGE bass? AND whats a good technique to find the BIG bite?
bwhite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-12, 04:57 PM   #2
Dave63
BassFishin.Com Active Member
 
Dave63's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Farmersburg, IN
Posts: 341
Default

I just so happens I have fished a certain 731 acre lake and have seen what you have witnessed. Tip #1. The schoolies are not always small. Use a crankbait or rattle trap and get down a little deeper under the school. Occasionally, you will pick up a few nicer ones. Tip #2. Not all laydowns are they same. I try to hit some of the old favorites until I'm sure that's not the deal. Sometimes better fish are on wood when the schoolies are busy chasing. Tip #3. Often creek channels can be your friend. Learn where they are.

Know this about Mill Creek. There are some toads in there but there are a TON of slots. Some days, it's just a matter of doing what's working and wading through the slots until you hit a couple of big ones. Hope that helps!
Dave63 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-12, 05:12 PM   #3
keithdog
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
keithdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: IN
Posts: 8,308
Default

I agree with everything Dave said. I'll add a couple thoughts. When working schooling bass chasing shad I have always done well with 2 surface baits. A 3 inch popper worked agressivly so it spits and slashes on the surface, and a Rattlin Zara Spook in a shad color. Like Dave said, have a lipless crank rigged for working through and below the school where bigger bass might be hanging. Tip, be ready for bigger bass on a 5 inch Spook. They really DO attract bigger bass. Also, when fishing around woody cover, look for wood located near or in weeds/grass and nearby deep water breaks.
__________________
Just one more cast, and then some!
keithdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-12, 02:07 AM   #4
pig n jig
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
pig n jig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Avoca, NY
Posts: 3,508
Default

The only other thing to add is whatever bait your throwing you want that bait to appear that it is messed up and a whole lot easier to catch than the ball of bait that they're chasing.I like to use the spro prime chug minnow topwater bait.
pig n jig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-25-12, 02:13 AM   #5
pig n jig
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
pig n jig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Avoca, NY
Posts: 3,508
Default

Just looked it up, the lake I normally fish is an 11,584 acre lake.
pig n jig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-12, 01:00 AM   #6
Rebbasser
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
Rebbasser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 10,141
Default

Great advice. Another good bait is a jigging spoon. Throw it over the school-easy to do with a spoon-and rip it through the school as soon as it hits the water, let it sink and then rip it off the bottom-you get the idea. Experiment with different retrieves.
__________________
It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3
Rebbasser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-12, 09:46 AM   #7
AUFred
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
AUFred's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Prattville, Alabama
Posts: 801
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebbasser View Post
Great advice. Another good bait is a jigging spoon. Throw it over the school-easy to do with a spoon-and rip it through the school as soon as it hits the water, let it sink and then rip it off the bottom-you get the idea. Experiment with different retrieves.

I was thinking about that or an old fashioned sonic. Easy pickins' below the activity is what the older wiser bass are after.
AUFred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-12, 02:09 PM   #8
Rebbasser
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
 
Rebbasser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 10,141
Default

Great call, Fred! A blade bait is a great schooling bait. It just occurred to me an A-rig could be awesome. Going to try that when I get the opportunity.
__________________
It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3
Rebbasser is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Disclosure / Disclaimer
Before acting on the content posted, you should know that BassFishin.Com may benefit financially and otherwise from content, advertising, links or otherwise from anything you click on, read, or look at on our website. Click here to read our Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer.


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2013 BassFishin.Com LLC