Pretty new to Bass fishing, having some problems!

[johnsoft349]

Hey guys, I'm new around here. This seems to be the best fishing forum on the net from what I've found on google, so I'm excited to see what I can learn here!

Basically, I used to fish a lot for bream with bread, worms, etc. when I was a little kid, and always caught a lot. Throw it in, wait for the bobber to go under, pull up your bluegill. Pretty easy stuff. I decided, though, now that I'm 18, that I should start developing some new hobbies for myself. So, I went fishing on my own a couple of times, didn't catch a thing, but I'm totally addicted! I've since been with a friend both on a boat (caught nothing) and from his dock (got a little white perch and a decent 16" channel catfish), and have been a couple more times on my own to no avail. So, I want to get into some more serious fishing, but am having some problems.

First of all, I am fishing mainly in Loch Raven Reservoir (baltimore, MD) which is supposed to be a great fishing lake, particularly for bass. It's a very big lake, has lots of fallen trees/other cover, which I target. The majority of the lake has a lot of grass/weeds as well.

I do not have access to a boat, so I'm resigned to bank fishing for now. I'm convinced I should still able to have success. I see big fish all the time from where I stand, sometimes they even jump in front of me just to make fun.

I've got a decent Penn rod/spinning reel combo, 8lb monofilament line, and am using mainly 3/0 offset worm hooks, sometimes 2/0. I've got two varieties of soft-plastic worms, 2 safety pin spinners, and a couple of tiny torpedoes/buzzbaits. I've used each of these a number of times (was out for 5 1/2 hours yesterday) and have had no success!

I've spent a good amount of time researching how to rig these baits (I texas rig my worms, direct tie the others, no swivels, etc) and how to fish them (the worms nice and slow along the bottom, sometimes with stop-start action, spinners either fast near the top or slow and bouncy near the bottom, etc.). I just can't even get bites though. Sometimes with the worms I get nibbles from what feel like small fish, but they can't take that kind of lure.

Should I just use live bait for now? I'm not dead set on lures, for now I just want to catch some damn fish! For the future, though, I would like to be able to use artificial lures effectively. So feel free to suggest live bait, but I'd like feedback on the lures as well. I'm not sure what I could possibly be doing wrong.

Thanks guys, I'm sure you'll be able to set me straight.

[boloson]

hey john welcome. i'm fairly new around here also but this is my go to fishing website now. i used to use live nightcrawlers to fish & had great luck with that till i got into the lures. its more versatile & actually more fun to use then live baits. my suggestion to you would be to diversify your tackle utilizing all types of lures like cranks, plastics, spinners, frogs, etc. so u can experiment on what works & what doesn't on a particular day/ location. i've caught fish on every one of them lures i mentioned.

u might not be catching anything for several reasons. your lake might be overfished. the fish gets so accustomed to the typical lures & they become "smart", or you're reeling in the lures too quickly or too slowly, time of day, color of lures, etc. sight fishing big bass really tests your patience. you would think that if u toss a lure directly in front of their faces they would strike but that is never the case in my experience. just last week i had a spawning female in clear 1 ft deep water clearly guarding its nest. i was tossing everything i had at it, even hitting the bass sometimes & it would not react. finally used a crawfish lure & twitched it really slow & got a reaction from her but still took a long time to hook her. just be patient & persistent & guaranteed u will get some fish.

[lilmule]

Nightcrawlers,redworms,crickets,just about anything organic including cornflakes and wheaties for carp and catfish.Its nice to hook up with someone else who fishes regardless of how or what.
Possibly someone near you that reads this.
Regardless everyone is limited in info or experience in all phases,me for example only Loch ive heard of twas in scottland,and nessie was living in it.
All jokes aside the rubber worm is probably the easiest to learn to use and get bites on.
Watching a tv fishing show can also show you a few things,keep in mind they takes days to film that 1/2 hr and not even pros have success,that good always.

[Bassboss]

Read this for some tips on fishing from the bank. http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...=Shore+fishing

What are the water temps like where you're at? If they're getting hotter, up into the 70's, then I'd try to find the thickest vegetative cover you can find. When it get hot, bass usually either will go deeper to find cooler water, or shallow and get up under weeds. You're like me, I don't have a boat, so I can't really find, and fish the cooler deeper water. I'm forced to fish the shallow weeds (which is fine by me.. it's really fun fishing!!).

First of all, I'd loose the 8lb test, lol! Get some 20, or 30 pound braid (power pro is good, and you can find it at wallmart), it's more expensive then mono, but, it's well worth the price. You'll get better feel of the bottom (and fish), and have lots few break offs.

Get some 5" Yum Dingers, Snag Proof Frogs, and 8-10 inch curly tail worms, in what ever color works best in your area.

Start off throwing the frog into the weeds. Let the ripples settle, and give a few twitches and let it sit. Experiment with how long you let it sit for, it can be different from day to day. Once you get a bite (more like an explosion, lol!), wait 3 or 4 seconds and set the hook as hard as you can on a tight line (make sure your drag is set hard too). Once you hook up get the fish out of the weeds a fast as you can so you don't loose it. After you get it into open water, you can loosen the drag a bit and play the fish in you need/want too (just make sure to set the drag back when you're done).

When you fish the area good with the frog, switch to the texas rigged (on a 1/8 - 3/16 bullet weight) 8 - 10 worm. Fish right on the out side of the weeds working the area well. Just let it settle to the bottom and and hop it along. A slow swimming retrieve also works well at times.

Rig the Yum dingers on an off set hook like you would texas rig, just don't add weight. Cast the dinger out on the edge of the weedline, let it settle, and lift the rod up slowly letting it settle back down. Make sure you watch the line. 9 out of 10 times the bass will hit when the dinger is falling. If you not watching the line for any jumps, or it moving to the side, you'll miss a lot of fish.

Once you feel like you've fished the area well, and go to the next and repeat the process.

Hope you catch a few bud! Bass fishing is the greatest sport the world, don't let a few bad trips ruin it for ya, you'll get better!

[johnsoft349]

thanks so much for the advice!

Are you sure about the 20-30lb test braid? I was told that such heavy line would put off a lot of fish, and it doesn't really seem necessary, given that to catch even a 10lb bass would be absolutely outrageous for me, haha.

The other stuff sounds great though. I've heard a lot of buzz about frogs. I'll have to pick one up soon.

Also, any advice about using minnows? I was thinking about netting a few and trying them next time i go.

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by johnsoft349

thanks so much for the advice!

Are you sure about the 20-30lb test braid? I was told that such heavy line would put off a lot of fish, and it doesn't really seem necessary, given that to catch even a 10lb bass would be absolutely outrageous for me, haha.

The other stuff sounds great though. I've heard a lot of buzz about frogs. I'll have to pick one up soon.

Also, any advice about using minnows? I was thinking about netting a few and trying them next time i go.

Braided line and/or heavier test line is useful in horsing the bass out of topwater slop or any type of heavy cover. I frog fish in thick lily pads and thick topwater mats of slop, so I use 30 lb braided line even though I rarely ever catch even a 5 lb bass.

I'm hardly an expert and everyone has their own opinion, but here's what has worked well for me.

1) Rebel Pop-R -- for topwater fishing where there is open water over submerged weeds

2) Spro Poppin' frog -- for topwater fishing in any kind of cover or where there is open water over submerged weeds

3) Yamamoto senkos -- I fish these probably 75% of my time on the water, either just plain wacky-rigged or else wacky-rigged on a dropshot setup. These are expensive and not real durable compared to other worms on the market, but for me, they just catch more fish compared to the others I have tried. Plus, I repair many of my own with a soldering iron, so they last a lot longer by doing that.

Personally, I would try to find the fish by wacky-rigging a 5" senko on a dropshot rig because that has caught fish for me on the few different lakes I've fished over the last 2+ years since I started using it. I might be the only one on here who would suggest this, so take it for what it's worth, just one man's opinion.

[IowaBasser]

...x2 on almost everything Bassboss said. Unless you're fishing a lot heavy cover, I think you could get by with your mono for now. When you do decide to upgrade, 20 pound braid is pretty versatile.

Keep in mind with lures you are searching for fish opposed to fishing live-bait where you are waiting for fish that are searching for food. With lures you can stand in one spot and fan-cast in multiple directions - but after about 10 casts, you've probably covered most possible places a fish could be holding. Also, you may have spooked any fish that might have been in the area. If you have a spot where you really think there should be fish, I like to fish it for 5 or 10 minutes then give it the spot a rest and return to it, even if you only move 20 feet for 5 or 10 minutes.

When I fish from shore I usually target fish in shallow water. That means I'm not casting towards the center of the lake; rather I'm casting more parallel to shore. When I cast, my lure might land anywhere from 2 feet from shore to 10 feet from shore. I’m looking for fish in water as shallow as 1 foot to water as deep as 6 feet. I make a couple of casts then move 5 or 10 feet and make a couple more casts. I’m almost always casting in the direction I’m moving unless there is a specific piece of structure that I have passed that I want to give a couple more tries.

As we move into the heat of the summer shade is important. I agree with Bassboss about weeds. Frogs work good, but don't be afraid to try the rubber-worms you already have. Texas-rig them so the barb is buried in the worm and drag it over the weeds keeping it near the surface. Let it slowly sink in any open water pockets in the weeds. Eventually you will get bites.

Shade can also mean tree branches and limbs hanging over water. Stealth is important when fishing from shore so try to sneak up on the fish quietly. A lot of places where you have trees overhanging water have steep banks and will be hard to get to. You will find situations where you have to work to get in position to make only a few casts to a likely looking spot, so make the most of your few chances by getting into position quietly. Editted: Shade can also mean submerged logs or submerged stumps. Fish will often hold tight next to anything from weeds to big rocks on the bottom of the lake that can cast a shadow. The fish not only use the the shadows as shade from the hot summer sun, but also as hiding spots to ambush smaller bait fish.

Good luck and let us know when you start catching fish!

[johnsoft349]

man, you guys are awesome! thanks for the advice, please, please keep it comin'. Need all the help I can get.

Me and a buddy of mine are going up to that same lake this afternoon/evening, and I'm going to try mainly live bait and see how that does. I'm gonna buy some night crawlers, and then see if I can net some minnows on-site. There's a big storm system coming in, so I'm hopeful that in late evening, on the front end of the storm (especially after a string of uber-hot days), fishing in shade/cover, with live bait, any idiot should be able to catch something. We shall see!

I may also pick up a top-water frog lure while I'm buying the worms, just to try that if for some reason live bait isn't too productive.

[DaveW731]

Try getting some Berkley Gulp minnows, anywhere from 2"-4" long (they are "artificial" baits, but designed to smell and taste alive to the fish) and put them on a weedless jighead that will give you JUST enough weight to cast. Toss around cover, retrieve just fast enough to make it dart a bit from side to side.

[johnsoft349]

Thanks for the pointer Dave, might grab some of those next time I'm over by Dick's.

So I went today (only for 2 hours) and got nothing, which doesn't surprise me since it was a really hot day, and I wasn't out too long. I've discovered a new issue though....weeds!

The first time I went fishing at this lake, it didn't occur to me how bad it is, but the WHOLE bottom of the damn reservoir is covered in grass/weeds. I think this could be good, because it may bring bigger fish in shallow (I've seen them so I know they come in. As close as 2-3 feet from the bank).

Fishing through this stuff is miserable though. I think I have a bite every time I move my lure, because I'm ALWAYS snagged on some weeds. Never badly, I can always just pull my lure off (I'm using mainly texas rigged worms, occasionally weedless spinners...haven't had any break-offs) but it's really frustrating. It's like I cast out, wait a bit, pull my lure a bit, then SNAG. I always am hung up on some weeds, and often will take some with me when I pull my lure free, so then I've got no chance, and have to bring it in and clean it off.

Basically, the fish are there (I know it!) and I've got the right gear, but there's always crap on my lure, so the fish won't take it. It's also really hard to pace my retrieve, becuase when I get stuck, I have to reel in a lot, or pull, and when it breaks free, it jumps several feet back towards shore. So it makes it really hard to have natural action. What do i do?

Sorry if my post was unclear, I'm sort of ranting. If you need anything clarified just ask

[IowaBasser]

One more thing I was going to add... and Bassboss might disagree with me here; but I don't like spinnerbaits and crankbaits when fishing from shore.

Yes this is a generalization. Certain cranks and spinnerbaits have their place for shore fishing. Typically these baits do well in open water. By open water, I don't mean out in the middle of a lake; I mean on long stretches of shore or flats with little or no unique structure. In open water bass can see cranks and spinnerbaits from long distances and when aggressive, the bass will come get them. That's why people use these baits as "search" baits; to cover a lot of water. Once they find some fish, they usually slow down and fish the area more thoroughly with slower moving baits or finesse presentations. When fishing from shore I usually don’t fish large expanses of open water. So I don’t typically use cranks and spinnerbaits.

If I was going to fish a spinnerbait from shore I might occasionally burn it across the top to see if the bass are hitting that presentation, but normally I would use a slower steady retrieve keeping the spinnerbait deeper or “slow-roll” it. By “slow-roll” I mean letting it free-fall slowly (on a tight line) until it reaches the lake bottom (or tops of weeds...) then pull it up a couple feet up and letting it free-fall again. I would also use a medium or small spinnerbait instead of a great big one. Large baits can easily spook fish when they splash. As you gain more fishing experience you learn to feather your casts and land your lures softly so not to spook fish.

I would also try a spinnerbait along side of weed beds or over sparse grass. I would be more likely to try a spinnerbait if the weeds or grass were easily accessible. In other words, if I had to crawl down a steep bank and only had one rock to stand on to cast to weeds, I probably wouldn’t be fishing a spinnerbait. I’d fish something with a more subtle presentation. Now if I can easily walk along shore for 100 yards and fish sparse grass or a rocky bottom, this would be better suited for a spinnerbait. It’s the shore-angler’s version of “open water.”

If I was going to fish a crank-bait, I would choose something that could be fished slow. I like the “Rebel Wee Craw.” It runs shallow and when paused, it slowly floats towards the surface. It works well in water from 2 to 3 feet deep. Another option would be a floating stick-bait or popper that can be stopped and twitched. Cast stick-baits and poppers along sides of weed-beds, next to trees sticking out of the water, or over submerged structure. I like to fish these lures in 4 to 5 feet of water. Wait for the rings in the water to settle and twitch the stick-bait or pop the popper a couple times, then wait for the rings to settle again and repeat. I would forget about trying deep-diving crankbaits. They are difficult to fish from shore without dragging in all kinds of weeds and muck off the bottom. (From shore you may not know how deep the water is... try to picture yourself wading and imagine if the water would be up to your knee or over your waist. That's how I estimate water depth when shore fishing.)

So if not spinner & crank baits; what would I fish? Plastic worms and creature baits are super versatile! You can rig them weedless and fish them like a jig with a heavy bullet sinker. You can fish wacky-worms and senkos weightless by hooking them in the middle, casting them and patiently letting them sink. A small bullet sinker (or none) can be used with a steady retrieve over weeds. You can Carolina-rig them to cover the bottom where deeper water comes close to the shore and to fish deeper creek channels. You can even fish plastics from shore on a drop-shot rig. Another advantage is they’re relatively cheap and it’s not a big deal when you lose a few of them.

Good-luck!

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by DaveW731

Try getting some Berkley Gulp minnows, anywhere from 2"-4" long (they are "artificial" baits, but designed to smell and taste alive to the fish) and put them on a weedless jighead that will give you JUST enough weight to cast. Toss around cover, retrieve just fast enough to make it dart a bit from side to side.

Just be sure to put them back in the package when you're not using them and keep the package closed tight. Gulp baits are notorious for drying out quickly unlike most plastics which do not dry out. About 30 minutes out of water on a hot day is all it takes for Gulp baits to become worthless.

[keithdog]

First off, welcome to the site John. I think your going to like it here. Lots of good folks quite willing to help out anyone in need. Feel free to contribute any time. If I were you, I would buy a pair of water proof knee high rubber boots. For the shore bound angler, they offer you the chance to get out off the bank to walk around shoreline cover and more easily cast parallel to the shoreline. Hip wadders would be even better but I do pretty well just with the boots for fishing off shore. I'm currious about your rod and reel. What size reel do you have, and what is the length, power and action of your rod. That info would make giving you advice much easier. Certain techniques such as fishing a frog bait in heavy cover would be almost impossible with a flimsy outfit meant for panfish. You need some backbone in both the rod and reel for controlling a bass in heavy cover, and a rod with back bone for setting a hook with certain lure techniques. As for frog baits, I highly recommend the Spro Bronzeye Popper Frog. This bait gives you the fishability of other frog baits in heavy cover but also can be used as a poper in the open pockets of weeds and along the edges of weedbeds and other cover such as brush, docks, ect. It's been a killer frog bait for me! Also I want to discuss spinnerbaits with you. The 3/8 oz size is a good all around size that works in most situations very well. I like a white skirt with a gold willow blade and silver colorado tandem. I've been fishing spinnerbaits for nearly 35 years now and that particular version has always been a good producer. I want to caution you about retrieving spinnerbaits. You mentioned two retrieves. Fast along the surface, know as "burning", and slow along the bottom known as "slow rolling". Both techniques can work well and be deadly under the right conditions. However, I find way too many fisherman employ only those two methods for fishing spinnerbaits and thats a HUGE mistake. Spinnerbaits are my go to bait and I can tell you that a steady medium speed retrieve while working the spinnerbait in, around and through cover is by far the best overall retrieve, my opinion of course. I've caught 90% of my spinnerbait fish using it this way. A lot of guys talk about using the burner retrieve because they don't want the bass to get a good look at the lure and that it looks like a fleeing baitfish. Those two arguments have merit, but based on my experience, a medium speed retrieve works best most often. I've never seen a bass hesitate when approaching a spinnerbait. Also, many bass fisherman will tell you they only throw spinnerbaits when there is some chop on the water such as on a windy days and shun using spinnerbaits in calm water. Again, don't be fooled. I love spinnerbaits on windy days in choppy water because they are easier to use in that situation than many other baits. But I often wreck havoc on bass in dead calm water using a spinnerbait. In calm water I prefer to downsize spinnerbaits from 3/8 oz to 1/4 oz. This makes a quieter presentation far easier than a heavier spinnerbait. Also, try a Baby Torpedo insted of the Tiny Torpedo. Not that the
Tiny Torpedo won't work, but you said you havn't had luck with it. The Baby Torpedo is a little bigger and will allow a longer cast. That might work better for you. I've had better luck with the Baby size by far. In shallow water topwater, I prefer to keep as much distance between me and the bass as possible, especially if the water is fairly clear. Lastly, regarding line, I think you'll find 30 pound braid much more to your liking. It's strong, last for years which offsets cost of frequent line changes of mono type lines, and has a very narrow diameter. 30 pound braid has a line diameter equivalent to 8 pound mono. So as you can see, it's certainly not a heavy diameter line as one might think. Braid in the minds of many, myself included cast much better than mono using spinning gear too. If you really don't want to try braid, I would suggest upping your line to 15 pound mono. Catching a 10 pound bass isn't the issue my friend. The issue is will 8 pound mono handle a 5 pound bass in heavy brush or around pilings or lilly pads without breaking. An 8 pound line will handle fish fairly well in open water, but in heavy cover it's a path to disappointment and heart break when that nice bass does hit and you need to get him out of that nasty cover before he gets wrapped around in it. Then the line goes "ping", and the nashing of teeth begins, lol.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by keithdog

First off, welcome to the site John. I think your going to like it here. Lots of good folks quite willing to help out anyone in need. Feel free to contribute any time. If I were you, I would buy a pair of water proof knee high rubber boots. For the shore bound angler, they offer you the chance to get out off the bank to walk around shoreline cover and more easily cast parallel to the shoreline. Hip wadders would be even better but I do pretty well just with the boots for fishing off shore. I'm currious about your rod and reel. What size reel do you have, and what is the length, power and action of your rod. That info would make giving you advice much easier. Certain techniques such as fishing a frog bait in heavy cover would be almost impossible with a flimsy outfit meant for panfish. You need some backbone in both the rod and reel for controlling a bass in heavy cover, and a rod with back bone for setting a hook with certain lure techniques. As for frog baits, I highly recommend the Spro Bronzeye Popper Frog. This bait gives you the fishability of other frog baits in heavy cover but also can be used as a poper in the open pockets of weeds and along the edges of weedbeds and other cover such as brush, docks, ect. It's been a killer frog bait for me! Also I want to discuss spinnerbaits with you. The 3/8 oz size is a good all around size that works in most situations very well. I like a white skirt with a gold willow blade and silver colorado tandem. I've been fishing spinnerbaits for nearly 35 years now and that particular version has always been a good producer. I want to caution you about retrieving spinnerbaits. You mentioned two retrieves. Fast along the surface, know as "burning", and slow along the bottom known as "slow rolling". Both techniques can work well and be deadly under the right conditions. However, I find way too many fisherman employ only those two methods for fishing spinnerbaits and thats a HUGE mistake. Spinnerbaits are my go to bait and I can tell you that a steady medium speed retrieve while working the spinnerbait in, around and through cover is by far the best overall retrieve, my opinion of course. I've caught 90% of my spinnerbait fish using it this way. A lot of guys talk about using the burner retrieve because they don't want the bass to get a good look at the lure and that it looks like a fleeing baitfish. Those two arguments have merit, but based on my experience, a medium speed retrieve works best most often. I've never seen a bass hesitate when approaching a spinnerbait. Also, many bass fisherman will tell you they only throw spinnerbaits when there is some chop on the water such as on a windy days and shun using spinnerbaits in calm water. Again, don't be fooled. I love spinnerbaits on windy days in choppy water because they are easier to use in that situation than many other baits. But I often wreck havoc on bass in dead calm water using a spinnerbait. In calm water I prefer to downsize spinnerbaits from 3/8 oz to 1/4 oz. This makes a quieter presentation far easier than a heavier spinnerbait. Also, try a Baby Torpedo insted of the Tiny Torpedo. Not that the
Tiny Torpedo won't work, but you said you havn't had luck with it. The Baby Torpedo is a little bigger and will allow a longer cast. That might work better for you. I've had better luck with the Baby size by far. In shallow water topwater, I prefer to keep as much distance between me and the bass as possible, especially if the water is fairly clear. Lastly, regarding line, I think you'll find 30 pound braid much more to your liking. It's strong, last for years which offsets cost of frequent line changes of mono type lines, and has a very narrow diameter. 30 pound braid has a line diameter equivalent to 8 pound mono. So as you can see, it's certainly not a heavy diameter line as one might think. Braid in the minds of many, myself included cast much better than mono using spinning gear too. If you really don't want to try braid, I would suggest upping your line to 15 pound mono. Catching a 10 pound bass isn't the issue my friend. The issue is will 8 pound mono handle a 5 pound bass in heavy brush or around pilings or lilly pads without breaking. An 8 pound line will handle fish fairly well in open water, but in heavy cover it's a path to disappointment and heart break when that nice bass does hit and you need to get him out of that nasty cover before he gets wrapped around in it. Then the line goes "ping", and the nashing of teeth begins, lol.

That's great info right there, ALL OF IT!! I also like the spro poppin frog, if you can find it, get it. Only reason I said snag proof is because it's easy to find local. Love the spinnerbait advise there keith, straight no nonsense fishing!

All this stuff is great though John, I definitely agree with IB, a spinnerbait or crankbait may not be the best thing to use around an area like he described where you don't have a lot of casts to "waste." A slower more subtle lure that you can really pick an area apart with is usually a better option.

[johnsoft349]

Dear lord, you guys are amazing! I never expected to have so many lengthy responses and bits of advice. I'll definitely look into those frogs. Dick's sporting goods didn't really have what I needed, I may just order that popper online. I'll also give a more "medium" type retrieve with my spinners. That makes good sense to me. The extreme actions (slow on the bottom, burning on the top) always seemed a bit polarized to me, I think somewhere in the middle would be most natural looking.

I think, though, that for now, I should be focusing on basic texas rigged worms. That seems to be the easiest, most reliable way to catch bass, from what I've read. Once I gain confidence that I can even catch fish, I'll work on spicing it up more.

That being said, I went out today, only for about two hours, and didn't get anything. I'm not surprised, because it was hot as hell, and I wasn't out long, but I noticed something really important about my lake that I need to ask you guys about:

The entire bottom of the lake is like a forest! It's incredibly weedy. I'm not sure why I never picked up on this before, I guess I was just too excited to be fishing again. But basically every time I put a texas-rigged worm out, which should be more or less weedless, I end up caught on something. I'm able to pull my lure out of it, but then often I have weeds on my lure and then I have to bring it in and clean it off. It's to the point where I feel like I can't fish. I can't retrieve the lure the way I need to in order to make the thing look natural, because I'm always yanking it out of some weeds, and then it skips several feet once it breaks loose. What do I do?

The weeds bring fish; I've seen them. There are some big, big bass. But they limit my ability to fish so drastically that I worry I can't succeed. People fish for bass all the time though, it's supposedly a well known bass lake across the country, so it must be possible. So, how do I go about fishing in these thick weeds?

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by johnsoft349

thanks so much for the advice!
Also, any advice about using minnows? I was thinking about netting a few and trying them next time i go.

I have some great advice about minnows... forget them! just/kidding - sort of. Unless you're fishing for walleye or Crappie they're more trouble than they're worth. - Just my opinion.

[bamabassman]

hey pal.you have gotten some wonderful advice here. not gonna add anything to it except to tell you not to lose hope. take it easy on learning new techniques and new baits. take oyur time. fishing is supposed to be fun and relaxing. so have fun with it.

also welcome to the BEST fishing site on the web. take the jokes as they are......jokes. ask anything oyu want to know. no such thing as a stupid question (unless its about waterdogs and NO COMMENTS GANG!! LOL), ONLY STUPID ANSWERS. read and research the site for answers before asking and you will see what you want to know.

and like i said before, HAVE FUN!!!

[DaveW731]

Originally Posted by IowaBasser

Just be sure to put them back in the package when you're not using them and keep the package closed tight. Gulp baits are notorious for drying out quickly unlike most plastics which do not dry out. About 30 minutes out of water on a hot day is all it takes for Gulp baits to become worthless.

Buy 'em in the "bait bucket" package. You can save baits by putting them back in. An added bonus is if you use all the baits, keep the bucket for dipping other plastics in to add scent.

[BrownHL]

Johnsoft, go to this site and read everything you can. It is good, solid, information on everything you would want to know about bass fishing.
http://www.bassdozer.com/articles.shtml

[johnsoft349]

Guys, I did it!

Not using any artificials, but I got my first big largemouth today.

I'll try to post a picture soon. He was about 16" long, and considering he snapped my 8lb test after I had hauled him out of the water, he must have weighed at least 5lbs I'd say. Pretty awesome! it was really exhilarating.

I was throwing a texas rig worm (3/0 offset worm hook, 3/8 oz weight) and having no luck, so I took about 4 little worms I had dug up, and put them all over the hook, and hardly a minute after I cast it out, that big boy hit it like a freight train. Pretty awesome. Sorry there's no pic yet, I'm figuring out how to get it from my phone onto here. Thanks.

[keithdog]

Glad to hear you broke the ice. Looking foreward to the pics.

[Bassboss]

Congrats on the bass john! Can't wait for the pics!

[johnsoft349]

Here he is boys! The reason I'm holding him with pliers is because he snapped my line and was flopping around, and I didn't want to grab his lip that way for fear of getting hooked myself. So I picked him up with pliers and then unhooked him. Not bad though, eh? The angle makes him look shorter and fatter than he was.

[bamabassman]

very nice indeedy!!!

[oglejust]

glad to c u got 1.. heres my advice, i always know i can catch a bass by throwing a pumpkin grub (4inch YUM salty) on a whistler jig thats on a jig spinner. that is my all time bass lure. this is normally the 1st thing ill throw, if they dont hit on that ill normally just throw a little jig or bettlespin for bluegill.

this is the jig spinner- http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...w=1366&bih=664

this is the whistler jig- http://www.northlandtackle.com/Sites...histlerjig.tml

and u can find a 4inch grub anywhere. hope this helps u out.