Couple basic questions from a newb

[ridergroov1]

Hi folks. I haven't really fished in about ten years but I have gotten the itch to go lately so I have a couple questions. I went out yesterday and caught absolutely nothing and I am wondering if there are obvious things I am doing wrong. Here are my questions:

1. How far away from the hook should I put the split shot weights?
2. How far from the hook should I put the bobber?
3. What kind of bait should i be using for waters I have been told have bass in them? The other day I was using corn, worms, crankbait, surface lures, fake worms, and minnows. I didn't get so much as a nibble with anything. I asked the guy at the dock what to use and he told me marshmallows.
4. What am I actualy fishing for this time of year? (summer)
5. What is the best time of the day to fish. I'm guessing early morning and night time since I was fishing in the middle of the afternoon and there was absolutely nothing.

Well that is all from me now. I really had a blast the other day but would really enjoy it more if I actually caught something. I know there was fish where I was fishing because they were jumping out of the water everywhere..just not taking any of my bait. Any help or suggestions for this newb would be appreciated. Below is what I currently have in my arsenal that I bought when I went to the store if that helps at all in telling me what to do. All of this stuff was recommended by the salesmen who apparently fishes in a lot of tournaments.

• Rod: Quantum 6' graphite Shaw Grigsby
• Yellow and black "Jitterbug" surface lure. About an inch long.
• A grey and white chatter lure. Says "Shallow Fry" on it.
• Gary Yamamoto 4" Black/Blue Yamasenko fake worms
• Yum freshwater Forked Dinger fake worms
• Some yellow and white "hairy" looking lure. Big hook with a gold spinning piece
• Size 1 offset shank Worm hooks
• Size 8 & 4 hooks
• various sized bobbers
• Some odd hook that has a weight on it that apparently puts the worm verticle

Thanks for listening. I'm really looking forward to getting into this and just need some info! Going out again in two days. Can't wait. Thanks.

[JB]

I usually go about 6 inches from the hook to the sinkers, and then anywhere from 18 inches to 30 for the bobber....adjust if the water is shallow, and you can go much deeper if you use a slip bobber...enjoy!

[Rebbasser]

First off, welcome to the forum!

I haven't used live bait in a looooooong time, but where to put the split shot/bobber depends on the depth. The deeper the water the higher up you put the water with the split shot about halfway down. I always wanted the bait 6" to a foot off the bottom.

As to your other questions-what to use for bass depends on the water you are fishing, or to be more specific the cover you are fishing. Bass are not for the most part an open water fish. They like to be in and around stuff like weeds, flooded timber, lilly pads, docks, etc. What you use will be dictated by the cover. For example, a crankbait-hard plastic bait with a lip and 2 or more treble hooks on it-is not a good choice for surface/shallow weeds because you will spend all your time picking off 2 lbs of weeds after every cast.

If you give us some more info on what the areas you fish are like we can give you some recommendations.

You already have some good baits-the Senkos and Dingers are one of my go-to baits. Take a look at the worm rigs stickied at the top to see how to righ them.

[ridergroov1]

Thanks for all your info guys. Much appreciated. Rebbasser, you said you don't really fish with live bait that much anymore...what do you use? That is one thing that I forgot to mention, where I am fishing. I really just got back into this about 2 weeks ago so not a whole bunch of fishing yet. My last fishing was out of a reservoir in a state park nearby. Rented a boat for a half day and went out and got nothing but sunburn. Still I enjoyed hanging with my buddies and being outside so it was great nonetheless. We fished near the shore, near some weed type areas adn right out in the middle. The fish were jumping out of the water all day but not eating my bait. Really frustrating. Other places I have or plan on fishing are local river extensions and such. Mostly pretty shallow. What else should I be reading about besides bass for summer? Thanks for all your help and time. Take care.

[Rebbasser]

Rider, all I use are artificial lures-a whole boat full of artificial lures. What specifically I use depnds on where I'm fishing, in particular the kind of cover. For example, flooded timber I use Texas rig worms, jigs, weightless soft plastics, shallow running crankbaits and spinnerbaits. For rock I use jigs and crankbaits. Weeds-weightless soft plastics, spinnerbaits, shallow running cranks-that's why I ask about the cover you fish. The jumping fish you describe may not be bass-they might be carp. this time of year they will explode out of the water, but it is usually out in open water. All I fish for is bass, but there are catfish, crappie, and depending on where you are pike, pickeral, and muskie.

If I was to throw one bait this time of year I would rig one of your Senkos or Yum Dingers on a 3/0 Extra Wide Gap hook with no weight and work it with gentle twitches of the rod tip. A hit usually comes when the bait is slowly sinking, so watch your line. If youy bait feels "heavy" set the hook-you don't always feel the hit with these baits.

[ridergroov1]

Well I am back here. Yesterday my buddy and I hit up the same reservoir we fished last week and alas, nothing; not even a nibble. I hear everything from amazing fishing to nothing at this place so I'm thinking maybe it's not as good as I once thought it was.

I fished the "shallow fry" crank lure close to the sure pretty frequently and didn't feel anything. Tried marshmallows, live worms, and fake worms as well with no results at all. I'm not sure if this is a bad place to fish right now or it is just me. I do have some more questions though.

1. If I'm fishing a reservoir, what type of environment/what type of bait should I use?
2. What you said "Yum Dingers on a 3/0 Extra Wide Gap hook with no weight and work it with gentle twitches of the rod tip", does that mean do this with or without a bobber?
3. Should I be fishing near the shore or out in the middle of this reservoir?
4. I bought a snap swivel because I got tired of tying things constantly. This might be really lame but, is it okay to just attach my lure to the snap swivel or should I have some line in between the two? To me that would defeat the purpose but I'm also asking myself, is something like a snap swivel and/or the shot weights scaring the fish away?

That is it for now. I feel a bit discouraged but certainly nowhere near giving it up. I feel like I remember catching fish all the time when I was a kid. What happened to me? Thanks!

[Rebbasser]

Don't get discouraged-keep plugging. You'll get bit.

Fish the Yum dinger with no bobber-you want to cast it out and let it sink, then work it back by twitching it, let it settle, reel down to it and twitch it again. 99% of the time if you are using an artificial don't use a bobber. The 1% is a couple of specific applications like a float-n-fly or a different way to fish a wacky rig.

Many moons ago I watched my favorite crankbait go sailing off into the murky depths when the swivel I was using came open. I haven't used one since. If I was going to use one it would be with a crankbait or topwater and that would be it. I tie directly because I trust my knots a lot more than a snap swivel. The only time I use any swivel is a barrell swivel on a Carolina rig or floating worm rig. My main knot is a Palomar with an occasional Trilene knot thrown in. There is a sticky for knots at the top of this forum.

As far as the reservoir you are fishing-what is it like? Weedy, flooded trees, rocky-you get the idea. If you give us some idea of the type of cover you are fishing we can give you some specific suggestions. Like I said, I fish different types of cover with different techniques, so knowing what/where you are fishing will help with suggestions.

[ridergroov1]

First off, thank you for the continued advice. I really appreciate it. I'm really surprised that you don't use a bobber that often. You said you don't use one with artificial that much, how about with real bait? What is the difference? I remember you also saying that you pretty much stick to the fake baits so maybe you never even use real bait. Don't most use a bobber? I thought worms were supposed to just float out there. I'm not questioning your technique, just curious as to why I am so jaded in my thinking about bobber usage.

Now the swivel. I was using the uni-knot to tie stuff up with until I got annoyed that I had to do that every time I wanted to change the bait or hook that I was using so I bought that snap swivel. Is there any reason, other than worrying about it breaking, to not use it? Will fish stay away from all that extra gear right near the bait? When I look at the bait, then the snap swivel, then the weights, then the bobber, I think that anything with 2 brain cells would say, that doesn't really look normal. I don't know how much fish know or care about that though. I will check out those other knots you mentioned.

I'm not really sure what you are looking for as far as the environment description. It's just like a big body of water with trees around it . When I look down into the shallow parts near the shore, it is all rock. Most of the places I fish are rock I believe. Hope that helps a bit.

I'm wondering if I should be fishing for carp since you say that is what is jumping around this place. What would I use/do differently?

One other thing. What is the best time of day to fish? I'm thinking maybe that is another problem with what I am doing. The first day I fished from 10 -2. The other day I fished from about 5 - 8. Same results both times.

Alright that is it for now. I look forward to hearing back from you and thanks once again for all your help.

[WallStreetAmigo]

rider, I sometimes use snap swivels too and have been burned the odd time with them opening up and losing a lure. They do make it easier to switch though, and I have caught just as many bass on them as I have without. If you want an easy to tie knot that is very strong, try a palomar knot. It is the only knot I use to tie lures (or even swivels) onto the line, as it is simple and fast to tie, and provides a very strong connection. Plus, I'm lazy when it comes to tying knots, so the palomar keeps me in harmony with my laziness........lol.

Regarding the bobber question and also whether or not swivels, etc will spook the fish, I think it depends on what you are fishing for. For example, when I fish for rainbow trout up here, they are notoriously finicky about presentations. If I don't have just the right amount of weight between the bobber and the hook, or I use too big a swivel, they drop it almost right away when they feel the tension or see the swivel. Bass on the other hand, are opportunistic feeders who are lazy by nature. If they can grab it without expending too much energy, they will eat it for the most part. They either feed because they are hungry or as a reaction to a lure swimming by. The reason soft plastics (worms, lizards, flukes, senkos, etc) are so effective for bass is that they can be presented in many different ways that just cannot be accomplished with real bait (ie. nightcrawlers). Try texas rigging a live nightcrawler, or try casting a bobber and worm into surface weeds or lily pads - it just won't work! Since bass are ambush feeders and they like to hide in weeds and other types of cover waiting for something edible to cruise by, you need to be able to cast your lures to where they live. Plastic baits also give us the opportunity to impart the action that we want. They can be retrieved fast or slow, stop and go, on the surface weeds or along the bottom. They are just much more versatile than live bait. There is always a place for live bait, but plastics have many advantages.

On your lake, look for anything that stands out from the crowd, so to speak. If you see a large point coming into the lake, or if you see lily pads or other floating weeds, you should explore that area more fully. Think of it as bass generally like to hide, especially from the sun, so where would the best spots to hide be in your lake? Then, go fish that area.

I hope this helps.

[Rebbasser]

Rider, I don't use live bait-or corn or anything like that. Nothing wrong with it, I just prefer doing something-chunking and winding, twitching a jerkbait, dragging a worm or jig through flooded timber-when using artificials you have to impart action to the bait where with live bait you just wait for the fish.

Using a swivel is really a matter of personal preference. I don't like using them, but it won't effect the fish IMO. Like I said earlier, I trust my Palomar or Trilene knot a lot more.

You say the reservoir has a lot of rock-that helps. Sounds like a lake I fish. There are several baits to try. My favorite tactic on a rock bank is throw a deep running crankbait shallow so it really digs into the bottom kicking up a mud trail. If you have some big rocks a jig or Yum Dinger can produce real well. If the water is clear a shakey head-a 4-6" straight tail worm on a jighead-can produce.

What I mean by the environment is does the lake have weed beds? Flooded timber? Lilly pads? Steep, almost vertical banks? Docks? All those will hold bass. The tactics you use depend on the cover you are fishing, because some work better than others depending on the cover. Ever thrown a crankbait into a moss filled pond? Odds are you get the lure back with 2 lbs of moss on it. Every cast. On the other hand, if you were to throw a weedless, weightless stickbait like a Yum Dinger you don't have that problem. That's what I mean by some tactics work better than others depending on the cover you are fishing.

Time of day? Now early and late work best. throwing topwaters at sunup/sundown can really produce. In the winter fishing mid to late afternoon is best because the water gets a chance to warm up. But, as any fisherman will tell you, the best time to fish is anytime you can.

[ridergroov1]

New info sounds good. Probably going to try to stick to early morning when I can. I enjoy that in the morning more than at night. I'm goign to check out your knots and see if I can't get them to work right and see if they don't consume my entire time fishing when I change bait every 5 minutes because I get no hits. I know I know. Patience. Going to try to go with the Yum fake worms for a bit on my next trip out which may be tonight but definitely something this weekend and probably not going back to the same place. Thanks for your help. I'll let you know how I make out.

[Rebbasser]

Rider, try using a Palomar knot. Extremely easy to tie, very quick to tie, and one of if not the strongest knot out there.

[hackattack]

Reb is telling you a great thing to try (weightless dinger or senko). Summer can be a hard time of the year in most places and it is all about finding the fish. My best advice is to find any shade on the water. If you see boat docks or fishing piers, fish around or under them if possible. Most of us on this board (at least the ones who frequently post) use artificial lures exclusively. stick with it and fish sloooooow in the shade. you will get a bite.

good luck!

[ridergroov1]

Yeah I'm going to try the artificials today for the most part. Going to be fishing a small stream which is an extension of a larger creek. Never fished there before so we'll see what kind of terrain it is. Are trout fishable this time of year? If so, what is the deal with fishing those? Thanks for the info.

[ridergroov1]

Hello folks. Just back with an update. I finally caught something. Me and my buddy pulled some bass out of a local spot a few miles from home. About time. Well, I pulled one and he pulled three but that's besides the point. We caught something finally. It was an extension of another creek and I got this feeling as soon as we crawled down the side of a huge hill and did some digging around for a spot that we could cast from. We ended up walking out a bit and within the first 15 minutes I would say we were getting hits left and right. My buddy caught about a foot long bass which was our largest and we pulled some smaller ones out as time went on. We were really happy. I went with what you guys said, no bobber or weights. I did stick with the swivel just to make things easier because it didn't seem to matter. I was using my Yum forked dinger and seemed to work pretty well. My buddy was using the Gary Yamamoto worms. I'm pretty convinced that I can do just as well or better with the artificials. Tomorrow we are heading to lake Nockamixen to do some fishing during the latter part of the day. Hopefully things go well. Later on.

[abarker]

Ok guys now I have a question. I thought I could bass fish but apparently its kinda harder than what I originally thought. I have stuck with trout fishing most of the year. Anyways, went to local farm where there was a pond and did some fishing with the kids. They love to catch the little blue gil and sun perch(I think thats what they are) anyhow, there has been a couple of what I assume are small mouth bass close to the edge of the water that are coming up and snatching up something. I tried to fish for them and got a bite and lost it. No luck since. What would you suggest that I use to catch these critters. Ofcourse its shallow near the bank and alot of algae growth, some weeds. Also Rebass on the rock bank how can one keep from getting jammed up in the rocks. I took the family to Claytor Lake last Sunday and they fished some But I noticed that there was alot of rock on the bank. Big rocks. When the boys would reel in they would often get stuck in the rocks. Any suggestions on that would be appreciated. Also I really do like the sticky at the top on the texas rig and other rigs. I hear talk about things like that all the time but a picture is worth a thousand words. BTW whats the diff between texas and carolina? They look the same to me.

Arthur

[Rebbasser]

Arthur, crankbaits do get hung up, but most float so many times just giving it some slack will allow it to float free. Fishing from the bank does put you at a disadvantage-you only have one angle to work it. Being able to move to the opposite side of the snag often allows you to pull it free, which you really can't do from the bank.

There are a couple differences between the Texas rig and Carolina rig. If you look at the C-rig, notice there is a weight above a bead above a swivel. The swivel is as far down the line as the weight can go, and tied to the swivel is a leader to which the bait is attached. This allows the bait to trail behind the weight rather than be pulled down to the bottom which is the case with a T-rig. The Texas rig has the weight right down next to the bait. Another difference is where you use the different rigs. A T-rig has a verticl presentation where the C-rig has a horizontal presentation. A T-rig is usually fished with a lift and drop presentation, which makes it good for fishing specific pieces of cover like a flooded tree top. A C-rig, on the other hand, is designed to cover water. Instead of a lift and drop retrieve it uses a dragging retrieve-you want it to stay in contact with the bottom, which allows you to cover water and fish a larger area. I like to use it in areas where I'm paralleling a dam, fishing a point-areas that I want to fish a wide area. By keeping the weight in contact with the bottom stirs up a mud trail, and when a fish comes to ivestigate what it is they have the bait float right up in their face. The bead-I like to use glass-serves 2 purposes: When the weight hits the bead it gives off an audible click that attracts fish, and it helps protect the knot from the weight. I fish a lot of rocky lakes, so I use a Lindy Rattlin' No Snagg sinker. It is a banana shaped weight with a rattle in it that comes through snags better than the traditional sinker and bead setup. Hope that answers your question.