# Busting bait schools



## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Over at Hargus Lake yesterday the minnows were roving in huge schools at the top of the water column, most prominently in the deepest part of the lake (25'-38' fow). We noticed bass busting them so started following them around throwing cranks and spinners around and through the bait schools. Basically I'd wait until the bass started popping a certain school then race over and cast into the middle of it. Caught a bunch of 1-2lb fish. The action was fast and fun. It pretty much occurred from 7am to 2pm. 

1) Why were these baitfish doing this?
2) Anything I could've done to single out the biggest of the bass? I tried just about everything I had to catch a bigger one but they were all the same size. 

Any thoughts? thanks. 


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

gobrowntruck21 said:


> Over at Hargus Lake yesterday the minnows were roving in huge schools at the top of the water column, most prominently in the deepest part of the lake (25'-38' fow). We noticed bass busting them so started following them around throwing cranks and spinners around and through the bait schools. Basically I'd wait until the bass started popping a certain school then race over and cast into the middle of it. Caught a bunch of 1-2lb fish. The action was fast and fun. It pretty much occurred from 7am to 2pm.
> 
> 1) Why were these baitfish doing this?
> 2) Anything I could've done to single out the biggest of the bass? I tried just about everything I had to catch a bigger one but they were all the same size.
> ...


The way I get the big ones is the 3/4oz spook and it that don't work I use a pearl white zoom with a 1/8oz ewg to get the big ones under the small ones.

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## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Have any idea why this was happening? 


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

They're probably shad that are either feeding up near the surface, or they've been pushed to the surface by the school of bass. It's pretty normal stuff for this time of year.


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## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Bassbme said:


> They're probably shad that are either feeding up near the surface, or they've been pushed to the surface by the school of bass. It's pretty normal stuff for this time of year.


They were minnows. It was going on pretty much across the entire lake is why I found it odd. 


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

gobrowntruck21 said:


> They were minnows. It was going on pretty much across the entire lake is why I found it odd.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


They were in the shallow and opebn water? Cause usually its shallow in the morning and deep in mid day and shallow again. The o lay reason like bassbme said is either feeding which usually is not the case. And minnows usually don't boil the surface like shad do. But if you wanna see what it is. Take a ratltrap and I mean speed it through the middle until you snag one. You might be surprised on how big they are. Thats what I do to "match the hatch" with my lure choice for size and color.

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## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Open water, overcast/rainy day, 0700-1400. 78/79* surface temp. 

I've seen shad boil and this wasn't it. This was minnows cruising up top in 35 fow with the bass just gorging on them. It was literally sight fishing. If only every trip out the fish were up top slapping the water saying 'hey jackass, over here!' 


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## Bimmer (Aug 12, 2011)

One thing you can try is going deeper. Many times the bigger bass will sit below the school and wait for the smaller bass to stun and knock some of the bait down.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Chances are at least 90% that they were young of the year shad. Probably around 1 1/2" - 2" long. If they were balled up tight, they were balled up because predator fish were in the area. If they were scattered out blanketing larger areas they were probably feeding. Once again ........ it's normal for this time of year.


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## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Yea they were that sized, and would ball up before all hell broke loose. Only reason I said minnows is because of their profile, maybe 1st year shad are slender like a minnow? Whatever was happening, I'd really like to be able to predict it for future purposes.


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

gobrowntruck21 said:


> Over at Hargus Lake yesterday the minnows were roving in huge schools at the top of the water column, most prominently in the deepest part of the lake (25'-38' fow).
> 
> 1) Why were these baitfish doing this?
> 
> ...


I camped over there three weekends ago and saw the same thing. My youngest son was whacken' 'em with a Zara Puppy top water bait.


The state killed all the weeds/milfoil in the lake. Now the micro-organisms and small bait fish have nowhere to hide. So now they're gathering up in large schools and gettin' ate up.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I call them "minnies" too, but I know they're shad. Yes young of the year shad are slender. If you really want to be sure of what they are, you could take one or two of the bass you catch and put them in your live well and see if they spit any of them out while in there. Or you could just take your boat over to where the action was occurring and see if you can find any floating on the surface. You can sometimes find a couple dead ones floating around. 

It's hard to predict when it's going to happen, but there are things that you can watch for that may clue you in to where it may happen. Watch for gulls. If they are diving at the water, they're after "minnies" that are near the surface. If there are a lot of gulls diving in one small area that means something has the bait fish balled up ..... definitely go over there and start fishing. You're not always going to see other fish feeding on them on the surface. 

Also, if you are moving along and seeing balls of bait fish on your depth finder, with streaks around the ball of bait, or larger spots below the balled up bait...... those streaks and spots are other fish that are feeding on the bait ball. Try throwing a small 1/8 oz. double willow leaf spinner bait, or a smaller rattle bait. A blade bait like a Vibe E or a Silver Buddy works good too. They're usually smaller and come closer to the size of the bait fish, and you can cast them a long way and count them down to any depth you need to. Then just start a steady retrieve or a yo yo ing type retrieve. 

It's definitely a blast fishing schooling fish......... and oh......... if you have an Alabama rig....... then would be the perfect time to give it a try as well.


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

Jerkbaits work good in the fall when this happens over 20+ fow when they suspend under them. But when I see this happening in the summer. I throw everything that looks like the bait fish till something starts hitting on almost every cast.

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## gobrowntruck21 (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks guys, lots of good information here!


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