# What's going on with these fish?



## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

Today I hit a 5 acre pond. The water is SUPER clear--kinda lke bath water! As I approached the pond, I could see (thanks to my polarized glasses) bass allllllll over the place. They were mainly shallow, near the bank. But, I did see some fish out in the middle of the pond, but they were near the surface. The fish were in groups too.. I never saw just one fish, they were always in a group of 2 but mostly in larger groups (sometimes up to 5 in a pack). The fish would swim around, up and down the bank....definitely looked like they were "searching".

I started throwing a spinnerbait, but had no luck. chartruese w/ silver blade. I would run those spinners right past their noses, but they wouldn't even take a second look. 

The fish seemed more interested in my texas rigged black & blue lizard or brown jig. I could see packs of fish (sometimes 4 to a pack) closely follow my lizard up the bank. They would get close and stare at the lure....but no bites. ??? 

Any ideas to get these dudes to bite??


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## noodle8177 (Sep 24, 2007)

They could be spawing or very close to spawing. Try a fluke or something that looks like a minnow and they might take it. It really sounds like they are on spawn or getting ready to.


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## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

noodle8177 said:


> They could be spawing or very close to spawing. Try a fluke or something that looks like a minnow and they might take it. It really sounds like they are on spawn or getting ready to.


i wondered about that. The water temp in the late evening was 59 degrees.


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## noodle8177 (Sep 24, 2007)

If my mind serves me right bass start spawing i beleive on 60 degree water. I went yesterday to a lake and water temp was mid to upper 60's but bass were feeding real good.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

The last couple days I have had good success with live bass minnows, I hook them through the tail and put them around bass that I see cruising, some do infact ignore it...but othes cant seem to lay off that minnow fluttering around them in there face.


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## bigcats28 (Jul 23, 2006)

majority of bass spawn in low 60 degree water. The bigger bass spawn when the water is a little cooler than that.


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## fishinjim (Aug 9, 2006)

I landed 14 LM and had as many break off using a watermellon with black specks curly tail. I did catch 1 on a watermellon tube but by far the curly tail was the tits! I was in stained water, at a small pond, and as you said, they were all close to shore, in packs of 2-3. Slow retrieve was better than fast.


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## madcrappiekids (Mar 11, 2006)

had the same issue - seemed like they were just spooked at sight or sound of anything i put in the water???


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## fishslime (Jul 28, 2006)

ohiou_98 said:


> . The water is SUPER clear--kinda lke bath water!
> 
> 
> The clearer the water it easier for the bass to see that there is something differt about your bait from what the have been eating
> ...


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

Had another post about this, but I had the same problem last week in a pond. The fish would come up to the bait and just look at it, never would take it. That was with several different types and colors. Tried some crappie minnows and caught several, the key was to let it set still for 2-5 minutes at a time...they would come up to it and just look at it for ever, than all of a sudden BAM...kind of weird...guess it would be like dead sticking with a jerkbait, letting it set still for ever...


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## Thick Rick (Feb 3, 2008)

I would go with a plastic worm. If it is that clear, probably a finesse worm. Work it by them nice and slow. Light weight so it falls slow. Actually now that I think about it, a Senko would probably do it. It falls nice and slow and can usually trigger them because of how it falls. Especially if it is over top of a bed. Don't use any weight at all on the Senko. Otherwise, I agree with noodle. Something minnow like.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

finesse, senko's, small tubes, small jigs, sluggo's, donnot make a cast unless you see the fish and lead them by a long distance. often the best way is to find "pacing" fish that go back and forth, throw behind them and let is sink and dont move it until they turn around and swim back by, this can be very effective. the other good tech. i like are buzzbaits late, and night fishing with giant swimbaits and jig-n-pigs, great way to get bigger fish


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