# Bed Fishing Baits?



## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

What are some of your favorite baits to catch those hawgs off the nest?
I usualy throw a brush hog or a lizard in a natural color, sometimes a bright color if the bed is tough to see. After reading the article in Bassmasters last month I want to try the sweet beaver baits that Ish Monroe uses. Anyone tried these yet?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I like to throw a tube or lizard this year I am gonna try a shallow drop shot rig.
I have heard of guys throwing cranksbaits at beds and snagging bass I think that is wrong what do you guys think?


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

yeah it goes on alot, they catch them right on the side of the face to make it look like a legal catch. I don't feel right about doing something like that. Bed fishing is one of the most challenging things to master, when you catch a good fish off a bed fairly, you should have a since of pride.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Who makes sweet beavers.
Yum

Don't forget about a senko or floating worm for bedding bass.


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

I like a tube or jig. To many times I've seen a bass pick up the tail of a worm or lizard and carry it out of the nest. Either that or maybe trying to add a hook near the tail.


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## TritonBill (Apr 9, 2004)

I'd rather not fish for bedding fish if possible. Have you ever noticed how the bass will chase away the little bluegill? They can't even get close to the beds. Therefore i like to use things that imitate bluegills, whether it be a tube, finesse baits, etc.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

i've thrown cranks around bed, it's not snagging if the bass hits, which alot of the time they do.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

I haven't fished bedding bass since my parents moved away form Lake ForK, Texas.

If you are familiar with this lake it is famous for it's quality bass fishing, and BIG bass. There are over 300 guides that work Fork. In the spring most of them are booked everyday.

My parents lived in a cove that was great for spawning bass and very popular with the guides. It was not unusual to have 6-10 boats working the bay at the same time. There was one stretch that was about 100 yds long right behind the boat house that I could just sit in our boat in the boat house watch all of the guides with their clients only a boat length away fishing the beds between the boathouse and the bank. These same fish would get caught numerous times daily. The best part was when a guide would return each day with a different client to catch the same bass over and over again. The guide would already know the weight of a fish when his client would catch it, because he had already weighed it 3 times the previous 3 days for other clients, but he would still get out the scale and weigh it for them and act like it was the first time ever.

Anyway, the reason that I mention this is to relate the amount of pressure shallow visible beds get on this lake in the spring. We also fished some of the bedding fish around this bay. You had to offer something a little different or have tons of patience with same old, same old. 

I found 3 baits that worked extremely well on this lake. A 4" power lizard, melon/chartreuse with a weighted hook to allow it to fall in a horizontal position. A bright pink bubblegum worm rigged on the same hook, and a Mann's baby minus one crankbaits in blue gill color. These baits caught bunches and bunches of bass on the beds in extremely high pressured areas.


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## Reel Lady (Jul 4, 2004)

Something to keep in mind... Fish that are sitting on their bed aren't in the "feeding" mode.. they are in their "Protective" mode. So basically any bait presented that makes the fish feel that the nest/fry are being threatened will cause a reaction strike. I think in this situation that the color choice would be more of a factor than size. Hopefully anyone that catches a bedding bass will release it so it can go back to tend to its eggs/fry.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm sure that every lake and situation is and can be different with different preferred baits based upon all of the various factors that play into bait effectiveness.

At fork, size was very much one of the basics in the formula for success. I believe this to be only because these fish got beaten to death daily with big tubes and lizards, from all of the guides boats. Down sizing in this lake, at this time, made a huge difference in the success.

Every lake and situation will be different, there are just way too many variables from lake to lake to have it any other way. You'll need to find what works for you, in your lake, on that particular day. To me, that's what so fun about fishing


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## lureboy98 (Aug 24, 2004)

I like using a plastic salamander too...seems to work pretty well. Basically anything that annoys them enough to hit it i will try.


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## Mr.Bass. (Feb 27, 2005)

I like a jig and tube also. Lizzards and worms are great but, the fish have a hard time getting hooked so I like to add a trailor hook to my plastics worms when fishing for bedding bass. By doing this the hooking percentage increases.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

In the strip mines the visability was as high as the banks you walked on. Spot fishin was as good as it gets if your prepared for a hike! Some where 30+
in long! You would notice the big boys cruzzin the shore and wouldnt hit a thing. Try the night bite!  They love to just run the banks. Some of the fish were
noticed chasing the gills off the beds and I found that the bait that stayed in the zone of two feet won the battle. The texas rig with the sent. Color was optional on water color. I once threw at a 9# for a half hour watching him 
hit the different lures and the worm let him strike it more than once as the jigging threatened his nest.


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## Alter (Apr 8, 2004)

I usually start with a creature, tube, or floating worm when trying to get bedding bass to bite. Then follow that up with a crankbait or small swimbait if they won't hit or hook-up on the initial offers. The creaturess and tubes are usually enough to irritate the bass but it's often the crank that gets them to bite (hooked in the mouth, not snagged). Lipless cranks seem to work really well for this. Ya just got to tick them off a bit first. 

One thing I've noticed is that most fish have a breaking point to how much irritation they'll put up with when gaurding a nest. If you bug them too much they will leave the nest and won't come back for quite a while. I've found it better to try to get the fish to bite for a while and if it won't hook-up relatively quickly, leave it alone and let it calm down then go back to that fish later and try to hook it again.

Steve


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## DoUPhish (Apr 10, 2004)

I just read the post about Sweet beavers, a company called Reaction Innovations makes them, they also have a smaller version called the Smallie beaver and they have a few good wacky worm and dropshot baits. I bought a few packs of both, but you can find a guy on e-bay that makes knock offs of them and he sells them 25 to a pack, bought some of those as well. I used them last year at the end of the season and the bass seem to really like to hang on to the wide ribbed body.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

Shhhhhh!!!!!!


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

> Bed fishing is one of the most challenging things to master, when you catch a good fish off a bed fairly, you should have a since of pride.


You've got to be freaking kidding me !!!! LMAOAOAOAOAO


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

If you have a problem with bed fishing take it somewhere else, don't try to start stuff.


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

LMAOAOAOAOAO !!!!!!!!! I didn't mean to hurt you feelings...........


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

OK OK I apologize fir pickin on you .........but bed fishin is the most assinine way to get fish in the boat.....rippin them off their bed.....because of their instinct to protect their spawn.....and your callin me the a**hole.....surely a seasoned tourny basser like yourself can come up with a more logical pattern to satisfy your urge to have 5 in the well...


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

5 in the well doesn't mean a whole lot in most tournaments, you better have some quality fish and when they are on the beds on tournament day you can bet 99% of the guys are fishing for them. Your handicapping yourself if you don't fish for them, you simply can't compeat if you don't.


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

OK Austin ....I've been there and done that......as far as tourny's go.....have a safe and productive season....no hard feelings....just different views & opinions.


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Alwsfishin I didn't read in procraft post that he called you A-hole. Procraft is right to compete when spawn comes you better be fishing for some bedding fish if not you will get your tail kicked. There is always some thing like this every spring about fishing beds. I don't fish beds all the time mostly when I need a kicker or 2 I will go and get a couple.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

i know i am fishing the beds on my april 9th tourney coming up...


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

No hard feeling here...you have your views and I respect that but just dont try to stir up arguements next time.


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

It was deleted Flipp....no problem here....thanks for your 2 cents....I thought we ended it on a positive note....take your 20yr old green behind the ears opinion....ahhhhh whats the use?


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

I wasn't tring to start anything. Don't Start any more trouble then you already have. I am not going to get booted off this site because of you, you aren't worth it. There is always someone like you that ruins a good night.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

Thats the problem with tournament fishing. People put money in front of ethics and morals. Really guys how much are you making in these local tournaments? It isn't like you are pros by any means , the real pros are making their living paying morgatges and putting kids though colledge tourny fishing. So you have to ask yourself how much is taking a fish off her nest and ruining that particular hatch worth? $100.00 - $500.00- $1000.00 ? I guess everyone has their price. I personally quit tourny fishing years ago and never fished a bed once. Todays new breed of fisherman don't seem to care about the resource, it's all bravado and look at me what a great fisherman I amthey goota make sure they have fish at the weigh in no matter what the cost. Not all tourny fisherman are this way and if you aren't then please don't take offense. Just my 2 cents and let the bashing begin, I have wide sholders.


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

Everyone knows I have my opinion on this subject. The bottomline is look at the title of the thread. Keep the topic going in the directon it was intended to and stop trying to stir up arguments that you know are going to happen. There are a lot of things other fisherman do that I don't agree with. The biggest one is the handfull of guys who keep changing the topic and stiring up trouble. If it where not for the great Mods we have here this site would go down in a hurry. Lets keep it clean and friendly.


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Interesting read, I was wondering how long before someone mentioned protecting the resources. I thought that's why they put a season on smallies in Lake Erie, because of the fish being took off the nests & their eggs being destroyed. May or may not be the problem, I don't know, but it only takes a minute for a bluegill to wipe out a nest. If the protector is in a livewell, there goes it's offspring. I have to contend with netters in the Ohio River removing catfish by the tons, not to mention all the stripers :B , and wipers that are killed via accident. I know it's hurt the populations & when the lakes suffer & it's too hard to catch a bass, then something will be done. Then again, maybe it already has affected the catch rate, and that's why bass on the nests are actually targeted now. Doesn't matter to me, I don't fish them, and have had several close calls being run over by tournament guys doing 50 MPH thru no wake zones I hide in sometimes. I'm sure it's lots of fun & when the resource dwindles enough, the results will suffer. Catch rates will go down, more people will get skunked & the sizes will get smaller. They've already enacted 15" size limits on some lakes. Eventually maybe more limits, will come into play, creel limits, size limits, off seasons. When the populations dwindle & the DNR gets complaints asking what happened to all the fish(bass) they may do a study and things might change. They finally put in a regulation on catfish for smaller lakes, still legal to use jugs, trotlines , etc. Of course most guys don't mind, but those methods are legal for any species in OH so long as size & creel limits are respected. Interesting read. It would be an easy argument to debate either opinion. As long as there's fish to be caught, and the emphisis is on winning vs. a day in the boat, comradery, the practice will continue. There's always going to be those guys who are good sportsman involved & those who are less than good sportsman. :C 
Oh, I just proof read my post, and I want to make it clear, I'm not calling anyone less than a good sportsman, except whoever the 3 guys were who ran 50 MPH thru the no wake zone at CC and were about 15-20' from me while I was trolling with lines out.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

I believe I answered his question perfectly. He asked what were peoples favorite baits for snatching bass off thier beds. Maybe my reply wasn't clear enough, I don't do it so NO BAIT is my favorite. I beleive my reply was more than curtious. Maybe it just hit a little close to home?


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Things do change, I've seen pictures of (Babe Winkleman?) holding up stringers of bass & he commented how it horrified him today when he looks back on that. Things change, what is acceptable behavior today may be altered in the future. Personally I think it will be a self-regulating method. If and when it affects the bass population, then it might change. Fact is, that bass is protecting the nest from a real threat, not an imagined threat. It would be off chasing shad or crayfish or something had mother nature not deemed it necessary to stay & protect it's nest. So it instinctively hits a bait, not from hunger but to protect it's offspring. So yeah, a bluegill shaped bait would make an excellant choice, in the past, when I fished bass, I found bluespeckled worms worked well too, but I often felt that any bait left on the nest would eventually be picked up & moved, so color wasn't a factor.
I'm not trying to start anything, there may be some newbys who don't realize why the bass are on the nest in the first place, or never thought of it. Like I said earlier, catch fish by any means legal and follow the regulations, have fun, respect others sharing the resources. :G


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

This may be a little off subject but I believe it will help you understand my postion of conservation. Like I said before I used to fish alot of tourny circuits and club tournys. I suppose everyone has heard about the MD tourny at Indian Lake that was held every August? This was supposably the biggest charity tourny ever held, there was a average of 500 boats a year in it in the hottest month of the year. The weigh in was held in Moundwood channel and fish released there. During the following week you would see dead bass floating and bank fisherman catching and taking many fish that wouldn't have been caught if it wasn't for that tourny and being released there. I contacted Mr Combes who ran the event with my concerns basically he didn't care, he was there for one thing and one thing only to make a profit off the resources with no concern on the impact he was making on the fish population. Don't get me wrong the money raised went for a great thing to help find a cure for MD. I sent pictures and letters of the dead fish to state ODNR with basically a reply that it's not thier problem. I finally found someone who cared ,Buck Creek Bassmasters they ran a catch and release boat for the event for the last few years of the event at no charge. Reviving the fish and releasing them all over the lake. I'm happy to say that the event is no longer held at Indian Lake. We all have to do our part guys or these fish just aren't going to be there some day. I know this sounds corny but you can make a differnce in bass populations for years to come. Treat them gently and release them to catch again. Good fisning guys!


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

Well said Mrfishohio & Orlando....ncraft150 your just bablin, no stirring up here just expressing opinions & facts. Which these two fellas have a great ability to do so, unlike myself.I'd rather grab ya scruff of the neck and ram your head underwater while your buddie throws "Bed Fishing Baits" and rips them off the bed so you can watch it be raided and stripped clean!!!!while ya run around with the fish in the well.......and release it sometimes miles away.....whats wrong with this picture??...respond if you will ....but which option is the most ethical.....my opinion and havin fun at the same time.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

Alwsfishin , easy man easy, maybe to much coffee this morning? I'm glad you are on my side, hate for ya to be against me. Have a good day


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## Alwsfishin (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm just havin fun.......I respect them as anglers........just not this practice !!


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I still think the lizard is one of the top baits, i just love to see bass inhale it esp. off the beds. I know they taste mighty good that night too. The big females taste the best i might add.


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

Of course you all missed the point I made. This thread is "Bed fishing baits". If you want to discuss ethics, or whatever else START A THREAD ON IT. You are intitled to your opinion, but could state it in a much nicer way. Funny how you are so worried about a fish being taken from its bed, but don't give a hoot about how you talk to people here. I'll respect anyones opinion until they start talking to me the way you do Alwsfishin weather you think it's fun or not. Maybe some people think taking fish from beds is fun. Your no different than what you dispise. Only you do it to anyone who doesn't think like you. Changing the letters around in Austins name to make it profane was uncalled for and it was pulled before some of these others who are backing you up could see what really started all this. LIKE I SAID, START YOUR OWN THREAD INSTEAD OF CHANGINGS OTHERS!!!


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## Reel Man (Jul 4, 2004)

Debates are usually limited to stating your case and then a rebuttal after hearing the other sides case. That's what distinguishes a discussion from an argument. If after stating your case a couple of times the opposing side has not wavered from their opinion then you are wasting your time, appearing argumentative, and looking just plain foolish. One of the problems with the Internet is people feel it gives them a license to talk to others in a manner they would never do face-to-face. One of the things I enjoy about this site is its members typically know when enough is enough and if they don't the moderators see fit to offer a little guidance in the matter  .


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Reel Man,

Great post!

Wonderful advice and wisdom for all to live by.

Thanks,
Kim


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

> This thread is "Bed fishing baits". If you want to discuss ethics, or whatever else START A THREAD ON IT


nuff said...


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Johnboy what color of lizard do you use I like watermelom seed 6in.


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## Mr.Bass. (Feb 27, 2005)

Well said, reel man and ncraft! I agree with you both.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

watermelon is good, pumkinseed, ummm chartuese????


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

My best bait for bedding bass (if your not in a tournment) is live bluegill.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

hahaha, that would make so much sense, i think i might try it!!!


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

Good stuff ncraft150 and Reel Man I did go off track a little next time I won't post anything only if it is related to first post. Thanks for the good input.

Good Luck


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I prefe bitsy bug jigs and tubes for largemouth. Smallies a spinner bait ripped rite over their heads or tubes.


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Just make sure it its a small bluegill. If its to big the bass will just push it away, but if its small he will eat without hesitating. And make sure you use no weights make it look as natural as possible then cast it just at or past the bed and back away about 10 feet from the shore so it dont see you and within about 10 seconds BAM!! I also tend to hook the bluegill in toward the back. Good Luck.


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## Jason6644 (Mar 14, 2005)

johnboy, i like to take the watermellon or the pumpkin seed and dip the tail and just a lil bit of the hind legs in a chartruse dye, give it just a lil more "flash"


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I would also say that my favorite bed fishing bait is NONE. I would much rather get :S 

The ethics of bed fishing is perfectly on topic in this thread. But, either way, the TOS does not require that we stay on topic within each thread. In fact, I would argue that the majority of threads stray from the original topic.

Fishing beds is far worse than just keeping your limit. I think that it is a total hypocrisy to release fish taken off beds in a tournament. In releasing the fish, the tournament can maintain a sense of ethical fishing practices (a cornerstone to bass fishing tournaments). However, it is unlikely that the fish will find their way back to the beds before it has been totally ravaged (if it ever returns). Therefore, while the adult fish was released, the FUTURE generation was destroyed with the aid of the angler. Preach catch and release, and then pull bass off the beds? I would respect the angler and tournament more if they just had a fish fry after the tournament. At least then they would be honest with themselves and everyone else. I would simply rather abstain from fishing if my only recourse was to fish beds.

Now, before Im attacked for stating my opinion (which is fine). Im not writing this to personally attack anyone (just attacking the practice of bed fishing). I just want to state my opinion. Many people may not realize the potential damage that bed-fishing can do to a fishery (especially an entire tournament of bed fishers). A large part of this site is education. While many may not agree with my opinion, I hope that others will at least consider the potential damage that bed fishing can do. The average catch and eat angler can only kill five bass a dayhow many bass are destroyed by taking a single bass off the bed?


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

rooster, i understand your point...to some extent. in ohio bass are hit hard. the spawn time is hit hard, we all know this. but where i am from none of the lakes seem to be suffering. every tournament there are bags on fish weighed in over 17lbs. using poratges lakes as an exampl, that lake has 2-5tournaments on it on just about everyweek. yet people still catch fish. if the fish pops. we suffering due to bed fishing, then the numbers or size would not be there. also, and this is from personal experience, i witnessed schools of 50 + small bass swimming . i see this at every lake i go to. please support yourself and your arguement by showing me where and what fisheries are hurting due to bedfishing and only bedfishing.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

i use 8lb yp-zuri hybrid clear on a 7ft st. croix and a quantum pti 20 reel


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

not many of these state lakes are even stocked with bass anymore. They show no signs of poor reproduction...


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

There was an In Fisherman article a few years ago that was basically a biological justification for a closed bass season (during the spawn). Im still looking for the magazine (I think that it was a bass special), and I will scan the article once it is located. They made a large distinction between the effects of bed fishing in the southern states, and bed fishing in the northern states.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

AMEN Rooster


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm guessing the article is going to say it effects the northern states more because the bass have a shorter growing season which takes them longer to mature. I say look at Portage Lakes for example. It gets some serious bed fishing pressure in the spawn since it is so clear and the beds are easy to spot. How many lakes in Ohio do you know of that produce quality bass consistantly like this lake does? Last weekend in a tournament it took almost 18 pounds with 5 fish to win. This bag included 2 5 pounders.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

besides, why are you guys preaching? it's not like we are telling you to go and fish beds. personally, I usally don't, but will and have if i feel the need, it's my personal choice and nothing you say will persuade me to change my mind.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I understand that Im not going to change YOUR mind, and that is not my intent. It is your choice to fish beds, and it is also your choice to practice C&R or keep a limit of bass every time you fish. However, I do hope to persuade other anglers (which may not have an opinion) that bed fishing is unethical and can have a negative influence on a bass fishery.

Im preaching because I love to fish for bass, and want bass fisheries to be to be as close to their potential as possible. The very same reason that BASS preaches catch and release.

The In Fisherman article explained that bed fishing is more detrimental in northern lakes because of the short window of opportunity for the spawn. However, I still have not found the magazine.

Im glad to hear that Portage Lakes is CURRENTLY a great bass fishery. However, just imagine how good it would be if nature was allowed to take its course!


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## Flipp (Apr 5, 2004)

If I have to fish the beds I will if that will give shot at winning a tourney I will. But I usually try to find fish that haven't or already spawned. There are always early and late spawners.
Anybody use a dropshot on the beds I seen it in Bassmaster Mag. I might try this year.


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

I looked up the definition of ethics. It is "A set of principles of right conduct." It is legal to bed fish, so I'd say that is right conduct until the laws change. Right now I don't believe it is a question of ethics here in Ohio. It's more a question of opinion.

Should the laws change? If I trully believed it was hurting our fisheries I wouldn't support it. I personally don't see it on NE Ohio lakes. I'd be more intereseted in a actual fact study on Ohio waters in each of the 5 divisions. You need proof before you can say it is wrong or right for that matter. I'll bring this question up tonight with the ODNR biologist in the chat. 

I respect your post Rooster because it is one of the few on this subject that wasn't offensive or a shot at someone. That is what gets me riled up the most on this subject.


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

I just got off the chat with Matt Wolfe the ODNR fisheries biologist. This is what I found out. Ohio has done no studies on inland lakes on fishing bass during the spawn and it is becoming a very popular question for them. However the University of Illinois is doing these studies. He said they have studied egg drop after being caught as well as egg survival rate and one other thing I can't remember. They have found nothing conclusive. He gave me the name of the Dr in charge of the research and is getting me his email address. I am going to try and get what ever info I can from him. He agrees that Erie and inland lakes differ on this subject. He did not give me his actual opinion, but said Ohio works hard to put the right regualtions into place for each lake. He also said Ohio doesn't stock any bass and there is no need for it.

This keeps coming up on the forums so I have taken it upon myself to get this info for everyone from the University of Illinois. Even if it doesn't support my opinions.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

sounds good, make another post so it can be seperate! =D


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

No it's not illegal to fish bedding bass .But dose it take a bioligist to know that as soon as you pull a fish off it's bed that bluegills etc. eat the eggs? I certainly don't think so. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing a closed season on all bass fishing for a few months in the spring. Also none of my posts were offensive or a personal shot at anyone. Just trying to be informative. Maybe they just hit a little to close to home?


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## Bass_Hawg (Apr 12, 2004)

If you fish during the spring you might as well be bed fishing. Even if you are fishing in water depths greater than 4 feet. Almost all species of fish in this time of year are getting prepared for one thing and that is to spawn. Weather it is the pre spawn staging or sitting on a bed. They have been prepping since last November to spawn and if you catch them you alter their routine and altering that routine could prevent them from spawning. So if you go out and fish for any fish not just bass in the early spring through early summer chances are if you catch a fish then you are in some way affecting that fishes spawning ritual. Is it on the bed? No, but it might have been getting ready to move onto the bed or maybe getting that last bit of food before it prepares to guard the fry. Too many anglers look at the spawn as a 1 to 2 week ordeal in the spring when the water hits 62. Fact is a bass starts to prepare for the spawn during the late fall early winter and females recover for around 2 weeks after they spawn. Bass spawn at different times and at different depths. So fish you see on beds probably only make up about 10% of total spawning fish in a given year anyway. Another little known fact is the healthier bass will spawn more than once a year. 
I know I dont specifically target bass on beds and I dont look down on people who do What will ruin our bass fishing is not the people like you and me who catch a fish and respect the fish. We will release it back to its home unharmed so it may return to our hook another day a little bit bigger. We are not the problem. It is the individuals who purposely snag bedding fish because they get frustrated that it wont bite in the first 5 min. Its the people who throw the fish back in the water instead of gently setting it in the water. Its the people who dont wet their hands before they handle the fish, which could cause the fish to get sick and die. It is the people who take more than their limit. It is the people that dont know the rules and guidelines for fishing in Ohio that will ruin the bass fishing. 

Just my .02


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## Pharley (Apr 11, 2004)

Couldn't agree more with Rooster.
NO BAIT.
A Fish Ohio pin, or a tourney, whatever......will not change my outlook on what is best for the fishing future. Seems awfully selfish to me.


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## ohiobassman (May 18, 2005)

i like to use senkos or lizards. jerkbaits work really well......especially when they wont react to the plastics.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

Spinnerbaits have been working well for me right now.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

caught 'em on watermelon tubes this year. never had to pick up another bait to catch the ones I saw.


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