Need a change

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I like to catch (and release) bass, but my techniques are limited to casting at docks and shore structure, mostly with unweighted plastic worms. I have been having limited success.

I know there are other (better) methods. If you were to choose one for me to try, what would it be and why?

[Cecil]

That is a very loaded question. I would say start using texas rigs on weedlines. Many bait options and pretty simple to use. Stay a short cast away from the weed edge and cast up into the weeds a little and work it out. Jigworm works well too, but I think that a texas rig is easier for a beginner.

[Burchoid]

Honestly, I'd get a subscription to Bassmaster magazine if you are looking to expand your techniques and catch more fish with less trial and error. The publication covers many techniques, new and old. The articles usually go into depth on how, where, when, what, etc with pictures, diagrams, and real-life examples on the water from different pro's and experts.

[TonkaBass]

Bassmaster is an awesome way to learn a ton! Also I have found that just grabbing something new and forcing yourself to use it can really help... sometimes it's not about when you are using, but how much confidence you have in it... then hopefully you will reach a point where instead of being confident with catching bass on 20% of the lures in you tacklebox, you can say you are that way with 100% of the lures you have... needless to say I am not there yet

[ShoreGuy1984]

Very good advice everyone! I have the very same problem Wish-I-Were-Fishn. Since I do not own a boat, nor know anybody that owns one, my techniques are extremely limited. The main techniques I use are Texas Rigged-Berkley Power Worms, Topwater frogs, and Poppers, which I think is quite a limited way to produce fish. I have a subscription to Bassmaster Magazine, and it is a great way to learn more about differant techniques, as stated earlyer in this topic. Now that I think about it, the lastest issue of Bass Master (June 09) had a good article. The article is called "Staying Shallow For Postspawners" by Wade L. Bourne, and is focused on four shallow water techniques that angler Greg Hackney uses. I would post the article on here, but I dont know if I am allowed to, plus its kinda long. Anyways I hope this helped.

[carpmanjake]

any sports magazine with online archives are a great place to learn new things, FREE too!

thats what i did

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

any sports magazine with online archives are a great place to learn new things, FREE too!

thats what i did

It's ok to say names here, just no links. Which mags are you referring to?

[Muddog]

Note from admin, please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.

[Cecil]

I think I said to use texas rigged baits on the weedlines, or am I wrong? Wait, no I'm not.

[Muddog]

4 Bassmaster, 1 weed line, 1 surface frog.

That is a very loaded question. ???

[Ralph Wiggum]

Each lake is different and each day is different. Confidence is a huge factor. If I don't feel like I am going to catch a fish, I am not going to stick with that technique/lure too long.

Recently, I have been on a swim jig kick. The bass on our lake have been pounding them. It's a very easy lure to use. Cast it out, reel it in. No need to "work" the lure. Just reel it in--often times faster is better. I have been doing very well in the shallows, but I expect the bass will be moving deeper soon if they haven't already. I then throw them on outside weed edges. Throw a ways into the weeds and bring it back across the weed edge. Burn them across the top of weed beds. Swim jigs are very weedless, so no worries!

So, that's my vote, but I'm no expert.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Also, although it is a little early in the season, topwater poppers are a hoot! I had lots of action last weekend. Again, weed edges and over submerged weed beds. On a nice calm day, don't worry about the water being too deep, either. I have had bass hit poppers out of 20 FOW.

I like the Rebel Pop-R.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I would like to see some of these guy step up to the plate and help other fisherman. But NOOOO. Lets talk about MY shoes, My rod and most of all HOW COOL MY BOAT IS.

Oh, my '87 Sylvan is a sweet set-up. With a '93 Merc 60 tiller, she screams and a blistering 35 mph!

[Craigums]

Zara Puppy over submerged points early in the morning when the sun is just coming up and the water is calm is my new favorite technique, you just see a "toilet bowl swirl" and the bait disappears.

btw my shoes rock,

Craig

[Cecil]

It is a loaded question. It matters what type of equipment you have, it matters what type of lakes you fish, it matters if you have a good boat with good electronics and trolling motor, and more variables.

[Burchoid]

4 Bassmaster, 1 weed line, 1 surface frog.

That is a very loaded question. ???

Come on now, its hard enough to 'explain' a technique without pictures or showing someone in person.

Many techniques are worthless if not fished with the right gear at the right time of the year in the right location with the right water clarity and depth -- and even then you probably wouldn't even be close to having it all dialed in...

Here's my 2 second technique of the day:

Tie up a drop shot with a small plastic of your choice on 8lb test mono on a med spinning rig. Find decent water clarity (3'+) and weeds next to a dropoff with rocks and fish the rocks outside the weeds.

I'd recommend fishing with someone who is proficient in this technique or reading an article with drawings and pictures though. If its not set up right its just not going to work well.

[jalberg]

buy a 1/2 oz jig n pig and learn to pitch to milfoil clumps.

muddog.... where's your tip?

[TonkaBass]

Yep!

Not one tip.

I would like to see some of these guy step up to the plate and help other fisherman. But NOOOO. Lets talk about MY shoes, My rod and most of all HOW COOL MY BOAT IS.

This forum is BASS Lets talk about Bass and how to catch them. If I wanted to read a magazine I would be reading a magazine. If this Forum isn't to learn how to catch Bass what is it for (I do know what it is used for)?

You would think one of you so called experts would say something like, This time of year a surface frog over the weed works well. Or even you should look in the Tip of the week section there is a lot of good stuff in there. Or maybe you know that your contributions at this forum are so useless it would be better to go to another sores to get a decent tip for finding Bass in Minnesota this time of year.

I would say I’m surprised that some of you would say go somewhere else if you want to learn how to catch BASS but it is really totally expected!

If this site is so worthless, why are you always on it... I thought my tip, although you wouldn't call it one, was pretty decent and true from what I have learned... I feel if someone wants a piece of advice on bass fishing, this is one of the best places to get it. It's really hard to answer the broad question, "how do I catch bass?", so I gave it a broad response. I'm sorry if my advice didn't live up to your standards Muddog, I will most likely loose sleep this weekend because of it.

[TonkaBass]

Muddog- wasn't your tip of the week telling everybody to go elsewhere, by reading buck perry's book? hummmmm... I agree with jalberg, what is your tip on how to catch bass in minnesota this time of the year???

[fishuhalik]

Also I have found that just grabbing something new and forcing yourself to use it can really help... sometimes it's not about when you are using, but how much confidence you have in it...

I like tonka's advise. The hardest thing to do is get familiar with a new lure. For example, a buddy of mine was doing really well ripping a rat-l-trap over submerged weeds. The hard thing is the technique to keep it from going into the weeds and getting hung up on every cast. You have to reel at just the right speed and keep your rod tip at the right hight so it doesn't snag, and if you reel too fast the rat-l-trap starts running sideways. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I ended up having a great day on the lake once I learned how to do it, and now I love those things. I could have stuck with something I was comfortable with, like a texas-rigged fluke or senko, but I wouldn't of caught nearly as many fish as I did that day.

[fishuhalik]

muddog.... where's your tip?

zing!

As far as my tip, I've been doing really well with a texas-rigged fluke on weededges during the day, and a weightless senko or fluke in the weed pockets in the mornings/evenings. As you can tell, I like plastic

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Rough day muddog? While I can kind of see your side of the story I dont see why you got so angry about people recommending one of the better sources of bassin info available to us. If he has never picked a copy up of bassmaster (FLW's bass mag, too) I would recomend he do so. They are able to pick the brains of some of the best bass fisherman available and put that info into well written articles. Im mean no harm to anyone here but someone saying "I caught some bass on spinnerbaits over weeds" is about as useful as your and my rant here.

That being said, the water is getting a lot warmer now, yesterday evening I was getting readings in the low to mid 80s. thats getting up there... The fish are going to be seeking out cooler water which in many cases mean lots of bass will move deeper or into the thick slop. The weedline recomendation is a good one also steep breaks, or deeper rocks would be good places to look. Look to weedlines near structure, or irregularities in the weeds. probing these areas with T-rigged plastics and jigs is a good way to go about it or if you want to cover water faster a diving crankbait along the edges should help locate schools quicker. If you want to fish shallows you might have better luck early or late in the day and better yet if there is deep water nearby. If you have the gear to get fish out of the slop/pads that can be fun and effective this time of the year, too.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Some good advise here.

I like to use plastics, hence the worm.

When fishing a weedline, would it work to fish parallel to the weeds instead of throwing up into them?

[ALL_IN]

Mud...

I never saw anyone talking about their boats... why would someone talk about their boats when the original question was about trying something new...

WIWF, when working weedlines let the fish tell you what to do! When I work a weedline, I will throw on the deepside, throw in to it, work the outside... I will work all angles, then when I catch a fish I will make a mental note of what I was doing and then try to repeat it.

IE: a couple weeks ago, I was fishing some milfoil on a Wright County lake and I noticed that all my fish were coming from the deeper sides of the weeds, working the drop offs, it produced fishg over and over again and then I knew that when I came on to a patch of weeds that were simular, I woudl try the same tactic and it helped me target the fish faster and more efficiant

ALL-IN

[ALL_IN]

Some good advise here.

I like to use plastics, hence the worm.

When fishing a weedline, would it work to fish parallel to the weeds instead of throwing up into them?

In addition to that... worms are a great bait to work with because they can be fished numerous ways... ie: wacky, jig head, fitness, drop shot... so for very little money you can get a good selection of worms (plastics) that will get you fish!

ALL-IN