Help me with my small bass?

[MNpurple]

I spent the last 3 days around the Atkin area fishing lakes that I've had some very good success on the last few years. I caught a ton of fish, but litterally, only 3 were over 13 inches. I was stumped! I tried topwater spooks and buzzbaits, frogs in the slop, senkos, power worms, beavers and jigs in 15-20 feet of water, cranks in the same depths, spinnerbaits, swimjigs and on and on... All produced fish but 99% were 11-13 inches. I couldnt figure it out!!!! Typically I've been up there in very early June or mid July, not the end of June, so what do you think was the issue?

Were these fish post spawn, and if so, where should I have looked for them?

Did I totally overlook a technique I should have been using this time of year?

What would you have done to find the bigger fish?

THanks guys

[Deitz Dittrich]

Post spawn.. isnt it fun.. ARGH.. it can be very frustrating. Give it another week or 2 and all will be well in the world.

[thatoneguy]

If it makes you feel any better, the last week on Leech has been the same for me. Insane action, but I've had only two fish over 17"...more 13" bass than I saw all last year!

[kt]

Postspawn can be tough, but it can also be really good if you find the right area. I like to look for dense clumps of weeds adjacent to known spawning areas and inside weedlines on dropoffs near spawning areas. If you find the right area and your timing is right you can find packs of big post spawn females grouped up recovering from the spawn. I've had four different outings on different lakes where this pattern has worked this year, but it can be a here today gone tomorrow type of thing. I'm with Deitz though, bring on the summer bite!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

This thread has put me at ease a little.

I have yet to put a largemouth over 17.5" in the boat this year. On the other hand Im catching smaller fish at record pace it seems.

Ive only seen water temps over 70 degrees once this year! bring on some heat already.

[TonkaBass]

Dietz hit it along with kt. They will get better. I do agree with kt about the timing thing. If you covered any amount of decent water I would bet that you fished through some nice ones. Just because you tossed every type of lure and tried all types of areas doesn't mean you can make them bite. When they get into that post spawn funk they are just tough to catch plain and simple.

[JoshM]

What is your guys favorite thing to throw at those spawned out girls?

[kt]

Depends, sometimes you've got to trigger them sometimes you've got to force feed them. This year it has been mostly soft plastics of some sort. In years past I've done pretty well on topwater.

[grab the net]

Hey KT, 6-6 on Saturday night, did not make 20 inches, you know the lake.

[pushbutton]

Go big and slow.....

[RK]

Hiya -

I'd concur with the consensus here... Sounds like you're hitting post spawn right on the nose. Lots of small bank runners and bigger fish are noticeably absent. It'll turn around. If I hit post spawn and want to try catching bigger fish, I usually fish points close to spawning areas, and use reaction baits like big heavy jigs that drop fast, crankbaits or rattle baits, or go big and slow with a big Texas-rigged worm. Doesn't always work, but sometimes...

Other option: lighten up the tackle and have fun with the bank runners until the bigger fish get out of their funk.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[kt]

Grab the net,

Thats a brute for sure. Pulled a 21 1/8 out of there two weeks ago only went 6-2 though. Was part of a 23 lb and change bag for the evening. Smallies are startin to get a little more active too. Also pulled a 6-5 and 5-2 out of another lake up by you.

The bite down by me has really been hit and miss the last 3 weeks. Pound em good for an outing or two and then struggle for a few. I've been hitting a ton of different lakes and have yet to find them really set up on their summer locations (other than a lake or two). Hit a new lake this morning and did ok. We are gonna have to get together for an outing sometime this summer.