just wouldn't bite

[LiLBro]

was fishing monday and saw some pretty good bass. they were cruising the shallows chasing sunfish. they were very aggressive but i coulldn't get them to bite on anything. i used shallow crankbaits (sub-wart), stickbaits, soft plastics that look identical to sunfish but i just couldn't get 'em on! any tips for these picky bass?

[Traxxx]

Today a buddy and I went out and found what sounds like about the same situation. We were fishing some shallow channels with 1/4 ounce white spinnerbaits with a single silver colorado blade. The water temp was 65 degrees and the sunfish and bass were stacked thick. The bass were mixed in with the sunnies in a couple spots. In two hours we pulled in 75+ fish. Sometimes if you give them something totally different to look at if might make all the difference. Another thing I have had sucess on, is down sizing to an 1/8th ounce spinner. Hope this helps.

[Metroguy99]

I had the same incident today, as you did Lilbro. While going out for about an hour (didnt have much time), we spotted atleast 20 bass between 1 and 5 pounds crusing the shallows or still on there beds, but not biting. We were not fishing for them initially, but when we tryed, they wouldnt even chase. I threw topwaters, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits. If i had my plastics i would have thrown those too, but these fish were hitting anything. Im going to bring my plastics tommorow and give them a good try.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Often times, once you have seen the fish.. It has already seen you long before. So it already has its warning signs on. If that is the case, many times you could throw your entire tackle box at them and it would be a waste of time.

However, if you can do your best stealth, and sneak mode, you can often get theses fish to hit. Weightless plastics are usually key in these situations.

Good luck!

[waltinader]

I would move to a small pig-n-jig with a larger pork tail so the bait sinks nice and slow. They should hit that.

[Metroguy99]

Deitz, your feedback is almost exactly what i was thinking as i cast toward those fish. The one hit i got was on a top water about 40 feet from the fish. I will try a weightless rig and a stealthier more focused approach tommorow. Thanks

[EBass]

And sometimes they still won't bite. I weighted 45 mins trying to catch this 1 bass. It wasn't that big but I saw it and it saw me. I had my little worm sitting there and it would get all close then get mad and flare it's gills then chase sunnies or swim all agressive and repeat. It was funny watching the habits. I did catch a few more in the slop on topwater. So some bass have already spawned, and some are spawning now. It should only get better in a couple of weeks.

[Duece X]

Try live bait... I recommend leeches if they are so close that you can see them. Only hook and leech, ditch the bobber and sinker. Just be careful not to get it in the gut if you are planning to release it, because the bass will suck it up.

[bucketmouth64]

Had the same problem yesterday. Slow day so I started to fish for sunfish that I saw in the shallows. Once I started I started to see all kinds of bass swimming the shallows and near the boat. So I started to fish bass again. Once I switched I didn't see a bass swimming around, but big sunfish started to appear again. So I switched again to sunfish and guess what, the bass started to appear again. The fish must have been messing with me and loving it. Ended up keeping some nice sized sunnys for dinner.

[jackfish]

Hey Lilbro:

I think the problem was that the bass were to busy guarding their nests to eat. If they haven't spawned where you are they certainly are about to so mating is their #1 priority. Up here the smallies will be spawning any day. I've seen them cruising the shallow shoals in spawning bays. If you really must catch them, use something to tweak their guarding instincts. Creature baits, not to big chucked in reedlines and shoals will do it. Smallies hate salimanders, lizards, panfish and craws. All of them eat their eggs.

Try it if you must

Jackfish