Finicky fish

[ocf1]

So i decided to hit the docks yesterday. I caught 10 10"ers almost all males. I then started to see 3-4 pounders and even one i swear could of gone 7 swimming right by the boat in about 5-6 feet of water. As soon as my line hit the water though they were half way across the lake. Is there any way of picking up these fish?

[goblueM]

As my grandpa used to say... "if you can see the bass, they can see you"

Shallow water fish can be very aggressive, but they can also be spooked easily. Try a jig n pig or a plastic worm and fish em on long casts, see if that picks you up anything

[ocf1]

sounds good. heading out right now.

[jwhjr]

I saw a number of them swimming around today as well and couldn't hook any. I backed off, casted past them etc. with no luck. I even came back to the area a couple hours later and still no luck. It sure is frustrating when you can see them

[slipperybob]

Maybe they're just out for a swim? See how then just aren't interested in surrounding forage at all. Times like these, I hope to burn a fast lure by them, trying a reaction strike. Other times, I swim a live bait. If they spook and swim away, then those are just jaw locked fish and forget trying to catch them.

[goblueM]

I tend to have luck with just a worm or jig sitting on the bottom. Maybe some rod vibration, just don't pull the bait. Either that or a minnow. But yeah, like you guy said sometimes they are just out for a cruise

[Basseyes]

Go with lite line may be a fluorocarbon. Long casts and a long smooth casting rod and reel combo is worth its weight in gold. Weightless tubes and senkos work well. Don't be afraid to go small to very small. Dead stick it as long as you can. They can get very irriated with things just sitting there. Many lures come and go quickly but if one just sits and sits there tends to start bugging them after a minute or two. Go slow and try to faith cast way out in front of you not waiting to see them first cause once you've seen them it's already over. I'm a confessed bank beater and love sight fishing in shallow water. Nothing's more fun than finally hook setting an 18-20"er in shallow water around docks and weeds with 6# line or less 30' from the boat.

[Gutz]

I had the same issue going on yesterday. A senko and a #8 husky jerk ended up being the ticket and I couldn't fish it slow enough. Even then a few would just swim up and take a look and then wonder off.