Where R the fish bitein?

[victoria]

I have been haing so problem fishing lately, I can't catch anything. I have used live bait, and many types of artificalIs the water to high, low hot, cold. it the pressure off? What is it and is any one else having this problem? I live in southern Indiana and many others in my town say they are as well. I am hoping maybe some better fisherman than I can give me some advice on wht to do. PLEASE HELP!!

[fishassasin]

slow your presentations way down. the fish that i have caught during these times have been suspended in deeper water and are taking swim baits and soft plastics without a weight on lighter tackle slowed way down.

[ClarkIR]

its all about establishing a pattern. plus it depends on what your fishing for.

Know where the fish are going to be

A) On the bottom, near drop offs or points... to stay cool and find easy food

B) High oxygen areas... cat tails, weeds, submerged grass all great oxygen in the water and when it gets hot the bass will go to these areas where oxygen is more abudant.

C) Structure. Bass love cover... that never changes any time of the year.

D) Banks... during the entire day bass will be on the bank in one way or another for feeding. Blue Gill fry, minnows, shad and other baits are out on the banks right now for easy meals.


Knowing this I am only fishing 3 things right now

1) Jerkbait/Crankbait: This is my search bait.. it helps me locate the bass, I prefer the crank unless the bottom is real sloppy and cant keep grass off the bill... then I switch to the Jerk bait... it has its limitations because you cant throw it into cover like with a crank but it mimics a dying fish very well and bass love easy meals... also larger jerk baits cause the bass to become more terrortorial and will strike because they are pissed off by its presence.

2) Jigs: never can go wrong with a jig, its great for throwing into structure... I use a swim jig currently because i can twitch on the bottom (for the crawdad appeal) or swim it back (For the bait fish appeal) I use swimjigs because regular jigs dont give me the same action if i were to retrieve it back to the boat. I complement it with a dual tail grub trailer for extra action

3) plastic worms/craws: Great for working off the bottom. Im trying out a carolina rig for the first time this weekend, but a texas rig does the job as well... I tend to stay about 4-6 inches as far as size of my bait goes.

Hope this helps.

[fishNnut]

We've been fishing early and late because of the heat and having some good action. Mainly worms, jigs and buzzbaits. My buddy pulled a 5.5 out of a small week patch in 5 ft. of water at 1:00 the other day, so I really don't know.

One pit that we fish has a hump in the middle that is 8 ft. and drops to 22 on one side and 30 on the other. The bass have been loaded up on that hump for the last month. Texas rigged worms will catch them all day if you can stand the heat.

[lov2fish]

Cover/Structure. Totally two different scenarios. Cover is grass, weeds, laydowns, tree's. Structure is, humps, creek channels. points etc. Explaining to someone to fish one or the other it might help to know what they are.

Deeper points,ledges, old road beds. A lot of bass are in post spawn right now and are suspending, or recovering and not as aggressive. Try a shallower river right now where some decent current will keep the oxygen levels up and the fish a tad more aggressive.

[863 bassmaster]

Brookville is on well for everyone else fishing the tx friday night that is 3 boats with 9lbs fishing between fairfield and hanna creek also dunlapsville causeway is on now as well btw I caught fish just not keepers. hope this helps

[ClarkIR]

Cover/Structure. Totally two different scenarios. Cover is grass, weeds, laydowns, tree's. Structure is, humps, creek channels. points etc. Explaining to someone to fish one or the other it might help to know what they are.

Deeper points,ledges, old road beds. A lot of bass are in post spawn right now and are suspending, or recovering and not as aggressive. Try a shallower river right now where some decent current will keep the oxygen levels up and the fish a tad more aggressive.

I consider cover a form of structure... That might not be the technical definition in the bass bible but they don't care what we call it because they will be there regardless

[idbefishing]

Not trying to start an argument but I'm with Ray because cover can be anything.

[avidbasser]

Not trying to start an argument but I'm with Ray because cover can be anything.

X3

I was taught this from a very young age. There is a significant difference. The only reason that some say Cover=Structure vise versa, is so that they don't have to spend 3 hours explaining it so the lamens get it.


AJ

[ClarkIR]

For the sake of not starting an arguement and digressing from the original topic I will concede that I was not using the word for its inteded use, and it would be best to clarify to an individual whom may not know the difference.

Now back on topic... The last point I want to make is everyone hits a funk. I fish probably 5 days a week and have noticed 3 week bell curve. This has been a down week capped off by a terrible Sunday. Fished probably 6 hours total and caught 2 bass and neither were respectable.

The bite comes and goes for alot of people (myself included) Just dont get in too much of a funk over it

[slimshad09]

Seemed to be biting pretty good on Patoka yesterday. Had 4 keepers at 12lbs and had three good ones jump and get off. Caught nice 14 1/2 inchers all day at every stop we made. In a small club tourny that took 19lbs to win and 15 to get paid. They were really jumping, they all thought they were smallmouth or something. I'm talking three feet in the air jumps. You could here them shake while in the air. Makes for some fun fishing when they get up like that.

[JustinM]

If your not to far away Kentucky is on fire right now. It was nuts the last 4 days down there.