bass fishing

[q]

Biggest Tournament On Lake Minnetonka. 1st place is $10k. Who's fishing?

[yajkuza]

First bass of the year...taken back in March.  Been catching a few on crankbaits this year.  The other day, I saw a 9 pounder female with a 5 pounder male bedding during low tide here in the CA Delta.  Threw everything at them...no commitment.  Might have to get me a Matt lure U2 gill and throw it right onto their nest.

[addisonlee]

What is the deepest depth you guys have caught bass in with senkos?

I've caught bass on weightless senkos in 19-20fow in a super clear lake. Really leaning towards doing this method at this weekends tourny after pre-fishing.

[basside]

What is the deepest depth you guys have caught bass in with senkos?

I've caught bass on weightless senkos in 19-20fow in a super clear lake. Really leaning towards doing this method at this weekends tourny after pre-fishing.

How's the first weekend of BASS opener in Wisconsin?

senko in 19-20 fow? Did you weight it down or did you cast it in 19-20 fow and caught the fish in suspended water? Two different things so you cannot say you caught fish on a senko in 20fow. I've dropshot in 29fow and caught smallies on the St. Croix. My buddies uses a jig and senko as a trailer and caught fish in 19-22 fow....but nothing on a weightless senko, letting it sink in 19-20 fow because I think that takes a long while for it to sink, too darn slow.

[addisonlee]

How's the first weekend of BASS opener in Wisconsin?

senko in 19-20 fow? Did you weight it down or did you cast it in 19-20 fow and caught the fish in suspended water? Two different things so you cannot say you caught fish on a senko in 20fow. I've dropshot in 29fow and caught smallies on the St. Croix. My buddies uses a jig and senko as a trailer and caught fish in 19-22 fow....but nothing on a weightless senko, letting it sink in 19-20 fow because I think that takes a long while for it to sink, too darn slow.

WI opener was a slow bite and I mean SLOWW...  No big fish at all while pre-fishing, all 1-2lbs bass, all on plastics. Dropped a ice fishing cam down and confirmed we were definitely on some big bass but no takers.  Still feel confident in the spots we have in mind for this weekends tourny tho.

As for the bass I caught in 19-20fow, it was weightless wacky rigged on a calm mid-summer day on a drop off. Fish were suspended on the bottom 5-10fow so I figured why not try it? Took a while to free fall but when it hit bottom (and yes it did hit bottom), the bass picked it right up. This is the only lake I've had success doing this but when you need to slow things down, going super slow may just be the ticket when others are going slow as well.

Weird part is I tried a small weight (1/8oz) and they didn't seem to like it. All the frustrations from finicky bass.  By the way it was a nice 3.5lbs bass during an evening tourny and still didn't win big bass. lol.

Never tried a senko as a jig trailer before tho, interesting.

How would you guys suggest fishing gin clear lakes? 

[basside]

fishing clear lakes? Use small diameter flouro lines 6-8lbs and natural colors. I've gotten away with natural color jigs on 20# seagur flouro. I'm also a dropshot guy for this type of water.

[Basstard]

Addison, most of Ca waters and lakes are clear so I hope this can help you.

Clear waters = finess, light line(4-10 lb test), lower profile baits, and lures you can move fast with such as jerk baits or heavier jig(heavy finess jig) that'll fall fast so fish dont get a good look at it. All still involves light line and low profile.

But I think the most important about clear water fishing is you gotta have the top of the line gears to make far casts deep or shallow.

[basside]

Addison, most of Ca waters and lakes are clear so I hope this can help you.

Clear waters = finess, light line(4-10 lb test), lower profile baits, and lures you can move fast with such as jerk baits or heavier jig(heavy finess jig) that'll fall fast so fish dont get a good look at it. All still involves light line and low profile.

But I think the most important about clear water fishing is you gotta have the top of the line gears to make far casts deep or shallow.

Yes and ultra sensitive rods because they can see your bait, they'll eat it and spit it fast.

Finesse fishing, light lines and/or fluoro lines and small profile bait.  GOOD LUCK!

[addisonlee]

+1 for both of you 

[basside]

No prob. Sometimes those Cali boys know what they're talking about because they have some pristine, crystal clear lakes. 

[Roc]

My home lake is like that. Clear deep rock lined reservoir. Small 2-4 inch lures or roboworms on 12lb test or under = money. Otherwise you can go with a reaction bait, you'll get fewer but they'll average larger. If you're like fish4keep you can fish huge swimbaits for DD bass. Fun stuff but it can be slow slow slow at times.

[Basstard]

Basside when you're faced with crystal clear water on a overly pressured lake and tournaments every weekend year round, you have to know or you'll be at the bottom of the pack.

Addison Bass tournaments out here are won on 2-4 lb test with crappie/fly jigs sometimes. Basically these tournaments are ''catch a limit, you're in the money''. Something you might consider one day, but you shouldnt have to worry. You'll do fine.

[addisonlee]

All great advice.

Now switching it up, how would you consider fishing windy days? On the not so windy side of the lake with everyone else or stick it out in the wind? 

[basside]

i've caught 3-4lb smallies and 6-10lb pike on 4lb lines in the boundary water. Took a while but because it was just rocks and no weed, it was open water and snag free. Just set the drag right and you can land them. Its the same for most cali lakes. Different situation, if you're in a clear lake with weeds to deal with, step up your line.

Windy days? I'm no expert but I use spinning reels for lighter lures and fish the windy side. Its worked for me.

[Roc]

+1 for the windy side. Smallmouth especially love windy points and windblown coves. We'll get a few really nice sized largemouth fishing these areas too. The fish on the windy side of a point are usually the most active in the area. These guys are waiting for food to be brought to them by the wind or are waiting to ambush bait that crosses over the point. They pick up everything that falls down on them, especially dropshot. Spinning reel and braided line to feel the bites.