Bass bite pretty hot on Saturday

If you can time to get out, go now. The largemouth bass were schooled up and HAMMERING baitfish on Saturday. My buddy and I caught 31 bass in just over an hour Saturday morning on mostly flukes, but just about any plastic we threw caught fish. The best part was, 16 of the 31 were 14 inches or above. The action slowed considerably after the fog burned off and the superheater sun came out, but we still caught some in the slop midday. Biggest fish came at about 12:45 pm, a 19 incher.

If you can find some schooled up and feeding, the action is tremendous right now. I talked to another guy who found some schooled Saturday and he did very well also. I would say early in the day or late would be the best bets. You can catch them midday, but it is alot tougher and the fish seem more scattered. The patterns could all change though with the slightly cooler and less humid weather predicted for this week.

We went out yesterday from noon to 5 and also hammered ’em!! It was great…our fish were tight to rip rap in a backwater area…on one little stretch I made 4 casts and had 2 bass and another hit! Also found them on shallow wood. They were very tight to the wood, but very agressive. Pop-R really did well, followed by tenn. shad baby 1-minus and a black/blu jig. Our biggest was 16″, but we had like 3 of them.

Just curious what pool were both of you two fishing on?

I was on 5a

Greg, did you get largemouths or smallmouths?

Edited by MossBoss on 07/23/01 10:09 AM.

I was on Pool 8.

All largemouths save about 3 smallies (only one was close to 14″) As always, all bass were released. BTW, did you have some bass flat out inhale the bait?! Some of ours had damn near the whole pop-R or 1-minus inside their mouth! They must’ve been really looking to eat!

I was fishing on pool 10 Friday and Saturday and caught 8 legal bass, all were released. Biggest one was 19.5 and 4.6 lb. I got all mine on plastics, but all of them hit hard and had the baits down in there mouths pretty good. Have either of you two tried the craw tube made by Mad Man?

Never tried nor heard of the craw tube. Tube bait with 2 claws out the back?

I have been hooked on Chompers Tubes lately when I pull out a tube. But DAMN, do they stink. Leave one on the rod in the garage overnight, and the whole place smells like a garlic factory the next morning!!!!

Oh yeah, I’ve got like 3 bags of the 4 inchers, and one bag of the 3 inchers. However, I haven’t really thrown them that much…been saving them for a tough day. I gotta believe that life like look will produce fish under the toughest conditions.

Bass boy, what kind of plastics were you throwing other than the craw tubes? We’re heading out tonight, too (you can expect a little report tomorrow). I’m planning on throwing the venerable 7″ power worm a bit, but I’d like to hear from ya to compare notes.

No problem. I have thrown a Berkely Squermeor in a red shad green glittter pattern. Also a power hawg in about the same color and craws and then tubes. I have never thrown they tube craw I was asking if anyone else has thrown it. What pool are u going to be fishing.

We were on Pool 8–just got back. Again, we hammered ’em pretty good!! Lots of small bass, and around 6 fish over 14″. Started with a chug bug and had a few bass and several missed hits. Shallow cranks in shad patterns were definitely the ticket! We found largemouth around rip rap with duckweeds and moss by it. They were tight to the bank/moss and definitely feeding on all the baitfish present.

I fished pool 7 today during the afternoon, and you’re right, the bass are really on a baitfish bite now. The inside corners of wingdams. especially below the wingdam is really holding lots of minnows (baby shad) and the bass are just gorging themselves. One smally I caught must have spit up 50 during the fight. Size 5 ShadRaps (silver/black back), Kalin shad gribs, Zara spook pups, all worked. The bait that really surprised me was a 1/2 oz silver Rattle Trap. I would seemingly exhaust a spot, then cast that trap and catch a few more. I didn’t get anything too big but I had a BIG smally follow my fouled and spinning trap for ways. I couldn’t get him to go for anything else, I suppose he’s seen it all and that goofy fouled Rattle Trap made him look.

hmmm…we’ll have to hit the wingdams next time out. We were in a backwater area…all largemouth save about 3 smallies.

when the fish are on wingies and shad like that… I find in addition to the trap, that a reefrunner Cicada is awesome…. I use the blue/chrome they look about as close to shad as you can get…… and everything jumps on them…..

ohhh… and I hate the hooks that come with them so I replace them……

The cicada is a good idea. I have one and I didn’t think of trying it, but it would give you great depth control and mimic these small shad well. I was trying just about everything else I had that would look a little “shaddy.” Yea, those double hooks that the Cicada comes with are nothing to write home about.

that gave me an idea…what do you guys think about a Storm thin fin? Those mimic shad quite well, too!

never tried them… Ive tried many shadlike things… traps and cicadas are the best Ive found to mimic… plus they both cast very well…… the cicada in particular is very attractive to fish on shad……

My cousin caught quite a few last year on a Heddon lure called a “bayou Boogie”. It is similar to the Thinfin. I never figured he would catch anything but rocks with that thing, just goes to show you never know what works until you toss it in front of a fish

Moss Boss:

We had the same experience Saturday on Pool 5 two of us fished 5 hours and caught apx. 30 SM on Cranks tight to the rocks. 4 – 16 plus 1 -19″ what a lot of fun.

What kind of cranks were you pulling? Were you throwing parallel or keeping the boat out away from the shore and casting to the rocks?

Jig & Pig

Sitting off shore casting shad raps to the rocks