Ok guys, i need your help, and i need to pick your collective brains a little bit. I've been readin up on this and other sites, and I know you guys all know your stuff. So here.s my problem. Hope you guys can help me out.
I have been throwing the 9" osprey alot recently, but have only been able to elicit followers. Time after time, cast after cast, it's the same 3 or 4 big bass that follow the osprey to shore, showing interest, but spooking after it gets too close to shore, as the lure approaches me. I then started throwing the castaic, stocker, and optimum but no followers. The Osprey was the only lure to get a resonse of any kind. And it was all on the straight slow grind. I even threw some pro-cure on the osprey for flavor, and no change. If i stopped and popped the lure, they lost interest. What can I do, if anything to make thes big girls bite? Thanks in advance ofr any info you guys can give.

fish on,
john

It sounds like you might be fishing a very clear lake that sees a lot of pressure. Definitely not my strongest point - catching big fish in clear water. I know it's early in the year but one thing you might try is backing off as far as you can and fishing the bait a lot faster than you have been.

I had a day at Shadow Cliffs last year where I had more than 40 followers in one day (stopped counting). Very clear, very warm calm day. They were very curious but wouldn't bite. My only bite all day came when I threw a castaic baby bass by the tullies and got snagged. I ripped it out of there and as it skipped across the surface an 8 or 9lber came up and boiled behind it and followed to the boat.

Another thing that always helps is cloud cover and wind. We're getting it right now and it should continue into the weekend. Try those same fish with a good breeze and fish right up on top. Sometimes they can't get a good look at it that way and it helps.

Good luck.

I started fishing the big baits 2 weeks ago, and had a hit after fishing lots of fishy water. I found what I had found before when I fished a clear lake with a spinnerbait. Usually the fish are very spooky when the water is calm. And they do not really feel like expending the raw energy to chase something down. I found when the water gets so you can't see them well, they can't see you well. in other words you would be going after a reaction bite. My fish hit in the shade and muddied up water, befor I only had good luck when the wind came up and it was overcast, They can't see the lure well. The next windy day you have go and give it another try, I have also heard good things about fishing in the rain. I would also try Rob's technique of throwing the bait way past anyplace you feel fish are and let it sit 30 sec. minimum, remember to fish slow. Fish the week before a full moon if you can and anytime weather is comming in. Other than that just pick a bait you have confidance in and be persistant. You just have to put serious time in on the water in all conditions to get the hang of it.

thanks for the input guys.
The lake was gin clear, but there was a slight breeze comin over the waters surface this mornin. I got to fish it just before the front came through. I think I just missed the prime time before the front. I knew the bass were there though. There was a trout huggin the bank so hard, it was ready to jump into my lap. I'm ready to put plenty of time on the water this year. I'm overdue for a double digit fish:) Next time i'm out, i'll try different retrieves, different angles, conditions and the like. thanks for the tips. One last thing... how effective is bottom bouncing swimbaits such as the optimum or basstrix? Is it better to swim them than bounce them, or can they actually be fished like a giant plastic worm?

fish on,
John

That is a good question. We need someone who knows about the deep sinking swimbaits like the basstrix and optimum to step up and give use some tips. I've gotten whacked on the basstrix probably 4 or 5 times but never hooked up. What's the real deal on these baits? Let's hear some scoop.

I can hardly profess to be any kind of a swimbait expert but here is something I noticed at the ISE show during Byron Velvicks presentation on swimbaits at the big tank. Some fish would start to follow the swimbaits he was throwing during the retrieve without striking. The bulk of the bigger bass were huddled up at the oposite end of the tank (on the bottom). He cast the basstrix out and let it sink to the bottom thru the big fish and then would hop it thru them . Some of the bass would really slam it as it was sinking past them but not hold onto it . Others would kind of peck at it or mouth it and I don't think Byron even felt those fish. Out of about maybe 8 hits from those bottom hugging fish he only hooked one and this guy knows what he's doing so maybe thats typical? I couple of years ago I tried a big swimbait on bedding fish and they would hit it the exact same way as those fish I saw in the tank. It was more like they were irritated by it than actually trying to eat it. Really crushing it but not holding on. Its hard for me to bring myself to jig my swimbaits down deep for fear of losing them ........

John,

I have some good success at lakes like Castaic and Casitas fishing baits such as the Basstrix and Optimum on a slow stop and go type of retrieve on the bottom. I would let the bait go to the bottom and then give it 5-6 cranks and let it fall again. I have had a lot of fish hit it as soon as it hits bottom. The bites have ranged from light pecks like a worm bite to filling like mush or pressure. A lot of guys down my way use this technique and have done really well. Hope this helps you out.

Jeff