Question: Sight fishing LMB

I was just thinking about my last few trips to Lake Poway, which all ended in skunks. I saw quite a few fish (LMB & Trout) in the shallows and threw quite a few baits at 'em for nothing.

I'm not much of a freshwater guy so I threw some cranks, spinner baits and a texas rigged worm to the bass...and for the trout me and my buddy threw rooster tails and small kastmasters, again for no bites.

I just got into senkos and fat Ika's and I'm starting to think these would be better choices....especially a senko wacky rigged on light line. What do you guys think?


Hopefully we have a freshwater gathering sometime soon so I can pick up a few freshwater tips from you guys. I've been fishing (heavily) for 8-9 years and have rarely targeted freshwater fish...I think it's time I cross over to the dark side.

Well, sight fishing will work better soon because the lmbs are just starting to prespawn. When they start bedding is the best time for sight fishing because they will aggressively defend their territory.

yes sight fishing is really only good when they are bedding. you want to pitch that bait right onto there bed and leave there with couple of twitchs. senko type baits work best. I am by no means a good LMB but this is what i have learned and read.

Darkside, you are on the dark side already buddy. not everyone is willing to tube the bay during the daylight hours and wont even touch the water when the sun goes down. this is reason why they only fish freash water. They are scared of whats under the water

Swimbaits o man swimbaits!!!! Bigger the better 8" + the big splash baits I have been throwin 8" + for a couple months now an have to say I havent caught more but caught bigger way bigger !!! Start rollin a 10" trout bait were you see bass an might be suprized on what bites it. Watched a 2.5 lb lmb eat fishers 10" trout with np......... Thats wat sold me on big baits

We can get a perris gathering goin in march some time when the lmbs are spawnin..... Probly be really fun!!!! Swimbaits only j/k

Tubinferbass wrote:We can get a perris gathering goin in march some time when the lmbs are spawnin..... Probly be really fun!!!! Swimbaits only j/k

sounds like fun, just dont make it between the 10th or the 18th. fredhall show starts on the 7th and on the 18th I have a tourament to do

I like to texas rig or drop shot a 4" rodoworm when sight fishing LMBs. You might also want to stand behind some cover like a tree or rock if possible. There is one lake OI fish from time to time that is very clear water and you need to keep from being seen. The other thing is patients very important you must have it.

Cool thanks for the tips. Gonna try 'em out next time I see some bass chillin in the water....

Hey guys,
Sight fishing, bedding spawners,.. boy , this is a hot topic on the web!

Lately, I have seen a lot of conversation regarding bed fishing, on this and many other boards. It is a hot topic because of the ethical conflict some fisherman have about pursuing bass at their most vulnerable time of the year, and the issue of possibly adversely affecting the spawn. I personally don't take much issue,... but,..
If you are going to bed fish let's try and keep things in perspective....

If you are going to bed fish, realize that you have a responsibility to try and cause the least amount of adverse affect to the spawner (whether male or female, but especially the females) as is possible.,... So...

1) I used to bed fish with barbless SINGLE hooks. ( NO TREBLES!) I would file my barbs and then bend them down, (toward the gap) even offset them. Something like a barbless circle hook.
2) If you hook and capture the fish, try and limit the amount of time you handle the fish. Take your pix quickly, don't lift the fish out of the water if you can, and handle them gently, DON'T grab them by the lower jaw and hold them up!
3) resuscitate if necessary and gently return them to the same area you caught them in.

Spawning time is a great opportunity for fisherman to capture LMBs that they (fisherman) would not normally encounter in such an opportune situation. So don't abuse this opportunity. Treat it as a gift and try and affect the situation with respect and appreciation.

bodfish

PS.
Tubinferbass, Damn! I love your enthusiasm!! but just a little tip, in my humble opinion,
Big swim baits are not the best bed bait. They are difficult to deliver quietly, (crucial to good bed fishing) They tend to be difficult to make occupy the nest for any length of time, (also crucial for stimulating that aggressive reaction bite you want) and they have a VERY low hook ratio in very shallow water. (lot's of technical reasons for this). Jeffcpr has it right, Dropshot a small wiggly bait on the nest, that will stay there and irritate !!

Tubinferbass, Damn! I love your enthusiasm!! but just a little tip, in my humble opinion,
Big swim baits are not the best bed bait. They are difficult to deliver quietly, (crucial to good bed fishing) They tend to be difficult to make occupy the nest for any length of time, (also crucial for stimulating that aggressive reaction bite you want) and they have a VERY low hook ratio in very shallow water. (lot's of technical reasons for this). Jeffcpr has it right, Dropshot a small wiggly bait on the nest, that will stay there and irritate !

BLUEGILL swimbaits thats all i have to say hahah

IMHO, no real skill involved in catching bedding fish, all ya gota do is piss em off enough, and they will commit. If you must fish for them, please do what bodfish suggested. Remember for every bass that doesn't spawn, that could potentially be a next W.R..that you won't get to try and catch.

Tight Lines

the opportunity to sight fish for bass is a real treat and one of my favorite things to do, BUT I do have personal rules I follow such as ... barbless hooks,heavy braid to reduce the fight time and stress levels to the bass. dont catch a bass that appears to have been caught a few times already (you can see the scars on them ) and dont tear up the spawning grounds with your prop,fins,anchors... what ever... dont destroy it please... as for baits... I agree with the huge swimbaits , but I always have big senkos, lucky craft jerk baits, and jig/trailer on the ready. but here is a picture of the the lure I'm banking on to make a difference its a jack all swimbait.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thats an awesome lil swimbait there..... I got some secret gill baits up my sleve im gunna b tryin this spawn. Thanks for the info on sight rules you guys follow I have never fished the spawn be for so soakin in everythin

I don't know if you can see this video, unless you are actually on Facebook.
It's on the Warbaits Facebook page.

Anyways, it's pretty amazing underwater footage of a male and female.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Would have been nice to see him release it.

Don't know much about catching bass, but I have done well catching trout the last 3-4 months. However they won't always bite on the obvious. I recall seeing several trout swimming around pretty close to the top of the water at LNL and only 3-4 guys out of say 30 had fish. As I took a pit stop I talked to one of the guys that worked at the park and he said they aren't biting because they where in the middle of a "hatch" and where feeding on flies. As a result you need to match what they where feeding on. Sure enough I tied a tiny little fly and removed my weight and just let it float around in the current and had 3 fish in an hour.

As a result I now carry about 7-8 different types of flies and have a water bobble that will allow me to cast the fly. Doesn't work all the time, but it works when nothing else does.

LGHT wrote:Don't know much about catching bass, but I have done well catching trout the last 3-4 months. However they won't always bite on the obvious. I recall seeing several trout swimming around pretty close to the top of the water at LNL and only 3-4 guys out of say 30 had fish. As I took a pit stop I talked to one of the guys that worked at the park and he said they aren't biting because they where in the middle of a "hatch" and where feeding on flies. As a result you need to match what they where feeding on. Sure enough I tied a tiny little fly and removed my weight and just let it float around in the current and had 3 fish in an hour.

As a result I now carry about 7-8 different types of flies and have a water bobble that will allow me to cast the fly. Doesn't work all the time, but it works when nothing else does.

Great tip! I have a bunch of those water bubbles left over from my Hawaii fishing vacation last year. U just cast it out on spinning gear? Long light fluorocarbon leader? Good local intel is always key!

Docrunner wrote:
Great tip! I have a bunch of those water bubbles left over from my Hawaii fishing vacation last year. U just cast it out on spinning gear? Long light fluorocarbon leader? Good local intel is always key!

Yeah I use standard spinning gear and about a 3-4' 4lb flouro leader with 4lb braid. I've had the best luck with the slightly weighted midges. I think the best is the zebra midge retrieved slowly from the tube.

JFYI..Bedding bass do not hit lures because they are hungry, they are protecting their nest. All your doing is making them mad enough to strike, nothing more. The smaller males will try at first, if they don't succeed, then the bigger female will swim over from her cover, and take care of it. Smaller baits usually won't get the female to come over. If you must fish this way, as BFJ said, Barbless hooks, heavy line, and release asap.

And yes big swimbaits do work IF you use the right ones, with a proper presentation. Again, there isn't much skill involved in this type of fishing, i.e. you can see the fish, you know what's gonna happen, unlike other times of the year when you have to search for a pattern. Not hatin on anyone, just offering my 3 cents on the subject.

BTY, if there are eggs in the nest, and you happen to catch the guarding male, gills, or crappy could be near by just waiting to get a mouthful of bass eggs, more bass that won't have a chance to survive.

Lol sight fishin for trout is np...... Garlic power bait on a size 14 treble n 1/8 oz split shot bout 3' from hook. N creme 2" spolier shad bouncing an darting threw the school should do it. Or you could jus throw ikas or swimbaits I allways catch on bass lures

Hammer 4 wrote:JFYI..Bedding bass do not hit lures because they are hungry, they are protecting their nest. All your doing is making them mad enough to strike, nothing more. The smaller males will try at first, if they don't succeed, then the bigger female will swim over from her cover, and take care of it. Smaller baits usually won't get the female to come over. If you must fish this way, as BFJ said, Barbless hooks, heavy line, and release asap.

And yes big swimbaits do work IF you use the right ones, with a proper presentation. Again, there isn't much skill involved in this type of fishing, i.e. you can see the fish, you know what's gonna happen, unlike other times of the year when you have to search for a pattern. Not hatin on anyone, just offering my 3 cents on the subject.

BTY, if there are eggs in the nest, and you happen to catch the guarding male, gills, or crappy could be near by just waiting to get a mouthful of bass eggs, more bass that won't have a chance to survive.

Ok I agree that there isnt much skill but its alot of fun Its jus like hunting you see what your gunna shoot before you shoot it but you shoot to kill n not catch an release. In my eyes if you catch a bedin bass take pic n release there should b no way that a gill r goby would raid a nest but I dont know could happen. I have heard alot of mixed reviews about it but come to find out that every body bed fishes weather they admit it or not. Sight fishin is awesome...... Theres no guarantee youll get the fish to bite it takes alot for the fish to commit to the strike. I have had the males grab my swimbait by the tails countless times an spit it out before you even know its in there mouth. All n all its jus way fun but like everbody says release as soon as you can n theyll go right back to the bed or stay really close.... Its jus mho I dont mean to step on nobodys toes......

Not everyone bed fishes.. IMHO, it's a way for those, not necessarily you to maybe get a big female, while under normal circumstances they may not, i.e. fishing open water, structure, ect. I would rather fish post spawn any time..