Checkerfred

That makes sense. I’ve had some good days, it’s just frustrating that it’s not repeatable, especially in any kind of quantity or consistency lol. I went out today and tried crappie. I used my electronics to find and catch a few on deeper stumps, but I just couldn’t find any kind of numbers. So I have some success with the electronics and stuff, but just getting the numbers is tough I’m starting to believe that 🤣 90% Lake Guntersville. I do also fish some smaller lakes near me but Guntersville is the main one

I’ve seen this as well. Crappie do it too. I have had some minor success with FFS shallow but it’s been on crappie. With our grass, it can be hard to see the fish when it’s fairly shallow, say 5-6ft deep. I mostly use it for finding holes or other irregularities in the grass as I’m fishing I get your point. For me, FFS doesn’t make it that much easier—I still struggle to be consistent. I know the basics of seasonal patterns, but I feel like I’m missing the finer details that separate average anglers from guides/pros. For example, right now I know fish could be shallow, mid-depth, or even deeper, and I’m throwing the typical baits—but so is everyone else. With all the pressure and technology out there, I’m trying to figure out what better anglers are doing differently to consistently catch more fish. I often wonder if it’s my lure choice or how I’m working it. I’m not a beginner though. I can go to ponds and catch fish, but ponds are a good but different than a big lake. Same with crappie—it’s been tough this spring. I’ve found fish and even seen them on FFS, but couldn’t get bites, while guides are still limiting out. That tells me I’m missing something—I’m just trying to figure out what that something is. Maybe it’s as simple as time on the water, idk

I don’t know about everyone lol. I have trouble finding the places and baits. I mean I get info off of Facebook that guides and other people post about lures but still struggle with it Yes I am. I just haven’t been having any luck with it. For instance, chatter baits. I’ve thrown one over and over and the only place I’ve caught bass on them has been in a pond. I know at times finding bass on electronics is going to be hard but then I see people using side scan to find them. Technology is here whether we like it or not. I feel like learning to use it will help be more productive as opposed to just fishing dead water.

Appreciate the info, especially about the pockets. I’ll definitely start doing that and try it out. Yeah livescope isn’t great in shallow grass. I’ve had some luck on it with crappie but not with bass. I’ve tried perspective and like it but it’s also hard at times to see fish with it. I need to start using it more though and I’m sure I’ll get better with it. It does work great for finding holes and stuff in the grass on the fly

Another problem I have especially with crappie is staying in one spot/area too long. I need to get better about covering water. I’m just not always sure if it’s just what I’m throwing/presentation or if the fish just don’t want to bite.

I appreciate the info. Especially the part about the schools. I did see some smaller schools later in the evening of 4-5 fish and still not sure what they were. They were suspended side by side in a line or somewhat of a v shape. Not stacked vertically. I was thought they were small schools of bass at first but maybe they were crappie. I threw some smaller jigs at them but couldn’t get a bite. Guess they could have been white bass too

I’m definitely guilty of that at times, especially as the day goes on.

Hi everyone, I’m fairly new here. I’m from North AL and fish mostly Lake Guntersville. I’ve been struggling to consistently catch numbers of fish and figure out any kind of pattern. I took a guide trip last summer and caught quite a few fish, so I’ve seen the “other side” lol. I also took an electronics trip from the same guide back in February. The crappie side was good, but I was a bit let down on the bass side. I run LiveScope, down scan, and side scan. I feel like I understand the basics, but I still struggle at times knowing what species I’m looking at and how to turn what I see into a bite. At this point I don’t know if it’s bait selection, presentation, or just not being around the right fish or area. It’s kind of frustrating because I feel like I should be more consistent than I am. Any advice would be appreciated!

That sounds very similar to me. Guntersville has lots of grass too. It can be somewhat clear in places but I’d say it’s usually a light stain mostly depending on rain of course. I really don’t have any particular confidence baits. Baits that I haven’t done well with are chatterbaits and jerk baits but I figure it’s either how or where I’m fishing them. Crank baits too. I have caught some on them but it’s not something I’d just be leaving tied on. Texas rig is definitely an all around staple for bass for sure. Good points on the livescope. I’ve actually been doing that with a 1/8th head and mooch minnow. I have one of those on at all times. I definitely need to learn more about what they’re doing and when. I mean I keep up with what phase they’re in during a particular time of the year, but still have trouble finding them.

Thanks, I’ll post it there

Hi everyone, I’m fairly new here. I’m from North AL and fish mostly Lake Guntersville. I’ve been struggling to consistently catch numbers of fish and figure out any kind of pattern. I took a guide trip last summer and caught quite a few fish, so I’ve seen the “other side” lol. I also took an electronics trip from the same guide back in February. The crappie side was good, but I was a bit let down on the bass side. I run LiveScope, down scan, and side scan. I feel like I understand the basics, but I still struggle at times knowing what species I’m looking at and how to turn what I see into a bite. At this point I don’t know if it’s bait selection, presentation, or just not being around the right fish or area. It’s kind of frustrating because I feel like I should be more consistent than I am. Any advice would be appreciated!

Any particular reason on the Jerky Js, powebait, snd savages you marked? The spoons I’ve tried and haven’t had any luck

I’ve got quite a few bags lol. This is just some of the stuff that I got this year. Also have quite a few paddle tails: keitech, rage swimmers, scottsboro bait co. Have quite a few cranks. Some newer and some from back in the day that’s not even made any more: old rat l traps, Mann baby 1 minus, bayou boogies, etc. quite a few old cranks that was my dads. I have been. That’s my problem 😂 I grew up fishing ponds too. I don’t have a problem catching them in a pond. It’s just bigger lakes. My dad also used to take me in the boat too. I got his boat when he passed, a 1986 Cajun that’s been garage kept its entire life. Pretty good shape for its age. Everything is all original except the electronics. We were just never serious back then but we caught fish. Some things have changed a little too with how the lake fished back then. Just trying to learn more and get better now I’ve been watching tons of content there lol Where do I find those?

I appreciate that! I have lots more than this too. Some new and some old. I know I have everything I need but just finding the fish has been the main issue. Any recommendations on learning this stuff or is it just purely a time on water scanning and fishing?

I have a boat with a newer Garmin with livescope and an older 7” Garmin at the console. I’m in the south and fish mostly Guntersville Lake but we also have a few highland type reservoirs that I fish a little. Guntersville has lots of grass but there’s other cover too like laydowns, docks, some rock/riprap et . Guntersville is mostly largemouth though there are some spots and a little bit of small mouth, though those aren’t that plentiful. The highland reservoirs are mostly spotted. I really struggle lately just catching a fish. I went out with a guide last summer and caught a bunch. So I know I should be catching more than one here and there. I also recently did an electronics trip with the same guide but was a little disappointed. He covered crappie well but I was disappointed in the bass part. We did chat some extra after the fact but it didn’t really help out much.

Well, I’m pretty terrible at bass fishing currently so not having any luck with anything lol

So most of this was bought super cheap and some was free. I’m not great at bass fishing, so which is this would you keep and which would you get rid of?

TN River. Mainly Guntersville. The other lakes are Smith Lake and Inland Lake which are the highland reservoirs

This is good info thank you. My lake has lots of everything. Lots of grass but also you can fish rock/rip rap, boat houses, offshore ledges, humps and shell beds. Clarity is usually stained to kind of clear. I’m in northeast Alabama so not many small mouth. I do have a few other lakes I fish that are deep water highland reservoirs.

Thank you for this! That cleared up several things I had wondered about. I definitely need to use a Carolina rig more for searching This makes sense. What makes you choose neko though over Texas, Carolina, or shaky head?

Thanks for all the replies everyone. This helps. I just need to dumb it down and be more simplistic with it

There’s just so much now lol. Back in the day it was Texas rig if you fished plastics, that’s it. Definitely have some catching up to do

What’s your preferred way to fish it? Dragged on the bottom or gliding it?

I’m just getting back into bass fishing after being away from it for about 12–15 years. When I fished before, it was mostly for crappie, so I’m trying to relearn bass techniques from the ground up. I’m looking for help understanding when and why to choose certain soft plastic styles, along with which rigging methods make the most sense for each. There are so many types of plastics: Curly-tail worms Lizards Trick/shaky worms Senkos / stick worms Craws Ned (stick) baits Tubes Flukes Swimbaits (straight-tail or paddle-tail) And just as many ways to rig them: Texas rig Carolina rig Drop shot Wacky rig (weighted or unweighted) Neko rig Ned rig I understand some basics—for example, using minnow-style baits when shad are the primary forage, or choosing a Texas rig when fishing heavy cover. But I’m still fuzzy on the why behind a lot of these choices. For instance: Why choose a wacky or Neko rig over a Texas rig? When does a Ned rig really shine? Since Carolina rigs and drop shots can also be weedless, what situations make one better than the other? Are there general guidelines tied to season, water temperature, or spawn phases that help narrow these choices down? Any insight, rules of thumb, or real-world examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for the help

What’s the hack fishing them on a jig head?