I'm still pretty new to fishing, as in I started actually looking up how to fish and caring about technique in January. I've heard the most important thing to good fishing is experimentation, thinking about what you're doing, and listening to advice. So doing those things over and over, I've started to get better at catching fish. When I started I'd skunk every time, now I'm catching fish every time I go, and they're steadily getting bigger and bigger.

So my home lake, Lake Frederick in northern VA, is heavily pressured and supposed to be tough to fish. I'm starting to get a bead on what the fish want there, and the pattern I'm developing is one I have not heard before. I spent months trying various normal sized lures -- cigars, worms, crawfish, cranks -- anything and everything. However, I rarely got a bite. I got frustrated watching big fish swim right by the lures I'd cast out.

It got to the point that I started fishing for smaller fish since they're easier to catch. However, I started catching fish larger than what I was shooting for. That was a few months ago, and this morning I caught a 5 lb large mouth on a 3" worm wacky rigged. A few weeks ago I caught a 6 lb LMB on a 3" grub. I'm also having success with a 2" crappie grub, catching a few 1-3 lber LMB each time I go out. I sometimes go back to trying normal sized bass lures and -- nothing.

Has anyone seen something like this before? Also, can you recommend me any lures or techniques if you think you know what's going on?

drop shot!

Thanks MIbassin. I haven't tried dropshotting a whole lot so I'll have to give it another round.

your welcome! pick your favorite 4 inch worm with lots of action, throw it around structure and cover and go SLOW you should be able to catch fish. let me know how it goes!

Grande bass has a 3.75 inch baby rattlesnake. Might be a different lure that they haven't seen before. seen some big fish brought in on it posted on their website

If you use crankbaits try the Norman Deep Little N. It works well for me on heavily pressure waters.

Three and Four inch senkos, Norman Deep Tiny N Crankbait, super fluke jrs., strike king bitsy bug jigs, tiny brush hawgs, and 3" curly tail grubs. Don't overlook inline spinners like Panther Martin #9s, or Mepps #3s.

Zoom meathead or Zman finesse worm on a splitshot rig.

3" grub and an f7 or f9 floating rapala

3" grub and an f7 or f9 floating rapala

Sometimes it pays to go to extremes regarding lure selection in fishing, in this case smaller than normal. The other extreme works very well at times which would be jumbo sized lures such as 10" plus plastic worms, 7" Senko's and large swimbaits. It always pays to expieriment.

Heddon Zara Puppy

http://www.lurenet.c...ddon-zara-puppy

Rage Tail Baby Craw

T-rigged, unpegged

2/0 Offset Worm Hook, 1/8 - 1/4 oz bullet weight

Downsizing your offering is great on pressured lakes for a number of reasons, one of which may be the forage size in that particular lake more than the fishing pressure, although I'm sure that figures into it also. Changing the size of your offering, and sometimes the color can have a dramatic difference in your success.

Keep in mind that many downsized baits like crappie sized cranks and smaller spinners work optimally with downsized line diameter. Heavy line will kill the action of most cranks and especially so with smaller bodied ones. Even with your plastics, going to a smaller diameter line can give you a slight advantage. Up your odds and go down. Both in the size of your baits and your line.

your welcome! pick your favorite 4 inch worm with lots of action, throw it around structure and cover and go SLOW you should be able to catch fish. let me know how it goes!

Thanks, I just picked up some zoom 4" shaky heads today for dropshotting. I talked to the baitshop owner and she said some of the wall photos came off dropshots, so that's a great sign.

Grande bass has a 3.75 inch baby rattlesnake. Might be a different lure that they haven't seen before. seen some big fish brought in on it posted on their website

I'll keep my eyes open for a bag of those at the local fishing dives.

If you use crankbaits try the Norman Deep Little N. It works well for me on heavily pressure waters.

That lure comes in some great colors. I have tried some tiny cranks in the past and didn't have a lot of luck. I'm planning on trying some again though so I'll keep the Little N in mind.

Three and Four inch senkos, Norman Deep Tiny N Crankbait, super fluke jrs., strike king bitsy bug jigs, tiny brush hawgs, and 3" curly tail grubs. Don't overlook inline spinners like Panther Martin #9s, or Mepps #3s.

I grabbed some locally poured 4" cigars today and will report back on how they work. Will keep the spinners in mind. Two recommendations for Norman products -- will definitely look into them.

Zoom meathead or Zman finesse worm on a splitshot rig.

Similar presentation to dropshot recommendation above -- I'll try running in this direction.

3" grub and an f7 or f9 floating rapala

I've had some luck with a 3" grub and took a look at the f7 and f9 today. I don't think there's shad in my lake, but there's tons of baby sunfish.

Sometimes it pays to go to extremes regarding lure selection in fishing, in this case smaller than normal. The other extreme works very well at times which would be jumbo sized lures such as 10" plus plastic worms, 7" Senko's and large swimbaits. It always pays to expieriment.

Thanks for the advice ... I'm starting to feel less crazy going so small.

Heddon Zara Puppy

http://www.lurenet.c...ddon-zara-puppy

Rage Tail Baby Craw

T-rigged, unpegged

2/0 Offset Worm Hook, 1/8 - 1/4 oz bullet weight

What do you mean by T-rigged, unpegged? I've got a pack of small yum craws that I'll put to good use.

Downsizing your offering is great on pressured lakes for a number of reasons, one of which may be the forage size in that particular lake more than the fishing pressure, although I'm sure that figures into it also. Changing the size of your offering, and sometimes the color can have a dramatic difference in your success.

Keep in mind that many downsized baits like crappie sized cranks and smaller spinners work optimally with downsized line diameter. Heavy line will kill the action of most cranks and especially so with smaller bodied ones. Even with your plastics, going to a smaller diameter line can give you a slight advantage. Up your odds and go down. Both in the size of your baits and your line.

Diet has been something I've been trying to figure out. Sometimes I'll see a big 20" bass float by 5" bluegills and they don't give chase and the gills don't run away. I'm sure they could eat them if they wanted to, but they don't seem interested. I know there are crawfish in the lake, but I don't see them that often when I turn over rocks. The only thing I've positively seen bass feed on is fingerling bluegills, redears, and bass in the 1-2" range. I've seen bass up to 18" sitting in the shallows stalking these fingerlings. That's made me believe their staple is fingerling fish.

I run 8 lb flouro. Do you think that's a good fit for the downsized lures?

Lake Fork Magic Shad in the 3.5 inch size. You can get them in bluegill, baby bass, etc. They are not a paddle tail like most swimbaits. They actually swim more like a hard swimbait. I use a 3/0 Gamakatsu keel weighted swimbait hook. They have the keeper on them and the weight is 1/16 oz. You can also wacky rig them through the side for the dying fish look. They are a big favorite of mine on bass that chase small fish.

You can also fish them on the dropshot!

Lake Fork Magic Shad in the 3.5 inch size. You can get them in bluegill, baby bass, etc. They are not a paddle tail like most swimbaits. They actually swim more like a hard swimbait. I use a 3/0 Gamakatsu keel weighted swimbait hook. They have the keeper on them and the weight is 1/16 oz. You can also wacky rig them through the side for the dying fish look. They are a big favorite of mine on bass that chase small fish.

You can also fish them on the dropshot!

Oh, I like this one. Hey, I was looking at it on the net and I saw lake fork also has a Live Baby Shad that's an inch smaller, and about the size of that crappie lure I've been using. Do you have any experience with it?

http://www.basspro.com/Lake-Fork-Trophy-Lures-Live-Baby-Shad-Swimbait/product/10221552/#description

Get yourself a copy of Don Iovino's book Finesse Fishign and the Sonar Connection.

You are catching bass with finesse presentations and Don has a few good tips on how to rig and fish small soft plastics.

Hard small lures tht work very well are surface lures like a Splash-It, Owner Zip N Ziggy, Jekyl baits like small Pointers, crankbaits like Little N's.

The key ro finesse fishing is balanced tackle; lighter line, smaller hook when fishing soft plastics, so the lure ha the right action to appeal to larger size bass.

Roboworms and Bassrrix both make variety of finese soft plastics, check on ***. A 3" reaper split shot rigged is often over looked and one of the best.

Tom

Buy every Lucky Craft RC .05 you can before their gone. The dropped this size when they went to the T.O. crank. Best numbers crank in existance.

Beetle spin

Oh, I like this one. Hey, I was looking at it on the net and I saw lake fork also has a Live Baby Shad that's an inch smaller, and about the size of that crappie lure I've been using. Do you have any experience with it?

http://www.basspro.com/Lake-Fork-Trophy-Lures-Live-Baby-Shad-Swimbait/product/10221552/#description

Can't say I have ever Used those. I work at bass pro and I have never seen them in our store. They may work well though!

Buy every Lucky Craft RC .05 you can before their gone. The dropped this size when they went to the T.O. crank. Best numbers crank in existance.

Shhh ! Another secret that's out. You are right that tiny crank will put them in the boat when the fishing is tough.

Shhh ! Another secret that's out. You are right that tiny crank will put them in the boat when the fishing is tough.

Another thing i like about them is they cast much,much better than other cranks their size. I can cover some water and do work with that bait early season. Lucky strike's knock off version is the same size, but weighs 1/8oz versus 1/4+oz on the RC.

So I tryed a 4" powerworm on a splitshot rig. I have to say I'm sold after the first cast landed a fish and several more afterwards. I want to try dropshotting next. Also I ordered Don Iovino's book WRB and look forward to the read. Thanks for all the help everyone.

A 3" grub on a 1/8 oz darter jig is always a backup for me. A light scrounger jig with a 3 or 4" gub is another good choice. My best producing plastic this year has been BPS River Bugs in 3.5" or RI Smallie Beavers T-rigged on a light bullet weight. Sometimes smaller is better!

Jackall flick shake in 4.8in and jackall crosstail shad. Great smaller baits for shaky head or drop shot. You can wacky rig either on the dropshot for a more enticing action.