went bed fishing today and found a spot that had 3 beds in a triangle .. 2 small males and 3 large females in the area caught the 2 males quickly on a lizard. they attacked it almost instantly , the females would just look and swim around, lizards,worms and senkos..i even tried to run a spinnerbait by them for reaction , but nothing..does anyone have any suggestions? thanks.

Don't catch the males.

Bed fishing is more about reading the fish than what bait you use.

I like the Mattlures Ultimate Gill to get them really fired up, then throw in a jig or a Mission Fish to finish them off.

A lot of times, if you catch the male first you can forget about catching the female.

Try a different angle of approach.  Dont sit in deeper water and "corner" the bed.  The fish will feel threatened.

Like 4bizz said, use the Mattlures gill to pizz 'em off and then something like a white jig.  Be patient, it could take a while.

Splash a lizard right on the bed with a heavy weight pegged on it.

The best I have used is the Jackall Giron.

PSE and a Muzzy fish arrow

Mattlures Bluegill. The model that sinks and sits with its head on the ground. Yeah its an expensive lure but it will get that big femail bass to bite.

People already seemed to have mentioned this bait but from what I have noticed you do not need the jig afterwards. If you let the bluegill dive to the bed and twitch and move it the female will often hit it.

I'll often let her hit the Mattlures several times before throwing the jig in.

It has a higher hook up and land ratio for me. That is just a product of the shape of the mattlures.

Bed fishing is more about reading the fish than what bait you use

It's easy to lose sight of the fact that cow bass are fasting during the spawn, and not interested in feeding.

What keeps it interesting is that every cow has her unique behavioral strengths and weaknesses.

Roger

The best I have used is the Jackall Giron.

x2

i would reel the giron to the bed directly and it really pizz lmbs off and i could catch my limit fast

I dunno..for me, there's not much fun in bed fishing..too easy..I'll let em mate, and have baby fishies..then I'll get em..

I dunno..for me, there's not much fun in bed fishing..too easy..I'll let em mate, and have baby fishies..then I'll get em..

x2 , i never bed fish , wait , i take that back , i bed fish bluegills !!! 

there was an article in this months bassmaster where tim horton (i think) said sometimes to get the female... he throws in a big 5 or 6 in tube and then lets the male pick it up a few times but pulls it out of its mouth back onto the bed. this apparrently pizzes off the female thinking that the male cant guard the nest and she rushes in to take charge.

sounds like a good strategy to me.

personally i dont like to take the male off the bed so i throw really big jigs or lizards and try to keep it away from the male. if i dont catch the female... *shrug* oh well.

now if im in a tournement...................

Big Ika pegged with a 3/16 oz Tungsten.  (That's right BIG Ika, not Fat.)

For you guys throwing the Ultimate Bluegill what type of line and lb test are you using?

For you guys throwing the Ultimate Bluegill what type of line and lb test are you using?

Most people will say 20-25# flouro.

20lb mono