Hey Guys

I did a search on site with little success so if this has been cover 100 times please forgive.

 

So the water is 85 degrees, no wind, and bluebird skies. 

I understand water clarity, cover and or structure are  also factors.

Just wondering what do you throw when nothing seems to be working or what is your confidence rig?

I'm old school but have been experimenting with some New baits or New to me. But my( got to get the skunk out of the boat) is probably a 7" blue fleck power worm on a 1/8oz T-rig.

 

Thanks Rick

Ned Rig with a 'Big TRD'

 

A-Jay

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Ned Rig with a 'Big TRD'

 

A-Jay

First off that is the biggest smallie I've ever seen!!?

 

I have been throwing the Lifted Jigs EWG ned with a lot of success this year. I actually caught some smallies on a lake that isn't known for smallmouth with a ned. Biggest probably 2#. But the Z man standard one I loose more jigs getting hung up than I can deal with.(might be doing something wrong.?) 

 

Thanks. Rick

1 minute ago, Fishohio said:

First off that is the biggest smallie I've ever seen!!?

 

I have been throwing the Lifted Jigs EWG ned with a lot of success this year. I actually caught some smallies on a lake that isn't known for smallmouth with a ned. Biggest probably 2#. But the Z man standard one I loose more jigs getting hung up than I can deal with.(might be doing something wrong.?) 

 

Thanks. Rick

Not much we can do about getting hung up if the bottom we are fishing is prone to it.

I fish the Ned in areas where it's suited - cleaner bottom.

 

I can think of two options for you though.

1 - swim the Ned - in other words - count it down to the bottom and then on all your following casts, begin a slow, continues retrieve "close to" but not on the bottom.  Closer the better but you can control the running depth with jig head weight and retrieve speed.

2- And this may seem a little unorthodox, rig your TRD with a super light (but appropriate) pegged bullet weight and on a thin light wire either straight shank finesse worm hook or a thin wire round bend or EWG worm hook.   Tex-pose the TRD.  This would essential make the rig far less prone to snags but you may need to manipulate your gear selection to ensure you can get a solid hookset (relative term).

Good Luck Rick

A-Jay

 

I almost always try a moving bait first to cover water.  If it's not working I'll try a Keitech 3.8 on a weighted swimbait hook and work it slow.  Still not working I'll T-rig a Senko if there is decent water clarity, a Rage Craw if visibility is limited.  

Thanks A-Jay

 

Never tried swimming them. Have to give it a go next Saturday.?

 

Rick

24 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

I almost always try a moving bait first to cover water.  If it's not working I'll try a Keitech 3.8 on a weighted swimbait hook and work it slow.  Still not working I'll T-rig a Senko if there is decent water clarity, a Rage Craw if visibility is limited.  

I was fishing a 3.8 yesterday LOL just dragging and jigging slow all I had was Blue gill flash maybe needed a different color?. Did get one on a Dark Sleeper though.

 

Also a Chiggercraw on a ewg nedhead pulled in a nice keeper. (great minds think alike)

 

When we did start getting some wind in the afternoon I got a nice one on the old Spinner bait.

 

No takers on a crankbait shallow or deep.

 

Thanks Rick

 

Double down on cover and structure . If  fishing slow doesnt work then I'll cover water . I dont have a go to bait , just keep plugging away and try to make good decisions and presentations .    Numerous times I have fished a cove with no strikes then the next one over produces . Glen   has a video where he ask the pros the same question. About half slow down and fish more  thoroughly and the other half cover more water .

For those days, the NED is the bait of last resort.

If I am covering an area that is not NED friendly, I cast to an area and slowly troll to it with a painfully slow retrieve, that way my angle of retrieve improves and get hung up far less

My ”go to” bait/rig is relative to the situation.  If I get no bites and I am finding the bass suspended out over deep water typically a spoon is my most effective bait.  If bass are fairly shallow but holding tight and not biting I will use a senko type worm wacky or weightless and rigged weedless.  Sometimes, the Ned rig is my go to in these situations.  If fish are deeper and not biting I will use a smaller finesse jig, a shakey head, and have even used a Z-Man TRD on a 1/10 oz head in 20 feet of water to pull fish up.  Of course, when using the lighter rigs deep I have to choose my spot carefully.  Too much wind or current defeats the ability of the bait to reach the bottom at the spot where I want it.  In those cases I stick with jigs and enough weight to reach the bottom.  If bass are on the bottom in 30 to 40 feet of clear water, a dropshot or spoon usually is what I need.

1 hour ago, Fishohio said:

I was fishing a 3.8 yesterday LOL just dragging and jigging slow all I had was Blue gill flash maybe needed a different color?. Did get one on a Dark Sleeper though.

 

Also a Chiggercraw on a ewg nedhead pulled in a nice keeper. (great minds think alike)

 

When we did start getting some wind in the afternoon I got a nice one on the old Spinner bait.

 

No takers on a crankbait shallow or deep.

 

Thanks Rick

 

I use Bluegill Flash, Sexy Shad, or Sungill depending on conditions. 

i fish shallow waters ... no bites ... go to in line spinners ... beetle spin ... zoom finesse worms ... 6 and 8 lb. test line ... spinning gear ...

 

good fishing ...

When the bite is tough and the weather is hot here....our go to is drop shot and shakey heads fished slowly in 10 to 15 ft of water. All the places I catch them in cooler months I just back off to the first deeper spots and usually find some success.  I sure the ned would work too but I haven't dialed that in enough yet to know for sure

When I am having a tough day I usually go to a Zoom Centipede On a 1/0 hook and 1/16 ounce sinker on a spinning rod. This has saved a day for me many times.

Good stuff guys I appreciate it!!

 

Thx Rick

Weightless t rigged Zoom fluke.

Just now, bowhunter63 said:

Weightless t rigged Zoom fluke.

Always have a fluke/weightless rod on deck ! Nice

 

 

   I fish relatively shallow waters. If nothing has given me a hit, including bigger spinnerbaits, I start working down the line on spinnerbaits. From a half-ounce, I'll go to a quarter, then a War Eagle 3/16 finesse, and then a 1/8th Booyah Micro Pond Magic. No other lure except spoons has given me as positive a set of results by progressively reducing size as spinnerbaits. Not cranks, not soft plastics and not in-line spinners. And I mention the spinnerbait over the spoons because I can work the spinnerbaits right on the cover. I can't do that with spoons.

   If that doesn't work, I go home.    jj

Ned rig is my anti-skunk bait from late fall through winter to about June.  Water temps like you are describing (80+) the Ned Rig becomes a skunk-guarantee for me.  It's a total failure in the heat of summer for me.  When the water is that warm I will T-rig a Berkley MaxScent Kingtail with the smallest possible weight and just let is sit around for awhile under docks or laydowns.  Wacky-rigged worms are also usually good to prevent a skunk in warm water.  

Wacky rig senko at targets, bites usually come on the initial fall. I can cover a fair amount of water this way too. 

Rat-L-Trap : Chrome w/back back

                  Chrome w/blue back

                  Gold w/black back

 

Last resort for me is a 4" Zoom Finesse Worm in a purple hue, weightless.

As some have mentioned something like a finesse wacky that falls slowly. Gotta have some wind to throw anything reaction (at least in my experience).

1 minute ago, Pickle_Power said:

Last resort for me is a 4" Zoom Finesse Worm in a purple hue, weightless.

You posted this as I was writing. Certainly drives the point home.

Slip shot rig or 1/8 oz  dart head jig w/4 1/2" Roboworm curl worm out fishing Ned rigs for me.

Tom

These days, what most consider the "when all else fails" option is my number one choice all the time. For me, that's Ned, Sliders or jighead wacky finesse on a ML spinning outfit. Spent a couple hours each of the past three days rotating around some ponds under blue sky, post frontal conditions with E/NE 10 mph winds and highs in the 70s. Totaled 75-80 bass from the bank. Why wait until all else fails when you can be catching bass all the time regardless?