Trying to get better and figuring things out, try new locations and techniques but feel like I really struggle from day to day figuring out what is work and where the bass are relating to. I think I tend to stay in a area to long or with a technique to long before making a change. Just looking for how I can get better in figuring things out sooner than later and catch more fish. This spring weather wise has kept things really tough at least for me, water temps still in mid 70's which is pretty crazy and normal patterns have just not been the same, struggle city. 

 

Thought I would ask and learn, thanks.

I know early season for me this year was very difficult. It seems to be back on track now. Not that I wasn’t catching fish I just could not get anything consistent. 
 

if your spots and presentations worked before you have to ask what changed. Is it weed growth, water temp, higher/lower water, dirty/clear water the list goes on. 
 

Then what time of year were the fish experiencing. Pre/post spawn, summer, fall, winter or any transition period. 
 

You could very well be fishing great areas just the wrong time or one of the other factors js off. Now, the best answer I can give is to learn your body of water thoroughly. The good, bad, and ugly. Take notes. I had good days and this is why. Or what did I do and was not successful during these conditions. 
 

Nothing beats time on the water. There is no magic advice or lure to use that beats that. Some days they just aren’t eating. You can’t fix that. 

Here are a couple of videos that should help:

 

 

 

 

@Susky River Rat is spot on!  One thing that has helped me get bites when nothing else works is bouncing a squarebill off wood.  You're looking for a severe reaction bite.  Of course you have to be in an area that has fish!

First thing is to consider the season.  Being in St Louis, the fish should be getting to their summer patterns but still relatively shallow since we are not in the dog days of summer yet.  I'd start by looking at shallow water cover.  Weed edges, docks, shallow wood, riprap, mats- whatever the best cover is on the lake you are fishing.  If that is not successful, I'm checking out structure and depth changes- dropoffs, points, humps, saddles, ect.  Having FFS helps this a lot. 

 

In terms of presentations, you need need to match your lure to the cover on the structure you are fishing considering the fish's activity level and matching color with water clarity and forage.  Overall, you are trying to find productive patterns using process of elimination and using feedback from the fish to guide the decisions you make.  Experience helps tremendously in this process.  Even when going to a new lake, veteran fishermen have experiences they can relate to wherever they are fishing giving them starting points to focus on.  If it's a place you know well, your past experiences give you starting points and then you adjust on the water.  Personally, I am much better locally than I was 20 years ago since I have so many experiences to draw from.  I still try to fish new water every time I go out but overall it is much easier.  Hope if helps.  

On his youtube channel, Tyler Berger talks about a 4 bait rotation for figuring out bass.  It is how my own brain thinks, so it has resonated with me.

 

1- something moving fast

2- something moving slow

3- something finesse

4- something big

 

The specifics of each category depend on your waters, but a fast bait will be something like a spinnerbait, vibrating jig, squarebill, walking bait, etc.  Cover a bunch of water that looks fishy and find some bites.  Then if you find some, slow it down with a texas rig, a jig, or something else worked more methodically in a smaller area.  Or, if they aren't interested in eating something fast then slow down in some fishy areas with something 'slow'.  If you're still not getting bites but you're pretty sure there are fish around, then go something finesse like a dropshot, ned rig, finesse worm, etc.  Lastly, throw something big like a swimbait or a glide.  They might not eat it all the time, but you'll often have followers and blowups to at least show you where fish are hanging.  I've found that a buzzbait can do similar things as a reaction bait if I'm not already throwing it as part of #1.

 

There can be a lot of overlap and interchangeability in the baits in a group.  A spinnerbait, a vibrating jig, a squarebill, and a lipless crankbait can fish the same bluff wall or riprap bank.  A texas rigged beaver, a big worm, and a pitching jig can all be thrown into the same cover, etc.  Pick the one that you like and that works for the cover you're throwing into.  I fish a lot of grass so a buzzbait or toad, a vibrating jig, and occasionally a spinnerbait are my #1s and a texas rig beats most jigs for bottom contact for me.  

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

On his youtube channel, Tyler Berger talks about a 4 bait rotation for figuring out bass.  It is how my own brain thinks, so it has resonated with me.

 

1- something moving fast

2- something moving slow

3- something finesse

4- something big

 

The specifics of each category depend on your waters, but a fast bait will be something like a spinnerbait, vibrating jig, squarebill, walking bait, etc.  Cover a bunch of water that looks fishy and find some bites.  Then if you find some, slow it down with a texas rig, a jig, or something else worked more methodically in a smaller area.  Or, if they aren't interested in eating something fast then slow down in some fishy areas with something 'slow'.  If you're still not getting bites but you're pretty sure there are fish around, then go something finesse like a dropshot, ned rig, finesse worm, etc.  Lastly, throw something big like a swimbait or a glide.  They might not eat it all the time, but you'll often have followers and blowups to at least show you where fish are hanging.  I've found that a buzzbait can do similar things as a reaction bait if I'm not already throwing it as part of #1.

 

There can be a lot of overlap and interchangeability in the baits in a group.  A spinnerbait, a vibrating jig, a squarebill, and a lipless crankbait can fish the same bluff wall or riprap bank.  A texas rigged beaver, a big worm, and a pitching jig can all be thrown into the same cover, etc.  Pick the one that you like and that works for the cover you're throwing into.  I fish a lot of grass so a buzzbait or toad, a vibrating jig, and occasionally a spinnerbait are my #1s and a texas rig beats most jigs for bottom contact for me.  

I've watched that exact video, and understan what he is saying but man this one lake I feel like is an odd one at least for me. Its only 600 acres and pretty shallow, mud bottom, no real current to speak of and lots of bait fish I mean lots. This spring has been really odd, cool and lots of rain and water has not really warmed up, still mid 70's which is pretty crazy for this time of the year. Lake has no vegetation but there are lots of docks and brush piles but I just am unable to figure out the patterns, like I should be doing x and doing y or in y location and should be doing x. I think the cooler water is allowing them to be pretty much anywhere in the lake, when the water heats up and the thermocline sets up then it eliminates a lot of the deeper water and pushes the fish towards the lifts. Right now I'm not sure where or what they are relating to, been a struggle and today I thought I was gonna get zippo (like yesterday) but last hour caught 2 fish, only 2 for the 4 hours of fishing. Covered a good bit of water with several different baits, top water early am (cloudy), pop-r, whopper, heavy swing head 1/2oz w/big craw off some points with brush, fished a tube some, multiple cranks og6 and finally a dt6 and that is what I mustered to catch the 2 on. Last week it was overcast and I caught 2 decent fish on the pop-r but that was it for top water.

 

This is similar to what happens in this lake in the fall when the water turns back over, the fish I believe are chasing shad and there is lots of it in the lake and when the water cools off it allows them to be anywher. Somehow I need to get better with my electronics and learn how to find them deeper and off shore since they do not appear to be shallow currently. I can see structure but never sure when I see fish what I am looking at. Just not sure how to figure out the better off shore places and then what to use. 

 

I dunno I just unable to figure things out consistently and not really sure how to make progress, feel like I am just beating the banks and need to figure out more off shore stuff. I do think FFS may help in some regard but really do not want to stare at the screen that much but I do believe it allows you to learn more about bass behavior and see what they are relating to and where they are located.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions...:)

4 hours ago, bishoptf said:

I've watched that exact video, and understan what he is saying but man this one lake I feel like is an odd one at least for me. Its only 600 acres and pretty shallow, mud bottom, no real current to speak of and lots of bait fish I mean lots. This spring has been really odd, cool and lots of rain and water has not really warmed up, still mid 70's which is pretty crazy for this time of the year. Lake has no vegetation but there are lots of docks and brush piles but I just am unable to figure out the patterns, like I should be doing x and doing y or in y location and should be doing x. I think the cooler water is allowing them to be pretty much anywhere in the lake, when the water heats up and the thermocline sets up then it eliminates a lot of the deeper water and pushes the fish towards the lifts. Right now I'm not sure where or what they are relating to, been a struggle and today I thought I was gonna get zippo (like yesterday) but last hour caught 2 fish, only 2 for the 4 hours of fishing. Covered a good bit of water with several different baits, top water early am (cloudy), pop-r, whopper, heavy swing head 1/2oz w/big craw off some points with brush, fished a tube some, multiple cranks og6 and finally a dt6 and that is what I mustered to catch the 2 on. Last week it was overcast and I caught 2 decent fish on the pop-r but that was it for top water.

 

This is similar to what happens in this lake in the fall when the water turns back over, the fish I believe are chasing shad and there is lots of it in the lake and when the water cools off it allows them to be anywher. Somehow I need to get better with my electronics and learn how to find them deeper and off shore since they do not appear to be shallow currently. I can see structure but never sure when I see fish what I am looking at. Just not sure how to figure out the better off shore places and then what to use. 

 

I dunno I just unable to figure things out consistently and not really sure how to make progress, feel like I am just beating the banks and need to figure out more off shore stuff. I do think FFS may help in some regard but really do not want to stare at the screen that much but I do believe it allows you to learn more about bass behavior and see what they are relating to and where they are located.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions...:)

 

From what you describe, if you were going to go down the bank then I’d be throwing some combo of crankbaits as my starting point.  A plopper would be tied on also.  Both can cover a lot of water until you find out if they are right tight to the bank, off the bank in 2-5’, or if they are deeper. With no grass and plenty of docks and brush I’d have a dt6, dt10 or 14, and a squarebill.  A paddle tail on an underspin also, something like a mayor or similar on a 1/2 oz or so such that you can keep it moving.  Also good for throwing up under docks.  I’m looking for different gradients of bank- flat, gently sloping, and steeper and the transitions between them.  Then looking at bottom composition.  You say it is mud bottom.  I’d find any piece of gravel/sand/rock that is different and focus on it.  If the whole lake is one thing, the bass will gather where there is a different thing.  Docks will always play, you just got to figure out where they are relating to them.  You’re right about the thermocline limiting them later in the summer, but if there is cover and structure holding them above the thermocline in the summer, then that same stuff will hold them now.