38 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Yes and I think you’d be surprised how many fish will be suspended up in those trees, just out of sight.

 

I was going to go to a different lake this week but now you have me curious.  I have a couple glides I got here in the marketplace and I think one or two of them might just do it.  I also have my magdrafts, though putting an 8” treble hook version down in those trees…

I like to start the day with a buzz-bait. Then move to cranks and spinnerbaits and see if the power fishing is producing. 

 

Home lake has a few spots that produce on 7" and 10" worms, texas rigged. Haven't tossed a NED in a while, thanks for the reminder @gim. 

 

I do like a texas rigged Senko and drop shot for finesse. 

 

If all else fails, I'll tie on a 1/16th ounce crappie jig, with a 2.5" gulp minnow. And then proceed to catch crappie, sunnies, and bass. When my wife's boy or my daughter fish with me, we start with the gulp minnow on a jig-head. I want them catching fish right away, and all day. I landed a 3lb LMB a few weeks back on this set up. 

 

If the gulp minnow ain't producing, it's time to head back to the ramp. 

44 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

 

If the gulp minnow ain't producing, it's time to head back to the ramp. 

Have you tried the Gulp Sandworm? My boys love rigging them on a short dropshot (6”-ish drop), and they clean house on yellow bass, bluegills, dink bass and the occasional small channel cat. 

Never been skunked on a ned rig.

 

With that said, I hardly throw them anymore.

 

Just too dang boring.

16 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Never been skunked on a ned rig.

 

With that said, I hardly throw them anymore.

 

Just too dang boring.

 

I feel the same way. I fished one once, caught a bunch of fish, and quit.

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I feel the same way. I fished one once, caught a bunch of fish, and quit.

 

Can't fish them wrong it seems.

 

When my boys were younger it's what they threw.

 

Give a 7 year old a spinning rod and a ned rig and they can have some fun.

 

Now they are getting older and rarely want to fish with the old man. Bums me out.   

 

There's always grandkids...

9 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Never been skunked on a ned rig.

 

With that said, I hardly throw them anymore.

 

Just too dang boring.

I caught some quality fish on a ned rig in July. But, I upsized to a bigger plastic than the little weenie turd most use.

 

I tend to catch smaller than average fish with the standard Ned. It can be a dink magnet. With a bigger version, I catch less of those small fish, and target bigger ones. I’ll sacrifice a bunch of 12 inchers for one 18.

Something that has worked extremely well for me the past few years when the fishing is tough is to let lures pendulum back toward me. I have used neds, tubes and small swimbaits this way. I simply let the lure sink to the bottom then raise the rod tip from about 9 to 11 and hold it there . The lure pendulums back instead of dropping straight down.  I've used it on points, flats and rip rap. It has become a staple technique for me.

I'd try a few different finesse lures until I found one that they are interested in that day. A drop shot is one of my confidence lures but there have been days when they wouldn't even bite that. In that case I'll usually go with something like a small creature bait if I think they are towards the bottom or a small fluke if I think they are higher up. There are also a couple of hard baits like a shad rap that I like in those situations. Either way just keep trying until you find the one that they want that day. Or if all else fails pull out a 6-8" swimbait. If I'm not gonna catch anything I'd at least throw that and give myself a small chance at landing a brute. Plus those larger ones can at least call them out and even if you they don't bite it you might be able to find where they are and then follow it up with a senko or something.