Have this lake that I fish and its an odd one imho, it has tons of baitfish (gizzard shad) and they are everywhere and water temps have just started to drop....yesterday when I was seeing 78-79 but getting some rain today so my guess it will cool down a little bit. Litterally there are baitfish everywhere crazy how many there are, Ospreys, herons and eagles have a constant food supply (the ospreys are really cool). Right now most are still having some luck flipping boat docks but I tend to try to do other things and have been trying to target the baitfish angle and have had some luck with a bladed jig mini w/ black/blue skirt. I've caught a few but really have to cover a lot of water to find some, caught the one decent one yesterday on a chick magnet but even that was only one fish. 

 

I am trying to think what other things that I could try that maybe would be more productive than the mini bladed jig, I've thrown a compact swimjig a little but usually go back to the bladed jig, but maybe thinking I should stay with it longer and see. I am using a pretty small paddle tail swimbait, 3.5" on the mini bladed jig. Thinking my other options would be to try a underspin with the small paddle tail and maybe just a jig head without the blade. Those are the only three things I can think of to try, underspin, swimbait and the swimjig for this time of the year, early fall and falling temps any other options that would be better to try?

 

Thanks

How big is the bait?

 

What about a double willow spinnerbait to resemble schooled baitfish?

13 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

How big is the bait?

 

What about a double willow spinnerbait to resemble schooled baitfish?

I've thrown a spinner bait some and I have 2 different spinnerbaits tied on but really what I have seen at least from last year, the spinnerbait bite really doesnt turn on until the water drops a little more. I should take better notes ( I don't take any, which is stupid I know) but last year I think it was upper 60's. Neither of the spinnerbaits that I have are 2 willow, one is a single willow and the other is a willow colorado combination. I have thrown both every outing but not had a single taker vs the bladed jig.

 

Bait I assume is all sizes but the majority are pretty small and why I have been using a small swimbait, 3.5".

Any surface activity?  If so try a white, chrome, or transluscent walking bait 

9 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

Any surface activity?  If so try a white, chrome, or transluscent walking bait 

Not really, I have tried a whopper plopper early in the am but no takers...I know some have had some luck with a unweighted fluke but hard for me to slow down to do that, lol.

 

I so have a spook and maybe swap that out for the whopper plopper.

Personally, I would skip with any kind of blade and go with the paddletail and a jig, or belly weighted hook.  Shy away from bottom presentations as they're keying on the baitfish. Don't forget topwater. Smaller ones will match the forage size best and my favorite now (no, it isn't a Spook of anysort) is a CrazyShad. Start by working it fast over the schooling shad and if you don't get any takers, switch to a slow twitch pause in areas that the shad frequent.  Fun time if you time it right.

1 minute ago, papajoe222 said:

Personally, I would skip with any kind of blade and go with the paddletail and a jig, or belly weighted hook.  Shy away from bottom presentations as they're keying on the baitfish. Don't forget topwater. Smaller ones will match the forage size best and my favorite now (no, it isn't a Spook of anysort) is a CrazyShad. Start by working it fast over the schooling shad and if you don't get any takers, switch to a slow twitch pause in areas that the shad frequent.  Fun time if you time it right.

 

I had to look that one up and you know what, I am somewhat *cough* older and I swear that looks a lot like some baits that I fished as a kid, had props on front and back and had the same shape. Not sure I can remember the maker or the name but I know I still have some somewhere, lol.

I had to look up CrazyShad too!  Three inches sounds like the right size as well.  For some reason, propbaits are constantly underrated. 

I'm an avid bladed jig fisherman and I just don't like paddle tails on smaller bladed jigs. The actions seem to fight each other. On the small stuff, a pin tail or fin tail seems to work much better.

 

And I fish the Free Rig in situations like this. I use a paddle tail with more of a glide drop/keeled belly (Dolive Shad) or a hybrid worm/pintail with a tantalizing shimmy (Dolive Stick) I'm able to show a weightless presentation AND a normal paddle tail/baitfish retrieve (when bait and weight connected).  And since the hook is free, you get better movement from the swimbait.

 

So you can show injured baitfish and fleeing baitfish with one rig.

 

And it's very effective.

4 minutes ago, RRocket said:

I'm an avid bladed jig fisherman and I just don't like paddle tails on smaller bladed jigs. The actions seem to fight each other. On the small stuff, a pin tail or fin tail seems to work much better.

 

And I fish the Free Rig in situations like this. I use a paddle tail with more of a glide drop/keeled belly (Dolive Shad) or a hybrid worm/pintail with a tantalizing shimmy (Dolive Stick) I'm able to show a weightless presentation AND a normal paddle tail/baitfish retrieve (when bait and weight connected).  And since the hook is free, you get better movement from the swimbait.

 

So you can show injured baitfish and fleeing baitfish with one rig.

 

And it's very effective.

Yeah I understand about the boot tail, but I have tried several other trailers and for whatever reason this combination was getting the most bites. I have several pin tail type trailers and what had me thinking that maybe something with just the boot tail may produce even better. I am familiar with the free rig but haven't tried it with a boot tail, what kind of weight are normally using, most of what I fish is pretty shallow.

4 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

Yeah I understand about the boot tail, but I have tried several other trailers and for whatever reason this combination was getting the most bites. I have several pin tail type trailers and what had me thinking that maybe something with just the boot tail may produce even better. I am familiar with the free rig but haven't tried it with a boot tail, what kind of weight are normally using, most of what I fish is pretty shallow.

Whatever size works!

 

I know it's a terrible answer, but in shallow I'm 1/8 th and under. And the "under" depends on some variables.

 

I say just be a bit choosy with your paddle tail on a Free Rig.

 

Some of them nose down awkwardly on the weightless drop.

I let the cover dictate the specific bait. If it is all rock bank I’m probably throwing a crankbait to cover water. Heavy weeds will have a swim jig or weedless paddle tail. If the fish are looking up it’s a top water. 
 

with the water at 78-79 they are only just starting to think about moving. I bet they are still holed up in their summer cover. So pitching a Texas rig to boat docks and grass would be where I’m at. 
 

up here we are at 70 degrees give or take and the fish are starting to roam a little. 

13 hours ago, bishoptf said:

 

I had to look that one up and you know what, I am somewhat *cough* older and I swear that looks a lot like some baits that I fished as a kid, had props on front and back and had the same shape. Not sure I can remember the maker or the name but I know I still have some somewhere, lol.

It's been around a long time. You might also be thinking of the Injured Minnow.

Or a Devil's Horse.