Hi. I'm pretty new to fishing but i love to do it. I went on a trip about a month ago and i fished in a river not to big and there were bass everywhere. the water was only about four feet deep and it was extremely clear and i copuld see everything. There were so many bass it was unreal but everytime i would cast right infront of them they  wouldnt bite at all! There was one that satyed near one lilly pad the whole time i was there and he was there everyday. I used every kind of bait, crank bait, lures, everything i had and he would never even think of biting it. i would stand over watching him and he would just sit there and do nothing. I had no spinner baits though so is that why he wouldnt bite? Did i need spinners or was it something else?

If you could see them then I am sure they were watching you too. So I dought anything you threw would have worked at that time. I might have left and tried to sneak back later. I don't rember what there field of vision is but if there is any kind of bank sometime you almost have to crawl to keep from being seen and if there is any fishing pressure on them they can get lock jawed.  I do not fish many rivers, hardly any anymore, but that has been my experience with fish in them.

I've been around bass that were in what I call a pre-spawn "bed searching" mode.  They wer all shallow swimming around in small areas.  There were lots of them.  They refused every offering made.

Brad

actually the one by the lilly pad was trying to eat the turtles and actually had one in his mouth for a while but it got away. I ended up catchin baby turtles when i would use raw bacon

never seen a bass eat a turtle but you probably had him on his guard if you were watching him in real clear water but idk

Sounds kinda wierd, you sure they were bass?

that will be the next weird bait to come out... swimmin turtle crainkbaits

Somebody makes one, I just couldn't think who it is.  I think they also make ducks and rats if I remember right.

how dumb...

actually the rats work quite well cause when everybody else is throwing a frog in the slop i give em something diffrent and i know this is going to sound mean but we use baby ducks to catch flathead the baits r made by a company out in cali ill get the name when i get back they also make snake baits that work quite well ive caught many a bass over 8 pounds on a 2 foot snake bait and the large rat bait is awesome in the lilys and cattails

How are you rigging the snakes?  I bought some and haven't used them yet, but looking for different suggestions.

Your right about those rats, they actually really work. I always prefered the smaller white mouse type ones though, those things were so overlooked. The duck type one is killer for muskies in wisconsin, as this is an actual prey for them believe it or not. One minute you'd see a stray duckling swimming hastily, than splash, nothin' but feathers. Now back on topic.

For this river, being as it's so clear, your best bet is night or low light fishing. Also try to wear some clothes that match the background you'll be fishing from. And stay real low, like almost crawling low, and cast FAR away from the bass you know are there, than work it to them. Try a small ribbon or straight tail worm weightless rigged. The uber slow presentation may do the trick. Try colors like see through blue flake or see through crawdad. They seem to produce best for me on clear rivers. Good luck!

well rats and ducks lok good to a muskie or a pike they have seen little ducks and mice in muskie guts. when to cut it open

Clear water is sometimes very hard to fish, but I love to do it.  First of all, they probably do see you too.  You can try wearing dull clothing so you blend in with the background.  Any weather or condition that lowers visibility for you and the bass is good.  Rainy days are great.  Especially this time of year.  THe rain breaks up the surface and it make the visibility low.  Use faster lures like spinnerbaits and shallow cranks like the strike kind model 1 on these days.  Also wind is good too.  Throw the same things, until you are sure they will not produce.  For those days that are dead calm find shady areas like overhanging trees, docks or vegetation and fish small plastics.  Small tubes are my favorite.  Use very light line on clear days when the cover permits.