Here it is the off-limits day before my first big tournament of the year. Here's the situation, My partner and I are fishing an area that doesnt see much pressure, is rather protected from wind, and the water temps have been in 60's all week, theres plenty of bait. Clean water, textbook layout, holds some pigs. Its perfect really. Only the water has been rising and dropping daily thanks to the power co.

Fish seem to be on bed. Only small fish will strike a spinnerbait or crankbait, no reaction or feeding bite whatsoever.  C-rigs have been the only way we have been getting bit...and the bites feel as if the fish are moving the bait off the bed and dropping it. Same with a dropshot..... Anybody got any suggestions????? Ideas....

Lizards. Fish a t-rig (with or without weight depending on winds) lizard slow, and if you see a fish on the bed, pitch the lizard beyond the bed and bring it back into the bed and either let sit or shake lightly... more often than not, they will hit it. See the other posts on bed fishing for other ideas. If your area really is not pressured, these fish should be very catchable.

Good luck tomorrow!

Oh yeah water is stained up the lake.....

Have tried Magnum lizards,6" Lizards, mini-lizards, worm-lizards, spider grubs, Trick worms, flukes, finesse worms, senkos, etc..... Down lake last weekend in clearer cooler water, We could only catch them on c-rig trick worms..... Just cant put a pattern together or hook the ones that bite...and my partner is lethal with worm or jig....

The most significant factor might be the fluctuating water levels

rather than your presentation. You might want to focus on water

that's a little deeper than normal, where the bass are less molested

by fluctuating pool levels.

Roger

Try fishing some rocky points with a C-rig, a shaky head worm and,a suspending jerkbait.  

Good Luck          

Just cant put a pattern together or hook the ones that bite...

I agree with rolo on the deeper water but if you are getting bite and missing them... focus on that first!

I agree with Rolo as well, as far as the fish's location.The fish haven't gone far if they are spawning.

What I would like to add is that you mentioned the bite being light or they were just moving it.I would try a jig-n-pig(plastic trailer)and cut the weed guard off and make sure you got a very sharp hook.If they are on the beds use atleast a half ounce jig with a bulky trailer.I would fish very slow and make several cast to any spot I felt something funny.If I felt anything out of the ordinary I would have my hammer cocked to set the hook quickly.By using a heavier jig you may get a better bite.If the fish is locked on to the bed it may need to get a good bite of the jig to move it.The reason I would remove the weed guard is that the fish may stick themselves a little then you will feel the bite.It would also promote a quicker hookset.This is just what I might try. CJ

Bedding bass typically try to lip a bait carefully and move it away without aggression. They are not programmed to eat anything while on the bed. I use a large floating lizard that stands on its head above the jig. Thread a leader down through the lizard body and attach a weedless stinger hook in the tail. An upholsterer's needle will do that job. Tie that hook on first, then T-rig the head, then draw the excess leader through to bury the tail hook, then tie it off at the hook eye. Put that a little beyond the bed so as not to startle the bass, then bring it onto the bed. If the spring wire is soft it will spring when bit. Pretty often the main hook will grab something outside the mouth for a double hooking once the action begins. If you can't do that due to lack of needle at least try jiggling the lizard while being moved. Bass might decide to kill it if it doesn't cooperate. If the hook is dangling it won't hurt to risk jerking bait out of mouth anyway. Buckie might nab it on its way down.

Jim

Lucked up, ended up fishing senko knockoffs t-rigged w/ a 3/8 tungsten weight, ever so slowly. Weighed in 15.82, good enough for 5th in a 60+ boat field ;D. Biggest was close to 5lbs and spawned out.

Lucked up, ended up fishing senko knockoffs t-rigged w/ a 3/8 tungsten weight, ever so slowly. Weighed in 15.82, good enough for 5th in a 60+ boat field ;D. Biggest was close to 5lbs and spawned out.

Do you know what the winners were doin'?

This crowd dont talk much, if you know what I mean......

I think they  went down lake where the water is cooler and the fish are for the most part on a pre-spawn pattern... Its been hit or miss down there so far.....We went uplake/ river as we will continue to do...