Brand new forum user here for about a week! I've tried catching bass for a year. I have all the rigs jigs worms spins cranks you can think of.  I don't have a boat so all I can do is shore fish.  I've tried all my lures, different color combo's for different days and nothing seems to work at all.  I know how to retrieve the lures, just nothin bites at all.  I've yet to catch one bass all the times ive tried to bass fish.  I try to throw in and around cover around the lakes i fish and nothing.  I try to throw it out far from the shore, let it drop (worms/sticks/tubes/creatures) and then do a slow twitch retrieve and nothing.  I have patience so I'm not going to give up.  I've looked at all the articles and tips and stuff here, I just can't seem to get it.  Shore fishing is probably my #1 main problem.  Anyone have any tips for shore fishing or any tips at all for me?  This is a great site, just need that little extra help and tips.  Also, fishing for bass in a river......any help there?  It's still a little cold up here in southwest PA and there's a hard rain coming so I don't plan on going out anytime soon, so I'm trying to get all the info i can get so i can go out and get into the craze.  In the meantime, it's time to catch the channel cats to bide my time.  Thanks for the help in advance guys!  I really do appreciate all the help you can give me!

I would send a PM to Roadwarrior he posted a great beggingers tackle box a while ago. Go with one bait and technique at a time. Y Read the articles section and I would start with Senkos , any plastic worm or Rapalas. Ask questions and get a notebook because this forum has a lot of great teachers on it  OH AND WELCOME

Thanks man!  Nice people and fishing.........it's the perfect forum :-)

welcome ,

you should try to find a pond and since its cold up there go for a slower presentation bait like a senko.  get the senko t-rigged without the weights and throw it in cover ,  some ponds dont have visable cover so just throw it along the shore/bank and twitch it or w.e. slowly.  for youre shore fishing  throw a worm or senko , possibly jig-n-pig along the shore line , banks , and most of all any form of cover.

just my .02

Your .02 is well worth it :-) THanks! :-D

np , and welcome to the boards

Welcome aboard!

Now, let's go catch one bass:

I want you to buy two packages of 5" Senko (not knock-offs) and one package of Fat Ika, both watermelon with black flakes. Both of these baits will be fished the same, they simply have a different profile and action. You will need Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Offset Worm hooks, but no weight. If you are fishing spinning tackle, I want the line no heavier than 8 lb test, for baitcasting 12 lb test.

Select a pond at least 4 or 5 acres or a defined cove on big water.

T-rig the Senko, weightless and weedless. Cast the bait parallel to the bank, offshore 5-10 yards. (Don't worry about cover or structure, but if you notice some, fish it). Let the Senko fall to the bottom on slack line and let it sit for a minute or at least 15 seconds. Move the bait slowly with a horizontal sweep, 6-12". Let it fall again on slack line and sit. Repeat until you feel you are "out of the zone." Move down the bank 10 yards or so and cast again.

That's it. NEVER switch baits until you have fished one pack (10) Senko. If you don't catch a fish, fish 5 Fat Ika without swiching back to the Senko. Fish for at least 1 hour at a time. After fishing a total of 4 hours, if you haven't caught a bass you need to find another place to fish.

Good luck!

aw man thanks for the advice!  I will surely try that when the weather lets up!  Seriously man, thanks!  Everyone thanks.  You guys are a big help!  

haha, i sent you a PM roadwarrior just as you replied to my post lol

thanks again guys

ben

I see you're in Pa, so you're going to be fishing some pretty cool water. Do just exactly what RW described. Keep your rod tip up, and watch the line. Sometimes you'll see a twicth and sometimes you'll see it just start moving. Drop the tip, rell up the slack, and set the hook.

A second option, that works a lot of the time in the spring is a shallow running, minnow shaped crank, like a Rapala, or a Shallow Shad Rap. Throw it parallel to the shore, staying within 10' or so of the bank. Let it sit until all the ripples have died out. Twitch it a time a or two, and let it sit still again. Repeat. Mixed in a short pull every now and then, to make the crank dive just a little, and let it sit again. Make repeated casts through the same area, then move down the bank, about half the length of your cast, and do it all over again. If the water is relatively clear, use a natural colored crank. For dirtier water, use a bright color. That's all there is to it. Don't make it to complicated.

The reason this works so well in the spring is that there will be very little food on the bottom, and the fish are accustomed to looking up for food.

Goodluck, and let us know how it goes for you.

Welcome aboard.

Cheers,

GK

Thanks man!  

ah!  I forgot to ask!  T-Rig.........means texas rig right?  

Hello, I am new to the board also and I want to let ya know that I am feeling for ya!

I dont have a load of advice for you, it sounds like the other fellas are steering you right. Dude, hang in there. Since you are new to Bass fishing, I have to wonder if it is just the fact that you are missing the bite. A bass will hit different than you might be used to feeling. It is a site and feel game. Never take your eye off of the line. A bass will hit that bait on the drop alot of the times. If you are not accustom to it, You might be getting hits on the way down. If your line stops dropping, it could be that a hawg has inhaled it but if you dont know it he might spit it out rather quickly. After the bait has hit bottom, wait and keep some slack in the line........watch it and feel for a tick.tick. See, a bass does not bite like a cat, carp, or others you might be used to. The dont taste it to see if they like it. The hit on impulse and it is litterally inhaled all at one time. It does not take long for them to realize if it is not real and they will spit it back just a fast as it was inhaled.

As far as not having a boat....I have only had a boat for 3 years now and I have to say that I cacth less fish now than I used to. When fishing from the bank, we fish an area more thourough because we cant move around as easily. On a boat, it is easy to get impatiant and move on quicker than we should sometimes.

I hope it helps for you.

If you are ever in the St. Joseph MO area, give me a buzz. We will try to catch some bass.

I forgot to mention that  a good rod is very important. If you are using a casting rod for finesse fishing you probably are just not aware that a fish has a mouthful of your plasic worm!

Get a good stiff heavy or medium/heavy graphite rod.

thanks guys!  really!  the advice is great.  still cold and there's about an inch of rain coming my way tonight so i'm gonna have to wait to get out on the lake.  you know, bassassinator is right.  I know the basics and all, im just used to the big channel cats i catch at night.  Watching the line, never knew anything about that until now.  I have no clue how to tell if a bass hits or not.  i think THAT may be my problem.  hmmmmm......

A typical bass bite is a tap-tap. Lower your rod tip as you reel down QUICKLY and snap your rod tip up, firmly without moving the position of your reel relative to your body. This action will drive a hook home.

Regarding your equipment: If you have been fishing with a noodle for catfish, you need a different rod. I recommend a 6 1/2' or 7' Medium or Medium Heavy Power/ Fast Action rod to fish soft plastics. A firm tip allows you to set the hook quickly.

Hey Roadwarrior!  Thanks! :-)  So a tap tap on the line i see........ill have to try it out.  It's a nice sunny day to go to the lake, i have my senko's on order (The wal mart up here didn't have them in stock, they had a pinkish color in stock, yuck) so i ordered from cabelas.  I have a crap load of plastics.  Thanks for the help guys!

oh and my rod!  Before the season started I went out and bought a 7 footer medium action rod and left my old rod and baitcaster for the cats.  I don't like using a baitcaster for anything else BUT cats.  I use huge chunks of liver and it's easier for me to use the baitcaster.  But don't get me wrong i LOVE my spinning reel :-) thanks again guys!

ben

I am a bank fisherman also , I had a hard time at first feeling the bite especially when using a spinnerbait or crankbait. I learned to set the hook everytime I feel the slightest resistance when using either lure. And add a trailer hook if using a spinnerbait. I have been using a chatterbait lately and catching some decent bass. But its warmer here than it is in your area . So that lure might work later in the year for you.

If I am not catching fish in a pond I like to use live bait , like shiners minnows or whatever bait is native to your area. I fish them under a bobber or free line them.

Good Luck and keep trying

You are not alone my man. I spent many frustrating days fishing from the bank before I got a boat. You'll get them figured out, keep it up.

WELCOME to the forums!! Keep at it. That first fish (and the one after that, the one after that etc. etc. etc.) definitely makes all the trying worthwhile...

                                                                 As Ever,

                                                                  Skillet

Welcome..

thanks guys!  went out today on the lake and it was just too cold, way too cold.  This northeast weather is just plain crap.  45 degree weather and downpours.  Now its 37 and its a really wet snow.  How in the world am i supposed to catch a fish in this? lol.  and the weather ain't lookin too great in the next week.  OH well, keep the fishing up guys and good luck!

ben