They are taunting me.  Only a few feet away in very shallow water.  Hell, there was a big one just lying there with part of his back sticking out of the water!  I could've probably just snuck up on him and netted him, but instead I tried to FISH him.  I am a newb and forgive me if I say something dumb, but I only caught a catfish on my first outing and nothing ever since.   This question will refer to these visible bass.  I tossed my buzzbait (Hart's single propeller with clacker white skirt with two long red stripes) in front of this big guy and retrieved it along his left side twice, but he didn't care.  After coursing the lure over his body, he just took off.  Should I have tried more times?  Another type of lure/bait?  There were actually a lot of them in this one area, but none of them even tried to bite.  I tried for 2 hours and gave up.  Should I go longer?  I started around 7AM and finished by 9.  It was a little windy and maybe around 75F.  The last half hour I tried a spinner with similar appearance to the buzz, but also nothing.    I have obviously found where they hang out (rip rappy grassy area), but need to excite them.  Should I spray the bait with a scent?  I was actually thinking of making a netting device on my way home that I would leave out in the area the night before and just come by in the morning to "pick up" my fish, lol.  I would rather fish them though.  ANY help or advice would be helpful!  Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Steve

I can SEE them

Yep and they can see you. That is why you didn't stand a chance to catch them. The best thing to do is leave and come back in a half hour and try to catch them before you can see them.

Welcome to the forum!

There is an old addage-if you can see them, they can see you-just something to keep in mind.  As to your question-you have several options.  Throw your spinnerbait at them multiple times to try to make them mad enough to strike.  Another option, which is what I would do since they are ignoring your other presentation, is switch to a soft plastic like a weightless jerkbait or stickbait like a Senko or a crawfish you drag across the bottom.

Welcome to the forum.   Clear water can be tough to get bites in when they are visibile.

Keep on pluggin at it.

Matt

Wow, that was fast!  So these stickbaits are the plastic worms, right?  I have some of those, but do you just smoothly reel them in or reel, jerk, reel, jerk, jerk, or something else?  Thanks again!  I'm thinking about going back tonight to give it another try.

Regards,

Steve

Yep and they can see you. That is why you didn't stand a chance to catch them. The best thing to do is leave and come back in a half hour and try to catch them before you can see them.

Exactly..........and in shallow clear water the buzzbait might of been a little noisy.  Try something a little more natural(soft plastics).

i like a spinning rod and a smoke colored tube on bass that i see. like was posted i try to make them mad and that might take a few casts.

Thanks again, but how should I reel the worms in?  Smooth reeling or jerking erratically with reeling from time to time?

Regards,

Steve

If it was me I would skip a tube with a light weight or no weight and work it through the area leading the fish. A small slider worm tends to do the trick or a wacky rigged soft plastic. If the fish are shallow they might be up there to feed on small minnows or bluegills. Stick with clear colors like watermelon, sand, smoke, and such. If you need to make the cast then strip off line as you back off the area to stay out of eye shot of the fish. If you have trees or something to break up your out line use it and stand next to it like hunting. If your walking up and down the bank the fish can hear you so walk softly like your sneaking up on it. You can mark the area with a bobber and line and weight to anchor it to the bottom or stick something to mark it on the shore then go back to it.

Make sure when you throw your soft plastic to have quiet presentation.Also get it in front of them.I like using shad colored flukes with red lazer sharp hooks.Make it seem injured.

They are taunting me.

Dynamite

Dude I am going to have "they are taunting me" in my head for awhile. LOL

I won't give you any advise other then hang out here and you will whacking them in no time.

Welcome to the forum