I'm still basically a beginner bass fisherman. But I'm attacking my lake (by boat with no depth/fish finder) tomorrow morning. After getting skunked my first time out, I'm determined to catch something.

I've developed a plan:

-Start the day by focusing on a long cove that holds a nice area of above timber structure at the end (two spots in fairly shallow water), while on the way casting toward the shorelines. Mid-to-late morning, I'll focus on two points at the opening of the cove.

I'll search areas by using crankbaits, spinner/buzz baits, swimbaits, and weightless soft plastics. If I find something, I'll stay in the area with the same bait. If I can't reproduce a strike, I plan to slow down and switch to jigs/rigs with different soft plastics, colors, and retrieves. If still nothing, I'll move on.

I studied the lake the first time out. The cove and timber is on the eastern shoreline. So this gives extra time before the sun will be above the treeline, giving extra shade and somewhat cooler water temps (in comparison to other areas affected by the sunlight). The lake doesn't open until 0700, but sunrise is at 0631. The weather tomorrow will be sunny, 70 when I start fishing, 85 by 1200, with calm SE winds.

I'm trying to teach myself how to plan/study before a fishing trip. Of course, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." What else am I missing or do i need to focus on?

Rig yourself up an unweighted fluke in white, head out to the timber right at daybreak, and you'll probably get some explosive hits. Just cast it near the timber, give it a little twitch, let it sit there.... then another twitch or two... and let it sit. Then s-l-o-w-l-y work it back to the boat. You can thank me later.

Rig yourself up an unweighted fluke in white, head out to the timber right at daybreak, and you'll probably get some explosive hits. Just cast it near the timber, give it a little twitch, let it sit there.... then another twitch or two... and let it sit. Then s-l-o-w-l-y work it back to the boat. You can thank me later.

I have fluke in pearl w/gray back and blue flakes. I'll give that a shot, and if it works, many thanks will be headed your way. Thanks for the response.

Well, I got skunked again today. They were jumping all around us, but I couldn't get anything going. Swimbait to jig, and everything in between. Nothing. My girlfriend caught one on a night cralwer, does that mean anything?

I am a releative noob too and was having trouble focusing as fish were jumping all around me, this caused me to fish surface baits hurriedly with a few strikes but no hook ups. I was catching nothing but frustration with this method. I have since quit paying too much attention to the surface and am slowly working other baits over structure and through cover. Finally have started to catch more fish and actually getting some nicer ones, 2# 12 oz last night. In what way was your Gf fishing the night crawler? Maybe copy that presentation, in my case I was going way too fast bc of all the excitement!

Well, I got skunked again today. They were jumping all around us, but I couldn't get anything going. Swimbait to jig, and everything in between. Nothing. My girlfriend caught one on a night cralwer, does that mean anything?

What was jumping all around you ? I 'll bet it wasn't bass.

Shad and bluegill were mainly coming up. But every now and then we would see a bass jump. I about hit a bass on a cast as he came flying out of the water. And the bass jumping is important cause the lake is small and not a bass hot spot, but they are there.

She was simply casting and waiting for a bite, what I deem the catfish method. Caught the only bass of the day.

Well, I got skunked again today. They were jumping all around us, but I couldn't get anything going. Swimbait to jig, and everything in between. Nothing. My girlfriend caught one on a night cralwer, does that mean anything?

Patience, and persistence. Did you throw any senkos? If so what color did you throw, and what were the conditions like. You said sunny around 85 if I remember correctly. What is the water clarity like? And a water temperature wouldn't hurt either.

A lot of anglers will tell you that they have a "search bait." I agree with this as long it is a certain style of bait, not a certain color and presentation. As you might have guessed mine is the mighty senko. The color and presentation depends on said conditions.

That being said, you just might not be finding them as well. But with all of the cover that you seemed to be fishing that seems unlikely.

Let us/me know what the water was like.

Dropshot a finesse worm, seems to work everywhere.

Maybe a 8-12" T-rigged curly tailed worm vertically next to vertical cover?

How deep is the lake and what kind of bottom?

The pond closest to my house has bass, I've seen them, but they are so super pressured I don't bother, hopefully that's not the case for you.

Start working parallel to the bank along the tree line with all of the above mentioned lures, Personally I like to use jigs with a craw trailer for this or a large trick worm in watermelon/red and take your time working them.

Often times you miss out on the bigger fish by not doing this.

Well, I got skunked again today. They were jumping all around us, but I couldn't get anything going. Swimbait to jig, and everything in between. Nothing. My girlfriend caught one on a night cralwer, does that mean anything?

Patience, and persistence. Did you throw any senkos? If so what color did you throw, and what were the conditions like. You said sunny around 85 if I remember correctly. What is the water clarity like? And a water temperature wouldn't hurt either.

A lot of anglers will tell you that they have a "search bait." I agree with this as long it is a certain style of bait, not a certain color and presentation. As you might have guessed mine is the mighty senko. The color and presentation depends on said conditions.

That being said, you just might not be finding them as well. But with all of the cover that you seemed to be fishing that seems unlikely.

Let us/me know what the water was like.

I threw two different senkos: 5" black/red and green/white. I tried wakcy rig, c-rig, and t-rig. I tried bouncing it off the bottom, I tried swimming it, I tried dragging it. All varying speeds.

The water is stained, muddy looking. I would say visibility is no more than a foot down. I'm not sure water temp, but I would say over 80, not hotter than 90. The bottom is hard to tell. By the timber is mud bottom between 2-8ft. There are sections near the point that I believe to be rock or short grass, with the majority being mud. But I'm not able to tell exactly where these areas are.

I would try something finesse like a shakey head.

Just fish it on the bottom like you would a texas rig and I think you would catch one or more.

You learned the bass eat night crawlers.

One of the best "night crawlers" colors for bass is oxblood with light red flake, 6" curl tail Roboworm.

Keep it simple and try the split shot rig. Spinning tackle, 6 to 8 lb mono and a #1 Gamakatsu light wire worm hook. Texas rig the hook; skin hook the side of the worm instead of running the point thru the thicker body. The round (3/32oz) split shot weight should be about 14" above the hook. Keep the weight on the bottom and drag it along slowly, just like your girlfriend did with the live night crawler.

WRB

If the water is that stained, I would throw an XCalibur 1 knocker 3/4oz, a BIG colorado bladed spinnerbait, 1 oz football head jig w/ rattles and a big craw trailer, maybe buzzbaits if they are busting a lot.  Just something that is either going to displace a lot of water, send off massive vibrations, or knock/rattle hard against the bottom where it's at all rocky. 

Seems like the more i read, since I'm fishing stained water, I should use something flashy, vibrates; basically anything that will cause more of an attraction for the fish since it's a little harder for them to see?

Work all levels of the water column: something on top like a walking bait  or something fast moving that makes a commotion like a speedworm retrieved on top, something in the middle depths like a swim jig or a crankbait and something to work the bottom like a jig or T-Rigged worm with a weight (BTW you will learn what the bottom is by paying attention to what the rig feels like when it is dragging)-try to find the harder bottoms like rock, gravel or shells. Bass don't much care for soft or mucky bottoms even in non-spawn times.

The most adept fisherman "attack" the lake/water, not just in geographic terms (points, coves, bluffs) but also spatially as far as depth. Most times the fish are concentrated at a certain depth and they are there for a reason (water temp, oxygen levels etc).

Also, a lot of your text is aggressive in terms of "attack" etc. A lot of good fishing is passive in that you have to take in and absorb the conditions and react. KVD may be able to catch fish through pure will but most of the rest of us have to observe and be somewhat reactive. Good luck though-I think we'd all like to have your persistence and dedication

You are just starting to learn to bass fish and my guess is you want to catch a few keeper size bass. Trying everyone's suggestions will over load you with too much information that is all good and well intended.

I suggested the split shot rig for a few reasons; this is what I use when teaching new anglers to bass fish because it works everywhere and you would be surprised how much money has been won with this rig.

The drop shot rig good, if you know where the bass are located, it isn't a good search bait.

I would start where your girlfriend caught her bass, then look for similar areas. This isn't rocket science, but you can make it as easy or as hard as you want.

My suggestion is save up and buy a decent sonar unit and a front mounted trolling motor. This will help you locate fish, bottom structure and control your boat effectively. If you already read everything, go back and reread some of it. I have been bass fishing for decades and still learn something each trip out on the water and this is why bass fishing is so much fun.

Enjoy your time on the water and good luck.

WRB

PS; if you get a sonar unit, buy Don Iovino's book finesse fishing and the sonar connection".