There's this reservoir near my house. It's stocked with fish and the fish are breeding. Everywhere you look, there's fish. It's packed! And the fish are jumping too. HUGE bigmouths.

The problem is that no matter what bait I use, I never catch any. I never even get bites unless it's from fry too small to even catch on a hook. I've used worms, top water lures, bottom and mid-level lures, poppers, rattles, spinners, fake frogs, lizards, etc., soft lures, attractants and scents, homemade bait balls, live worms, live insects... I've used just about everything except for live fish and other live animals. If it's not an insect or annelid (worm, leech), I don't want to stick a hook through it. Personal preferences...

I have to fish from the bank, I don't have a boat. But I try at the mouth of inlets, around weeds, deep water, shallow water, under logs, under docked boats, out in the open, off a dock... I have a lot of time obviously. I also try at different times of day... at different times of year. I'm in Maryland if that helps.

The bluegill might be making bed's but i doubt the largemouth are breading this late in the summer. Sometimes in the heat of the day it is nearly impossible to get a bite going from shore. If you must fish from shore during the heat try a Carolina Rig you might get lucky and find some deeper water or even just drag it by some deep structure triggering a strike. Make an outing in the evening once the sun lay's Down a little bit, Or if you have the will power wake up early. The bass move into the shallow parts of water during those times and often times can be much easier to catch if you are shore bound.

The bluegill might be making bed's but i doubt the largemouth are breading this late in the summer. Sometimes in the heat of the day it is nearly impossible to get a bite going from shore. If you must fish from shore during the heat try a Carolina Rig you might get lucky and find some deeper water or even just drag it by some deep structure triggering a strike. Make an outing in the evening once the sun lay's Down a little bit, Or if you have the will power wake up early. The bass move into the shallow parts of water during those times and often times can be much easier to catch if you are shore bound.

What that guy said   8-)

Also try a buzzbait,popper or a prop bait, if the bass are busting on top.

Here ya go:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1158577137

8-)

Here ya go:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1158577137

8-)

X2

Try slowing down or downsizing you lures. Also, a splitshot rig. It is AMAZING.

What type of tackle do you fish with?

rod; make and model or description.

reel; spinning, spincast or casting.

line; type and lb test.

You are fishing a lake with lots of bass, then it shouldn't be too difficult to suggest lures and presentations to match your tackle.

If you own spinning reel/rod combo; then a drop shot or split shot rig, Senko or S13 Rapala, depending on the rod.

WRB

I've never been somewheres like that and not caught a fish on a white trickworm (weightless). Thats my go to bait for fishing from the bank.

Try a beetle spin.  I've found that most largemouth can not resist that lure!

+1 Carolina Rig

+1 Popper or Buzzbait late in the evening

If the fish are jumping everywhere I doubt it is bass. Just not their style unless they are schooling and even then they very seldom jump out of the water.

They are not spawning either. May be something else up shallow bedding but would be bream if anything at all.

Get back to basics. Fish it early or late. You probably know what to throw during these times.

Good luck.

whats your presentation on the lures?  Sometimes changing up presentation downsizing/slowing down a bit during the hot days will help.  The only thing that should be spawning at this time is sunfish.  Try throwing a crank (bluegill) and bouce it off the bottem a few times  by the beds to see if it triggers a strike?  Like the previous posts stated, try going early or later when the sun is going down.  Hope this helps