I'm getting much more attuned to seeing bass. I caught my first "sight fishing" bass recently. I saw it and pitched a craw under its nose and saw him grab it and run. What great fun to get to see him take it. But, since then I must have seen more than a dozen bass and no matter what I send their way they just don't seem to care. Most are right against the bank or a wall. I show them plastics, top water, spinners -- and, they just don't seem to care. What can I do to tempt these bass into hitting?

Wacky rig

I'm assuming what you're seeing are cruising fish at this time of year. Cruising bass are usually really tough to catch but for me a small soft plastic jerkbait like a super fluke JR is about the most consistant producer. It is very exciting and a real challenge to fool a bass that you can see. If all else fails a live nightcrawler with a very small hook through one end and no weight is a great last resort.

I was sight fishing beds the past 2 seasons and learned a ton from what I observed and experienced. I can tell you that I don't know how many fish I missed by not feeling a darn thing if I wasn't sight fishing as they would pick up my lure and move it without detection.

I also found out that if you let that lure sit and snap your rod tip on a slack line so the lure, in this case a jig and craw, to where only the jig would rock to flare the pincers up, would I even get a fish excited enough to get their pec fins to start quivering. After, what seemed to be ten minutes of this cat and mouse game would I get that fish motivated enough to strike that jig with any kind of hostile vengence and yet some would just nail it. They are either hungry enough to nail it or get P.O'd enough to either move it or nail it.

So for me, it's not lure or color, but presentation, persistence and patience. MHO of course.

if you just want to catch them and dont care what its on, a live night crawler is a great recommendation. not as much of a challenge, but if youre seeing a lot of cruising fish it could be a blast with a nightcrawler and lightweight rod, id go with an abeerdeen hook and a split shot...

I agree with Jigfishn10 it's more about being persistent and patient. The guys that sight fish on tour use a lot of white or bubble gum colors, not because it's a color the fish like, but because it's easy for the angler to see

I sight fish a lot and will typically flip with w/e I think is the best color for the fish to be enticed. Just pay close enough attention to the movements of the fish, and you'll know when to set the hook. Just remember fish are a lot like people, if a fly or some other annoyance keeps bothering you eventually you'll take a swat at it, and so will the bass.

If all else fails go with a casting net. lol

You see them, don´tcha ? ----> they see you !

More than enough reason for not biting your offering, if they can see you they literally enter in defense mode. I fish several crystal clear ponds, you can see the fish many yards away so in theory it should be easy to catch them since you can place the bait right on their face .... yeah, right. Fish living in high visibility environment are very much aware to what´s happening in their surroundings, they are also prey of other predators.

So what to do ? ---> conceal your presence from them, move slowly, don´t make sudden moves, reduce your profile ( ex: you are standing then kneel down, or more back from the water ), cast beyond the place you spotted the fish, it´s a more a matter of approaching stealthy.

ive caught plenty of fish that saw me or should have saw me...

Wacky rig

Yep, wacky rig for me too.