So I have had my eye on this spot all summer that's on a river and under a bridge that looks like a slice of heaven for big bass. Yesterday, a few hours before dust, I took my mom and dad down there with me and when we arrived to the river the bass were just going nuts. I'm fairly new to fishing, but I have seen my share of rivers, lakes and ponds and I've never seen anything like it. I could see several pools of shad going by and they were just getting destroyed.

2 1/2 hours later when dark was near, I had tried nearly every different type of lure that I had at all depths and I didn't get a single strike! Dad caught nothing, and mom got a medium sized bluegill. My mom had mentioned that she's heard that when the fish are jumping like they were, they usually don't bite. Which really didn't make sense to me because I could see them feeding right in front of me.

So is she right? Or was it just my poor angling skills?

(Don't worry about trying not to hurt my feelings. If I screwed up by not catching a cooler full last night, tell me. I would like to know what I need to do different next time.)

Topwater(buzzbaits, pop-r's, and walk the dogs) would have killed in that situation I would think! Also like to throw lipless cranks through the schools of shad. That would have been my approach!

Jeff

That's what I was trying the most! I was for sure when I first saw the river that they were going going to tear up my Jitterbug and Baby Torpedo. Might as well have thrown a rock out there.

Are you sure it was bass and not carp? I dont know where you are located, but asian carp around here are horrible!

Jeff

I live in KY. I did see some carp come to the surface. They're not usually too aggressive though are they? I was hearing some really mean splashes.

On my pond it's carp that are splashing at the top now. I hate those asian carp but they do keep the grass problem away that we had a few years ago. They splash around the top of the water like crazy though....not sure why?

I live in KY. I did see some carp come to the surface. They're not usually too aggressive though are they? I was hearing some really mean splashes.

Some days carp will jump like crazy , that's probably what you were hearing.

If it was in deed bass herding shad against the surface, you need to be ready to strike right then and there. If you waited 2 hrs, the shad may have moved and taken bass with them.

Well I don't feel as bad not catching anything last night because I for sure saw 3 carp. Don't know much about carp, always thought they were slow and didn't make much splash. Kinda embarrassed haha.

If it was in deed bass herding shad against the surface, you need to be ready to strike right then and there. If you waited 2 hrs, the shad may have moved and taken bass with them.

I saw several different pools going downstream and I would be ready for them. I would throw topwaters in their path, shallow hardbaits going in front, behind and off to the side, spinnerbaits, just a variety of different things and wouldn't get nothing out if it.

I once caught one of those Asian carp on a weightless cricket floating on top trying to catch bream. Next time throw a cricket out and see what bites.

I once caught one of those Asian carp on a weightless cricket floating on top trying to catch bream. Next time throw a cricket out and see what bites.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have try that.

Thanks everybody for the explanation. Got home last night trying to figure why nothing was biting. Then it came to me "I'll ask the forum" Sure enough!

Right now we are seing lots of carp and even big gar splashing around on the surface!

Jeff