What was going on/would you have done?

[bpm2000]

So I was walking somewhere on the big lake this past weekend with my trusty polarized glasses, and I spotted a decent LM chillin' in the shallows only 4-5' away from the bank in an opening in the pads. I stalked away real quiet like and put a 4" senko in the hole. Sat it there forever with occasional twitches: nothing. Next went in a huddlebug (crawfish). Same ol story. Finally I tried flippin a lizard on a pad and slipping it into the hole - it fell right next to the fish and it spooked or something cuz it swam away pretty fast. She would ALWAYS come back though if I waited long enough.

1) still some stragglers left in the spawn game? I don't see why this bass would keep coming back to this hole otherwise - she was pretty exposed. Do they normally pick a "spot" they like to keep coming back to if they arn't spawning?

2) any techniques you would've employed in this situation? I'm sure I wasn't the most stealthy person in the world but I felt like it wasn't going to bite for anyone at that point.

thx!

[Bigbass Dez]

IT sounds like she was there laying her eggs .. catching these bass are very tricky ...here is a method that is very effective ..first get a stick of TNT and !! (just kidding) ..no seriously grab any plastic bait that you have in all white . lizard,craw,tube and dont bother looking at the fish .. look down in the water and find her nest .. once located look for the area in the nest that has small rock like features that sparkle .. those are the eggs (sometimes its as round as jar cap or as small as a half dollar coin) .. take your bait and cast past this target , then slowy ease the bait and allow it to sit right on top of her eggs ..you must be patient and allow that bait to just sit there .. what will happen next is magical , she will get pissed of at some point and come over and suck in your bait .. the reason you use white is so you can see your bait the whole time ...now understand this , she is not looking to feed so as soon as she sucks that bait you must be fast on the hook set ... her only mission is to just remove that bait not eat it ... when riging your bait leave the hook exposed and keep a tight line no slack for a good hook set .... Hope this is help Guy ...BBD ...HAPPY HOOKING !

[bpm2000]

yeaI couldnt really locate eggs if there were any - it would look at my bait for a while then swim off and come back again.. i wonder if i just didnt have enough patience.

[YellowBear]

I think I would have marked the spot and left her alone for a hour or so.
Then I would have tried the ole lizard.

[fish4brains]

Not sure about your area but the largemouth are still spawning here and a few are just moving up to spawn. From what I have noticed bass that are have just moved up to spawn are sometimes not willing to play. You want frustrating I fished a local lake just 3 weeks ago and there was a lot of bass ranging from 2-6 lbs up looking to build nests. Some even had nests. I would throw on these fish and watch them race in and just look at the bait and then move off. Now I threw the whole tackle box at them but to no avail. Thats is just the breaks. "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray".

[fishnislife]

Yo bpm2000. You were doing the right thing. Just be patient and let her come to you. A bedding bass is not going to strike at the bait sitting on their bed. (the male will be the one to strike in anger) She will attempt to pick it up and move it. At that point you set the hook. I will toss a small swimbait or jig on the bed and stick it there for a long time. I have fished bedding bass for hours before getting them to commit.
Hey, how do you like that Huddlebug? My next big purchase is going towards a pack and I haven't heard any feed back about them from Northwest anglers. I love the action and think they will be great for monster bass. How have you done with them?
For those who don't know what we are talking about, here is the link to the website and video. You have to watch this thing in action. Simply amazing!
http://www.huddlestondeluxe.com/generic48.html

fishnislife

[panfisher]

there have been many times that i've sat for hours to no avail trying to get a bass to get pissed enough to throw whats buggen it out of the party. some just don't know how to be a bouncer. <')//<

[bpm2000]

i jsut got my huddlebugs this past weekend so that was my first time throwing it - ill report back as the year goes on!