Nada, Nada, Nada, and then.....

I have access to an 8-acre lake nearby.

For 25+ years, I've ALMOST always been able to sneak up onto the shoreline; throw a soft plastic Senko or similar worm...and catch at least one small bass. Lately, however, I struck out five or seven times in a row.

I started to wonder if the fish somehow got out of the lake??? There is only one small outlet, and it is protected by a screen. The fish had to be in there.

So, yesterday afternoon, I broke with tradition and tied on a small chrome rattletrap. Four casts; three bass! (nothing big) This lake does not have any shad or any other small baitfish other than bluegills??? What were they thinking? Ha Ha

I immediately stopped pulling them out. It was too easy and, in the past, I found that if I caught a lot of bass in one outing on one lure, that lure quickly became useless. If I moved around the lake, that probably wouldn't have happened, but fishing in one spot teaches the school too well.

Just thought I'd share.

Who knows why one lure or color works great on one day and they won't touch it on another day. Sometimes I think I wait too long to change things up when whatever I'm using isn't producing.

Anyway, you found what worked that day and you know it will work.

Yeah, But..... I decided to give the rattletrap ONE MORE TRY late yesterday afternoon. On the very first cast, I stuck my big thumb in the way of the bail and snapped the lure off. The rattletrap now Lives with the fishes. Duhhhh

richg99 said:

Yeah, But..... I decided to give the rattletrap ONE MORE TRY late yesterday afternoon. On the very first cast, I stuck my big thumb in the way of the bail and snapped the lure off. The rattletrap now Lives with the fishes. Duhhhh

Click to expand...

Oh man, that is one of those where you don't know whether to laugh or cry. Just like Luca Brasi, the rattletrap sleeps with the fishes. haha

My left arm is starting to look like a fiddler crab claw trying to figure out what works hour to hour down here. Sometimes early in the AM. a black wiggle bait will work, then abruptly stop, switch to yellow, all good for a while... STOP, try blue and they go nuts, but so far, NEVER a green one.

I'm beginning to think it has a lot to do with the height of the sun and water temperature... that or these bast@#!s are somehow telegraphing the lakes and canals what NOT to eat to the other fish

I was told years ago to match the bait color to the water color. Worked good for me way back when I was chasing LMB with rubber worms. Anyway, I guess that would be as good a starting place as any.

Gnappi -- that fish network is giving away your secrets. Haha