Trying to catch my first bass. What did I do wrong? (picture)

[corsara]

Hello.. bank fishing, found this spot today. The picture shows exactly what I see, and I'm standing a little bit in the water. I circled in red the spots where water was exploding with bass, every minute or two. On few occasions I could even clearly see the whole fish jumping out, and some of those were monsters.

I use a baitcaster and a medium rod, and can pretty much land it exactly where I want. I tried topwater frogs (both with white and black bellies), tried weighted texas rigged senkos (bubblegum and also black with blue strikes). Tried dragging a spinnerbait through the cover (probably a stupid idea). Nothing worked. At a few occasions I even felt I'm gonna hit the fish on the head---there was so much activity from this bass. And not a single hint for interest in my lures. One would think that if they are jumping out of the water so much, they'll go after the frog....unfortunately not.

Tell me what I did wrong. What else could I have tried? I'm new to this, just wanna catch one single bass and finally calm down (until I get a kayak, probably for next summer). Felt like the fish was laughing at my face.... I hope you can feel my grief..

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Bring some live bait as back up. Try plastics as well with bright colours. Sometimes the bass just want to play and don't feed. I've put a lure in front of the bass, it will look at my full worm and turn around and swim away. It's not you, practice and patience. The bass might be there jumping for one second then even you cast they may already have swam away to another spot.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

The carps are even worse they all jump and taunt with the large size and splashing but never bite at my ponds.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

There is a saying that the fish you can see, you can't catch... But I have disproved this saying on several occasions. If you see a bass you want to cast in front of it and predict where it will go. If the bait lands half a meter in front of the bass it may be provoked to devour it. You need polarized lens to see the fish in the water. Sometimes it work, most of the time it doesn't.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

The other day, I saw a bass jump and pointed to the location we stopped the boat at that spot. We caught it, about 10.5 inches. We released it because it's unfair for the fish to be caught because I saw it jump. I was using gulp with attractant, my buddy got him with a worm. I suspect my gulp attracts the fish to area and the live bait worms the best. I ended up pulling in a rock bass from that area.

 

[corsara]

Thank you for the replies! Few things:

- I'll definitely have to see if they sell polarized clip-ons or something for my prescription glasses.
- I actually had live nightcrawlers that I could have tried (my daughter was fishing under a float with the worms). It just never occurred to me (I'm so new at this, lol). I wonder what's the best way to rig a worm for heavier cover like this..?

 

[rich_ace_G]

Try dead weighting your senkos....the slower it sinks to the bottom, the longer the bass have the time to watch it quiver....bass usually follows it all the way to the bottom and hits before it touches down...

 

[fisherman2280]

Look up the moss boss lure, looks perfect for that weed patch.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=moss+boss&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA702CA702&espv=2&biw=1032&bih=489&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJotb-hKjOAhUGQiYKHaJXCDkQ_AUIBygC&dpr=1#imgrc=7hAtbHCi8KJCfM%3A

And remember to change the speed often.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Yes, they sell polarized clip ons at eye glasses stores. They cost a little bit more money, but it's on the market. OR there is a kind of polarized sunglasses that can fit ontop of a pair of glasses. Those are like around 30 bucks I think.

 

[fisherman2280]

Go buy a prescription pair anything else is just a pain and it's worth it. I hated the clip on versions.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

agreed, clip ons can easily fall off and into the water etc. It's a pain. I used to wear clip on shades, but I never got them polarised. I didn't fish back then.

 

[[email protected]]

frogs are good for first thing in the morn, and evening, during day time, not so much, try a grasshopper during the day

 

[corsara]

Guys, thanks a lot for all the tips! Went fishing tonight....and I got him!!! My first bass!!! I'm all for catch & release, but being my very first ever bigger fish---I decided to keep it and eat it. It's not too big, 2lb. But man, I feel triumphant!!!!

PS. That's a largemouth bass, right? Got him on texas rigged black senko. Not in the grass, but out in the more open.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

BEAUTIFUL FISH!!!!!! CONGRATZ!!!!! I' am happy I didn't quit this forums yet, or else I would have missed your catch!

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Bro what is the length measurement of that fish? If 18 inch + you can submit for an OFAH Award! Again very happy for you!!!!

That my friend is a Largemouth Bass, the jaw extends behind the eye, the body is a olive green. It has a large mouth, like a bucket. The smallmouth bass in contrast, is brown in colour with vertical stripes, and the jaw does not extend behind the eye. I see alot of rocks, there may be SMB in there too. You don't need the polarized lens bro, you're all good!

Happy FIshing!!!!

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Don't tell anyone about the location, or else they might over fish your area.

 

[corsara]

Hehe, thanks man! No award yet---977 grams, 14 inch. But am I satisfied!!! Haven't felt such a thrill ever since I quit motorcycle racing!

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Bass fishing is much safer than motorcycling!!! Happy to hear you love to fish bass!!! You can try different lures and colours for fun, but use what works to catch a few more. Keep posting your catches! But never tell the location.

 

[rich_ace_G]

 

[BassWhisperer89]

"Felt like the fish was laughing at my face.... I hope you can feel my grief.."

When you caught your 2lb bass.... Did you lift it up high and laugh at its face?????