Hard to get bit...

I’d been doing well fishing weekly up until Christmas then had to take a few weeks off and just got back out there yesterday. Water was 43-45. Committed to the jig off steep rocky banks and isolated cover with deep water access for a couple of hours, dragged a Carolina rig in 10-25 feet of water for an hour, and beat the bank some with shalllow and medium (12’) crankbaits. Never got a bite.

Maybe it was just the day (it happens), but suggestions on what I could try, strategy-wise?

Something more finesse? Shakey head, wacky worm or even ned rig dead sticking it if you think you’re in the right areas. Jerk bait with long pauses can also get ya some bites.

I got blanked on Friday myself but chalked it up to recent gnarly conditions as well doing some of the same patterns you were working. I think the bite should have improved by yesterday and today but I’m not on the water to find out sadly. And only real bait and fish i graphed were in 30-40 FOW and I’m not yet equipped to be fishing there with any confidence so I didn’t even try.

Been super slow for me too. I think they are deep which I have no skills yet.

Heavy drop shot with 3/8 or 1/2 oz weight to keep it on the bottom.
Live action or paddle tail swim bait. 3, 3.5, 4 inch long.
8-12 inch leader, maybe shorter if you graph some bass hugging the bottom.



Should work really well on Lake Belton.

I suspect this is my issue too. I need to suck it up and commit to getting comfortable with the drop shot.

Welp I spent my morning getting blown around Brush 18-25 and not a nibble. I remain fishless for 2018 and it’s pissing me off.

I've had the same luck on Waco. I did great up until Christmas and then took 2 weeks off to hang out with the kids until they go back to school. I went out a couple of times on short trips and nothing, not one bite. My brother inlaw though, he caught two 6#s and a 4# the other day. I'll be out there tomorrow as soon as I get home in the morning. I plan on deep cranking and trying large swimbaits. If nothing after that, I'll go back to shakey heads, jigs, or C-rig.

Thanks for the report.

What did your bro in law get his on?

Been catching good fish on a slow C-Rigged brush hog...in 15'-18'
Some smaller fish up shallow on 1/2 oz jigs... I've stayed close to home and fished Athens the past few outings.
Keep chunkin' dude.

drop shot is only thing that has had any luck for me lately, didn't think of the swimbait on it though. definitely gonna try it.

Im still catching them shallow....not really quantity but some pretty good quality. Caught a 5 and a 2 in about 2 hours yesterday flipping a beaver on brush piles in 4 FOW. I can bet the other side of the lake which is mostly rock would have been more productive but i got off the water when the wind started to howl.

Jigs