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Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? #12502185 11/13/17 05:39 PM
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AMERICAN-TEXAN Offline OP
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So I have a question and my own Theory/Excuse...

Obviously this time of year (Fall Transition) there is a bunch of smaller bait in the water(Shad 1- 2 Inches)

They are popping the surface but don't appear to be running from bass...just flicking the surface

I was told when "Flicking the surface" the shad are Communicating to the main school when they get seperated

I'm graphing a bunch of SHAD in larger/Deeper coves but not many bass in these schools eating?!?!?-I know the bass are right behind them soon...

But it appears the Bass (Especially the larger ones) are still on the MAIN LAKE semi stationary...Then a bunch of bait in the larger deeper coves.

Why is this???

MY THEORY: The bass are letting the Bait get larger so they are easier to target and get their bellys full fast?

Beats chasing- expending a bunch of energy chasing 1 inch shad

Either this a real scenario or just a lengthy excuse why a cant catch many fish in the past 2 weeks...When I'm setting on a bunch of bait-I seen to have this same problem every year.

Also at what time frame do the bass starting keying in on the larger Gizzards? Not Threadfin/Small Gizzard... Does all this happen at once? Or are the BIG Gizzards on the mainlake too?

Thanks TFF!


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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502191 11/13/17 05:42 PM
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Douglas J Online Content
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Big fish do not migrate miles and miles. They will migrate the shortest distances they have to, they are "plus sized".

How many "larger" people do you know that put their refrigerator like 2 miles away from their regular everyday paths?


#MFGA
Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502199 11/13/17 05:49 PM
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We've had a warm November so far.

The shad don't migrate all at once up the creeks, but it's usually the weekend after Thanksgiving for the large mass waves of creek migrators.

There are some lakes where the creeks aren't all that great, and the shad will just move shallower on the main lake--shallow rock, grass, timber, culverts, rip rap.


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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502200 11/13/17 05:49 PM
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SoCal Tom Offline
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Bites have not been plentiful like I expected, but the fish we were catching this weekend looked like they had swallowed a tennis ball or larger. They are feasting.

Last edited by SoCal Tom; 11/13/17 05:49 PM.

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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502217 11/13/17 06:03 PM
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the skipper Offline
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They are targeting the bigger shad, not the small ones. When the big gizzards make the move the bass will follow. We saw it last year really good. Thousands of 8" gizzards in small schools in one cove and there were some huge bass eating them. The fish were near impossible to catch because they would just cruise under the shad and grab one when they wanted. There were some of the biggest gulps from bass I've seen or heard when they would get hungry. It was an awesome sight. Actually, the big shad made that run before the little shad

Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502329 11/13/17 07:30 PM
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Doug: Big fish not moving much makes perfect sense...I get that but I'm still not getting bit

I have a lot of Fat/Overweight friends and now I know why they have me pick up lunch and snacks on the way to the lake...(Bring the food to them)

As far as where I'm fishing-I'm clearly not in the right area to catch'em consistantly...

I have always heard : "Find the bait and you will find the fish"

Apparently this isn't always true... I primarily target Big Fish with Big baits just need to be patient and keep chunking

Hope to get more reply's...Always learn a ton from ya'll veteran fishermen

Thanks


Simon Peter said to them "I am going fishing" They said "We are going fishing also."
-JOHN 21:3
Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502358 11/13/17 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: AMERICAN-TEXAN
Doug: Big fish not moving much makes perfect sense...I get that but I'm still not getting bit

I have a lot of Fat/Overweight friends and now I know why they have me pick up lunch and snacks on the way to the lake...(Bring the food to them)

As far as where I'm fishing-I'm clearly not in the right area to catch'em consistantly...

I have always heard : "Find the bait and you will find the fish"

Apparently this isn't always true... I primarily target Big Fish with Big baits just need to be patient and keep chunking

Hope to get more reply's...Always learn a ton from ya'll veteran fishermen

Thanks


In my limited knowledge I will say that fall fishing is tougher than a lot of people think it is, day in and day out.

The fish tend to be on the move more in the fall and "if" you find them they are usually easy to catch, but that is the hardest part in the fall, IMO.

A lot of people like to throw the clich out there "find the bait and the you'll find the fish", sometimes that just doesn't work.

I tend to focus on areas that would be good ambush places in the fall, creek channel swings, shallow water with nearby deep water breaks, and such...


#MFGA
Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502428 11/13/17 09:02 PM
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Renner, having a GF has changed you!! All warm and fuzzy and helpful clap

Don't let Doug fool you, he knows what he's talking about if it bass fishing.


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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502468 11/13/17 09:50 PM
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I agree with Doug. Schooling smaller bass do a lot of chasing along with all the other species that are taking advantage of the Shad migration. Bigger fish are close by and I believe the Shad being present brings them out of hiding. They are letting the schooling smaller fish do their dirty work for them. They are taking the dead and injured. What I have found that the bigger fish are interested in is how the other species are relating to the Shad. Other species are working the Shad just as hard as the small Bass. Big fish will key in on this. Other bait fish that are acting out of the ordinary are much more interesting to big fish than the Shad pattern. The larger Bass just do not like these species darting in and out on the schools of Shad. This crazy action causes them to key in on the unnatural display that is taking place. The larger Bass will swoop in and take out a Blue Gill, Yellow Perch or Sand Bass that are feeding radically. Pattern these other species for the larger Bass.

A good bait to mimic the Pray Fish is the Blade Jig (chatterbait). Fished with an erratic action. Once those larger fish get to the back of the coves they also find that the Crayfish are doing there thing right now. My guess is that many of the larger fish have turned there attention to a bottom feeding dinner plate. They love Crayfish and once discovered in abundance, they will leave the Shad.


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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502504 11/13/17 10:35 PM
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I grab a jig this time of year more than any other bait when Im looking for larger bites

Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: Jake Shannon(Skeet4Life)] #12502577 11/13/17 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted By: Jake Shannon(Skeet4Life)
I grab a jig this time of year more than any other bait when Im looking for larger bites


A fb jig in the fall/winter hhhmmm that is not a bad idea. That might make a good video....

I will say something maybe a little odd, when the fish are really gorging on shad and they have thousands to pick from I like throwing something that stands out. Lately I have been doing really well on a chartreuse crank bringing it right through the shad. Its easier for the bass to pick it out from the crowd. I'll give my crank alot of jerks and pauses as I'm working it to make it stand out. Not sure it helps you out, but it has been working for me.

Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502600 11/14/17 12:19 AM
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If you can find the waters that contain resident fish AND is a place for the migrating fish youll be in position to catch them consistently. Isolated cover, nearby deep water, abundant structure and food supply. Big ones and little ones will be there all year round!


If you can't find em wind em.
Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: Jake Shannon(Skeet4Life)] #12502643 11/14/17 01:03 AM
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Originally Posted By: Jake Shannon(Skeet4Life)
I grab a jig this time of year more than any other bait when Im looking for larger bites


Ditto; I agree 100%.



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Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502724 11/14/17 02:12 AM
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I grab a Biffle bug.

That's a bigger bite.


Eat. Sleep. Fish.
Re: Fall Transition...Bass not eating on purpose??? [Re: AMERICAN-TEXAN] #12502729 11/14/17 02:15 AM
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Grab a spinnerbait and turn and burn

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