Forums59
Topics1,046,038
Posts14,082,851
Members144,357
|
Most Online39,925 Dec 30th, 2023
|
|
What should I have done ?
#14488842
09/26/22 06:54 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 15,444
Mo
OP
TFF Guru
|
OP
TFF Guru
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 15,444 |
On my last trip , on several of my spots , I had schools of fish suspended over my brushpiles. 3-4 ft above. I pitched to them over and over, caught one nice one and one throwback. When I first saw them, I had suspected I was seeing yellow bass , but I did catch the two crappie out of the schools I was seeing.
I tried several colors and a couple of sized ( medium and small) . Usually when I see fish over the piles , they are active and aggressive, Not on this trip.
Ideas ?
MO
![](https://i.imgur.com/RDobmXb.jpg) MY BACKYARD , 20,000 ACRES , NO MOWING
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14488888
09/26/22 07:21 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 169
Ron Douthit
Outdoorsman
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 169 |
I've seen this several times this year and with a couple of exceptions they turned out to be either undersized crappie or brim like the one below ... no way to know for sure without finding a way to catch them. What should you do ? In my opinion, just move on to another spot after concluding that they weren't consistently biting what you were offering. BUT, that's just my opinion. That's what I concluded after air hook setting so many time that my shoulder got sore until I snagged the brim ![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2022/09/full-114794-154788-brim.jpg)
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14489322
09/27/22 01:09 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 646
CoachTod
Pro Angler
|
Pro Angler
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 646 |
Mo, one thought ... I would see this situation throughout the Summer. Since I started using Livescope, I would back off from the pile and take my dock shooting rod that had a 1/32 oz jig on and shoot to the fish. Using Livescope, I could hop it right across the top and the fish would hammer it. Usually, it school of smaller black crappie that I was seeing.
Hope this helps!
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14489459
09/27/22 02:42 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 660
NTX Angler
Pro Angler
|
Pro Angler
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 660 |
I have seen the same. In my case it's perch and small bass. Mixed with small crappie and a few sandbass. I never really try to catch them. They will grab my bait from time to time on the way down.
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14489626
09/27/22 01:02 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,675
gborg
TFF Team Angler
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,675 |
On my last trip , on several of my spots , I had schools of fish suspended over my brushpiles. 3-4 ft above. I pitched to them over and over, caught one nice one and one throwback. When I first saw them, I had suspected I was seeing yellow bass , but I did catch the two crappie out of the schools I was seeing.
I tried several colors and a couple of sized ( medium and small) . Usually when I see fish over the piles , they are active and aggressive, Not on this trip.
Ideas ?
MO Live bait will turn them around quickly if available .
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14489636
09/27/22 01:12 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,918
Laner
Extreme Angler
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,918 |
In a situation like that, I usually just leave to go find more aggressive fish. Today’s electronics can make fishing incredibly frustrating, as we can now see exactly what we’re missing. Should I stick around, and all I have on the boat are jigs, I’ll use the smallest I can find. If I have minnows, I might cut one up in small pieces, and sprinkle the pieces over the school. More times than not though, I’ll just pick off the 1-2 aggressive fish, and move on down the road.
It’s not uncommon for me to swing back by that same spot later in the day to see if they have a change in their attitude.
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Mo]
#14490450
09/28/22 09:17 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 807
SenkoSam
Pro Angler
|
Pro Angler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 807 |
Agree with moving on. Either the entire school gets turned on by the first fish caught or they stay inactive and suspended. Of course in the case of vertical jigging, it would have to be in deeper water so as to not spook the fish. Casting small finesse lures on light jigheads iMO can make a difference such as wacky-rigged mini sticks for example which are as finesse as you can get when used with a 1/24 oz jig. Drop it, pause it, and drop it again with rod-tip twitches in between. ![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/30927/filename/whiska.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/30928/filename/dKvK1TH.jpg) Thin tail grubs also have a quivering tail that irritates fish into striking. ![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/30929/filename/clear.jpg)
Last edited by SenkoSam; 09/28/22 09:32 AM.
|
|
Re: What should I have done ?
[Re: Laner]
#14490598
09/28/22 01:22 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,539
Slewfoot
TFF Team Angler
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,539 |
Mo, one thought ... I would see this situation throughout the Summer. Since I started using Livescope, I would back off from the pile and take my dock shooting rod that had a 1/32 oz jig on and shoot to the fish. Using Livescope, I could hop it right across the top and the fish would hammer it. Usually, it school of smaller black crappie that I was seeing.
Hope this helps! In a situation like that, I usually just leave to go find more aggressive fish. Today’s electronics can make fishing incredibly frustrating, as we can now see exactly what we’re missing. Should I stick around, and all I have on the boat are jigs, I’ll use the smallest I can find. If I have minnows, I might cut one up in small pieces, and sprinkle the pieces over the school. More times than not though, I’ll just pick off the 1-2 aggressive fish, and move on down the road.
It’s not uncommon for me to swing back by that same spot later in the day to see if they have a change in their attitude. I like both of those answers!! I'm typically going to keep moving to find aggressive fish but we've had good luck staying off the fish and casting to them as well. Seems like when you get right over them, black crappie especially, they quit biting. ![thumb thumb](/forums/images/graemlins/default/cup.gif)
|
|
Moderated by banker-always fishing, chickenman, Derek 🐝, Duck_Hunter, Fish Killer, J-2, Jacob, Jons3825, JustWingem, Nocona Brian, Toon-Troller, Uncle Zeek, Weekender1
|