Hi guys,
Dunlap is kicking my butt. I live near Sea World so Medina is very close for me but unfortunately with the lake being so low it is almost impossible to fish at the moment. I have been making the drive to Dunlap lately and although I hear great things about the lake I can't seem to catch fish on it. I have been to Dunlap 15 times this year and so far two is the most I can catch on a trip. I hear the jig bite is awesome on the lake but so far I have only boated one fish on a jig.

I talked with one guy a few weeks back and he looked over my jigs and mentioned I am using to heavy of a jig. I have 3/8 and 1/4 oz jigs. I took his advice and started using bitsy bug jigs as they are lighter. Still after two more trips no jig fish.

So my question is what are you jig guys using to catch fish? What colors, weight, and trailers are you guys using? Are you guys fishing docks, pads or some other cover? I don't need your spot just baits and presentation help.

Thanks for the help.

I would slow it down, there are tournaments every Sunday and plenty of pressure during the week, given that the lake is not that big. Trying going offshore might surprise you a bit with a crank bait and if you have a graph use it to find structure. Who knows you might find an RV or sunken boat from the last flood!

I use the same size jigs as you and all I do it pitch it and I'll tap tap reel and couple of times after the tap tap and pause they seem to take off with it. I have had huge success on the jig the past couple of months out there. This past weekend I caught 10 then the next day I caught 8.

My biggest advice is to be line watcher when throwing the jig. Many times you are getting a bite and won't feel it. Any movement, i.e. slight jumps may be a fish. Reel down and set the hook. When it doubt set the hook. Hook sets are free. You may be surprised what you've been "missing".

+1 lately the bite has been a very soft bite. But every little thing I feel I watch the line and then cross their eyes. Better safe then sorry.

Btw black/blue works for me out at Dunlap. Depending on how deep your fishing the jig the color doesn't matter after 5 feet(is what I heard) not sure if it's true

My favorite lures for Dunlap are zoom trick worms, craw fish , and also super flukes all in green colors and have done well with orange trick worms. I have never really jig fished before so I can't give advice for that. I have the best luck fishing cypress tree roots and docks near the dam. I usually don't catch more than 5 fish a trip but I do get some decent sized ones. I haven't been out there since may so I don't know what is working right now but I hope this info helps.

Last Sundays tourney big bass was caught on a HUGE trick worm.

Thanks for all the advice guys. It sounds like I am pretty much fishing like you guys but I need to slow it down a bit. I am just going to keep with my black and blue jigs and tough it out. Maybe it is line size thing. I typically fish a jig on 40lb braid so I can feel the light bit. What are you guys using for line out there?

I'm fishing 10# mono, and 12# fluoro I only fish braid with my top waters but I'm no expert cause I'm only catching 3 1/2#s and smaller. Maybe I'm fishing the wrong line too.

Dude, Your just thinking too hard. Head back out to Dunlap. Launch your boat. Take a deep breath. Now make a plan of attack. Your new to the lake. So things are not going to come easy. If you keep going. You are going to start getting "your go to spots". Talk to fisherman on the boat ramp for help. The guys at this lake are very helpful.
The one thing I can help you with is. I know for a fact bass in Dunlap love watermelon Pepper 5" senkos. I don't care what time of year it is. I don't care what color the water is. They will eat this bait. Don't get me wrong . It is not a magic bait. You are not going to kill it every time you go out. But you just might catch a few.
Hope this helps buddy.

If you fish braid there, I highly recommend a flouro leader. That water is sneaky clear.

Hey biscuits I was having the same problem your having and then a couple of months ago someone told me to down size my lures, so I started fishing the docks with 1.5 square bills and 6 inch zoom worms. I also throw a 1/4oz red eye shad. I go about once a week (during the week) and the worst day I've had is 4 bass (no keepers) and the best was 21 bass (4 keepers), I haven't had any luck with jigs, but I'm not a good jig fisherman anyway. I've thrown C-rigs with no luck. I'm going in the tomorrow so I may be singing a different tune. BTW I focus on the afternoon bite.

Al

Braid's a no-no unless a flouro leader is at the end of it. The lighter the line, the better at that lake. It took me a while to figure that lake out, and some days it still kicks my butt! Take it step by step and most importantly, throw something you have confidence in. If you're throwing confidence baits at all, you'll lose your confidence fast. Btw, if you're not getting bit on a jig, switch to a Tx-rigged craw.