When Bass Don't React Like They Should.

Everyone has their favorite fishing lure for certain conditons. You just know the lure will work when you find the same conditions in the water where it caught bass before. But, what if it don't? What if you use that lure and cast it over and over again and you don't catch fish?

Did you know bass can't read? Yep, it true, regardless of what you read in all the books and magazines, that doesn't mean it is going to work today in the same conditions. Bass never read that book and they are creatures of habit and instinct.

Let's say it's an early summer morning and you see ripples from baitfish on the surface. You throw that buzzbait and never even get a hit. So, you slow it down and see bass following it but still no hit. Then you slow it down some more and get a few short strikes. What do you do?

Well, if it was me, I would slow it down even more and add a trailer hook or two or even switch to another topwater lure that I could fish even slower. The hula popper comes to mind as does a jitterbug, a frog or Rapala.

You see bass again busting shad on the surface but by the time you get to where they are all action has cease. You throw crankbaits, spinnerbaits and even buzzbaits to no avail. What do you do?

More than likely the bass are suspended now in a little deeper water. Use a lure that resembles a shad and use heavier line to have more drag on the lure as it goes down. Let the lure sink and watch it for any movement at all. Just a twitch or any movement in the line at all could be a strike, set the hook. As we all know, suspended bass are more picky and strike lighter.

You are fishing deep water and you know bass are there. You try everything you have and don't catch a fish. What do you do?

The fish are likely more finicky, try downsizing. If you're using a spinnerbait then use a smaller more realistic spinnerbait. Try one with smaller blades. Throw it out, let it sink then pop it off the bottom or try a high speed retrieve. If that doesn't work try a higher speed retrieve.

Bass are in shallow or clear water, you see them but can't catch them with your usual worm or lure that you used to catch them when they were in pre-spawn, even though you're casting the lure in front of them.

Again, try one of your old time favorites like a Rapala, Devil Horse or any bait that retrieves at a level plane. Try using a lighter outfit, maybe even a spinning outfit with flourocarbon line for farther casting distance. Now throw the bait out, let the rings go away and barely twitch the lure, it will move in one direction. Then twitch it again,it will move in the opposite direction. Now here is the good part and most important part. Let the rings disappear from the last light twitch and barely move the lure so you can hardly see it moving.........this is when I get most of my strikes.

Let me say this, if you're not catching bass with your regular conventional methods, you don't need to do any of the above. You have one other option, you could always teach the bass to read so they know how they are supposed to act in certain conditions.

Good fishing to you!

Charles E. White has fished for almost 50 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 6,000 bass. His biggest bass is a 12 pound 14 ounce that hangs on his wall in his office. His tips and techniques have helped many people who never fished for bass before become successful anglers. His website is at: http://www.bassfishingweekly.com