Bass on Beds w/ lockjaw

[ScubaLatt]

Fished Toledo this past weekend and spotted several bass on the beds. Thing is they wouldn't hit anything I threw at them. I hit them on the head with it, held it in front of their mouth jigging it and none would take anything -- lizards, worms, frogs, jigs, nothing. I did manage to get a couple to hit and caught them. Nice fish in the 2 lb range. I had a 4-5 lb fish I taunted for almost 30 minutes and she would never hit!

A couple of fish would take the lizard by the tail and move it 3 feet and drop it. Did this a couple times and finally they got mad enough to hit it and I caught those.

What can I do differently, if anything?

signed,

Frustrated near the dam!

[Montauk17]

When they get like that it is best to throw a lizard on the bed and just let it sit there,no jigging. Light weight like a 1/16 oz and lightest line you can get away with.

[breambuster]

I use really short worms or jigs. Only thing I've ever had luck on. like you said they dont really bite it just pick it up to move it so an exposed hook will really help.

[PotLikinisAhabbit]

...live bream fished under a cork, bass will not let that bream stay long

[southern151]

Snagging hook!

[Micah]

It helps to back off as far as you can and throw a bait that's easy to see(white), if you can see them, they can see you. Leave for a few minutes and come back but stay back as far as possible.

[swamp snorkler]

Cast net

[SaltERedneck]

couple years ago Dean Rojas was fishing the warmouth on beds in toledo... I like to use a drop shot or shaky head if other tactics dont work. light line.

[Clampy]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1363635299.238010.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1363635316.054042.jpg
I caught both these 3 pounders of beds. One took 10 plus min and 5 bait changes and the other was first pitch on a jig. Had a 7 pounder that wouldnt even look at anything. The one that was finicky would bluff charge the bait and hit it and move it off the bed. Took a wacky senko jigging it on her nose to finally tick her off enough. If a fish moves toward your bait at all it's a catchable fish. Sometimes you have to get crazy and persistent to aggravate them enough.

[jpeff31787]

This is my take on how to judge bedding fish. If the fish skittishes and does a huge circle around the bed but comes back, you need to back off a bunch because she can see you and that fish is probably catchable but going to be a pain. I usually skip those unless they are giant.

If the fish just watches your bait swim by and barely moves, cast way past the bed and drag it slowly into it. If shes swimming toward it, then she'll be catchable, just keep on doing that and what I found is if you can see into the water real good, try to make it look like your bait is running away from her, seriously don't let her have it especially if shes just been barely picking it up. Do that a couple times and you'll start to notice that she'll chase it faster and faster, and then your going to cast and she'll just crush it.

Another thing I try when they want to be finicky and just not move is cast past the bed, and make your line/bait hit her tail, this way the fish has to spin around and check out what is hitting her or she'll just swim away. If she spins around, to check it you, then you should be able to catch her. Just keep hitting her tail and making her spin around and remember when she spins around, your bait is scared of her mouth and pull it away from her. I hooked one about 10lbs doing this a month ago; unfortunately, luck wasnt on my side that day and she came off.. But i really have better luck going for the tail rather than their mouth.

One other thing is don't be afraid to go up in size rather than down, I had a sacalait on a bed last week and the only thing she'd react to is a jig with a horny toad as a trailer. Also try pitch black baits, they aren't as easy to see as white but easier to see than watermelon or pumpkin and I think the fish react better to them.

[Clampy]

^^ real good stuff there !!

[squatcher101]

drop a good size rock in the bed an leave for a little while the rock will aggravate the bass an it will become catchable .dont forget.... this works

[ScubaLatt]

thanks for the information. One thing about last weekend is that there was a good mat of yellow pollen on top of water and that made it hard to see fish. I had to literally use my boat perpendicular to bank to move pollen away so I could see the bottom.

[Clampy]

Yeah that pollen was insane

[jpeff31787]

Originally Posted by squatcher101

drop a good size rock in the bed an leave for a little while the rock will aggravate the bass an it will become catchable .dont forget.... this works

haha I've never heard of this and even if its a joke, it may be worth a shot! Fish are funny creatures

[BassAssasin]

Yep totally gonna try rhis