bassin' tips

[hobb3s93]

ive been yakfishing about 2 months now, gone out about 6 times but ive never tried to catch bass. i caught one sand bass and it was hella fun , but i have no idea what techniques to use to target bass. i would like to use mostly if not all plastics, and would like to know which ones seem to work (unless you have secret techniques you dont want to give away ) I just want to go out and catch some bass.

[mg2969]

I swear by my prism krocodile !!!
Been out 3 times with it, 2x SBB, 1x BSB

To be perfectly honest, I, myself, have not had luck with plastics.
I don't know why either.
Maybe we'll both learn something here.

Check out my previous posts

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=581

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=533

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=527

Good luck
MG

[seatech]

I use nothing but artificials for bass, mainly targeting calicos and spotted bay bass. I don't target sandbass but get them when fishing for these other guys.

The following all work for both bass types, swimbaits, grubs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, creature baits (Condors, Brush hogs, etc...) and bass jigs.

Fish SBB like you would Largemouth bass, They love structure, docks, eel grass, channel drop offs, boat moorings, rock pilings, etc...

Calicos, outside the harbor, look for kelp and rocks.

A few ways to fish plastics (swimbaits/grubs/creature baits):

Cast, let sink to the bottom and do the slow retrieve (basically dragging the bait/plastic along bottom) and/or lifting the rod and reeling then letting the jig drop back to the bottom (bouncing it along).

Cast and a steady wind thru the kelp, over the rocks/structure/eel grass

This is my favorite, cast a swimbait (4-6") and just reel in as fast as you can wind over/thru kelp, eel grass, rocks, etc... This triggers the reaction bite in both spotties and calicos and they will just about rip the rod out of your hand.

Spinnerbaits, cast and wind thru/around/next to/above kelp, eel grass and rocks. Works really well once the sun is up and you have a bit of wind on the surface.

Crankbaits - cast and wind, with eel grass, get one that will dive to just the top of the eel grass. With kelp, cast up the lanes and around the edges. With rocky structure, work the entire water column and get in tight and bounce the diving lip off the rocks.

Bay/Harbor Colors
#1 - Chartreuse for spinnerbaits, crankbaits and grubs
#2 - Red w/Red Flake - Swimbaits & Grubs
#3 - any color on any day seems to work

One more thought, I like to throw a minimum sized 5" swimbait for spotties and 6" for calicos. I start there, if they don't touch that I'll start moving down to a 4" swimbait and then maybe a grub for spotties. I use a 3/4 - 1oz leadhead for 5-6" swimbaits and that allows me to make long casts and just rip the bait along the bottom for spotties and for calicos along the surface/thru the kelp.

I caught (and weighed on a scale I keep in the kayak and boat) five spotties over 4lbs and eight calicos over 7lbs (including one a bit over 9lbs) last summer fishing swimbaits this way. It's not the only way, but since I have started fishing plastics like this, the amount of larger bass I have caught has increased significantly! I have kayak fished side-by-side with a certain moderator of this board who was throwing grubs, while I was throwing big swimbaits and outfished him 10 to 1. I think that guy now has an entire forum dedicated to bass fishing and tends to throw big swimbaits

For the bays/harbors, tide can have a major influence on where the fish are staging, you'll need to pay attention to where you are and are not getting fish and what the tide is doing. Also, get a depth/fish finder for your yak, if you do not have one. Use it to help you locate structure and depths. Note this too as you do and/or don't get fish in locations/tide conditions.

Hope this helps, there are about 1 million ways to go with this so let me know if you have any questions/suggestions.

Keep in mind, we are just now starting to come into the time of year when the bass will become active and start biting, spawning, etc... so these past 2 months being "slow" is not unexpected!

Ed

[PerryC]

Guys,
Listen to what Ed is saying. He is one very good bass angler. Even though he did win that day by a long shot with swimbait vs grub LOL, they are different plastics. Most grubs are fished bumping them along the bottom. Most of the time swimbaits are fished further up in the water column from just below the surface downward. Thats not to say you can't work a swimbait along the bottom, just most of the time they are swam if that makes any sense. If the fish are feeding at or near the bottom, grubs or similar plastics can work pretty good. If the fish are further up in the water column, other baits which are used in that depth will probably work better.

Also, keep in mind what species you are targeting. If you looking for halibut or bass, you may want to stay or at least start with bottom plastics. If you not getting bit, grab the swimbait rod and move up in the water column and see who is home. If the middle depths get you bit, then mix in spinners and cranks and see what happens. It's all good as the saying goes

Perry

[hobb3s93]

thanks for the tips guys i just have one more question, what is the best place for me to start? i was thinking either alamitos bay, newport, or possibly cabrillo? i really want to hit up mission bay...but its a two hour drive

Omited by WR

[seatech]

Originally Posted by hobb3s93

thanks for the tips guys i just have one more question, what is the best place for me to start? i was thinking either alamitos bay, newport, or possibly cabrillo? i really want to hit up mission bay...but its a two hour drive

If you want to catch fish, I would suggest Newport Harbor and start with with the "AA" type grubs, in clear w/red flake or chartreuse, fished on a 1/8 or 1/4 oz round lead head. Fish the docks and boat moorings around Balboa, Lido and Harbor Islands. Put your baits as close to this structure as you can and try not to hit the boats/docks when casting

This weekend there are good high tides right at dawn. Launch and fish the back areas of the bay, not just the Coast Guard dock area. Use 8lb test, still light enough for the spotties and should prevent too many break offs. You can also try the GULP stuff, grubs and shrimp baits. I was talking with Jimmy Decker last Saturday, who is a guide in Newport Bay, and he said the back areas of the bay are on fire now for the Spotties.

Good Luck

Ed

[seatech]

Originally Posted by Water Rat

Ed: I had just posted a reply to your spottie post about swimbaits and then I just read your response here, great job on your responses and insight.

However, I would like to know a little more about your swimbait technique. Are you primarily just ripping this bait and is that how your freshwater fishing it?

Thanks,

Water Rat

For green bass I have been fishing the swimbaits one of two ways:

Cast, let it sink (play with various depths until I find the fish) and then a slow wind back.

...or cast let it, let it sink to the bottom and then bounce it off the bottom all the way back.

I have not had too much success with the ripping it back to the boat in freshwater, but in saltwater for calicos, it is my #1 producer.

Got this one in Huites on the slow wind back to the boat. Lost a nice 4-5lbr right at the boat on the cast just before this standard model, which I just noticed is the same color/length swimbait I caught the spottie on last night



I think like any other bait technique, you just gotta do it for awhile and figure how it works best for you. Always easier to get on a good bite and then switch over to a new bait and see how it performs.

Hope this helps.

Ed

[seatech]

Here are some examples:

Spinnerbait Fish




Grub Fish




Swimbait Fish






Jig Fish - I like this one as I made the jig myself!




Almost 4lbs




These next 2 are 4+lb fish




...and here is one that actually ate a small sandbass I was reeling in (I've had this happen 2 times)




They are out there, go get 'um and release the spotties please, they are slow growing and do not migrate in/out of the harbors.

Ed

Omited by WR