What Am I Doing Wrong???

Post by **crouffer** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:16 pm

Hi Folks,

So, now that I have a boat, and bass is open on the Ottawa, I have been going out looking for bass. I've never had the luxury of fishing for anything but "Whatever happens to bite..."

I've been out four times, and haven't seen a bass yet. I've been targeting weeds and shorelines, from 6 feet down to 1 foot of water, using spinners, hula poppers, jointed rapalas, rubber worms (texas and wacky rigged), frogs... I tried in wind and calm, rain and sun. Fast retrieves and slow retrieves, along with some stop-start retrieves. I even tried to follow that chart of best days and best times, based on the moon...

I've caught a couple of pike but that's it. Oh yeah, I also had a smallmouth launch out of the weeds at a frog, but I missed it... Got so excited when he jumped that I set the hook too early and got nothing but a flying frog.

Anyone know what will break my slump? I know that fishing is something that you learn, but it's sure easier to learn when someone teaches you. I am getting to the point of not caring about size at all, and just wanting to get some sort of bass. Is there something that works for you and you'd be willing to reveal?

Cheers,

Chris

Post by **Chevy Champagne** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:46 pm

try a buzz bait

Post by **Fishing 24/7** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:52 pm

try finding the back bay's of the ottawa ...

yes there"s bass ON the river but its not the best place to fish!

back shallow bay's will hold large mouth bass

and rocky drop off smallies.... mind you the smallies are getting deeper and deeper as we speak..

dont give up and explore the river ...

good luck !

Post by **crouffer** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:56 pm

Back bays using buzz baits... I know what I'm doing tomorrow

Thanks!

Post by **beachburger** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:45 pm

If the buzzbait doesn't work, texas rig a "natural" colored (red, black, green) senko or 6" or 7" plastic worm with a small bullet sinker and find some lily pads in 1-4 ft of water. Cast the worm to the edges of the lilies and let it sink. If you can land the bait on top of a lily then wiggle it off, all the better. Sometimes the 'splat" on the lily will wake 'em up. It is important to make sure the worm/senko gets to the bottom. It's not a bad thing to tet the worm/senko sit on the bottom for a few seconds before twitching it back to you. If you think you are going too slow, go slower.

When you see the line move, lower your rod tip and reel up the slack.

Then cross his eyes.

Post by **Fish-Ninja** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:02 pm

Ottawa river is a great spot for fishing despite of a reply i saw earlier. I found out a few good spots on the river. so here it is.. (This is for the Arnprior section of the river) Baie du chat opposite side of the madawaska river will hold bass, as well as Marshall bay north of mouth of the mississipi river. Great success has been had with rapala original#13 in blue and white, husky jerk in same colours..and my go to system with a bell sinker three feet away from a texas rigged gulp alive leach 3inch(make sure you adjust the weight on this three way system to present your weedless leach two feet from the bottom. I hope this helps

Post by **Terry_F** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:04 pm

beachburger wrote:
Then cross his eyes.

Great description and perfect technique, thats what works for me too.
Texas rigged senkos, twitched on the bottom where there are weeds.

crouffer, let us know if that works for you.

Post by **Mitch24** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:09 pm

Use a prop bait when the water is nice and calm. Fish it over top of 10 foot weed beds and you will get bass, no doubt.

http://gatewaymot.com/HeddonTorpedo1.jpg

Those kinds of prop baits are the best for my terminal bass fishing. I would say for bass, just try to get them on surface baits. To do this go out when the water is very calm, and its not to hot, but not to cold. Early morning, or dusk, right when the sun is going down. I struggled with bass for a while when I started fishing, then I switched to surface lures and all my problems were solved. For me surface lures work in every condition, but theoretically they shouldn't. Good luck!

Post by **Joisey Joe** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:06 pm

Put a minnow on a bobber, light a cigar and pop open a beverage and sit back, it'll happen! Joe.

Post by **crouffer** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:44 pm

Joisey Joe wrote:Put a minnow on a bobber, light a cigar and pop open a beverage and sit back, it'll happen! Joe.

Were you the guy with the cigar in Rockland on Saturday?

Post by **bruce** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:15 am

you will be hard pressed to find bass in rockland after saturdays tourney.

Post by JP » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:54 am

The high water level has flooded more areas in back bays and shoals alowing the largies to go farther in towards shore in the slop. Try throwing a frog/rat over lilly pads, dense weeds and brush. If you miss a blow up throw a soft plastic (tube, senko, jig, worm) in where it surfaced.

Smallies look for wind swept points, sunkin islands and weed flats. Throw tubes or any soft plastics and when there is a wind try a spinnerbait in white.

Looking forward to seeing the pics.

JP

Post by **crouffer** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:10 am

bruce wrote:you will be hard pressed to find bass in rockland after saturdays tourney.

Yeah, I realize that. The three times before that the bass must have been there, but I certanly wasn't catching them

The fish are VERY safe around me. I'm a great fisherman, but so far I'm a rather poor "catcherman"

I also learned never to go fishing during a tourney when you hope to get out of the water in less than 2 hours... I think I was number 87 in line for the ramp

All least I got 2 more hours of fishing in, and got to see some really nice boats.

Cheers,

Chris

Post by **MichaelVandenberg** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:11 am

Ottawa River is a tough bit right now. The river is high, muddy and cool for this time of year. The largies are just coming off there post-spawn lock jack mode.

Go dead shallow for the largies. Frogs and flipping plastics will get'em but don't expect a lot of them. Be very patience and quiet. When the fish are that shallow as movement in the boat or excess trolling motor usage will spook them.

There are smallies on the main channel. Look for flats near drop offs. You can get'em on wacky, tubes, crankbaits, and jerkbaits. The flat in front of the Rockland marina has smallies but they are usually small. Move in and out. There is a weed line in 5-7 feet of water which I like to target.

Please don't think I have all the answer cause I sucked on Saturday during the tournament.

Cheers,

Mike

Post by **Joisey Joe** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:02 pm

Crouffer, I wish I was dat guy, at least I'd be fishin, LOL! No, it wasn't me, I'm down here in New Jersey, USA, I don't get some free time til the 17th when I head down to the Jersey shore. I'll be goin afta some Flounder and Blues, maybe a suprise here and there. I will have a good stock of stoggies on hand! Joe.