Big bass sometimes show up in feeding schools
The early morning frog bite had slowed to a crawl when a modest southeasterly breeze kicked up ahead of an approaching rain shower. I was tempted to make a run for it before the rain hit, but I couldn't. Roving gangs of thick-shouldered school bass wouldn't let me.
Like a rabid wolf pack driven by an insatiable appetite for blood and guts, the first group drove a group of bait fish to the surface and attacked it with a tenacity almost frightening. From a distance of 75 yards I could clearly see dozens of juvenile threadfin shad frantically breaking the surface as they scrambled for their lives.
I usually don't get that excited about chasing school bass, but this particular group of fish was unlike any I've seen. Bass that easily weighed upwards of 3 pounds began crashing the surface as I eased quietly within casting range. Some performed midair somersaults as they had their way with the hapless cloud of shad.
From 40 yards out I launched a Heddon One Knocker Zara Spook into a savage frenzy of white water. The big stick bait danced for about three feet before it disappeared in a violent boil.
What happened next was truly amazing. As I wrestled with the 3 1/2-pounder, a least two dozen others of similar size followed it back to the boat.
In classic school-bass style, the wolf pack mysteriously disappeared before I could make a second cast. But the idle time didn't last for long. The school reappeared minutes later, this time about 50 yards away.
I lived a sweet dream during the hour that followed. All total I landed 24 more schoolies before the blood bath finally waned. Amazingly, all were solid bricks weighing 3 to 5 pounds apiece.
Never before had I caught surface schooling fish of such quality. And it may not happen again.
Regardless, the incident got my imaginative juices flowing. Here are 10 fishing tips to consider if you find yourself in a similar position this summer.
* Tip 1: School bass can at times be very selective in the types and sizes of artificial baits they will hit. This is often the case when the wind is calm and surface is slick, which allows the fish to get a better look at a lure before they eat it.
It is usually best to use small baits that can be cast a considerable distance. Chuggers, 1/4-ounce Rat-L-Traps, 1/2-ounce spoons and Lil' George's are excellent choices. Another longtime favorite is the War Eagle Frontrunner. The small bait is designed to be fished ahead of a topwater, spoon or crankbait, thus giving the appearance of a big fish chasing a smaller one. It is not uncommon to catch two fish at a time when they are feeding aggressively.
* Tip 2: Most school bass are small, but there could be some bigger ones running with the pack or hanging out below waiting to pick off wounded prey the little guys missed or left behind.
Larger surface baits like a Zara Spook or subsurface lures like a crankbait, swim bait or plastic worm will sometimes produce the bigger bites. The heaviest bass I ever caught during a schooling frenzy weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces. That fish ate a 7-inch swimbait fished slowly below the surface activity.
* Tip 3: Always try to use a bait that closely resembles the color of the forage on which the bass are feeding. Threadfin shad are the primary targets of Texas schoolies. Chrome/blue, chrome/black, clear and bone are ideal colors.
* Tip 4: Bass tend to school a lot on some lakes, very little on others. Summertime schooling activity can at times be so reliable that you can just about set your clock by it. If the fish get active at 10 a.m. today, chances are it will happen again tomorrow at 10 a.m. or so in the same area, provided conditions do not change.
* Tip 5: School bass usually will not stay active on the surface for longer than a minute or two at a time. For that reason, you need to move quickly and quietly.
Never attempt to slip up on fish with the outboard running. You will likely spook them, especially if the water is still. It also could earn you some enemies if other fishermen are in the area.
Use the trolling motor to narrow the gap until you get within casting range, then drift until the school goes down or moves.
* Tip 6: A 7- to 7 1/2-foot medium-action rod paired with a quality bait casting reel or spinning reel will help you maximize casting distance. If you are fishing a topwater lure, make sure the reel is spooled with monofilament line, not fluorocarbon.
Fluorocarbon line sinks and it will hamper the act of the bait. Monofilament is more prone to float.
* Tip 7: In most cases summertime schooling activity takes place over deep water where there is little worry of hanging up or breaking fish off provided you play them right. You can usually get away with using smaller diameter line that has less breaking strength but casts better than a large diameter line. The best line size is 10- to 14-pound test.
* Tip 8: Just because a school goes down doesn't mean the fish have left the area. Fan-casting around the boat might bring another rise. Wait patiently and the fish will usually resume feeding, though it could be 50 or 100 yards away.
* Tip 9: Chasing school bass in a tournament situation can be risky business that burns a lot of time with potentially small returns. Most bass pros don't put much stock in fishing for schoolies unless the fish pop up right under their noses.
* Tip 10: Often fish will school in relation to some sort of underwater structure such as a point, creek, hump or ridge. If schooling activity wanes, use a depth finder to check out the bottom in areas with the most activity. You might discover a potential honey hole.
Matt Williams' e-mail address is mattwilliams@netdot.com.
Share this story:
Google
Yahoo
digg
del.icio.us
facebook
Slashdot
