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terriblefisher · Joined: 27 Dec 2013 Posts: 9

Kind of a stupid question, this is my first season fresh water fishing. Ice fishing, I do great just drop a shiner down on a tip up and pull up the bass.

I am in a kayak and fishing edges 4-9 feet of water trying to find cover. I get a lot of crappy, the random pickerel and some perch. What do I have to do to get the bass? I am using rapala floating lures a couple different ones, one that looks exactly like a minnow and one that looks like a yellow and red minnow. Do I need to do something different? I have probably gone out 10 times now, and pulled up 20+ smaller crappie and 2 real small large mouth. Should I still be fishing the edges? What do I need to do to target the bigger fish?

Ice fishing is simple and straight forward go to the middle of the lake, drop a minnow down and wait for a school of bass to come through and pull them up...

terriblefisher · Joined: 27 Dec 2013 Posts: 9

just to add I am in Northern CT

AVec80X · Joined: 28 Mar 2014 Posts: 199 Location: East of the River

I can't speak for Rapala's, but I had a ton of success on Texas rigged plastics thus far this year out of my kayak fishing the same 20 yards to shore area you're speaking of.
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terriblefisher · Joined: 27 Dec 2013 Posts: 9

Here is what I use

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0WzH-iuZ95BcVFDdEFXTTlwbU1GbndBa0g4VW9yWUp4SjE0/edit?usp=sharing

Here is what I have

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0WzH-iuZ95BS0tMVUx2bXpwVEhPR1poZGtUckR3b2Y5R0E4/edit?usp=sharing

I just cannot for the life of me pull in any larger fish.

I also have some plastic worms, possibly i will texas rig a worm and try that? As for fishing spots just stick with what I have been doing? Fishing edges 4 to 9 feet of water throwing to the shore and reeling outwards so the lure goes from about 2 feet of water into 9-10 feet of water where my kayak is?

Sorts · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 24

Welcome to CT lol. Finding big bass is a challenge in a heavily populated northern area like the nutmeg state. I am no expert, but I echo avec's advice. T - rigged worm have produced my largest bass this year. Try using a big worm, at least 7 inches. Most strikes come a second after it hits bottom, so let it sit for a few seconds after you cast.

good luck. I'm sure you'll have a toad in the boat before you know it

Sorts · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 24

Sorry about multiple posts

Sorts · Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 24

Sorry about multiple posts

Scorpio · Joined: 24 Jul 2013 Posts: 73

Just my two cents but it looks like what you are using is pretty much for the middle and top of the water column. I have had the most success in the NW corner (and some central areas) focusing my time fishing the bottom with a weighted, T-rigged soft plastic worm, grub or lizard/craw OR I use a 1/4 to 3/8oz skirted jig with a nice fat trailer, from 4" to 10" depending on what the fish are responding to. Sometimes it'll be the inside weed line and sometimes the outside weed line. You cant be afraid to throw it into cover/weeds/pads/etc because that's where the big ones like to hold and ambush. Use a variety of presentations like varied retrieve speeds, pop/pop/pause and find what works and what gives you confidence. That's all I can offer in this brief format but I'm sure some of the helpful and more experiences anglers on this great forum can and will provide much better advice. Good luck and keep in mind that once you get this down and start hauling in the lunkers, you're going to have to change your avatar name. Wink

terriblefisher · Joined: 27 Dec 2013 Posts: 9

thanks all, I will fish deeper when i go out today using a soft plastic bait texas rigged, we will see what happens

RTownsend · Joined: 30 Jun 2013 Posts: 29

atkins · Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Posts: 220 Location: Manchester

Hey,
Shocked you haven't nabbed a bass 10 times out with a rapala, and a lotta guys would love to nail the crappies like you are. Go with a wacky rig, spinner bait, or the t-rig every one else is saying. Or fish a trout magnet under a bobber, slowly reel in, jerk a few times. There isnt much that won't hit a trout magnet grub.

Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

If you're gonna use Rapalas from the way you're describing the water, get a JSR-4.

But as of now, Texas or wacky rigged soft plastic is the way to go.

If you want to get any bigger crappie, use the Original Floater as a topwater near weeds and pads. Just the lure has to be the size 5 or 7.

terriblefisher · Joined: 27 Dec 2013 Posts: 9

Thanks all, went out last night with all of this advice. I used a plastic worm(pinkish red color) T-Rigged with a bullet slip weight 1/4 on the top of it. i threw this thing everywhere, Reel, let it sink, reel, let it sink. That didnt work. So I jerked let it sink, jerked let it sink. I tried throwing to shore, rolling over the rocks. I tried throwing it to the edges of weed beds. I threw it into cover, I threw it into branches down in the water.

I swear to you I didn't get a single hit. Completely skunked. Disappointing as hell. Next time ill go try Wacky rig I guess and jig it when its at the bottom, then jerk it to a new spot and repeat....

anointed130 · Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 8:44 am Post subject:

try using something with more of a natural color. Depending on where you were fishing the color could have been the issue.
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Tugmaster · Joined: 22 May 2014 Posts: 7

I always do well on Rapalas. I usually just cast them up towards the shore, within a few feet and reel them back. Once you cast it out, let it sit for a few seconds. The strike often comes while it is sitting still. Also, vary your retrieval speed. I have found that these CONSISTENTLY work best in the last hour or so of daylight and into twilight. Good luck, Todd