The Hunt For Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg

Hi everybody, and Larry.

I have a quick and easy question. Im going out on the CA Delta during the first week of April, and i'm not really sure what I am going to do to try and catch fish that time of year. Will they be biting on top yet? Do i need to whip out some senko's and just fish sloowww? shallow or deep?

Basically, how do YOU catch them in April?

Thanks for any responses and good fishing

Lucas

Hi L
It all depends on where they are and what they are up to in terms of their seasonal cycle. Rule number one, "The fish are where they are, not where you wish them to be! I need lots more data before I could give you a solid suggestion.
best
L

I've been fishing in some cold water for the last 3-4 weeks and catching a few here and there. A couple around 4-5lbs. However, I'm fishing in PA, but again, the water is still cold, probably in the high 40's to low 50's, as the lake I'm fishing sits just under the highest summit in the State. Thing about early fishing to remember is that Bass are getting ready to spawn, at least in my neck of the woods, and they are doing a couple of things in my experience. One, they are finding shallow areas near deep water to fatten up in during mid-day until evening. The shallow water is warming up quicker, because there is less of it to heat to a comfortable temp than in deep water, and at night, they slip back into the deep as the surface waters begin to drop again. Two, they are looking for likely nesting sites, again in shallower water. Usually the same, in lakes, from year to year. What I have been doing is using Shiners. I simply cannot get them to bite on lures right now. I tie on a light wire hook, around size one, and hook the shiner through the nose. I don't use any weight. I cast out as far as I can, let the shiner swim a bit, then let it sink to the bottom.

The key to remember is that you really don't know how deep the fish are holding, so don't let the shiner sit for more than a minute or two. Work it back very very slowly, 3-5 feet at a time, then let it sink and set for a minute or two again. Usually, it seems that they have to look at it for a minute, and the bite isn't the typical wallop you get from a hungry Largemouth. It is usually a slight tap, or in some cases, you just begin to see the line stretch out, you may feel nothing. Another thing I like to do is to hold on to the rod at all times, give it slack, and gently apply pressure to see if there is a fish on the other end as sometimes there isn't any indication at all that something has taken your bait. However, at least once this year, I did catch a 3 pounder that was surprisingly aggressive in chasing the minnow back into about 8 inches of water. Once you catch a few, you will get the general idea of how deep they are holding and how close to shore they are, and you will be able to target what zone to cast to. Now again, this is what works for me in PA, I have no idea what live bait may work for you in your neck of the woods. But remember, slow is better, pick it up and move it slowly, this gets their interest, and in the cold water you have to give them a minute to pick it up. Hope this helps in any future trips you take.

Brian

Hey man, I've been trying to find someone to go bass fishing with also, do you come around campus much?

Dont fall for senkos. They work but arent very durable. Especialy for toothy fish. I have stopped using senkos a long tome ago because it was getting expensive. They DO work though. I use more reaction-hardbaits like rat l traps and spinnerbaits. Just my thoughts.