Matt_Magnone
05-15-2013, 08:04 PM
Every year the Lake Elsinore Bass Club hosts a Tribute Bass Fishing Tournament for our troops. The Wounded Warrior Annual Bass Fishing Tournament is for the purpose of honoring soldiers who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). This event will pair a fisherman with two service members in order to provide a guided fishing day.
For those of you that would like to get involved with this event, please call Lynn Peterson at (760) 497-8238
BOATERS ARE NEEDED.
To help with those that are fishing as I wont be able to attend, here's a quick bite for you guys to play around with. It all comes down to getting these fishermen on fish even at the risk of damaging ones own bite. Please feel free to add to suggestions for the boaters if you've encountered a pretty fun bite. Obviously size of fish is an issue as this is also a fishing tournament, but even if you're on "small" fish; I'm sure it will help out.
Diamond is going through what we all call the post spawn blues. Yes there are fish to catch and yes there are some very active fish, but the bulk of the fish are in somewhat of a negative feeding mood. Don't let this time of year fool you, there are plenty of active fish to catch.
reaction baits-
this pattern is the easiest bite on the lake right now and is the most fun to teach an angler. They can cast repetitively and also have fun doing it. One way to make it fun for them is to have them try to hit targets. This kind of target fishing is a challenge but makes you fish hard! While often times fish are reluctant to chew this time of year on the first cast, being able to cast multiple times to a specific target is sometimes the ticket. If I were to suggest two key reaction baits, I would take a squarebill crank in the 3-5' depth range as well as a spinnerbait. Both baits can be fished fast or slow and in the upper half of the water column. A lot of the active fish are in the upper half of the water column and can most definitely be coaxed into biting. You may have to work 100yds of shoreline before you pick up a fish, but that next 25yd stretch you may pick up 3 more. Its just how the bite is right now. Its fast and furious when you find them; tough when you don't. Keep your colors to a minimum. Simplicity is the rule: Baby Bass, Bluegill and Silversides
soft plastics-
if the reaction bait bite fails and you need something to fall back on definitely pull out the plastic. While the plastic bite is a "grind" to say the least you should be able to pick up enough fish to make it entertaining. The senko as well as miscellaneous "fall baits" will do the trick. What I mean by "Fall Baits" is a bait that is fished on the fall. Senkos on specific pieces of structure or cover, dartheads on vertical structure or even a fluke style bait fished in and around cover. This bite like I said before is definitely a grind, but it should produce fish. Like the reaction baits; keep your colors to a minimum. Variations of green and brown.
WIND IS YOUR FRIEND!!!!!!!!
When the wind comes up head to the bank and throw the reaction bait. The wind produces a positive feeding opportunity for fish. It stirs up the bottom composition and creates sections of dirty water on the shoreline where bass can ambush forage. The bass will roam these stretches and when the opportunity presents itself; They'll pounce.
Good luck! Please report on this thread if you have any constructive criticism for boaters fishing this event.
For those of you that would like to get involved with this event, please call Lynn Peterson at (760) 497-8238
BOATERS ARE NEEDED.
To help with those that are fishing as I wont be able to attend, here's a quick bite for you guys to play around with. It all comes down to getting these fishermen on fish even at the risk of damaging ones own bite. Please feel free to add to suggestions for the boaters if you've encountered a pretty fun bite. Obviously size of fish is an issue as this is also a fishing tournament, but even if you're on "small" fish; I'm sure it will help out.
Diamond is going through what we all call the post spawn blues. Yes there are fish to catch and yes there are some very active fish, but the bulk of the fish are in somewhat of a negative feeding mood. Don't let this time of year fool you, there are plenty of active fish to catch.
reaction baits-
this pattern is the easiest bite on the lake right now and is the most fun to teach an angler. They can cast repetitively and also have fun doing it. One way to make it fun for them is to have them try to hit targets. This kind of target fishing is a challenge but makes you fish hard! While often times fish are reluctant to chew this time of year on the first cast, being able to cast multiple times to a specific target is sometimes the ticket. If I were to suggest two key reaction baits, I would take a squarebill crank in the 3-5' depth range as well as a spinnerbait. Both baits can be fished fast or slow and in the upper half of the water column. A lot of the active fish are in the upper half of the water column and can most definitely be coaxed into biting. You may have to work 100yds of shoreline before you pick up a fish, but that next 25yd stretch you may pick up 3 more. Its just how the bite is right now. Its fast and furious when you find them; tough when you don't. Keep your colors to a minimum. Simplicity is the rule: Baby Bass, Bluegill and Silversides
soft plastics-
if the reaction bait bite fails and you need something to fall back on definitely pull out the plastic. While the plastic bite is a "grind" to say the least you should be able to pick up enough fish to make it entertaining. The senko as well as miscellaneous "fall baits" will do the trick. What I mean by "Fall Baits" is a bait that is fished on the fall. Senkos on specific pieces of structure or cover, dartheads on vertical structure or even a fluke style bait fished in and around cover. This bite like I said before is definitely a grind, but it should produce fish. Like the reaction baits; keep your colors to a minimum. Variations of green and brown.
WIND IS YOUR FRIEND!!!!!!!!
When the wind comes up head to the bank and throw the reaction bait. The wind produces a positive feeding opportunity for fish. It stirs up the bottom composition and creates sections of dirty water on the shoreline where bass can ambush forage. The bass will roam these stretches and when the opportunity presents itself; They'll pounce.
Good luck! Please report on this thread if you have any constructive criticism for boaters fishing this event.