BigSlant Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 I for one am throwing a u2 gill at any fish on a bed...if she picks it up after a bit then sweet...if not I'm off and if I come across another bed it's getting tossed at... If you can't catch them during bedding what's the difference of catching them when they're gorging on fish prepping for spawn or gorging on fish post spawn... Handle the fish right and it'll be fine... Nice fish bro...and way to use a bait that was designed for exactly that type of fishing IsaacM619, EasternMassBass, jhoozie1 and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Man CP Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 I hate people ripping them off of their beds. There's no skill involved and they are protecting their beds for a reason! "No skill involved"..? Factually not true. There's a very small window in which a bedding female exhibits the level of aggression required for it to seem "easy, unskillful" to pluck her off, especially the 8+ females. If they were that easy, 90% of all bass fishermen in the US would would have larger pb's, not stuck in the 7, 8lb club, they'd be inadvertently catching them opposed to sight fishing. I have 0 problem bed fishing. I can't say I advocate tournaments being held during certain times of the year, because of the stress that's "possibly" being put on the fish, because of the transporting away from their beds. But populations of bass continue to thrive, so I'm not sure there is even any detriment. I rarely fish alone, so I'm usually putting someone else on the fish on a bed. I can tell within seconds, and and definitive certainty if it's a catchable, as soon as the first bait is thrown their direction. I'd say 95% of the males on beds are catchable. But I cannot tell you how many times I've seen guys throw at a female, for hours on end, with zero results. I consider myself an excellent sight fisherman, but that doesn't mean I can just go out on any given day during the peak of the spawn and get a 50# bag in the well. If that were the case, I would've stayed on the FLW and been retired by now, lol! Out of all of my DDs, not one was taken sight fishing. But several were taken post spawn while they were guarding fry. Theoretically just as intrusive. I just don't agree with seeing a guy's post and blasting him for being proud of his catch. It'd probably be different I guess if it were Aaron Mertens and not Garrett, a young guy from Nebraska on some no-name body of water. Lol. How about guys using live bait? Check the stats on the top ten bass, several were caught on live bait and their entries are still valid... People are welcome to revert back to primitive equipment at any point in time where they think it's getting "too easy" in our sport. Some would argue the legitimacy of catch because the baits we're using are so much more lifelike then they used to be. Unfortunately there's always going to be outspoken critics. It's similar to what people encounter in the hunting world. Guys with rifles aren't as sporting as those with bows, guys with compounds aren't as sporting as guys who have no sights on their compound, and those guys don't compare to the ones with stick bows... I took a caribou at 105yds with my bow, a lot of guys said that was no biggie, "bows are easy to shoot far these days"... Probably the same type of guy that's never caught a double digit bass and swears he'd pass up the chance taking one off her bed in order to take a proud pic with her. Riiiiight ; ) Cadenw16, BigSlant, Got0ne and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G_Heikes Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 "No skill involved"..? Factually not true. There's a very small window in which a bedding female exhibits the level of aggression required for it to seem "easy, unskillful" to pluck her off, especially the 8+ females. If they were that easy, 90% of all bass fishermen in the US would would have larger pb's, not stuck in the 7, 8lb club, they'd be inadvertently catching them opposed to sight fishing. I have 0 problem bed fishing. I can't say I advocate tournaments being held during certain times of the year, because of the stress that's "possibly" being put on the fish, because of the transporting away from their beds. But populations of bass continue to thrive, so I'm not sure there is even any detriment. I rarely fish alone, so I'm usually putting someone else on the fish on a bed. I can tell within seconds, and and definitive certainty if it's a catchable, as soon as the first bait is thrown their direction. I'd say 95% of the males on beds are catchable. But I cannot tell you how many times I've seen guys throw at a female, for hours on end, with zero results. I consider myself an excellent sight fisherman, but that doesn't mean I can just go out on any given day during the peak of the spawn and get a 50# bag in the well. If that were the case, I would've stayed on the FLW and been retired by now, lol! Out of all of my DDs, not one was taken sight fishing. But several were taken post spawn while they were guarding fry. Theoretically just as intrusive. I just don't agree with seeing a guy's post and blasting him for being proud of his catch. It'd probably be different I guess if it were Aaron Mertens and not Garrett, a young guy from Nebraska on some no-name body of water. Lol. How about guys using live bait? Check the stats on the top ten bass, several were caught on live bait and their entries are still valid... People are welcome to revert back to primitive equipment at any point in time where they think it's getting "too easy" in our sport. Some would argue the legitimacy of catch because the baits we're using are so much more lifelike then they used to be. Unfortunately there's always going to be outspoken critics. It's similar to what people encounter in the hunting world. Guys with rifles aren't as sporting as those with bows, guys with compounds aren't as sporting as guys who have no sights on their compound, and those guys don't compare to the ones with stick bows... I took a caribou at 105yds with my bow, a lot of guys said that was no biggie, "bows are easy to shoot far these days"... Probably the same type of guy that's never caught a double digit bass and swears he'd pass up the chance taking one off her bed in order to take a proud pic with her. Riiiiight ; ) Couldnt have said it any better, thanks Chris. kayl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASS_SWINGER Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 So many cry baby's on here SD032 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YELOSUB Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) I didn't post my "bed fish" I caught a couple weeks ago but I'll throw it up here for ya...I took a guy new to fishing and he had a blast, he was able to catch his PB, right at 4#...Anyways, we boated over 20 fish and (3) different times I was successful in catching the male and the female...Here was the largest of the females caught with her typical male...I find it funny that skinny guys always pick fat chicks Caught on a 5.8" Keitech Fat Impact Swimjig...The window to catch the females is small, it's not as easy as one thinks... Edited March 17, 2016 by YELOSUB BASS_SWINGER, Lucid_Dreams23, G_Heikes and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everythingthatswims Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I hate doing it because I can never get it to work! If you can trick a big female on a bed, you deserved that fish. It doesn't mess up the spawn for them anyways. G_Heikes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSlant Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 So today I was only able to wrangle the male of the bed...lil guy too...his lady was pushing 6+ but she couldn't care less...I threw everything at both of them for about 30 min...neither had any interest until I threw my baby bass painted 3:16 shad...boy it drove the male nuts...he struck the bait angrily about 15 times before I could get the hookset timed right... I was able to entice another larger male to strike a fatback shad but he came unbuttoned on the shore flip... Both fish were handled well and quickly released and were guarding they're beds within minutes... going back tomorrow for a few hours and bringingfat girl snacks G_Heikes, IsaacM619 and Magic Man CP 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimbaitunderground Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Bed fishing is not swimbaiting Evan Henson, JohnMarino, hookedup and 11 others 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMarino Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I cant say it dont take skill, sure you can throw a tube or any 4-6" swimbait on any fish under 7lbs and Its a whatever catch. BUT It takes lots of skill to catch GIANTS, I've seen Joe Everett at LMV scouting around the lake and he was able to see giant teeners in 20ft of water, and be patient enough to sit on them all day to make them bite. Even in the wind. Heck he even told me theres a ten pounder right in that pocket if you want to get it. I went and there it was a ten pounder that was ready to eat, and ate my Real Prey bluegill, swing and a miss and off she left and never returned. But for patient people that know what they are doing with bed-fishing there IS an art to it. We knew where a high teen fish was located once at lake castias that wasent ready to bite, went back the next day and wasent there someone else end up catching em first thing in the morning. They seen us on the fish for hours the day before. (Engine took a mis-fit on the next morning, and we watched em go right in the cove where the fish was) The fish went somewhere in the high 17lb range. Dottie the 25lb bass was caught off a bed, although was foul hooked didnt count. But you mean to tell me if you dont see a 18+lb bass your not going to try and catch it? Not saying thats all you have to do, because I love throwing swimbaits while the fish are bedding just outside the bedding areas, I feel like its a better chance rather then wasting time sight fishing. I've still never caught a double digit on a bed, but If I seen the fish of a lifetime Im going to definitely try. What would I throw? Two baits, A white jig that Joe Everett made and gave me and a real prey bluegill in white. Does it count as a swimbait fish? No, but mixing it up is a good thing and worth it for the fish of a lifetime but NOT every single bedding fish you can find on the lake. Edited March 18, 2016 by JohnMarino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Man CP Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Bed fishing is not swimbaiting Ok,, so I'm sure if I use the "search" button I could probably figure this out, just as I'm learning everything on here has already been discussed seven different times, and the old timers of 3+ years frequently remind us pleebs. "Bed fishing is not swimbaiting"...? Again, I'm sure the swimbait rule book is around here some place, and forgive me for just being an @ss and wanting to discuss it while we're on the subject opposed to chiming in on a thread from 4-5 years ago. If you're using a bait that has been defined as a swimbait, and catch a fish on it, that is indeed a female in some stage of the spawn,, this does not count as "swimbaiting"...? I'm lost. Is that just called spawn fishing?? Because what if you aren't specifically targeting a bedding fish by way of sight, and she just so happens to crush your bait, still not "swimbaiting"...? Still lost, but that's ok, cause I'm sure a lot of members are reading this, just dying to correct me with their expertise rt about now. I understand the premise of a guy sight fishing, grabs a Matt U2 gill and throws it at a female who's clearly locked and she grabs it, not technically "swimbaiting", although I do not agree with that. But I'm HOPING the "rules" stop there. Because there are many scenarios during different phases of the spawn, that a bass will strike a swimbait, and I think they should count as a swimbait catch, (although, if I catch a quality fish in any type of spawning phase and it's still not deemed "swimbaiting", I'll happily refrain from sharing that proud moment with the stuck up guys on here who'd be offended by it). But first, let's see if this counts... Last June, while sight fishing with a client on the Delta, I noticed what appeared to be the silhouette of a nice fish in the 8-10lb range. Between current and it being near high tide, the visibility was way less than ideal. While backing off to reposition, I as going to make some "blind casts" with a swimbait, a technique I like to do while searching for beds, basically taking a baby bass or gill replica and fishing it in similar water column that I'm seeing beds in, "envisioning" their being a bed with a female on it, or near by who'll pounce on a threat. So I made a cast in an open lane about 30' in front of the boat with an 8" floating freestyle in baby bass pattern. The bait landed exactly where I wanted it to, and as soon as it touched down I was going to dead stick it in that opening,, I hadn't been over there yet to see if there were even a bed there or not, but I imagined in my mind there was, with a big fat girl just chillin' on it. I had probably made fifty similar casts like this that morning, while having that image in my mind, and all of which producing zero action from the fictitious fatties that were in my mind only, but I've been doing this long enough to have confidence in it, and it's not "if" but "when" it's gonna all play out as planned. As the bait sat there on the surface I imagined that bass sitting below it looking up pissed off like no other, fins going crazy, and that slow steady chin rise right before the crushing strike. I twitched the bait one lil twitch, and my imagination instantly turned into swift reality! Sounded like a bowling ball was fired at that freestyle bass as she obliterated it! As soon as she breeched the surface like air jaws on shark week, I knew she was net worthy. Screamed at my client to get busy handing me the net and I scooped her up. She registered 10.00 on the digital. Couple quick pics, and a fast careful release, she disappeared. Couple minutes later, trolled over to where the explosion occured, and low n behold there was a nicely polished bed down to the clam shells and gravel, with a freshly photographed and released DD laying on it looking even more mad and ready to battle again! So, if that doesn't count as swimbaiting, sorry to waste anyone's time reading that story. But if it does count, would having actually seen her on the bed before dead sticking my bait over her, disqualified her as a swimbait catch?? Hmmm... IsaacM619, JTSwimbaitMan, csparrow12 and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoozie1 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I twitched the bait one lil twitch, and my imagination instantly turned into swift reality! Sounded like a bowling ball was fired at that freestyle bass as she obliterated it! As soon as she breeched the surface like air jaws on shark week, I knew she was net worthy .... So, if that doesn't count as swimbaiting, sorry to waste anyone's time reading that story. But if it does count, would having actually seen her on the bed before dead sticking my bait over her, disqualified her as a swimbait catch?? Hmmm... Awesome read Magic Man. I was wondering the same question ... By definition, isn't catching a fish on a swimbait, swimbait fishing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G_Heikes Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Bed fishing is not swimbaiting Youre kidding right? So with this fish, I spotted the bed on the edge of a drop off from 3fow to 7fow in crystal clear water, I knew where the bed was, backed off about 20 yds from the bed to where the fish couldn't see me and kneeled down, made multiple casts slow rolling a Mattlures Ultimate bluegill bootail swimbait into the area and she bit. Had my brother take a few pictures, and released it, back on the bed literally within 2 minutes. Please enlighten me by explaining how that isn't "swimbaiting" its a bass....caught on a swimbait... how much more complicated does it get? Does the fish have to be caught using a high end rod, monster swimbait reel, a Hinkle trout, and some well known reservior in California to be considered being caught "swimbaiting" ...ridiculous Getting criticized like this by the ADMINISTRATION of the forum.. thats a great way to keep your members on here. This fish complys with the section perfectly, its a bass caught by swimbaiting, YES.. THATS SWIMBAITING. Max_Dispoto, BigSlant, jhoozie1 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneo Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Nice fish! Learn to ignore people giving you ish. Sadly the fishing world is a world of trash talk. As far as it not counting, that's debatable. I love when people say they don't bed fish. Are you fishing during March-June in 0-25ft or whatever? You are probably catching bedfish. I had this same conversation years ago with Larry Botroff (fisheries biologist and a genius for those who know of him.) EasternMassBass, Magic Man CP, ACE of Bass and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSlant Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Bed fishing is not swimbaiting Hahaha...lmao The original post was caught with a u2 bluegill swimbait... I caught mine using a 3:16 shad... Both swimbaits... Jigging a swimbait is an acceptable technique in most posts...that's what I did... G_Heikes and Magic Man CP 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Man CP Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Does the fish have to be caught using a high end rod, monster swimbait reel, a Hinkle trout, and some well known reservior in California to be considered being caught "swimbaiting" ...ridiculous I think you forgot to mention this lid, ohhh yea and super skinny jeans, now you're all set son. jhoozie1, Unknown, ACE of Bass and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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