Fishing beds

[waynem]

You might as well just use a weighted treble hook to snag them.

[timcauliffe]

It's the same thing as being ripped off the toilet by a giant dinosaur:

 

[BASS_SWINGER]

I run it on floro......what are you going for just to catch bed fish or catch them off swimbaits cause you will have way more success fishing other bait than some sort of "swimbait" but what you can do is throw that Matt lures on there bed keep piss I got them off and then you follow off with something small.....evreyone says it's so easy to catch a bed fishing is easy but I beg to differ

[Lumpy2181]

I run it on floro......what are you going for just to catch bed fish or catch them off swimbaits cause you will have way more success fishing other bait than some sort of "swimbait" but what you can do is throw that Matt lures on there bed keep piss I got them off and then you follow off with something small.....evreyone says it's so easy to catch a bed fishing is easy but I beg to differ

I have made the decision that I want to throw swim baits almost exclusively this year, minus my frogs/punching the slop in the summer. For the spring, I will fish for the pre/post spawning fish but I am still new to the swim bait game so I like to ask how people like to run their setups. Right now I am using 20lb co-poly but was considering going to 50lb braid with a 20lb flouro or co-poly leader. Just picked up a Tatula HD 200 as my dedicated reel for swim baiting since my heaviest lure so far is 3.5oz. If/when I start going over 5oz, I was considering a 300/400 low profile or a smaller framed round reel to handle the heavier stuff on a more stout rod.

[colbypearson]

If theres fish spawning in an area, like lots of males for example, fish the line of sight  and immediate deep water access. I don't usually ever fish them on beds when I'm just out enjoying myself atleast purposefully, and I've actually never even seen a big fish locked on a bed personally anyways, but I've fished 'around' spawning males and seen, hooked and caught some absolute great fish. Unless you put up your gear or fish drastically different areas (that probably suck) you can't say you are wholly anti- the idea of it. 

 

Fishing that outer edge of spawning areas, dark areas, and deep water accesses is probably one of your top time frames to catch the biggest fish of the year (especially in the middle of the day). Just keep in mind all those big fish are gonna be spawning immediately prior, post, or during your potential interference and treat them accordingly. I don't care what anyone says we've probably all caught fish that WEREN'T on beds that WERE technically spawning, or would have been locked on in the low light hours. 

 

As far as bait goes be strategic with the period in mind, I don't have any white swimbaits for bed fishing, or bluegill baits for bed fishing- even though I caught a 10lbr on one doing that 1 time, anyways if you don't single yourself to a cleared off circle with a 1lb male on it you'll open your horizons for the fish you can't see and the fish most won't see.

 

PS- If you're gonna rip one that's locked on a bed I would navigate away from a swimbait and just catch it on a dropshot its usually way faster, better hook to land ratio, less goofy.. idk. 

Edited January 3, 2017 by colbypearson

[Lumpy2181]

Just keep in mind all those big fish are gonna be spawning immediately prior, post, or during your potential interference and treat them accordingly.

 I am catch and release only with bass. Other than a couple of quick pictures and maybe a weight, they are back in the water shortly after being unhooked.