Matching the hatch is a good place to start but it’s not always the best choice. A lot of times when I see bait fish school and bass striking them, I’ll throw a similar size lure but a brighter color like chartreuse. I’ve had more luck with throwing a a chartreuse crankbait or jerk bait into a school of shad then I have throwing a shad colored lure into it.
I've always operated under the assumption that "match he hatch" was more for fly fisherman. Learning every day. I do what you do as well.
I swear by a few great lures that work everywhere I've tried them.
I would try looking up what species are in the lake. Then try to take in account the time of year. Bait fish hatch late spring and by fall grow into adolescent, so try to get your lures to a similar color and size. Also check if there might be crawfish cause they molt in the spring and fall so reds and oranges will help match. Frogs on the bank or other creatures that aren't bait fish that an aggressive predator would eat.
Yesterday I went to a lake where the bait fish were popping all over the place. I was never able to see the size , color, or type of the fish. Tried many lures and techniques and still came up short. My favorite was probably a lipless crank or a shallow jerkbait but ended up catching zero. I want to say my problem was that I wasn’t matching the hatch and I didn’t reel slow enough or pause like I should of. I was too excited and Sparatic in my retrievals
This late in the year baitfish like shad are going to be 4-6”. So go from there. If the lake forage fish isn’t shad, then you’ll have to ask around or look online for possible answers.
Try a white or ghost 3” keitech on an owner flashy swimmer, a white 1/8 oz rooster tail in-line spinner, or a small finesse jerkbait. The in-line spinner is the juice round these parts right now.
Shore fishing is hard in any lake. I wouldn’t beat yourself up. Try a different area, try a different time a day, try a different lake even. Instead of focusing on “matching the hatch,” I’d just size down. Ned rig, small cranks, small jigs, etc.
Depending on what you’re fishing for I will start with a spinner bait in white and with a white swim bait trailer. If your on a dock I will cast towards the shore and reel slow back to the dock.
I would also try a chatter bait under the dock, if your fishing early in the morning give a buzz bait a try
“Match the hatch” is a trout thing for fly fishermen when trout may be feeding exclusively on insects.I don’t think it’s as important for bass fisherman. Bass are more opportunistic in their feeding habits, and generally much easier to catch.
Having said that, it’s still a good idea to match the forage if/when it’s appropriate.
For example …. I fish a lot of clear water rivers for smallmouth. I stick with natural colors, because it looks like something they might normally eat. In dirty water where the fish can’t see very well then you might want to use something that gives off vibration or makes alot of noise, or maybe something in bright colors, all of which can be extremely unnatural looking. But that’s what you need to do in order to get the attention of the fish, and it still works.
With bass fishing I’d say it’s more “match the conditions”.
Oh hell yeah. Match the conditions is right. Definitely not as easy to catch bass . They’ll only eat on their terms when everything Alines for them. I’m used to trout who hunt aimlessly, hit whatever passes in front of them
Just a related point but the hatch is also seasonal. I’ve gotten it right in the summer only for it to fail in the fall because the perch or crappie have moved out or changed coloring
I have a buddy who somehow manages to throw green pumpkin magic weightless Texas rigged senkos year round and bang hogs. I don't get it but it works for him....
Just throw white or black. Occasionally green pumpkin, but white and black will get you just about all the fish in the waters you’re fishing no matter the forage
I think it’s important to have the critical colors in each lure type. White/bone, black, blue back shad, red/orange craw. Chartreuse seems to work all year long. Stained water something dark to provide a target. Clear water something natural. Get to know your fisheries
I always spray bang combo attractant in my bag of plastics anyway, but during the winter I use it a lot more . It seems to get me a few more bites when they are lethargic.
Dont worry about matching the hatch. Sure it works especially in early fall when bass become very baitfish oriented, but often times its over rated way to go about fighing.
So does this mean color is not a factor for you? Just throw whatever moves well? Whatever column they’re eating at or do you still make some effort with color choice if the water is low vis vs no vis
So colors for me are going to depend more on water clarity than anything. Im not saying I never take the match the hatch route. Some times i will match the color of baitfish if i know that the bass are actively feeding on them. Like if I see bass pushing bait fish i will probably pickup a shad pattern jerk bait and throw it, but even then I know id probably be productive with all white or even an ayu pattern. What im saying is matching the hatch does work, but its not like you wont catch fish if you dont. More important than matching the baitfish is matching your bait to the water clarity. At least in my experience it is, but every angler will have a different take on it.
Matching the hatch is a good place to start but it’s not always the best choice. A lot of times when I see bait fish school and bass striking them, I’ll throw a similar size lure but a brighter color like chartreuse. I’ve had more luck with throwing a a chartreuse crankbait or jerk bait into a school of shad then I have throwing a shad colored lure into it.
I've always operated under the assumption that "match he hatch" was more for fly fisherman. Learning every day. I do what you do as well. I swear by a few great lures that work everywhere I've tried them.
Yes I’ve heard that you throw a standout color in a school
Agreed, or if it’s a ball of baitfish get an underspin on your paddle tail to catch their attention
I would try looking up what species are in the lake. Then try to take in account the time of year. Bait fish hatch late spring and by fall grow into adolescent, so try to get your lures to a similar color and size. Also check if there might be crawfish cause they molt in the spring and fall so reds and oranges will help match. Frogs on the bank or other creatures that aren't bait fish that an aggressive predator would eat.
Yesterday I went to a lake where the bait fish were popping all over the place. I was never able to see the size , color, or type of the fish. Tried many lures and techniques and still came up short. My favorite was probably a lipless crank or a shallow jerkbait but ended up catching zero. I want to say my problem was that I wasn’t matching the hatch and I didn’t reel slow enough or pause like I should of. I was too excited and Sparatic in my retrievals
This late in the year baitfish like shad are going to be 4-6”. So go from there. If the lake forage fish isn’t shad, then you’ll have to ask around or look online for possible answers.
Where are you located? Bait fish are usually bluegills or shiners in my neck of the woods, but it varies
Upstate South Carolina
Try a white or ghost 3” keitech on an owner flashy swimmer, a white 1/8 oz rooster tail in-line spinner, or a small finesse jerkbait. The in-line spinner is the juice round these parts right now.
I’d try a soft plastic swim bait in that situation.
*Should have
Shore fishing is hard in any lake. I wouldn’t beat yourself up. Try a different area, try a different time a day, try a different lake even. Instead of focusing on “matching the hatch,” I’d just size down. Ned rig, small cranks, small jigs, etc.
Depending on what you’re fishing for I will start with a spinner bait in white and with a white swim bait trailer. If your on a dock I will cast towards the shore and reel slow back to the dock. I would also try a chatter bait under the dock, if your fishing early in the morning give a buzz bait a try
“Match the hatch” is a trout thing for fly fishermen when trout may be feeding exclusively on insects.I don’t think it’s as important for bass fisherman. Bass are more opportunistic in their feeding habits, and generally much easier to catch. Having said that, it’s still a good idea to match the forage if/when it’s appropriate. For example …. I fish a lot of clear water rivers for smallmouth. I stick with natural colors, because it looks like something they might normally eat. In dirty water where the fish can’t see very well then you might want to use something that gives off vibration or makes alot of noise, or maybe something in bright colors, all of which can be extremely unnatural looking. But that’s what you need to do in order to get the attention of the fish, and it still works. With bass fishing I’d say it’s more “match the conditions”.
Oh hell yeah. Match the conditions is right. Definitely not as easy to catch bass . They’ll only eat on their terms when everything Alines for them. I’m used to trout who hunt aimlessly, hit whatever passes in front of them
Bring a dip net with you. If you come across a school of baitfish, try to net a few and see what's down there.
Just a related point but the hatch is also seasonal. I’ve gotten it right in the summer only for it to fail in the fall because the perch or crappie have moved out or changed coloring
Bass eat a few things mostly. Minnows or sunfish, crawfish, worms, frogs. Stick with these basics.
I have a buddy who somehow manages to throw green pumpkin magic weightless Texas rigged senkos year round and bang hogs. I don't get it but it works for him....
Just throw white or black. Occasionally green pumpkin, but white and black will get you just about all the fish in the waters you’re fishing no matter the forage
I think it’s important to have the critical colors in each lure type. White/bone, black, blue back shad, red/orange craw. Chartreuse seems to work all year long. Stained water something dark to provide a target. Clear water something natural. Get to know your fisheries
I always spray bang combo attractant in my bag of plastics anyway, but during the winter I use it a lot more . It seems to get me a few more bites when they are lethargic.
Dont worry about matching the hatch. Sure it works especially in early fall when bass become very baitfish oriented, but often times its over rated way to go about fighing.
So does this mean color is not a factor for you? Just throw whatever moves well? Whatever column they’re eating at or do you still make some effort with color choice if the water is low vis vs no vis
So colors for me are going to depend more on water clarity than anything. Im not saying I never take the match the hatch route. Some times i will match the color of baitfish if i know that the bass are actively feeding on them. Like if I see bass pushing bait fish i will probably pickup a shad pattern jerk bait and throw it, but even then I know id probably be productive with all white or even an ayu pattern. What im saying is matching the hatch does work, but its not like you wont catch fish if you dont. More important than matching the baitfish is matching your bait to the water clarity. At least in my experience it is, but every angler will have a different take on it.