how to catch jumping fish

[Lvitch]

My .02

Bass do that here in FL and very very finniky and spooky. The only way I can get em is really light line and a bettle spin (change the head size as heavy as you need to cast out, I use up to a 3/8 oz head) , a cast master spoon that cast a mile, or a small 2" swimbait on up to a1/2 oz head. Throw all of them and burn them back on the surface or just below waking the bait. The cast master is actually the easiest to reel straight in. Reel it fast! 3-4 cranks and kill it or just reel it straight. They usually crush it. Other than that, a swim jig maybe? With a big transparent skirt to look like a small school of tiny fish or bugs?

[cassidyta]

Originally Posted by Lvitch

My .02

Bass do that here in FL and very very finniky and spooky. The only way I can get em is really light line and a bettle spin (change the head size as heavy as you need to cast out, I use up to a 3/8 oz head) , a cast master spoon that cast a mile, or a small 2" swimbait on up to a1/2 oz head. Throw all of them and burn them back on the surface or just below waking the bait. The cast master is actually the easiest to reel straight in. Reel it fast! 3-4 cranks and kill it or just reel it straight. They usually crush it. Other than that, a swim jig maybe? With a big transparent skirt to look like a small school of tiny fish or bugs?

I completely agree with the kastmaster technique. It will fall through the bait balls and when they are in that hunting frenzy, they won't take time to investigate. Additionally, this bait can be cast very far.
A second option is to go heavy with a drop shot. The water may be deep, but the goal is to fall on the shad and let it drop through the school. This technique worked for me today using a 4" robo hologram shad.
One of the biggest keys is no not wait for the bass to jump. Watch for the shad activity. They will first make the water ripple and then they will start jumping out of the water, away from the bass. As soon as you see the shad jumping, start casting. You want to catch the buster on the way up rather than trying to get them on the way down.

I think that the other baits would be okay if it wasn't as far as you described.

Another choice

[boloson]

Yes I've heard hood things about cast master spoons. Any particular color works better compared to others?