Tidal Bass, How Would You Fish This Cove?

[BassAssassin726]

https://maps.google.com/?ll=40.079274,-74.907146&spn=0.001769,0.003449&t=h&z=18

I fish this spot a lot, Im on the shore or on either dock on each end. The water is stained, visibilty is about 2 feet. The entire cove is filled with old wooden poles you can see if you zoom in, there is also a sunken boat under the water. I usually do best at low tide but lately i havent been catching many bass. I catch Crappie and Bluegill like crazy but the bigger bass are nowhere to be found. How would you fish this spot? Is this a good are to fish during the fall months. I usually target all the cover there , the poles, the sunken boat. But like i said lately the bass just arent hitting. Little help?

[AZfishrman01]

I'm almost exclusively a river angler just because that's what I'm presented with back home. My river is tidal as well.

What I have found that works is fishing the outgoing tide. The slow drainage of water out of that cove limits the hiding places bait can hide, so bass can stage in their ambush holes. What usually works for me is throwing the appropriate colored spinnerbait, jig, fluke, and simple T-rigged worm. Banging square-lipped cranks during the fall as well as throwing swim jigs should land you fish as well. I'm assuming most people fish off the pier at either end of the cove so the fish around those areas are highly pressured, if you could somehow get a little float tube or get a small yak or canoe, I would like to think that'd you slay'em.

Hope this helps brotha.

[BassAssassin726]

I usually get there as the high tide starts to flow out and fish until it comes up again. I'm usually on the inside next to the dock on the shore. Its seems like people used to fish there a lot but I don't see many people there. Still I see line, and lures everywhere. It used to be an old boat dock for a returant that has long since closed. When the tide is dead low I can sneak around the sides and fish the deeper middle part and you're right I do better there. Just sucks cause I only have about a half hour or so before the water cuts me off and I have to get out of there. I target all the visible cover, the poles and such and the sunken boat with jigs, plastic, spinnerbait, bounce cranks off the poles. I think the really hot summer has something to do with how slow its been too. I expect it to turn on in the fall. Thanks for the info man, fish on my brotha!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The outgoing tide definetly where you want to hit it. Fish will be facing into the current in ambush locations. On the incoming tide fish will often suspend on ledges in the main river. If you know where the drop is and get in poition there jerkbaits and count down baits can be good. The slack water at high tide is the worst. Fish will roam but you can still get them by covering water like with a lipless crank.

[BassAssassin726]

Theres also constant surface activity, i mean all day everyday bluegill are poking the surface, sometimes big carp jump out, although i dont see many bass jumping, like i said the surface activity is all day every day

[Megastink]

Hey, I live up by Quakertown! If you want some help fishing that spot, let me know!!!!!

I've heard flat sides square bills are a hit in the Delaware. Shakey heads too. It's a notoriously tough fishery.

[Sam]

The bass will move out of the area as the tide falls and go to deeper water.

Can you fish the mouth of the creek? The bass are in deeper water around the creek mouth.

The bass will not travel far. But they will also stop feeding until the current starts flowing again.

The above posts are excellent. Follow what the guys are saying and understand that the bass will come and go into your area with the tide.

[BassAssassin726]

Went up this morning. Didnt catch a thing in 3 hours of fishing. I got there as the tide was going out and fished the mouth of the cove. Nothing. When the tide started coming back in i moved into the cove and worked down the sides casting to the middle, nothing. Spinnerbaits, plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, nothing. I worked up and down both sides casting to the middle and along the bank. I cant stand getting skunked. Its so frustrating.

[Megastink]

Went up this morning. Didnt catch a thing in 3 hours of fishing. I got there as the tide was going out and fished the mouth of the cove. Nothing. When the tide started coming back in i moved into the cove and worked down the sides casting to the middle, nothing. Spinnerbaits, plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, nothing. I worked up and down both sides casting to the middle and along the bank. I cant stand getting skunked. Its so frustrating.

Well, I'm no expert, but it SOUNDS like you were fishing the Delaware....

[MIbassin]

work the shoreline on the incoming tide with a lure such as a spinnerbait I've had some luck fishing various rivers that way

[MIbassin]

I've found that the bass will wait in hiding spots in the shoreline and wait for baitfish that are washing in with the tide..use a spinnerbait that matches your baitfish! good luck!

[AZfishrman01]

Went up this morning. Didnt catch a thing in 3 hours of fishing. I got there as the tide was going out and fished the mouth of the cove. Nothing. When the tide started coming back in i moved into the cove and worked down the sides casting to the middle, nothing. Spinnerbaits, plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, nothing. I worked up and down both sides casting to the middle and along the bank. I cant stand getting skunked. Its so frustrating.

Did you only fish the mouth of the cove? Although some fish will stage there during outgoing, a lot of fish will also be in the main part of the litte inlet. Sounds like your river is hard to fish according to the other post, but next time try going on a cool overcast day and throw a walking pencil bait. My favorite one is Rapala Skitterwalk. You could call up at least a few fish from the banks. I use this loud rattling topwater as a search bait on cooler overcast days. Bring a second rod with a weightless finesse worm, so if you miss a fish you can drop the finesse worm on him as a follow up bait. Fish it right along cover for best results.

I say overcast day because low pressure days produce the most fish. Bright sunny high pressure days make the fish more resistant to smacking what you throw at them.

The Appomattox is the river I fish here in Virginia and it gets heavy pressure, but the techniques I've mentioned seem to work relatively well for me. It may just be a simple as choosing the battles to fight. Don't go out if the conditions aren't right...sad to say. I've had to tell myself many a time to just stay home, even when I want to wet a line.

[BassAssassin726]

I fished the mouth of the cove and walked all the way around both sides. I always have 4 rods with me. A spinning rod for plastic worms, 2 baitcasters for all other lures and an ultra light ugly stick so I can catch some crappie or bluegill if I get skuned. I throw every kind of bait in my box. Topwaters, spinnerbaits, in line spinners, jigs, cranks, lipless cranks, shakey heads, even some bluegill colored swimbaits. Yea its the delaware. Its a really tough place to fish. Actually its Neshaminy Creek but its right where it empties into the delaware. I've fished sunny days, rainy days, overcast days you name it. Early in the morning, afternoon, nighttime. And I usually only have sporadic success. Spring time I slayed them everyday. Obviously because of the spawn. I'm just hoping fall brings better success. like I said I started the other day fishing the mouth of the cove as the tide was going out, then as the tide started coming in I worked all the way around the cove. On a side note I see that high and low tide are on a 12 hour cycle. Give or take. Like if low tide is at 7am then it will be at 7pm again. But sometimes the tides are faster or slower. The other day the low tide lasted for a long time before it started to rise again. Other days it goes out and comes right back in. Why is that?

[BassAssassin726]

Went this morning for a few hours before the rain. Did pretty well. Caught 3 bass up to 3 pounds on a countdown jerkbait and this nice Catty on a half ounce Rooster Tail. What a fight on my medium action baitcaster with 10lb test. He weighed 6 pounds.

[BassAssassin726]

Theres def a 5 pounder floating around in there too. He rolled on my jerkbait and missed, saw his clear as day, he was huge. What baffles me if how a fish can hit a lure with two treble hooks on it, basically 6 hooks and not get hooked at all. lol

[Megastink]

Two minds are better than one. Wanna fish it together sometime?

[BassAssassin726]

Hells yea! Do you have a boat?

[BassAssassin726]

How far are you from me? I live in Northeast Philly. Near where the Neshaminy Creek empties into the Delaware, thats where that cove is. Right behind Neshaminy Marina.

[VolFan]

I'd try the little creek immediately north of the cove on the outgoing if I were you. Less places for bait to go as the tide goes out=more productive ambush spot. Now, mind you, that's only going to take a few minutes because it looks like a pretty small creek. On the ingoing, bass move in and try to find bait,'dads, etc. disoreinted by the change in water, so fish the bank side of cover. On the outgoing, look for ambush spots where cover or structure concentrates the current. Areas going from deep to shallow and back can be good if there aren't any narrow areas. I might go up the river a little to where there is a small pond and small tribs that fill/empty with the tide for a little more concentated current.

[Megastink]

Hells yea! Do you have a boat?

I don't...... Yet! I live in Telford, north of Lansdale. Well have to get together sometime.

[BassAssassin726]

I don't...... Yet! I live in Telford, north of Lansdale. Well have to get together sometime.

Mos def. Got any good bass spots?

[Megastink]

The lakes up by me are awesome. Spend a day in the 'burbs this fall. Look up Clackerbuzz, he is a member on this sight and lives in Center City. He and I fish together sometimes.