Females Deeper

[Sparky2Weld]

Hello, Hate to ask something right off the bat but I would like some opinions please.  I am on Bull Shoals and the spots are still spawning. Smaller males in shallow but the females appear to be out in the deeper water. I can catch them if they surface using a spook or pop-r, but what about methods when they do not surface.  Water pretty clear here they are out past the flooded brush. Swim bait?? Rattle trap? Would appreciate your opinions, and thanks in advance 

[Alex_bassman]

how deep is the water? try a crank bait if they wont bite that try a shakey head or a carolina rigged worm.

[Hanover_Yakker]

Drop shot a 5-7" "finesse style" worm on 5-7lb. flourocarbon is a viable alternative as well.  Just remember, no hero style hooksets, just a reel and raise the rod technique.  You can also use this technique to change up the lure profile and length until you dial in the right size.  Then play around with the colors until you really get them turned on.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

How deep?

 

In that situation (we don't have spots, sorry), I'm throwing a swimbait, fluke or a jig.

[Bluebasser86]

When I was down at Bull a few weeks ago the big females were out deeper on gravel banks and thumping a Keitech Swing Impact on a 1/4oz darter head. Electric shad was my best color. Caught some really nice largemouth, smallmouth, and walleye also. I was fishing mine with 8lb Nanofil and a 10lb test Seaguar leader. 

[Sparky2Weld]

 

how deep is the water? try a crank bait if they wont bite that try a shakey head or a carolina rigged worm.

I believe about 30 feet, but the last few days I am pretty sure things have changed. I like carolina rig abnd never thought about a shakey head, thanks. Will try

[Sparky2Weld]

 

[You can also use this technique to change up the lure profile and length until you dial in the right size. 

Can you elaborate some, not sure what you mean by change the lure profile?

[Sparky2Weld]

 

How deep?

 

In that situation (we don't have spots, sorry), I'm throwing a swimbait, fluke or a jig.

Swim baits and flukes were my next option, thanks

[Sparky2Weld]

 

When I was down at Bull a few weeks ago the big females were out deeper on gravel banks and thumping a Keitech Swing Impact on a 1/4oz darter head. Electric shad was my best color. Caught some really nice largemouth, smallmouth, and walleye also. I was fishing mine with 8lb Nanofil and a 10lb test Seaguar leader.

By thumping I assume you mean bouncing off the bottom correct? I believe these are in aboput 30 feet, is that the depth you were fishing? Everything gin clear now

[Bluebasser86]

 

By thumping I assume you mean bouncing off the bottom correct? I believe these are in aboput 30 feet, is that the depth you were fishing? Everything gin clear now

I meant the fish were thumping the bait, swimbait guys know the bite I'm talking about. My presentation was to cast it out and let it sink to the bottom and then reel slowly. It was super clear when I was there too, at least around the dam was. Most of my fish were coming from 15-30 feet of water with 20-25 being the sweet spot. When I started putting any extra movement into my bait, like stroking the bait off the bottom, I started catching walleye instead of bass. Not a terrible problem to have but not what we were fishing for. 

[Sparky2Weld]

Thanks for clarifying, for a minute I thought you were referring to some kind of spinnerbait technique. Obviously I am not schooled in swim baits but that is going to change. Not surprised you were picking up walleye, most guys around here drag worms on the bottom.

Johnathan Van Dam got a healthy check during the ELite this year on swim baits targeting smallmouth. Believe he was fishing similar to what you described.

May I ask one more basic question? Is it a standard approach to use high end electronics to locate schooled fish holding off shore them use deep water techniques?

thanks for replying, all comments help.

[Bluebasser86]

Forgot to mention they were eating an A-rig very well while I was down there also in similar areas with similar retrieves but I was using swimming flukes in Albino on my A rig. Just found this map trying to point out the exact area we were fishing. It's labeled as "Tilleys Cove" on the very top map picture near the bottom left of the map. Lots of good info on stuff that may be worth fishing on it too.

http://www.divesitesinarkansas.com/mission.html

I was catching lots of these on the Keitech

With more of these eating the A-rig

with some of these on both 

All those fish were in Tilleys cove.

When I started stroking the Keitech these started eating them.

[Sparky2Weld]

Well thanks for all the info, nice fish stringers.  I am in the mid lake area, I will check ouy the location of the cove.

 

Is this still a good question:

 

QUESTION::::Is it a standard approach to use high end electronics to locate schooled fish holding off shore them use deep water techniques?

 

thanks for the info

 

[Bluebasser86]

Well thanks for all the info, nice fish stringers.  I am in the mid lake area, I will check ouy the location of the cove.

 

Is this still a good question:

 

QUESTION::::Is it a standard approach to use high end electronics to locate schooled fish holding off shore them use deep water techniques?

 

thanks for the info

 

Yes it's a very common approach to find fish and baitfish, which are probably going to be very important now that they're done spawning and looking for a meal to recoup afterwards. If you find a good area and there's bait it's just going to make it that much better. 

[Sparky2Weld]

well thanks again and I appreciate all the replies/posts. Time to grind down and  apply different techniques for deeper water, albeit  we are having much warmer weather now and spawn probably about done. thanks again