Tips For Fishing Lakes With Huge Fields Of Standing Timber

[SissySticks]

Ok fork guys and others. There are a couple lakes near my home with huge stands of timber, that are known for producing large bass. However I have little experience fishing such conditions. How do you dissect the fields? Where do you start fishing? What lures do you like to use in stands of timber?

[BrianinMD]

Me, jigs and t-rigged plastics on heavy gear to get the fish up and out quickly. Concentrating on areas where there is some type of bottom different, a channel, drop-off or transition from mud to gravel bottom type changes. Have to spend some time working different areas to pattern where they are that particular day.

[Montanaro]

gotta fish timber with structure. there can be empty areas of timber if its not near structure or food or something attractive. I like using spinnerbaits or crankbaits and bouncing off the trees at various depths.

[A-Jay]

You may need one of these ~

 

 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[flyfisher]

The one tip i have heard and have used with success is in places where there is an abundance of standing timber you have to find the locations that you would fish if you imagined there was not any standing timber.  For me that means look for drop offs, channels, humps etc.  Once they are located then you fish the timber that is there using the techniques others have already mentioned.

 

One of my most succesful methods is fished an unweighted super fluke and letting it drop down slowly through the timber.  I find it works better than a wacky rig or weightless texas rigged stick bait as it moves through the limbs more freely.

[00 mod]

Only thing I could add here, is look for the timber that is isolated, or on the furthest outside of the groups THAT IS ALSO closest to deeper water.

 

Jeff

[Brian Needham]

where there is an abundance of standing timber you have to find the locations that you would fish if you imagined there was not any standing timber. 

 

 

 

we have a winner.....

[Bankbeater]

Find the standing timber in the deepest water and drop a jig straight down next to that timber.  When that jig hits the bottom shake it a couple of times and bounce it around a little.

[K_Mac]

I'll add one more place to the mix. I agree with the others that finding the edges, especially the deeper ones, is a great idea. Don't overlook shallow edges though. I have been in spots where the fish were in the timber and nearly right up on shore. Casting or pitching to the outer edge produced nothing; pitching 15' inside the deep edge, into water just a few inches deep might get your arm broke!

 

Figuring out the fish in lakes with a lot of standing timber can be really intimidating. Every spot looks like a good one! Unless you have one of A-Jay's crystal balls (where can I get one of those A-Jay?) I think Flyfisher offers the best advice. Find the timbered spots that meet the seasonal requirements and have fun.

[NEjitterbugger]

Swim jigs and Texas rigs

[Fishes in trees]

There are lots of different ways to fish trees, depending on where in the trees you think that the fish are located.  Lots of good suggestions so far.  Let me offer some of my own.

 

Where in the trees?  On the edges?   In the crown?  Next to major branches?  On the bottom next to the tree?  How deep is the water and how much of the tree is under water?  How old is the lake?  (A middle aged lake or older probably has quite a bit of wood cover strewn along the bottom.

 

What is your water color?  ( The most accurate way to determine this is with a secchi disc)

 

Throwing a Timber Tiger DC 16  on fairly stout 12 or 14 lb line is a good way to cover water and maybe get a better idea on where & how exactly the fish were relating to the trees on any particular day.

 

Basically you have just got to start experimenting & finding what you are comfortable with