Who Knows About "fishing Ledges"?

[nocellcontracts]

When people talk about fishing ledges, lets say your boat is in 20' of water.....do you throw the crankbait up onto the shallow flat and let it "stair step" down into the deep water OR do you throw parallel with the ledge and run the bait entirely in 20' of water?

Does this tactic differ at all if you use a jig/worm?

Thanks!

 

 

[Teal]

Can't answer that with a yes or no. I will try all three. Typically, ill go from deep to shallow first. And then if I pin point a depth that is productive, ill try to parallel.

Same for cranks, jigs,big spoons ans c rigs.

[eyedabassman]

When people talk about fishing ledges, lets say your boat is in 20' of water.....do you throw the crankbait up onto the shallow flat and let it "stair step" down into the deep water OR do you throw parallel with the ledge and run the bait entirely in 20' of water?

Does this tactic differ at all if you use a jig/worm?

Thanks!

I like to throw parallel to the ledge with a crankbait. I can cover more water and stay in the strike zone longer.With the jig I try and pin-point the ledge and come from shallow to deep or deep to shallow! And if I find them on the ledge with the crank and the bite does slow down then I would pick up the jig or worm and work it over good, and you should pick a few more fish up!

[WIGuide]

I think a lot of ledge fishing is finding out how the fish are positioned on the ledges and along with that the casting angle that will catch them. I see having 3 general options the first being casting up onto the flat and bringing the bait off the ledge into the deeper water. The second being parallel, and the third being bringing the bait up the ledge.

[ClackerBuzz]

there are guys here far better at ledge fishing than me but i can give you a tip that changed everything for me.

most guys troll parallel to the shoreline and cast a 45 deg angle. don't do this. you'll miss many depths and many angles.

instead troll rainbows. most everyone does this around points but forget about it along a featureless shoreline.

doesn't matter the lure. trolling a rainbow shape means you'll be casting parallel from both directions, perpendicular, and every angle within 180 deg. and you'll be covering many depth levels.

lure choice doesn't matter. works well with spinnerbaits, jigs, crankbaits, c rig, a rig etc etc etc.

make sure to note the direction and depth when you get bit.

[Brian Needham]

do you throw the crankbait up onto the shallow flat and let it "stair step" down into the deep water OR do you throw parallel with the ledge and run the bait entirely in 20' of water?

Does this tactic differ at all if you use a jig/worm?

Thanks!

 

1. do both

2. no

[Swampstud]

I can only really relate to tossing a jig around on ledges. I found this one spot that drops off abrubtly from the bank to 5-6ft, the flats out for just a few few and drops to 10-12ft. Then drops to 20+ down to 30+. Ive had good luck tossing right to the top edge of the first drop off and fishing a jig all the way down to the 20ft ledge under the boat. Ive also had luck sitting on the 10ft ledge and castingparallel. Working that certain depth.

[Brian Needham]

ok..... I got a few minutes to type, so lets go......

 

Ledges:

I been trying to piece it together over the last year.......... and will for the next 20!

 

there are certain factors and things to look for. Ledges can be point related, channel related, bluff related, current related.......... or any combination of the 4, and even more.

A ledge is simple in theory...... it is a drop, could be 1 foot or a shear 10 foot or more drop.

 

1. in the morning many times the fish move up on top or to the shallow side, in the afternoon move deeper.

2. current is also a big positioner, it can make them move on top, push them to the bottom(see FLukes vid) or even suspend

3. clouds/wind will generally put fish more on top to feed, bright sun and slick will generally push them deep to the side or suspend

4. if there is current throw your bait up current and let the current produce a natural presentation

 

those are some very loose fitting general rules to ledge fishing........ always fish the entire ledge top to bottom, from different angles, even different times of day. every ledge has a sweetspot find it and load the boat.

 

Ledge fishing/offshore fishing is a life long endeavor........ Mark Rose, Randy Hanyes are two of the best, read everything they say or print, there are more but those two really stick out in my mind.