How Would You Fish This Spot?

[fishva]

I'm going camping next week (April 10-13), and plan to spend the full three days fishing from the banks (we are a boatless crew). This is what I know:

 

The water temp should be around 50.

 

The reservoir is about a foot over full pool.

 

According to fishing reports from the area, bass are in pre-spawn mode, with some fish building nests in the warmer coves.

 

The weather over the next week looks to be amazingly stable for this time of year in the mid Atlantic. For the next week, we're looking at highs between 65 and 75, and lows between 40-50. There is very little chance of rain, and the current forecast calls for partly cloudy skies.

 

As a bank fisherman who usually fishes very small bodies of water, having a contour map of the spot I'm fishing is a big luxury that I'm not used to having. I'm taking this as an opportunity to learn something. I was hoping you could take a look at it and show me the spots that you might focus on, given the factors above.

 

Obviously, with 3 full days to fish, I'm going to hit every spot pretty thoroughly with everything I've got. I'm mostly just hoping to learn how you guys think when you look at a map like this, or how you would approach the area if on a boat.

 

I drew a red line over the bank that I'll have the best access to.

 

[bigbill]

The bass will be in the north side of the shorelines or coves where the sun shines the most. I also would throw a lizzard split shot rigged. In the bed area. 

[WRB]

Bank fishing in the spring is a good time to bass fish. The old saying "spring up" is worthwhile remembering.

The Bottom lures like soft plastic worms and creatures presented with T-rig, finesse C-rig or regular C-rig and drop shot rigs all work well. You simply work the deeper rocky areas using a Mojo style sliding weight, the T-rig with standard bullet weight, the drop shot with a round weight. The weights heavy enough to cast (1/8, 3/16, 1/4) too heavy will hang up more often.

Fan cast the areas and work slowly, you have lots of time.

Your map isn't a spot, it's a section of the lake that has several points and coves.

I like to start at the base of the points and work back into the coves, fish the entire shoreline this time of year.

Don't know anything about your tackle, so limits other lure types to suggest.

Enjoy your time and catch lots of bass.

Tom

[Smallmouth Hunter]

I'd go to the second point down, and throw jigs into the deep water next to the point. The bass are probably staging there to spawn as long as the cove there is sandy.

[Catt]

Slowly, Methodically, & Thoroughly!

During pre-spawn most any technique is likely to work at just about any depth because the bass will be in different stages of pre-spawn.

Given 3 days I would select an area, then slowly, methodically, & thoroughly pick it apart with topwater, subsurface, & bottom techniques. Target every piece structure & every piece of cover from every angle with all the techniques. Don't be in a hurry give each technique equal opportunity to be successful.

Look for patterns with every fish you catch, each fish you catch will rat on the next fish!

[motodmast]

In the top cove, I would start by throwing a crank that can reach 10-12ft to try and get a reaction bite from active fish, there will always be a few of them... Stand on the north side, right where your red line starts, and cast in between the 14-15 mark. Also, spinnerbaits will work as a good reaction bite. Next is picking apart the cover and isolated cover if you can see any.

[geo g]

Try to find a break line close to a flat.  Fish that break line hard.  Pre-staging bass my be positioning there.

[fishva]

Thanks guys, this gives me some really good stuff to think about. One good thing I've taken away is that I should probably walk the bank in the opposite direction I probably would have if I just went in blind.

Tom,

I have a nice collection of plastics, and a very modest collection of crankbaits, jigs, spinners, top waters,and jerk baits. Even though it's small, I do have at least one lure for most situations.

I'll likely be walking with three rods: one for plastics, one for the treble hook lures, and an ultra-light in event of dinner sighting (ie: crappie).

[mattbbassin]

My favorite thing to do is to always work the shore line a lot of my friends tell me im crazy. I prefer to think im not . That is my favorite part of bassing is working the shore line with jigs and soft plastics. If you cant find any good structure on the shore line then just try and work the breaks of the reservoir.

[bigbill]

I go from topwater to cranks to inline spinners at first light.

I will work a 3/8oz football jig up and across a rocky point.

As the sun gets higher I throw a 1/8oz Carolina rig with a senko or brushog as it gets lighter. I have one hole I can jig a countdown jointed rapala in blue/yellow. I don't know why there's a bass I can count on in this hole every time. I twitch the rapala like jigging with it.

[atpns1234]

How did we do?