Tidal River Bass

[Djamesbond3]

I mainly fish tidal rivers where I live and was wondering if tidal river bass go deep? I live on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and usually run up the rivers out of the marsh area and was wondering if you can catch river bass deep in the main channel.  Our rivers are usually 20-30 feet on the outside bends and was wondering if medium to deep crankbaits are good to use or should I just stick to the banks?  I usually catch a decent number of fish bank beating but was wondering if maybe the better fish hang out around cover that's a little deeper.

[Sam]

Of course they go deep in tidal rivers.

 

They go deep in creek channels, too.

 

But they like structure. They like wood, stumps, rocks, grass, tires, brush piles, piers, docks, stickups, submerged humps, sunken boats and bridges and just about anything on the bottom, be them deep or shallow.

 

When fishing a tidal river it would be in your favor if you started your "fanning pattern" with your crankbaits and plastics about 20 to 30 feet from the bank and then go towards the bank with your pattern. By doing this you will hit the deep water; the drop off; and then the shallow and warmer water.

 

Other times it will be to your favor to move your boat 30 feet from the bank and cast 360* until you find the pattern.

 

Just remember that the bass like for the tide to be moving and they like good ambush points. Find the ambush points and you find the bass. And you have to know the forage in the river. Crawfish are on the bottom; shad, bluegills, minnows and bream swim around the banks. What is the forage in your river? That is where the bass will be.

 

Now, after penning the above we have to discuss the definition of "deep."  "Deep" can mean three to five feet in some parts of the river or creek. "Deep" can mean 15 to 20 feet in other parts of the river or creek. With rivers always changing due to mud and sand flats, "deep" can mean anything and "deep" can move from place to place.

 

Bass like to be by structure as they believe it makes them invisible and it serves two purposes: first, to hide from other predators; and second, to ambush their prey. So to a bass "deep" means anything that is lower than the normal bottom depth.

 

"Deep" means any part of a river, lake, creek or pond that has a hole, a channel or road bed that forms a depression on the bottom, six inches to 30 feet or more from the high tide level.

 

I suggest you throw some crankbaits deeper than usual to try to entice a bite. If you don't get bit then fish the banks like the rest of us, throwing back deep now and then.

 

Experiment. That is part of the fun of bass fishing.

[fishnkamp]

The cranks are fine but do not just throw them. I live here on the Chesapeake Bay, so I fish the tidal Potomac, and the Upper Bay.  Frequently we catch bass deeper than 20 feet.  I would add a few baits like Silver Buddies and larger spoons as well. A bait that has long lost its favor, but still works, is slow rolling a BIG spinnerbait, like 1/2, 3/4 or 1 ounce baits with big blades. Woo Davies used to kill bass just slow rolling a big heavy bladed spinnerbait.  Larger paddletail swimbaits like a Reaction Innovations Big Dipper can be slowly swam along, allowed to die and flutter, then quickly snapped and retrieved.  That technique can cover some of that water you want to fish as well.

[Catt]

Don't ask me!

 

I got skunked Tuesday on the Sabine River ?

[kingmotorboat]

Caught 20 in fifteen foot of water a month ago on my tidal river, define deep

[Sam]

In Louisiana, "deep" means the position chart for the Fighting Tigers football team.

 

Hopefully it will get "deeper" in the future.

 

You made a great post about "deep" which can mean anydepth depending on your body of water.

 

Geaux Tigers!

[Djamesbond3]

By deep I mean 10+ feet.  I have just been catching a lot of small males on the banks near spawning flats and was wondering if maybe the females were hanging a little deeper.  These river banks have steep drops too. You can go from 5 to 20 foot depth in a matter of 3 feet.

[Catt]

@Djamesbond3

 

Deep Cranks, Texas Rigs. Jigs, Drop Shots, & Carolina Rigs are all productive.

 

Outside river bends, outside the mouths of cuts (during) low tide, humps out away from the shoreline.

 

[Sam]

3 hours ago, Djamesbond3 said:

By deep I mean 10+ feet.  I have just been catching a lot of small males on the banks near spawning flats and was wondering if maybe the females were hanging a little deeper.  These river banks have steep drops too. You can go from 5 to 20 foot depth in a matter of 3 feet.

007, in Alabama you have an earlier spawning date than we have up here in Virginia and the majority of the country.

 

So the smaller males will be moving up to make their beds as the larger ladies sit back and wait for the water temperature to reach the target level for the spawn to start.

 

Ten feet can be deep on the bodies of water you fish. Up here we have places where there are "deep holes" of about two to three feet that will hold bass and on rivers like the Potomac where "deep" means fifty-feet.

 

Just take Ms. Moneypenny fishing and catch some of those large ladies that are "deep" this time of the year.