In very deep lakes, when do you just disregard depth?

[th365thli]

The title is a little bit confusing no?

 

Let me try and explain. When watching videos and reading articles about summer fishing offshore, people talk about fishing points, creek bed intersections, and drop offs, with the good fish generally on the main lake. 

 

That makes sense when your lake maxes out at 30-50 feet deep (this is just an approximation). 

 

The lakes I fish, for example Lake Berryessa, even the creek channels are over 100 feet deep!

 

So in this case, does the information still hold true? I somehow doubt that bass are going 100 feet deep using those creek channels. And though I pride myself in being able to fish offshore, 100 feet is just ludicrous to me. 

 

So in this situation, it seems like fishing the main lake vs a creek channel doesn't matter, as it's all deep. Points and drop offs from banks are still in play, but any strategy to do with creek channels is out the window. Am I correct in my thinking? Do bass really go that deep?

 

  

 

Here's an example, that's a snapshot of a main creek channel. And even the secondary coves are 90 feet deep. 

 

 

[Todd2]

This is a good question, one that I asked a guide many years ago. His answer was, for example, to fish the channel swing banks and points because it's hard to fish that deep.

 

They will suspend over those channels but I rarely have luck on those and when I do its swimming a grub through them. The Alabama rig guys might chime in here. Also, the thermocline dictates their depth in the summer if you have that. Our's sets up up at around 15-20 feet on our less stained lakes, 10-15 on the more stained one that I fish the most. Don't fish below it as a guideline.

 

Hopefully others will give some better thoughts.

[TOXIC]

For me, when they go deep I rely on 2 things.  1. They will come shallow to feed at different times and 2. Find the bait they are feeding on and fish that depth.  Remember they use flats, points, channels, etc., as highways to get to where they are going either for seasonal movement or feeding.  That being said, I have never caught a bass any deeper than the 30 foot range although I do know they pull smallmouth out of lakes like Erie at 60 feet +.

[Catt]

Just because I'm catching fish in 100' of water doesn't mean I'm fishing the bottom!

 

It's not uncommon to catch fish suspended at 30-40' over a 100' river/creek channels.

[NHBull]

In the summer, on my home lake, I seldom catch fish below the thermocline. I usually look for cover at the same depth and improve my chances

[Fishingmickey]

Find the depth the schools of bait are holding at (shad in Texas). Find the fish. 

[senile1]

We have lakes on the Missouri/Arkansas border similar to the OPs.  The White River impoundments - Table Rock, Bull Shoals, and Beaver Lakes - are all over 200 feet at their deepest with lots of 60 to 120 foot depths throughout the lakes.  The thermoclines on these lakes are usually deeper than I ever fish.  As others have stated, it is best to find the depth of the bait and do your fishing there on lakes such as these.  If you can find bait intersecting with structure at that depth then you have a bottom to fish which is usually what I try to do. 

 

Having said that, I have caught bass 35 - 40 feet deep in 75 - 100 foot deep water with spoons.  Typically, it is best to avoid chasing suspended fish but when the fish are stationed in and above the tree tops chasing bait in the range that I am fishing, one can catch quite a few.  Usually, the fish I catch in this suspended fashion are spotted bass and a few smallies.  I haven't had much luck catching largemouth this way.

[WRB]

Berries sa is a typical California highland deep structured lake. In the summer months Berryessa will have a thermocline at around 35, the majority of the bass population will be located at or above that depth. Berryessa is also a windy lake so thermocline tend to bend and vary in depth, the wind also created currents or upwelling as the water moves over deeper structure elements. Under islands or humps in water that tops off around 50' to 60' often have bass suspended at 35', catching them isn't easy. 

I would take a paper map and, depending on the lakes current depth, highlight the 35'-40' break line. Where you see underwater points, humps, fish those areas even though the water continues to be deeper. Bass tend to suspend near those deep breaks and move onto the structure at 35' depth or shallower.

Tom

[th365thli]

Thanks for all the helpful responses.

 

There are two main things I gathered.

 

1) There are fish that suspend at a depth over deep/empty water. Generally above the thermocline. These fish are hard to catch.

 

2) I should look for structure, bait, and break lines above the thermocline. If I can find all three together that's a hot spot.

 

Looks like I'll have to spend a lot of time idling around and graphing. I'll also try and keep it simple. Find good looking points. Start there, go down the lake and find structure/bait/breaks at certain depths. 

[WRB]

Don't forget to look for baitfish in those areas! Grebes, both the Pied Bill and larger Western Grebe (with the long neck) work suspended baitfish schools, look for them and the direction they are swimming.

Berryessa is a good swimbait lake for those deeper suspended bass, along with underspins and structure spoons. Soft plastics and jigs tend work better near or on structure.

Good luck.

Tom

[scaleface]

Like everyone else I first look for the thermocline .That is the max I will fish . Then I look for a depth in open water that is holding a lot of fish / shad . Often that zone is five to fifteen foot shallower than the thermocline .  I then like to hit   long points at the depth those open water fish are showing up with deep diving cranks , lipless cranks and soft plastics . Its nothing to catch 50 bass on one spot . Red Eye Shads hopped on the bottom of those areas is one of my favorite tactics . 

 

Catching suspended bass over deep channels or in  deep tree tops is something I have never done .

[th365thli]

It sounds pretty straightforward once people explain it haha.

 

Structure, bait, breaks/points, all above the thermocline (generally).

 

I should have clarified, I said "lakes I fish", what I meant was "lakes around my area that I would like to fish". Very excited, I have not fished a truly large reservoir yet with my boat so I can only dream about 50 bass days/spots. 

 

The California Delta has been very hard for me this season. Gotta try new things. 

[sully420]

16 hours ago, TOXIC said:

For me, when they go deep I rely on 2 things.  1. They will come shallow to feed at different times 

I think this is a real key point, has really helped me pattern bigger fish, shallow or in mid depth grass or structure.

[WRB]

4 hours ago, th365thli said:

It sounds pretty straightforward once people explain it haha.

 

Structure, bait, breaks/points, all above the thermocline (generally).

 

I should have clarified, I said "lakes I fish", what I meant was "lakes around my area that I would like to fish". Very excited, I have not fished a truly large reservoir yet with my boat so I can only dream about 50 bass days/spots. 

 

The California Delta has been very hard for me this season. Gotta try new things. 

The delta is a tidal river system very different then a man made reservior. You have some world class lakes within 2 to 3 hour drive that includes the largest natural bass lake in California....Clear lake. The foothill lakes are amazing.

Tom

[geo g]

I live in south Florida, deep water is over 12 feet, LoL.   Don't spend much time even thinking about deep fishing!  Know your surroundings and always be willing to adjust!

[th365thli]

Sort of reviving this.

 

I finally made it out to Berryessa and it's already my favorite body of water in California. 

 

It's the first time I fished a lake that clear and with such diverse cover. You have the north with shallower water and cover great for largemouth. You have rock for Small mouth. And you have the narrows for spotted bass. 

 

We pretty much followed the advice of everyone and found structure/ledges with baitfish. We fished long underwater points, submerged trees, and rock. We only caught 20 fish. I know that might sound like humble-bragging but given the reputation of that lake, I know people can pull in fish by the barrel, metaphorically speaking. In our defense, we launched late and only stuck to one arm of the lake. 

 

 

[looking45]

My home lake is Shasta, here in Ca. There are areas that are over 300 feet deep. A few times when I couldn't find the fish, I started looking in deep water. I have caught fish in 90 feet of water. Who knows why they were that deep, but the bite stayed that way for 3 weeks. None of my friends were willing to fish that deep and they struggled to find shallow(er) fish.

[WRB]

Shasta has 4 rivers running into it; Sacramento, McCloud, Pitt and Squaw with a massive hydroelectric dam feeding the lower River. What this means is current, often creating multiple thermoclines during the summer and no thermoclines cooler water periods. Shasta also has populations of LMB, Spotted bass and Smallmouth bass that prefer different water and depths. It's not uncommon for the lake level at Shasta to go down or up in depth over a foot in 24 hours or down 100' in a year and raise the following year, lot water being exchanged.

Shasta has excellent fishing opportunities, one of my favorite lakes.

Tom 

PS, Carr fire is creating havoc in the area, very smoky at Shasta now.

[diversity210]

I rarely every fish beyond 25 feet for bass.  I think the deepest bass I have ever caught was in about 20 feet of water.  I know people fish the main body of the lake for Large mount and catch giants at around 25 feet deep.  The lake I frequent the most has a max depth of about 150 feet.  I often find myself sitting in the main body of the lake in 90 feet of water.  Ive come to realize that just because the bass are sitting in deep water.  Doesn't mean they are swimming deep.  Many times you can still use your same techniques in deep water because you are still going to be fishing with in 30 feet and up.  Bass like to suspend themselves over deeper water.  Especially when you are seeing mid 80-90 degree water temps.  Just go down to basspro and check out the bass in their giant takes.  You will notice they will usually be suspended about 1/3 - 1/2 way down.

[Harold Scoggins]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 4:32 AM, th365thli said:

The title is a little bit confusing no?

 

Let me try and explain. When watching videos and reading articles about summer fishing offshore, people talk about fishing points, creek bed intersections, and drop offs, with the good fish generally on the main lake. 

 

That makes sense when your lake maxes out at 30-50 feet deep (this is just an approximation). 

 

The lakes I fish, for example Lake Berryessa, even the creek channels are over 100 feet deep!

 

So in this case, does the information still hold true? I somehow doubt that bass are going 100 feet deep using those creek channels. And though I pride myself in being able to fish offshore, 100 feet is just ludicrous to me. 

 

So in this situation, it seems like fishing the main lake vs a creek channel doesn't matter, as it's all deep. Points and drop offs from banks are still in play, but any strategy to do with creek channels is out the window. Am I correct in my thinking? Do bass really go that deep?

 

  

 

Here's an example, that's a snapshot of a main creek channel. And even the secondary coves are 90 feet deep. 

 

 

Just curious, is this a channel and how far north could you navigate this area?