LMB on Long Deep Points - Up, Down or Across?

[Choporoz]

When you mark summer largemouth on long points in 18+ FOW, how do you approach?

 

I've been working on these fish for years and just starting to get a bit of confidence.  Lots of long, mostly smooth-bottom points that get hammered by c-rigs all summer.  I have tried and hated c-rigs, so I generally work trigs, shaky heads, jigs and soft swimbaits.  

 

Almost every time I see others hitting these, they are working lures from shallow to deep.  I have struggled with maintaining confident bottom contact fishing downward and more often than not will fish across.  That may be why I haven't done as well...I don't know.  Seems to me, though, that maybe I should be positioning closer to shore and working uphill.   Better bottom contact and I've no reason to think that feeding fish at that depth aren't herding into shore so much as waiting for food to come in...just a WAG....I really have no clue how they're oriented down there.

 

Any thoughts on how you approach these deeper, long points?

[TnRiver46]

I always cast up shallow and drag it down the drop . I read on here a few times from @WRB to work jigs uphill and I've read @A-Jay say to start shallow and work your way out deep. I've tried dragging baits uphill and they just get stuck so I think the answer to your question varies by region and/or type of water you are fishing. All we have is rivers or rivers with dams so most points and drop off are steep and Rocky and littered with logs. Therefore I have much more success dragging baits downhill. I'm always stuck or retying dragging uphill

[WRB]

I diagramed how to fish a major point in my In-Fisherman article Horizontal Jigging that was posted somewhere on this site.

Working a jig uphill is difficult and the reason I have suggested many times that shore anglers focus using T-riiiged worms with sliding billet weight in lieu of a jig to reduce snagging.

Fishing from a boat 90% of the bass anglers approach a major point from outside casting towards the shoreline base of the point. Bass get conditioned to boats approaching them and casting lures and simply leave or turn off any feeding activity until the boat leaves.

Occasionally a boat will be working tight to the bank and will cast along the points base while passing over the point, often getting hung up disturbing the spot.

My advice is approach a major point quietly from close to shore and cast at the base area first followed by casting all the way down the point spine and sides while paralell to the sides at the depth you know bass/bait is located. Work the point all the way past the end, then work back down the opposite side towards the base. When done properly you cover every possible angle and depth zone hitting every piece of isolated structure or cover.

Tom

 

[A-Jay]

An excerpt from Chapter IV of Brown Bass tools.  

I'll fish green bass the same way many times. 

 

"I almost always prefer to approach any point from its shallowest or nearest to the bank end.  I’ll fish the ‘inside turn’ before I get to it as not to ‘burn’ (spook off) any fish that might be up there. ( the inside turn at the base of any point can be a good spot and even a pattern at times) If the light is low enough and there’s sufficient water on top of the shallowest areas of the point, I’ll fish that first.  If that’s the deal I’ll stay off it and keep catching.  If not, I’ll move up onto the point and position my rig to fish the sides & eventually, off the front.  On some Big points, the ‘Top’ can be pretty massive and by covering it all, there could be may fish to be had.  So there’s no need to hurry through it all looking to fish deeper if that’s where they are. 

    OK so now it’s time to approach & fish the ‘sides’ of the point.  Let’s take a second and discuss a few things.   As mentioned, much of the water we’re fishing is clear; add some sun and a boat shadow – there’s plenty going on here that can alert the bass to my presence well before I make a single cast.  And that’s The Last thing I want to do, is ‘burn’ the spot – especially after I went through all the time & effort to ‘sneak in’ from the bank.  So, if I don’t need it, I turn off all my electronics.  May not help, but if they’re off, they definitely can’t hurt.  I’ll go easy on the Fortrex – and even using the wind a bit if it can help get me where I want to go.   I’ll often make the choice of where to come up on the point based on the wind.  But that can work two ways; it can help move me up and along but it can also blow me onto fish I don’t want to burn, so choose wisely Grasshopper.  This is where the Talons really earn their keep.  I think you can see why.     

     Points that have cover (weeds, wood, just about anything that offers bass or even better, a whole school of bass, a place to relate to) is what we’re discussing here.  Often the bigger or more cover is better, especially if it can & does hold bait.  But sometimes one rock or one dead tree or one 10 ft square weed or grass patch, can hold several very respectable bass – you just never know.  They all but disappear on it."

 

A-Jay

[Catt]

Point Defined: A finger of land that juts out into deeper open water. The most obvious points are main lake and secondary points that originate from the shoreline. Points also occur in conjunction with underwater ridges and humps. Points can also be found jutting out on underwater flats and have no visible area above the waterline.

 

Point Logic: Points create a slope contour that progresses from shallow water to deep but occasionally points will occur in stair-step form; these staggered series of drop-offs create additional structure. Bass relate to points for multiply reasons. Points provide a dining table for feeding acting as natural funnels for staging before, during, and after the spawn.

 

The Best Points: Choose points based on the season; in cold water concentrate on main lake points where bass can find significant depth changes without swimming great distances. In warm water concentrate on secondary points which are points that occur inside the mouth of a cove or bay when bass begin gravitating to shallows via creeks, ditches, and channels. Submerged points are ideal especially during adverse weather conditions. The ideal point has a channel because they provide them a convenient place to feed with deep water access. Points with some form of cover Hydrilla, brush, stumps, gravel, or chunk rock are generally more attractive than bald points.

 

Pointed techniques: Points are the most popular forms of structure because they are easiest to find and can be fished with any lure & technique which makes them the most pressured.

[jimmyjoe]

   Since I'm a shorecaster, I have no choice. First lure is a spinnerbait, retrieved parallel to the spine of the point. Then I go to a ribbontail worm. If the point is rocky, I go to a spoon. If it's weedy or brushy, I go to a senko, t-rigged at the depth you're talking about. I always work the base of the point first, gradually moving out deeper. If the wind is in the right direction, I may throw a slip bobber with a marabou jig under it, but by that time I better be getting fish, or I'll be movin' on.    jj

[Todd2]

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 I’ll fish the ‘inside turn’ before I get to it as not to ‘burn’ (spook off) any fish that might be up there

So for my own clarity, there would be two inside turns, one that curves to a main lake bank (for example) and one to a bay/cove? Or are you calling the one leading to the bay the inside turn?

 

[Catt]

Before I decide where to start I first look at the surrounding area as well.

 

Is there a creek/river channel near by?

What types of cover are on the point?

Is there current & from which side.

 

Finding main structure is easy but breaking that down into prime structure and then again into a key structure is the way to success.

[A-Jay]

55 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

So for my own clarity, there would be two inside turns, one that curves to a main lake bank (for example) and one to a bay/cove? Or are you calling the one leading to the bay the inside turn?

 

Yes ~ 

A-Jay

[NorcalBassin]

8 hours ago, WRB said:

I diagramed how to fish a major point in my In-Fisherman article Horizontal Jigging that was posted somewhere on this site.

Excellent read and thank you for sharing the detailed presentation!

[deep]

 

Seems like there's a hump (or a hollow) on the spine of the point, and (at least some) casts from positions 1-4 cover that. (reading too much into it?)

 

The few long main lake points in the reservoirs I fish have fairly sharp break(s) (one or two depth breaklines). I usually fish those break(s) both horizontally and vertically (not necessarily video game fishing), and move on; except when I feel like a more elaborate approach (as detailed in the sketch) might yield a lot more fish.

 

I think what's really crucial is figuring out how (if at all) the fish are relating to the point, the corresponding depth(s), and breaks/ breaklines at those depths. And then I can fish for them with my favorite baits. I prefer paralleling breaklines (less casting, more fishing at the correct depths), but fish sometimes have different routines.

 

 

[WRB]

Been awhile since you posted anything, good to see you are still around.

The hump or saddle is a very impotant feature on that illustration, it represents isolated structure element, a funnel zone and a holding area for big bass that offers instant sanctuary into deeper water.

Thank you for posted the sketch.

Tom

[BassNJake]

A lot of excellent information right here on probably one of the best places to catch fish anywhere.

There have been a bunch of threads asking how to approach a new body of water.

Points can often give various different clues that will apply to other locations.

I know many a tournament has been won by running the point pattern.

 

I have had a couple very good days stroking a jig/spoon/blade bait on fish suspended over the very end of a point

But traditionally I follow the diagram above

 

 

 

 

[Catt]

I might be the only one but quite often I will fish straight up the top of the "ridge" fan casting 180°.

 

On most structure I prefer working my lures uphill (sitting shallow - casting deep). 

[Tennessee Boy]

Great information here.  I don’t have time right now to dive into this great thread.  It’s interesting to me that most of what has been mentioned so far would have applied to fishing points 30 years ago.   How has modern electronics changed the way you fish points?

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Great information here.  I don’t have time right now to dive into this great thread.  It’s interesting to me that most of what has been mentioned so far would have applied to fishing points 30 years ago.   How has modern electronics changed the way you fish points?

"Points" are sort of low hanging fruit; as they are usually pretty easy to find & perhaps even fish somewhat effectively.  This does not in any way diminish them as a very reliable & productive bait & bass holding structure.

However, by utilizing some of what is available in electronics & mapping today, enables me to find, mark & very effectively fish, the spot on the spot. 

Might be a point, might not.

#thejuice

A-Jay

 

 

[Hook2Jaw]

Awesome thread, guys!  I cannot wait to take everything I've learned here and apply it.

[EWREX]

i'll go with the june 2019 bass resource trend and "throw a ned rig"

[Choporoz]

Here's one of the local community hole points.  Boats practically line up to take their turn on weekends.

[Catt]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Points" are sort of low hanging fruit; as they are usually pretty easy to find & perhaps even fish somewhat effectively.

 

I generally only fish the types of points pictured above during early pre-spawn & in the dead of winter if a creek/river channel is near by.

 

3 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

  How has modern electronics changed the way you fish points?

 

It hasn't! It just makes it easier! ?

[Choporoz]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

I generally only fish the types of points pictured above during early pre-spawn & in the dead of winter if a creek/river channel is near by.

May not matter to your assessment,  but I have something in my settings screwed up.  The lines aren't 5'.  They are closer to 3'....max depth in that area is about 40'....not 65+

[WRB]

IMO modern digital 1' elevation maps like Navonics coupled with high difination sonar units has opened up all types of structure fishing including the most obviuos structure points.

For decades the point I sketched and Deep posted is a real major point that didn't get much attention until the early 90's. Most bass anglers worked the shoreline passing over the point near it's base thinking it kept getting deeper and missing the important saddle and hump area where the majority of bass were located. Today's sonar maps are very accurate and bass anglers can see the structure at home before fishing it and they fish the entire structure.

Tom

[Todd2]

26 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

May not matter to your assessment,  but I have something in my settings screwed up.  The lines aren't 5'.  They are closer to 3'....max depth in that area is about 40'....not 65+

That little pocket to the left keeps drawing my attention, you ever do good there?

[Choporoz]

6 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

That little pocket to the left keeps drawing my attention, you ever do good there?

Had a 7# blue cat crush my chatterbait right there a couple weeks ago....slimy bugger

 

But yes -- not in the center, but there's grass on the south (more gradual) slope bordering it, and that drop routinely holds bass

[WRB]

There is a point we called smorgasbord because you never knew what you would catch on it, Blue and Channel cats or bass all located there, it held schools of Shad. After Stripe bass invaded the lake it's called striper point.

Tom