Rock Piles and Boulders - Presentation in Clear Water? - Neutral Fish

[txchaser]

Any tips for presentations in 10' clarity water, around big boulders and rock piles? 7-12' depth. Fish were not willing to chase, but would bite if I put it in their face. Partly cloudy, 60 degrees at the surface, 54 at depth.

 

I found if I could get the angle just right, and get the bait close to an overhang, something would come out and grab it. Fields of rocks were pretty big, so I was trying to cover water. Slow rolled swimbait with owner willow underspin worked ok, a few jig bites. Ned, shakeyhead, and dropshot didn't do great. Maybe should have spent more time with the jig or shakeyhead, or shortened the dropshot up to nearly a tokyo rig. Wacky and t-rig senko was a total blank.

 

From the top of the rock to the overhang might be a 4'-6' drop. 

 

Caught more on longer casts, probably because of the clear water. Deadsticking reduced bites and size of fish (shrug).

 

On the drive home I realized I had a fat ika in my pocket... Put it there so I wouldn't forget to fish it. I did  

 

Tips or ideas on how to fish this efficiently, as well as make sure I covered as many of the hiding spots as possible?

 

[SWVABass]

Did you try a jerk bait? That’s about the only thing that comes to my mind..

[Catt]

Tube Bait ?

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, Catt said:

Tube Bait ?

Or a 1/4 oz Swim Jig with a paddle-tail trailer. Varied retrieve - make it bob up-and-down.

[senile1]

Sounds to me like you did a decent job of figuring out something that worked.  It takes a lot of time to try everything.  A tube and jerkbait, as mentioned above, are options.  In extremely clear water, I think long casts are essential except in very deep water vertical fishing.  If they were coming out from the overhang and grabbing the bait, a reaction type strike sounds plausible.  You would have to make sure they don't get a good look at the bait using such a presentation with that type of water clarity.  I think a Ned rig would be a small natural presentation that would work as well.

[smalljaw67]

You have the perfect conditions for a 1/8oz to 1/4oz hair jig. I've done well with 1/8oz hair as deep as 18', the lighter weight forces you to work it slow. Another deal that should work is a Spro Phat Fly type jig fished under a float for the shallower spots, it is basically a float-n-fly. There is the standard jerkbait or ned rig bait, and if going ned rig try a craw profile bait right now. 

[Hook2Jaw]

Just fished something just like you're describing at McKinney Falls State Park near Austin, TX.  The only thing I can make them eat is a Ned rigged Z-Man Craw.  It's pretty tough, I am not a clear water fisherman.

 

By just I mean I'm still here so y'all keep rolling suggestions. ?

[webertime]

Ika

3" Senko under a clear casting float

[jimmyjoe]

   Every spring I fish a place that's similar to what you're describing. The only thing that has worked regularly is spinnerbaits, retrieved at a moderate speed but aimed so as to graze the boulders as closely as possible without abrading the line too much. I tried a pulsed retrieve, and it didn't produce anything. I also didn't do this: https://www.bassmaster.com/blog/clear-water-spinnerbaits

   but you might find it helpful.    Good luck!    jj

[frogflogger]

Lots of good suggestions, but if the water temps are in the 50's or above I would be throwing a top water into the mix.

[RyneB]

3.5" green pumpkin tube. 

[Fishin' Fool]

I mean that sounds prime for a drop shot. Maybe you didn't have the right bait on or have the lure at the right depth. But I would have 100% confidence fishing a drop shot in the type of area that you described.

[WRB]

I fish this type of structure nearly every outing in clear deep rocky structure lakes, it's the norm.

Bass hang around boulders for shelter and to hunt crawdads. The big boulders provide a shade break and bass and crawdads tend to be located in the low light areas. Look at where the sun is positioned and cast to the opposite side where the shadows are located.

T-rigged worms and creatures, jigs with craw trailers worked up and over the boulders or along a shade break and any clay soil transition areas that may have wood cover are where the bass should be located.

Rocks abraid line so check the line every cast for nicks and abrasion, big bass like rock piles and boulders.

crawl the jig or soft plastic up on top of the rocks/boulders and shake it, then pop off and let it fall watching closely for any line movement that indicates a strike.

Tom

[Dogface]

On 12/28/2019 at 1:42 PM, smalljaw67 said:

You have the perfect conditions for a 1/8oz to 1/4oz hair jig. 

Yep! Or a ball head jig with a twister tail. I use the light jig and twister tail on the upper Delaware, the Susquehanna and the St Lawrence and it produces in rocky areas. The area you described also describes many of the areas I fish on the St. Lawrence.

 

Good luck!

[Bankbeater]

When I fish rock piles I circle the rock pile and cast into it from different directions. I will be slowly dragging a jig and craw along keeping contact with the bottom the entire time.