Looking for how people fish finesse in deeper waters

[Bankbeater]

I like to fish rock bluffs that go down deep. I usually try to get in close and cast parallel to the bluff with a jig so that it bounces off the rocks on the way down. 

[ElGuapo928]

21 minutes ago, PTasker15 said:

I have been told I should be throwing 1/2-3/4oz jigs and spinnerbaits and 3/4-1oz carolina? Why might be a reason to use heavy over light? I've always been a "as light as I can get away with" guy so wondering what.

To be completely honest, I don’t even carry jigheads or sinkers over 1/2 oz anymore - 90% or more of my plastics fishing is done with 3/16 oz or less.
 

Specifically to the deep water, it’s 3/16 on doodling, 1/4 on dropshot. Carolina rigs are 1/4 to 3/8 depending on the bottom. About the heaviest I ever go is 1/2 oz football heads with a spider grub. 

[Catt]

I've been fishing Toledo Bend for 54 years & I can guarantee during that time frame you will be fishing bank shallow out to 10'.

 

The rest of the year I will be 15-35', I throw a 1/8-1/4 oz Texas Rig or 1/4-3/8 oz Jig-n-Craw.

[Catt]

Few things to know about Toledo Bend 

 

Fom the Pendleton Bridge (Hwy 6) north to the Converse area is overall "shallow" water & more off colored. This end warms faster & the bass move shallower sooner.

 

The midsection south from the bridge to 6-Mile Creek on the Texas side across to Caney Creek on the Louisiana side is generally deeper with stained to clear water. The bass in this area move up next.

 

From there south to the dam is the deepest & clearest. These bass are the last to move up shallow.

 

Pre-spawn/spawn can run from late December through late April or early May.

 

Studies has shown there is a portion of the bass population that live there entire life within a certain distance from the shoreline. 

There's a portion of the bass population that live offshore & never see a shoreline their entire life. These bass spawn offshore in waters as deep as 10-12'. 

 

The biggest determining factor for your time frame will be weather, which can change drastically in a matter of minutes. You can go from t-shirts, shorts, & flip flops to snowmobile suits in the same day.

[bp_fowler]

21 hours ago, Jig Man said:

I fish Neds on several heads depending on how deep I want to get.  I use 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16 and 1/4.  The majority of the time I use the first 3.  The heavier ones come into play with deep timber or bluff ledges.  I use TRDs and 6# Yozuri hybrid line for Neds on a variety of rods with 1000 and 2000 size Shimano reels.

Not to hijack the thread, but I’ve never seen ned rigs with EWG hooks before might I ask who makes those?

[Jig Man]

I do.  I also have open hook Ned heads but get a lot less hangups when fishing around wood.

[WRB]

Sonar is your friend and eyes underwater...use it.

What you are looking for is the depth the bait and bass are located at, no reason to fish any deeper.

My maximum depth is set at 45’ any deeper the pressure change can be fatal for bass, they don’t have pressure relief values to release gases.

Finesse techniques drop shot, slip shot, doodling worms, Flick Shake jig and wacky worm, smaller finesse jigs.

Casting tackle everything and focus on structure spoons and tail spins.

Tom

PS, the forgotten dart head jig with curl tail worm is deadly for suspended bass.

 

[scaleface]

Tubes and tubes.

[RRocket]

5 hours ago, bp_fowler said:

Not to hijack the thread, but I’ve never seen ned rigs with EWG hooks before might I ask who makes those?

I know Z-man makes some called NedLockZ

[Big Hands]

If I wanted to, my presentations would be vertical or close to it, and use those associated techniques (jigging spoons, slabs, ice jigs, dropshotting are examples and those will work at shallower depths too). I know 'deep' is a relative term. For me, that's 35' or more. 

 

However, I don't care to fish for bass deeper than 35'. I don't need to catch a 1 pound bass so badly that I don't care if their air bladder pops out of their mouth, even if I am able to successfully fizz them.  I have never caught a bass that weighed more than three pounds in more than 35', and I have been able to catch plenty in 30' or less all year by super slow (3 to 5 minutes per cast/retrieve) dragging a Carolina rig at 20-30 feet and I am able to release those bass unharmed. It's quite common at the lake I fish, to have winter bass as deep as 60-65 feet deep (in a lake that is only 2,200 acres but is as deep as 300'), but I find they're smaller in size and I don't see the point when I have other options.

[papajoe222]

On 10/13/2023 at 4:12 PM, PTasker15 said:

I have been told I should be throwing 1/2-3/4oz jigs and spinnerbaits and 3/4-1oz carolina? Why might be a reason to use heavy over light? I've always been a "as light as I can get away with" guy so wondering what.

I wouldn't consider either of those finesse, but they do have advantages over finessing deeper structure off shore. They all will get down and stay down allowing you to cover water faster, or just reed the bottom easier (for the jigs and C-rig. 

Speaking of a C-rig, one can be fished with any sized bait and a TRD on a light wire hook is a perfect example.

[MN Fisher]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:04 AM, bp_fowler said:

Not to hijack the thread, but I’ve never seen ned rigs with EWG hooks before might I ask who makes those?

I get the Owner Blockhead Offset

[Alex from GA]

One of my main lures in winter is a 1/2 or 3/4 oz jigging spoon.  Find fish or bait on the locator. 

[Choporoz]

On 10/13/2023 at 10:50 AM, PTasker15 said:

 How do I fish such light presentations effectively so deep? 

I was reluctant to fish Ned rigs deep for a long time, but as long as there is little wind, it can be deadly...much breeze and I don't bother.

On 10/13/2023 at 3:50 PM, Ktho said:

Boat positioning and electronics play a big roll when fishing deep. Cast one direction and you're in the money on a hump and a little bit the other way you're in actual no mans land. Fishing these deep spots it's not unheard of me to throw buoy markers out to mark spots. 

Good advice.  I don't find many largemouth willing to move far off their deep spot to track down a small bait.  But drop it on them, and you can get bit.

 

I may have missed it, but I didn't see mention of a blade bait.  I always have one tied on from November into March.

[Bankc]

My primary lake is about 100 ft deep.  You won't find any fish at those depths.  The water it too stained for light to get that far down.  Usually, 30ish feet is as deep I find them.  In the 60+ zones, you don't hardly find anything alive, so it's not worth your time to even look.  

 

In all honesty, I don't find finesse fishing for suspended bass to be very productive in deep water.  Not without live bait, anyway.  But sometimes, especially in the deep winter, it's your only choice.  What success I have had has come from finding a bunch of fish on my depth finder, noting how far they are off the bottom, and fishing at or just above that depth.  So I might see a school in 35 FOW suspending about 5-7 feet off the bottom, and I'll tie on a drop shot with a 7 foot leader between the hook and weight and just drop it over the side and let it sit.  Or maybe I'll cast it out and extremely slowly hop it back or just drift along with it.  I'll typically use something like a 3/8 oz. weight, but it depends on the wind and current.  I just use whatever is the lightest weight that I can keep control of.   

[Kirtley Howe]

Cayuga lake is up to 425 ft deep. Bass are often caught just above the thermocline, which can often be anywhere from 60 to 125 ft. I would not call it finesse fishing, as you have to use weights up to 3/4 oz just to get the lure down there in a reasonable amount of time. To me it is incredibly boring fishing, and I don't do it, but know several people who do.

[TnRiver46]

Thermocline disappears in winter and we can catch fish plenty deep or shallow, water temp is the same on top as it is 100 feet down 

 

then on the main river reservoirs , there is never a well defined thermocline due to the current 

[Catt]

On 10/13/2023 at 9:50 AM, PTasker15 said:

I'll be fishing Toledo Bend and Bob Sandlin Reservoir (both of which are in Texas) in Early December and Late January respectively.

 

What is your major concern?

 

Fishing these bodies of water or finesse fishing deeper water?

[J Francho]

Look at grubs, drop shot, and jigging spoons. None of there feel very finesse, but they work. 

[PTasker15]

17 hours ago, Catt said:

 

What is your major concern?

 

Fishing these bodies of water or finesse fishing deeper water?

fishing deeper water in general. Never had success to begin with in over 15 feet (though my time is limited in those areas). Plus wondering how to work finesse in these 20-30' areas without snatching up a bass by it's colon by the time I notice it.

[Catt]

How dedicated are you?

 

Legendary angler Mark Pack was known for targeting suspected bass with a weightless M-Pack Shad (7" Fluke style). Try counting that down 25-30' while holding the boat in place with your trolling motor.

 

Pacman was known for catching double digit bass & 50# sacks on Lake Fork.

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, PTasker15 said:

Plus wondering how to work finesse in these 20-30' areas without snatching up a bass by it's colon by the time I notice it.

Spinning, L/F or ML/F rod, light braid, 4'-6' FC leader...you'll feel the 'tap-tap-tap' when they pick it up...even at depth. And it's pretty easy to differentiate between a fish and it knocking through rocks or pulling through weeds.