What is a secondary point?

[piranha]

?

[Raul]

One or several points that extend or are very near a primary ( much larger ) point.

[piranha]

Do they extend off of the primary point or off the main body of land? Or doesn't it matter - a point is a point?

Also, does it need to be a certain shape or size to have the significance of a point? That is, holding baitfish and thus bass. Is there another reason points are so important? Does a point need to drop of into a certain depth of water to, again, have significance for bass?

Why are baitfish drawn to a point?

Sorry for all the questions.

[5bass]

A point is the most obvious structure to find,it doesnt matter how long,how wide,how deep or how shallow.....a point is a point.

A secondary point will be the second point into a creek channel or large cove.Usually where a creek comes in there is the initial point where the creek runs into the main body,the secondary point will be the next one you come to.

Some points are better than others.At certain times during the year a shallow point will be better than a deep point and at other times,it's just the opposite.Points give the fish a place to hang out near deep water and also a place to feed that is not so deep.If a school of baitfish happen to roam across the point,the bass dont have far to swim to feed and the shallower water on a point means there is less water for prey to swim.It's much easier for a bass to get a meal in 5 ft of water than 20 ft.

Certain points will hold fish at all times during the year.....most of these will be on the main lake and run right into the channel.If you can locate these points,you should be able to be on fish 90% of the time.

[piranha]

One more question - The fish hold, on and around, a point, even though there is no cover, just the structure change in bottom depth?

I am having trouble grasping why they would hold on a place with no cover, especially in the shallow lakes around here. I always picture bass near something, a stump, brush, any kind of cover. Imagining a bass on a featureless gradual slope is throwing me. I just don't get it.

Now, if there was cover near the point, then I would understand. But that generally isn't the case around here because it is so shallow.

Please enlighten me more, oh wise ones.

[ncraqz]

I personally like points with current swirling by and if there's boulders or cover on the point the HIT IT.... especially big rocks in the water, they've been good to me... I guess the fish can hid out between the rocks and get a jump on whatever comes by!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Piranha- yes but it's not just depth.  Points in current especially have lots of advantages with the biggest being an "eddy" type situation for  A FAT LAZY BASS TO AMBUSH IN.

[Raul]

Excellent explanation Fivebasslimit.

Why points are important:

1.- usually the water arround them is deeper

2.- Like Low-budget said, it 's an ambush place

3.- baitfish use them as feeding ground

4.- baitfish use them as reference mark to move along the shore

5.- they extend into the lake breaking the contour of the lake.

Here 's something important that you said:

I always picture bass near something, a stump, brush, any kind of cover. Imagining a bass on a featureless gradual slope is throwing me.

That 's why you don 't get it, cover is good, but cover on structure is best, fish prefer structure over cover, fish by structure not by cover, what makes cover appealing to fish is when cover is on structure or very near it, for example, you are fishing a flat covered with brush but some brushes produce more than others, the reason is not the brush itself, the reason is on what those brushes are standing on or are very near to a distinctive structural feature, even a slight variation on depth is what separates one from the other.

[Hamlet]

That 's why you don 't get it, cover is good, but cover on structure is best, fish prefer structure over cover, fish by structure not by cover, what makes cover appealing to fish is when cover is on structure or very near it, for example, you are fishing a flat covered with brush but some brushes produce more than others, the reason is not the brush itself, the reason is on what those brushes are standing on or are very near to a distinctive structural feature, even a slight variation on depth is what separates one from the other.

Wow, that was a informative post. I was under the impression that cover was far more important the structure. It seems like you have to have a depth finder to really be on the fish consistently. I only fish ponds at the moment but i'm gonna be stepping up to the huge lakes in the future and it just seems like a whole different ballgame,...the bonus being that the fish are consistently bigger  than they are in these small ponds.

[roadwarrior]

On lakes with both smallmouth and largemouth, smallmouth are more likely to be found on primary points and largemouth on secondary points. Whereas largemouth often relate to cover, smallmouth are almost always related to structure and current if there is any.

Regarding the size of fish in big lakes vs. ponds, there may be more big fish in a lake due to the gross size of the lake, but ponds grow monsters and they're much easier to catch. Ponds concentrate big fish which may be caught anywhere on the water. In a lake, big fish tend to be territorial and found around specific cover or structure which is not necessarily the case in a pond.

BTW: "What is a secondary point?" Excellent responses, gentlemen. I have nothing to add.

[George Welcome]

Secondary points are all points in coves and inlets.

Any point is a restriction of the water, which will accelerate water movement: (Bernouli principle) when it is present, whether by wind or current. Increased current equals a great place to hang. As previously noted, add cover and you have an almost irresistible place for the bass to hang with their mouths open.

[Max-in-Mn]

"Whereas largemouth often relate to cover, smallmouth are almost always related to structure and current if there is any."

That's how I feel too RW. I've always believed that as far as structure go's, smallies have more in common with walleyes than they do with there green back cousins. I've caught my biggest smallies fishing for walleyes, mostly on large sand bars.

[roadwarrior]

I fish Bull Shoals several times a year, but mostly below the dam, trout fishing during the day. Then in the late afternoon and evening I usually fish with my guide on the lake. We usually fish jerkbaits for walley, but we usually catch more smallmouth than walley. So, I agree, walley and smallmouth tend to favor the same structure and that generally means primary points.

[BassMaster_1]

OK i gotta jump in here.  I fished a great point last week.   Weedline was broke because of the point, which formed 2 breaklines both sides of the point.  I Found more largemouths higher towards the shore and closer to the weedline.  Smalliest were either on the middle of the point or the deeper side of the weedline.  Strong north breeze came in late afternoon and continued till dark.  That point was the best at that time.  Produced about 8 fish, 2 smallies 19 and 18 inches.  The breeze pushed bait all over that point and it really heated up, so i suggest looking for wind swept, main lake points,  with some type of cover.

[Raul]

The reason why structure is more important than cover Max is that structure is there, it 's a landmark not subject to modifications in the short term ( hours, days, months or years ) it may take decades before structure is modified, rocks, bottom composition, contour, points, submegred point, sand bars, submerged road beds, submerged train tracks, rip raps, bluffs, humps are going to be there many decades after the lake has been filled. On the other hand, cover can be and is modified in the short term, brush, trees, weeds have a life once that life is due they dissapear. Docks are somewhere in between a pure structural feature and a cover feature because it has elements of both.

A dephtfinder is a valuable tool Max but it 's not a necessity, the terrain above the water level tells you what 's underneath water level because structural features extend, use your eyes and don 't become dependant on technology, technology is only as good as the one who is using the technology.

[Shad_Master]

One good way to get the hang of this is to study your current surroundings.  If the place where you are were suddenly underwater, what would it look like to a fish (or a scuba diver)?  Where would the points and the humps be?  What kind of cover would there be? etc.