A question about fall

[Mobydick]

Something occured to me today...

In the fall, what part of a laydown should you fish, the main trunk towards the bottom and the primary branches, or the ends of the branches and toward the end of the tree?

Thanks!

                                       

                                                                Ian

[txbass1]

Fish it all

[Grey Wolf]

Why wouldn't you fish all of it ?

[Mobydick]

I did today, but say there is laydowns every 50 feet, and your not catching anything, but you know there in the trees, and you still cant get them to bite, where is the better place on the tree to concentrate on?

                                                                 Ian

[Catt]

As I approach a laydown or any cover for that matter I start at the outer edge & work inward until a pattern can be established telling me to do otherwise.

[Grey Wolf]

You're still going to get the same answer. Why are you making it difficult for yourself ?

[Mobydick]

You're still going to get the same answer. Why are you making it difficult for yourself ?

Just making sure I had it worded right. I always fished the whole thing, I just never fished a lake with laydowns this late in the year, just tryin to learn.

Thanks!

                                                                         Ian

[Paul Roberts]

I think I understand the question. When faced with lots of cover, do you fish every inch of it? I guess if you know there are lots of fish in that cover, great. The more aggressive the better. If not, and esp in cold water, then painstakingly working through it all may not be the best use of your time. You don't want to get into a needle in the haystack situation, unless there are a lot of needles.

I guess I'd look at the bigger picture. What parts of that cover is closest to the key parts of a structural element? Closest to the creek bend, the steep drop, the edge of the flat, or has the best mix of cover? Which is warmest? Which appears to have baitfish? Which is the densest section of cover? Etc....

The best option may be reducing the size of the haystack. Sometimes LOTS of cover isn't best. If you can find a similar key structural element that has good but more isolated cover, you'll have less to work through. Key parts of a structure (for your water at that time) and adequate but more isolated cover, and you could find lots of needles in a small haystack.

If you can't discern anything unique, you may just have to hope you run into the bunch. My guess is those late fall bass will not be spread all through the cover. They'll be bunched up. You'll have to find them.

Use maps sonar and your eyes and knowledge of that water to find something that offers the best draw.

[Paul Roberts]

Oh, I just re-read the question. And now I understand it LOL! Sorry for the tangent.

[WRB]

Fall in the norteast; laydowns are temperary ambush sites for bass that are trageting baitfish and possibly crawdads, depending where the lay down is located and the weather.

Look for a lay downs that intersects deeper water or soil transitions for higher percentage cover. The outside deeper ambush site areas are you best places to fish during the fall period. If you are fishing a cold front, then try the center more dense cover areas of the lay down. Wood cover can hold baitfish like shad during the dark hours and crawdads all day. Start deep and give the shallow areas a few casts to keep them honest.

WRB

[Tin]

Fish it all until you catch a fish and can get a pattern going. There are some days you will only get fish at the base towards the shore, and others you will only get them if you pitch the the jig over the trunk, hit a chipmunk on the tree, twirl around 3 times, say a Hail Mary, then they will hit it as they the jig is falling. Time on the h2o

[Matt Fly]

Why do you assume the bass to be holding on laydowns?   You haven't caught anything, yet have fished a bunch of them, so why have you concluded that they are holding on laydowns at this time of the year?

[Simp]

Why do you assume the bass to be holding on laydowns? You haven't caught anything, yet have fished a bunch of them, so why have you concluded that they are holding on laydowns at this time of the year?

Maybe because he is in PA and not TX with probably close to a 15-20 degree water temp difference. This time of year for him is very different then it is for you. I'd say lay downs and bushes in deep water are a good place to fish if his water temp is in the low 50s or lower.

[fishfordollars]

I try to locate the laydowns, or any other structure or cover that are out away from all the rest. The results seem to be that the better fish will hang around the isolated areas as they seem to get less pressure. It works for me. Try it and I hope it helps. Good luck.

[Pitchinkid]

Like others i say fish all of it. But im always flipping at the heart of the laydown first. i just feel that there is a better chance of a bigger bass being there. i would rather catch the one big one on the base of the tree than the 3 or 4 little or average fish on the outside limbs. Main key for me this time of year and probally for others, slow way down.

[Bassnajr]

THANK YOU SIMP!!!!!!!!

I wish everyone would indicate where in the USA they are fishing, and that the answers are specific to that area. Tin and I were talking and most of the "articles" you read on here and elsewhere are from down South, no help to ME!!!

Right now where I am, it's 39* outside, no ice YET, but damm cold. How can a guy from Florida who has never fished Northern waters tell me how to fish the Fall up here?? It's not fair for me to ask, and not fair to try and get an answer. I think Tin should write an article for Bass Resource in his down time about NORTHERN BASS FISHING/FALL BASS FISHING!!!

All in favor say "Aye!!!"

PS If you are fishing ANY cover ANY time of the year and not catching fish, move to different cover. IMHO

Alan bassnajr

[Pitchinkid]

aye and 42 degrees here in the WV

[Paul Roberts]

I think Tin should write an article for Bass Resource in his down time about NORTHERN BASS FISHING/FALL BASS FISHING!!!

All in favor say "Aye!!!"

Aye!!

[Mobydick]

Aye!!

Thanks guys, that is a lot of good info, some that I didn't know!

                                                           Ian

[Matt Fly]

I did today, but say there is laydowns every 50 feet, and your not catching anything, but you know there in the trees, and you still cant get them to bite, where is the better place on the tree to concentrate on      Ian

Simp,    

         simple question based on his answers, I'm very aware that the conditions are different all around the country.    

If I fished a bunch of laydowns,  I'm gonna pick them apart, I'm gonna look for some other fish attractors and leave the timber alone if no takers.

How do you know they are holding on laydowns?   You fished a bunch already with no luck.    Or is this hypythetical question?

           

[Matt Fly]

THANK YOU SIMP!!!!!!!!

I wish everyone would indicate where in the USA they are fishing, and that the answers are specific to that area. Tin and I were talking and most of the "articles" you read on here and elsewhere are from down South, no help to ME!!!

Right now where I am, it's 39* outside, no ice YET, but damm cold. How can a guy from Florida who has never fished Northern waters tell me how to fish the Fall up here?? It's not fair for me to ask, and not fair to try and get an answer. I think Tin should write an article for Bass Resource in his down time about NORTHERN BASS FISHING/FALL BASS FISHING!!!

All in favor say "Aye!!!"

PS If you are fishing ANY cover ANY time of the year and not catching fish, move to different cover. IMHO

Alan bassnajr

You know, diesecting a tree, a peice of brush or a laydown is still a lay down in any part of the country.

     So how does advice from the south on picking a laydown apart differ from the north on his initial question?

Has cabin fever already set in with you R.I. guys.    Ya'll been real testy lately.

     

[Simp]

THANK YOU SIMP!!!!!!!!

I wish everyone would indicate where in the USA they are fishing, and that the answers are specific to that area. Tin and I were talking and most of the "articles" you read on here and elsewhere are from down South, no help to ME!!!

Right now where I am, it's 39* outside, no ice YET, but damm cold. How can a guy from Florida who has never fished Northern waters tell me how to fish the Fall up here?? It's not fair for me to ask, and not fair to try and get an answer. I think Tin should write an article for Bass Resource in his down time about NORTHERN BASS FISHING/FALL BASS FISHING!!!

All in favor say "Aye!!!"

PS If you are fishing ANY cover ANY time of the year and not catching fish, move to different cover. IMHO

Alan bassnajr

You know, diesecting a tree, a peice of brush or a laydown is still a lay down in any part of the country.

     So how does advice from the south on picking a laydown apart differ from the north on his initial question?

Has cabin fever already set in with you R.I. guys. Ya'll been real testy lately.

     

I'd say the difference may be the fish in Texas with warmer water are more likely to be roaming the shallows actively looking for food. The further north you go the sooner the bass are moving to a late fall/winter pattern. To me this would make me think the fish are becoming less active and looking for deeper water plus cover/structure. So it could effect a choice of a jig or a crank. It could effect what depth you should be looking for structure in. Do you need to land that jig on the fished head for it to bite or simply swim it just over the branch tips? With all that said this is still "fishing" and not simply "catching". A week ago I caught several fish in 20ft of water in submerged trees. Then today my friend fished a tourney and caught his limit on buzz baits and frogs. Personally I'd be looking for rocky areas. So far that's been my biggest pattern on lakes.

[Bassnajr]

Simp,

I say we invite the texas and Florida guys up here for some REAL fall fishing!!! ;D

Bring your Moodandies guys!!!

North or South, fish react differently and are in different areas of  a body of water when the water temp. is 60* or below. IMO

ajr

[Matt Fly]

His question again, was how to fish a laydown.    He didn't say I live in Minnesota, water temps are steady at 50 degrees and yada yada yada.

    He even said he fished a bunch with no luck.    Again my question was, if you have been fishing a bunch of laydowns, and haven't caught a single one, how do you know they are there in the first place?    The answer is not because you live in Texas and we live in the north.   lol

He didn't even ask for baits to try, he asked how to fish a laydown period.   Where would you throw?

Any other information would be off topic since none of those facts are neccessary to fish a laydown.

      how fast the temp drops up north depends on how big the body of water is as well and he didn't say he was fishing 100,000 surface acres or 3000 acres, by the way, one of those will cool down faster than the other, or if it was attached to a river, stream or man made or natural body of water.

      All factors in determining how fast a lake will cool.   All of which playes no part of the simple question, how would you fish a laydown.  

By the way, off topic again,  a bass anatiomy is still the same.    What drives a bass is water temp.

    I know lakes are made differently across the country, but if you know the lake prey and their fall habits, factor in a bass is colded blooded, and you still have the factors to peice together based on water temp, no mater what part of the hemisphere you live in.

   

 

[Catt]

Simp,

I say we invite the texas and Florida guys up here for some REAL fall fishing!!! ;D

Bring your Moodandies guys!!!

North or South, fish react differently and are in different areas of a body of water when the water temp. is 60* or below. IMO

ajr

Could you handle the embarrassment?