Fishing Stumps...Advice Welcomed!

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

When you are out fishing and you come across a stump most fisherman stop and get all excited because this tends to scream bass territory!

If I come across one in deeper water I have found that they tend to carry more bass than one single fish, as most shallow stumps do. For example, a stump on the edge of a ledge or drop-off. There tends to be some sort of flat near by and I will definitely target this specific stump for a while. Most fisherman will target the stump and let the lure drop right beside the stump. Sometimes the bass will be holding near the stump and if you cast on top of the stump you will often spook the fish and it will move to deeper water or miss them completely.

I tend to cast on the far side of the stump to help not spook the fish. Then I will tend to retrieve the lure on the shady side first. Usually, the bass will be holding on the shady side vs. the sunny side. You also want to make sure to get as close to the object with your bait on the retrieve because if you hit something on the stump and re-direct your lure you can often trigger a reaction strike.

Once you retrieve your bait past the stump you don't want to burn your bait back to the boat. You want to allow your bait to work the area adjacent to the stump because bass will cruise the water around looking for bait. Most fisherman miss this opportunity because they think that once they are past this structure the bass are not around. Big bass will objectively follow a bait any distance.

My go-to baits when fishing stump are Jigs, Spinnerbaits, lipless cranks and worms. When fishing Jigs and worms I like to works all parts of the stump often making 10 or more casts on a single stump to make sure I get every angle possible. When I work a spinner bait I will tend to retrieve the spinner bait right up to the stump and let the bait fall around the stump on the retrieve. You will often get bit on the fall and they are vicious strikes. Crankbaits I try and hit the stump as much as possible. The reaction strike works great and tends to be a very good way to catch a limit.

There are many different approaches to this and I would like to hear your input or additions.

[Uncle Leo]

I approach it the same way. Spinnerbaits, Jigs, T-Rigs and bumping crankbaits. The one thing I tend not to do is give up on a stump to soon. Last year I casted to a stump in 2 foot of water I bet a dozen times before I hooked up a 4 lb LM. He probabaly was not there all along but the stump brought him in I am sure.

[Matt Fly]

Whether its an old stump or tree, learn to identify the type of tree.

By learning what types of trees grow where, in open water, you can identify where creek channels are by what timber is present without ever seeing a map.

   Or identify high spots due to type of timber growing.   Certain trees in East and North Texas grow in certain areas..  Some are known to grow on higher grounds where some are in low lying areas.

Know what hardwoods grow next to creek channel s or represent bends in channels.   Look for the largest trees visible with large trunks, this will usually denote sometype of creek or channel.

       Knowing what kind of tree tells you how the roots have grown and likelly how they have washed out under them.

A good example is cypress trees.     If you didn't know the roots grew up and away from that tree or stump, you many not have hit the sweet spots away from it.    

       Ever look at the surround land around the lake.    What trees grow on the hills around the lake?    Those would be the same ones dictatating a possible hump or gradual decrease in depth that are now in the lake.

look at the creeks that run into your lake, what type and how big they are near the creeks.     It shows that during their life before that lake filled, that they had lots of water for them to grow that big.

     By knowing the types of trees, you know what types of sand they like to grow in.   That gives you the type of bottom.

 By knowing about trees, you learn if roots grow staright down or if the root system is a runner, ie...... its root system grows out horizontallly which may give you some targets away from the tree.   Remember, roots that have grown horizontally away from the tree may have washed out some and there is good hiding place under the root system as well.

Take the time to learn your trees.    Knowing bottom composition may eliminate some areas bass don't like to begin with due to bottom sediments.

REmember, most lakes are man made.    So before it was a lake, it was just dry land to start with, so observer your surrounding areas of the lake.    you can learn alot by studying the contours that lead into the lake.

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

Great advice Matt!

[6pointbuck2003]

Not a bad idea. ill have to give this a try. there is only one lake around me that has stump fieds but ill give it a try

[zaraspook_dylan2]

hey there, im 14 and ever since i was 10, my dads been getting me to do the same thing when we approach a stump- if the fishing is hot, burn a spinner bait by it. If the bite had been off, work it VERY slowly with a worm or jig. i like to rig the worm split-shot, because that way i am able to keep the worm in one place for a long time, and still be able to jig it up and down a bit, in hopes of triguring a bite. good luck

[aarogb]

I like to fish stumps with a Revenge Flip jig and crawfish type trailer.

[DINK WHISPERER]

IHere in FL i will almost always pitch a 4" Chigger Craw to stumps. If that doesn't work i will swim a curly tail worm by it to try for a reaction strike.

[Catt]

One of the most underutilized techniques for fishing wood is to bump it with your bait

If y'all like to fish stumps with jigs or plastics here a little secret I use that will often produce when others will not. I throw straight at the stump trying to hit it dead center and the strip line letting the bait fall down the stump.

If I'm fishing a stump field with buzz baits, spinner baits, traps, or cranks I guide them with my rod and purposely ricochet it off the stump.

If there are boat lanes, creeks, or any thing forming a tree line I target that intensely

Last all ways remember if there are stumps odds are there are logs!

[Hammer 4]

Good info Catt..I use to bump the wood, but haven't since I started fishin again...guess I'll have to go back to my old ways..