All lakes have it

[tatertester]

The structure issue is one that needs to be taken with a degree of flexibility,as far as I have experienced...I've found that their often seems to be a given area within or near the structure that is the dominant fishing holding section....I have found such an area that appears to be the same as everything around it, yet, always gives up 2 or 3 fish everytime I've tried it......Weeds, rocks, wood , lily pads in themselves often ARE the fish holding structure....VEEEWY, VEEEWY ,CONFUSING?

[Kevin22]

There is a hump in one of the lakes I fish that goes from 20' to 8' on top, gradually.  On top are a few stumps, brush piles and one lone standing tree trunk.  The other side drops off faster into about 15'~.  It's almost like a ridge but more circular.

 

Have yet to get any hits there and pick up nothing on the sonar.  The hump, in summer, is secluded from other sunken timber and vegetation (there is some milfoil that grows on the hump).  This seclusion, me thinks, reduces the amount of baitfish available for the bass.  Perhaps once the thick vegetation starts to receed later in the year, the baitfish will be forced out into more open water?

 

 

Being that it is summer, the fish will move up on the hump to feed in late evening until very early in the morning and then they will back off again. Baitfish go deep in the daytime during the summer to find cooler water with more oxygen. 

[Catt]

Never will a bass be found not related to structure in some form but not all structure holds bass. This is why it is said 10% of the water holds 90% of the bass.

Montanaro, finding structute is only step1, it may hold bass it may not. Look for break lines leading to & from deeper water.

Next you must consider weather, water conditions, seasonal patters, & the availibality of prey. Prey does not have to be baitfish such as shad , it could be sunfish or crawfish.

[WRB]

Humps are what I would define as outside isolated structure that provide adult size bass a sanctuary. These areas are bass magnets because they get little fishing pressure from the anglers focused on the shoreline.

Tom

[Kevin22]

Never will a bass be found not related to structure in some form but not all structure holds bass. 

 

 

I've caught bass suspended 10' deep over 30' flats. No structure within 1/4 mile, not even a hump. They were just in a neutral mood and you pretty much had to knock them in the head with a vertical drop shot to get them to bite. 

[Catt]

Hum flat aint structure!

I'll bet you $100 it was not totally flat with no cover!

[OkobojiEagle]

Never will a bass be found not related to structure in some form but not all structure holds bass.

A lot of nuance needs to be understood in bass fishing. In my smallmouth lakes you may find smallmouth "relating" to a feeding shelf/flat by suspending a good distance off the shelf at the shelf depth over much deeper water. It appears they are suspended relating to nothing but will move back and forth horizontally to the flat to feed.

You may also find smallmouth in the middle of a 100' deep basin suspended under a school of palagic bait fish. I consider this "relating" to the school rather than geologic structure.

And then there are the bass that you will find "relating" to structureless cover such as floating swim platforms or docks... a lot of nuance.

oe

[Catt]

Y'all are looking at a situation with your eyes & mind closed.

When dealing with situations like those described above one must look for small, tiny, minute, subtle contour changes that are in inches not feet.

Break lines maybe changes in bottom hardness or composition, like clay, sand, or pea gravel ECT; they maybe grass inches tall and non-visible on a depth finder.

To the average angler there is no "structure" but to the seasoned angler the "structure" is plan as day.

[FrogFreak]

This thread is an example of why finding this site not long ago was like coming home! I went out last weekend after I studied a topo map of my home lake and I was so much more productive. But now, now I'm going to look at the lake in a whole new way. I've been cruising along and i've seen humps on my Lowrance. Well dang it, I'm going to stop and scope it out next time. I love the idea of fishing something other than the areas everyone else fishes.

 

This bank beater is going to be a humper.......or something

 

Thanks Catt!!

[pbrussell]

I guess it's time to dredge up bill murphy's book again and restudy this structure thing.

I love this place.

Thanks Catt.

[MN Lakes Area 14]

does anyone do any reading up on their own?! lol

[Nitrofreak]

And then there are the bass that you will find "relating" to structureless cover such as floating swim platforms or docks... a lot of nuance.

I don't understand "structureless cover", every piece of cover has structure to a fish , just like you walk on your floor , you have a ceiling , everything a bass does relates to structure in some shape or form , even the suspended bass that you spoke of use the dark pools to ambush prey but they are there because structure led them to these suspending areas , they are still relating to the relative surrounding structure just as we do when we drop a marker , we attempt to duplicate with boat position and accuracy , they know where to position themselves for the best possible chance at catching a meal, they understand depth of perception far better than any angler ever could IMO.