All lakes have it

[HAMMER23]

No matter how you define it, if you know what to look for FISH IT if you dont, stick to the bank, or learn !!! There are several people on here that have been doing this for a long time and can teach you how to read a map and find these humps and ridges.

[Mrs. Matstone]

Great post Catt. Thanks for sharing.  

[Catt]

Y'all are killing me!

NOT, I love teaching

[Sam]

Yep, Catt.

Humps are good and are overlooked as we beat the shoreline.

Nice hump in Lake Anna that we fish.

It has been holding small bass for a few years but the big ones were there in the past and I expect them to be there in the future.

Thanks for reminding us about humps.

And remember,Ruffles Ridges are Good!

[Dinky]

Great info CATT!! If I can get to the Bend this fall can we set up a 'live demo' guided trip? (@ your normal rates of course).

Also, I hear a lot about fishing the outside bend of a creek or main channel. Any guidance on that?

Thanks again for the great info!

wmd

[Mountain Angler]

well put man

[flippin Dan]

I have a map of my local lake and would LOVE to mail it to someone willing to show me some key spots to help me get honed in a little. Maybe circle a few spots and give me some notes of why they should be good and mail it back to me. Any takers???

[Sam]

Go to this website and get the Ike's Rules DVD.

He tells you how to approach a body of water for the first time.

http://www.mikeiaconelli.com/

[bigbill]

Good post. Knowing how the bottom structure is helps when fishing it.

Fishing from shore I take the time at a new spot to use the hummingbird portable fish finder to tell me how the bottom structure is. I find the flats, the holes and the drop off's. Most of the time i can see the rocky points drop off. Now the ilands or shallow ilands are ble too. The water current and the wind direction will tell us how to fish it and where the fish are linded up.

Fishing in the current, the wind in a body of water can be like stream fishing. Look for the quiet spots were the fish can rest. Alos look for were the current edge is too. When feeding this is were they will be.

[Nitrofreak]

Yep, Catt.

Humps are good and are overlooked as we beat the shoreline.

Nice hump in Lake Anna that we fish.

It has been holding small bass for a few years but the big ones were there in the past and I expect them to be there in the future.

Thanks for reminding us about humps.

And remember,Ruffles Ridges are Good!

There is more than one big guy !!!!

Dang that's a rock

Ok when looking at structure you must also look at the surrounding area as well, a sweet spot on structure quite often no is that obvious. Finding main structure is easy but breaking that down into prime structure and then again into a key structure is the way to success.

Back to you big ole rock, from what you have told me about it is that its 12' tall and the size of an RV. My next instinctive response would be So, more input required!

Now for the ridge thingy, we have main structure of a ridge, 2 points, and a cove correct?

My next instinctive response would be, is there a creek?

My next instinctive response would be, is this ridge in the back of the cove or out towards the mouth?

As I've reread many of our older post I'm reminded of the fact we need and advanced course in learning structure.

As I have been reading all of the post's, now the pictures are starting to make a much bigger and clearer portrait.

Your not just teaching catt, your moulding our minds and creating an excitement with imagery's of what the waters hold beneath for us if we just go find it and learn how to fish it at the right times!!

I can't wait to get back to the lake !!!!!

[Fishing-Vol]

Catt, you started this in 08 and it is still going. Thanks for the info. But....................you didn't finish the original topic. All lakes have it. Humps, points, ridges, roadbeds, are not in all lakes. So, since I have been copying and pasteing for the past three days, I must assume that there is more to this topic and it has slipped away from your lesson plan. Or, you feel that this is a completed subject and you are waiting for the students to tell you their answers. Water, would not be the correct answer, and since some lakes don't have points and some don't have humps and some don't have roadbeds, ect. I suppose that would make the answer ???? Structure? Again, thank you. I have not been a member on BR long, but this is the most informative site there is.

[Catt]

Nitrofreak did I detect a light going off?

All lakes have it?

Answer: despite what some believe - structure

[Lund Explorer]

Our region has a number of manmade humps also.

Fishing on lakes where lumber operations took place from the 1850's into the early 1900's, it is normal to find a number of humps made entirely of waste lumber sunk into the lake. Some are massive enough to be considered structure itself rather than cover on structure.

[Nitrofreak]

Nitrofreak did I detect a light going off?

All lakes have it?

Answer: despite what some believe - structure

catt,

The light has never gone off lol.

Although it has been a little dim for a while, I think you have just made it shine once more my friend !!!

Something has been missing in my fishing journal for a long time, I have made notes of all of these different structures on my home lake but have just not been able to put 2 and 2 together, I have since gone home and broke out that ol' structure map of Lake Anna with all of the markings of what used to be there before the lake was actually a lake and also of what the lake is today

I have a vacation coming in June, a whole week has been scheduled for the lake to get out there and work, or, do a little hunting as one would put it ha ha !!!!

I have loaded up some new baits for the good ol' Texas rig worm, now I can't wait to get out there and use it like it's supposed to be used.

A light? no, more like a big ass fire has been lit...Thanx catt !!!!!

[Catt]

Lund Explorer, there are cases where cover can be considered structure and structure considered cover, see the definition of a breakline.

Nitrofreak, I should have said "do I detect a light coming on"

Between now and your vacation I highly suggest you read Matt Fly's Know Thy Shad part I & II.

[Nitrofreak]

Lund Explorer, there are cases where cover can be considered structure and structure considered cover, see the definition of a breakline.

Nitrofreak, I should have said "do I detect a light coming on"

Between now and your vacation I highly suggest you read Matt Fly's Know Thy Shad part I & II.

catt,

Thanks for all the help !!!

One thing I found to be interesting in the articals that Matt so generously posted for us on the threadfin shad is that it was mentioned that they will use "deeper haunts", threadfin, I thought, use shallow water and really did not go deep, now I am not sure exactly, so just how deep is deep for the threadfin shad?

For those of you who are having trouble finding this thread, it is at the top of this forum under "best of" bassresource, then scroll down to bass forage, and so are a lot of other really great articals !!!!

[Catt]

How deep down will they go I not real sure, now as far as over what depth they'll school is another lesson all together. So which are you referring to?

[Bankbeater]

Good post Catt.

[Catt]

Thank Y'all

[bocabasser]

been soakin up catts knowledge for years. keep it comin catt. i love to learn.

[Nitrofreak]

How deep down will they go I not real sure, now as far as over what depth they'll school is another lesson all together. So which are you referring to?

We have both, threadfin and gizzard in my home lake, the things I have read the gizzard shad can go deep and stay deep, as to what depth for either I am unsure of as well, the threadfin, as I understand, like shallower waters, the gizzard shad I think if I understand, will come from deeper water to spawn in the shallows, similar to LMB.

There are times when I do find these schools in 40 feet of water, following structure, mostly old creek beds during the winter to spring transition, I can only assume these would be the gizzard shad.

As far as your question goes, I am all about learning, so if you have a lesson, then by all means, preach on brother and lay it on us !!

[BassinNY]

Thank You for sharing your knowledge, this is Bass fishing 101 and then some!!

[Catt]

There are times when bringing up old threads is easier than answering PMs

[Dwight Hottle]

WTG Catt you never disappoint. 

[Montanaro]

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?