locating big summertime bass

[pitchNbass]

I fish a privately owned 200 acre lake in florida almost everyday. I began fishing it last April and me and my buddy would catch 100s of fish a day, up to 6-7 lbs. We've caught about 10 bass between 6-8 lbs, but recently with the florida heat, its slowed down some. Although I still catch 15-30 fish a day, most are in the 2-4 lbs range. This lake used to be a limestone mine so it has sharp drop offs around the whole thing, but 15-25 feet deep is basically most of the lake depth. I've been sticking with carolina rigs on the drop offs, they still hammer top waters along the grass lines early in the morning but the biggest bass will be 3-4lbs. I throw a lipless crank and they hammer it regularly but my biggest will still be no bigger than 4lbs. I don't like fishing fast for 10+lbs bass. The prop manager has caught 10+ with live shiners, but I hate fishing live bait as it bores me to death. Since this was once a mine pit there is no structure deep in this lake. No real ditches, but there are some deep humps, I find suspended bass in random deep water, some down deep, but I dont really ever see schooling fish on my fish finder. There are humps, and I have electronic 565 huminbird fishfinder. Can someone help me so I can catch that lunker I've been wanting everyday I go out on this water? I want to fish deep but I have no idea where to begin as I have casted big swimbaits and deep divers in random deep water but no luck. I was thinking of trolling deep next time out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Crestliner2008]

I didn't know there were lakes that deep in FL! But seriously, the big girls are deeper than the rest, in all probability. I'd take a look at those submerged humps and focus your attention on finding bait, not bass. If you find a structural element on the side of one of those humps and it has some bait around it, then work that area intensely with a drop shot and finesse worm of some kind.

I'm gathering that the bottom is fairly free of weeds and brush in the deeper sections, so don't over look a Silver Buddy! Cast it out. Let it settle. Twitch it off the bottom, just enough to feel the vibes. Then let it settle back down. If either this or the drop shot don't work, then someone else may have a suggestion that will work for you.

[JellyMan]

I am in Florida aslo. I have noticed I catch these 5lb + suckers when not really expecting it!

I find they are hunkered down in some really heavy brush and cover, or hangin right under the water on a sunken log or tree branch. They also seem to not wanna waste their time with baits coming their way. I have seen then turn away as my lure comes past them weather it be a spinner bait, crank, or soft plastic. I do notice tho I get MORE bites that seem to be out of anger from the biggins on small creature baits such as the baby brush hog or a smaller lizard.

Those big ones are tuff. They have been around the block and they know what, why, and when to eat.

Buttholes :'(

;D

[Mattlures]

its easy to find them durring the summer. Fish at night,late night and fish shallow. They move up and hunt at night

[DINK WHISPERER]

I find all my fat girls in the deepest water that holds cover!

[WRB]

Pit lakes are different then most any other type of bass water. There should be a road that leads into the deeper areas and piles of rocks and gravel etc. The shoreline is more like fishing walls, except it should have weed beds around the perimeter.

I agree with Matt, fish during the low light or at night, if the bugs allow it. A low swimming wake bait or bluegill swimbait, worked along the shade breaks or weed line should work.

You stated you don't like live bait fishing because it's boring, which could be the key to your success; slow down. I haven't fished live bait for decades, but fish lures as if they are livebait.

Day time;

Try anchoring, I know it's boring to sit in one place for over an hour, this will slow you down. Locate one of those outside humps and anchor back about a long cast away. Next, modify that Carolina rig by removing the swivel and heavy weight. Get some 1/8 oz mojo weights, Carolina keepers and light wire Gamakatsu straight shank size 2/0 worm hooks. Set the weight keeper up the line about 18" above the hook. Use 6" or 9" straight tail, start with black or dark purple plastic worms. Use 8 to 10 lb mono or fluoro line.

Cast out on top of the hump and slowly drag the worm back, stopping about 15 seconds about every foot. Slow and boring until that 10 lb bass picks up the worm.

WRB

PS: we call this a slip shot rig, you can pinch a split shot on the line, slide the #7 round shot up the line and cut off any damaged line, then tie on the hook and you are split shotting. I prefer slip shotting, both rigs work.

[pitchNbass]

Went out today, lost a nice bass on a deep crank trolling early in the morning, lost my lure.  I used a drop shot in about 25ft of water where I was finding fish on my fishfinder, but no bites. I then used a jig and fished up and down and along the drops slowly. nothing. I went to some shallower structure around 10am and caught a few 3lbers, but nothing exciting. The property manager just open the pump from the canals and bait (perch) by the thousands are pouring into this lake. I tied on a medium depth crank and caught a few more fish before i called it quits. I wore them out on the worm next to the lock but all 2-3lbers. BTW, I've fished this lake/pond almost everyday since april, there is no deep cover. Steep drop offs which i fish all the time, but lost of open deep water. I need to give the slip shot a try. My buddy went out on the pond this afternoon and caught a lot of fish, no big ones. He said he trolled with a swimbait for a while and caught a nice 4lber. I was thinking of giving that a try tomorrow. I know these large bass feed on the large perch, so fooling them really frustrates me. I love topwater early in the morning and I wear them out after the grass lines, but no huge lunkers. I did notice a 1ft+ water level increase last night. I want to fish at night but the mosquitos are terrible. Maybe I'll bite the bullet. Tuesday I was planning on getting some 10" shiners and using those for the first time.