Finding Bass

[zelmo]

One of my challenges is finding the bass when on lakes.  Lets say you are on a body of water that you know and start fishing a spot where you think fish should be.  If you aren't having any luck, how long do you wait before you change something and then in what order?  Do you keep the same type of bait but change the color, or change the bait type to target different depths?  When do move to a similar spot and when do you look for a completely different pattern?

[fishfordollars]

I will first change up the lure choice to cover all water depths. Ten to twenty cast.

One thing I will not do is go to another spot like it. It is time to make a change and depending on the water conditions, time of year, time of day I will either move either deeper, shallower, or totally change locations on the lake(Upper, mid, or lower), depending on where I started. I may also change the type of cover and structure I have been targeting.

[Catt]

I fish slower than most anglers dissecting the structure completely before moving on. I will fan cast an area 360 degrees before moving ¾ of my casting distance and repeat; my lure selection is simple covering the entire water column. Where most anglers concentrate on color I concentrate on ROF (rate of fall); if I start with say a Texas Rig I may finish with a Wacky Rig.

[bigtimfish]

I will do 10 casts with the rigs that i think fit the situation. no, im not going to try a torpedo in 30' of water, but if i had to i would throw all 12 of my rigs to see whats there. i fish slow, i do not have a tournament mindset. i fish for fun and my personal best record. i have buddies that see dollar signs under the water im not one of them.

[WRB]

Knowing what type of lake you are fishing, tackle and if you have a sonar unit would be helpful.

Unlike most bass fishermen, I'm a believer in knowing basic bass behavior, seasonal periods and lake classification to determine where bass are most likely to be.

The area of the lake that you must start at is where you launch your boat, assuming you are fishing from a boat and not walking the shoreline. Lets call the launch site a marina, although it could be just a ramp. Marina's make a good starting place because they are usually located near deep water in wind protected areas and bass fishermen have a habit of restocking bass there.

After launching, check the water temperature, look around the dock, under the dock for bait fish and bass. If you have a sonar unit survey the marina area, including any long underwater point nearby, looking for; depth of bait fish or any marks that could be larger fish and the depth of the thermocline. Now you know a few things; depth of baitfish, if any, surface water temps, water clarity and life zone depth of thermocline depth. If you metered fish, fish for them before leaving the area.

Lets assume your lake is a reservoir, has a dam. Divide the lake into 1/3 segments; lower or dam end, middle and upper end. The lower end is usually the deepest area, the upper the shallower areas. lager reservoirs like highland and hill land power generating impoundments, lake classifications examples, can have long deep creek arms that can be considered lakes within a lakes.

During the winter or cold water period the lower 1/3rd is usually a good area to fish. As the water warms and gets above 55 degrees the bass move towards spawning areas and stage nearby; the transition areas where deeper water is close to shallower wind protected areas.

The water warms above 60 degrees and the bass move into shallower water to spawn. After spawning the bass move out into the same areas they staged, then scatter locating where prey, structure and cover give the bass easy feeding opportunities, during the summer period; the middle and upper 1/3rds tend to be more productive. The water cools during the fall period, the bass start the transition towards deeper water and follow the bait fish. The water continues to cool and the bass locate to the warmest water with good prey and DO levels; usually the lower 1/3rd area of the lake or big creek arms.

The most difficult for the average bass fishermen is learning not to always fish the shoreline year around. Deep water usually has points, islands, under water islands called humps, river and creek channels that provide bass feeding zones.

Once you know what depth the bass are feeding, the seasonal period should help to determine what location to start.

I'm a saturation type of bass fishermen and try to fish where I'm confident the bass are located.

If this is too much information, just go fishing and enjoy your time on the water.

WRB

[Raul]

One of my challenges is finding the bass when on lakes.

If you know where you can find the fish in your lake you know where to find them elsewhere most of the times, the same things that attract the fish in your lake are the things that attract the fish in another lake. Whenever I go to a new lake I look for the spots that look like the ones that attract the fish in my lakes, fortunately for me I the lakes around my neck of the woods are of two kind:

1.- Lakes formed by daming a canyon

2.- Lakes formed by daming a river

I know how to fish both and how to find the fish in both, when I arrive to a lake I look at it and determine to which of those categories it fits in, once done that then I look for the spots that look like the ones where I fish in my lake.

In my neck of the woods most dams are covered with rocks, rocks not only trap heat, they also provide with hiding spaces so you got this gigantic rock covered structure that has a high degree of slope, one of the first places I fish when I 'm in a lake I know little about is the dam, the dam in my neck of the woods always attracts fish.

In my neck of the woods willows only grow naturally where the soil is moist year round, that only happens along creek or river beds, whenver I go to a lake I look for drowned willows, I know the river/creek bed is at their feet, in my neck of the woods those places attract the fish.

In my neck of the woods people used to build stone walls ( just piling rocks upon rocks ) to divide their property from their neighboor 's property or to subdivide ther property for grazing, when the dam is built and the land is flooded those walls remain, I look for them by looking at the terrain above the water level, when I find them I follow their direction into the water. in my neck of the woods those rock walls attract fish.

Those are the things ( plus others ) that tell me where I can find the fish in an unfamiliar place, it 's a matter of putting them into context within the unfamiliar place.

[Beale_Bass]

I will first change up the lure choice to cover all water depths. Ten to twenty cast.

One thing I will not do is go to another spot like it. It is time to make a change and depending on the water conditions, time of year, time of day I will either move either deeper, shallower, or totally change locations on the lake(Upper, mid, or lower), depending on where I started. I may also change the type of cover and structure I have been targeting.

One thing I will not do is go to another spot like it

That got my attention right there. When we nearly got skunked at Oroville, we moved from favorite hole to favorite hole, but every single one of them was rock piles in 15ft of water. Changed lures, changed styles, changed colors, but we kept blasting away at the same structure type. We were in a rut, or perhaps fishing what was comfortable and familiar, but that was the problem!

Thanks for the wake up call!

Frank

[zelmo]

Knowing what type of lake you are fishing, tackle and if you have a sonar unit would be helpful.

The lake I have been fishing lately is formed by a relatively low dam on a wide river. The result is a body of water that averages 5 to 8 feet deep for about 5 miles. There are islands but few creeks feeding it. At this time of year the flow is heavy making a slow presentation difficult. There are some areas that have grass and some that are shallow on the downstream side of the islands. I have also found some ledges in the main part.

I do have a boat with sonar. I can have 12 rods on the deck rigged anyway I want. I usually try jigs and tubes, spinnerbaits and cranks, and soft plastics weighted and unweighted. Sometimes everything falls in place and I do well, but if it starts slow I never seem to find them. I have that same problem anyplace I fish.

I don't tournament fish; I do it for relaxation. I don't mind going out with little to show for it - I can just enjoy being out. When I take someone it bothers me if I can't find fish for them.

[cato]

I've struggled with this at times myself. If I hit my favorite spots that I know hold bass and come up empty handed I will change almost everything. Presentation, speed, depth, color, etc. Mostly because I'm lost and searching for something to work and usually if I dig hard enough I will find something that the bass will hit.

[WRB]

Knowing what type of lake you are fishing, tackle and if you have a sonar unit would be helpful.

The lake I have been fishing lately is formed by a relatively low dam on a wide river. The result is a body of water that averages 5 to 8 feet deep for about 5 miles. There are islands but few creeks feeding it. At this time of year the flow is heavy making a slow presentation difficult. There are some areas that have grass and some that are shallow on the downstream side of the islands. I have also found some ledges in the main part.

I do have a boat with sonar. I can have 12 rods on the deck rigged anyway I want. I usually try jigs and tubes, spinnerbaits and cranks, and soft plastics weighted and unweighted. Sometimes everything falls in place and I do well, but if it starts slow I never seem to find them. I have that same problem anyplace I fish.

I don't tournament fish; I do it for relaxation. I don't mind going out with little to show for it - I can just enjoy being out. When I take someone it bothers me if I can't find fish for them.

Low land type of flood control reservoir with occasional or seasonal current. Current is going to be the key factor and slight bottom contour or composition being important things to look for and target.

The main river channel more than likely is partially or completely silted in, except in hard or rocky areas. Current can be created by water flowing or wind blowing the water. If this lake has islands, then the fish tend to use funnel areas where the current is increased. Funnel areas are low benches or bars between the higher islands. Waves and current create added dissolved oxygen (DO). The bass hold on these spots waiting for the current to bring bait fish to them. Any current break; a rock or 6" drop can be very important isolated structure in a shallow lake. You should invest in a sonar unit to find these spots. Watch bird activity closely and check out what they are feeding on. Shell beds, gravel bars, submerges laydowns, isolated brush all become places that hold bass and bait fish. Rip rap break walls or old wing dams, stick ups whatever can be good spots. Spots are key, patterns are less important on this type of lake.

Soft and hard jerk baits, buzzers, frogs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, shallow crankbaits, T & C-rigged worms and creatures that have the baitfish profile should all work. Pitch jigs to over hanging willows etc.

WRB

[Eddie Munster]

Some great replies guys. WRB, Raul and fishfordollars especially.  

[Needemp]

I run spots trying to find a pattern. I am a strong believer in finding active fish. I fish fast and cover a lot of water. Most of the time the fish could be anywhere. Also, most of the time the fish are inactive. So my goal is, when I first get on a lake, to fish fast and find the actives. Once I do that, then I can go to other spots that are similar. If I have located bass on a spot or a few spots, and they stop biting, I assume they move so I move with them. They have to be close.

Also, once I find fish, I then change up my lures and can mess with colors. Listen to what the Pro's say. They tell us to fish our strengths. Fish what we have confidence in. Otherwise we jump from lure to lure and we lose any confidence we had. This is something I only recently got over, but I am glad I did.

PS I try to have a tournament mind set. I only want keepers and big ones at that. Also, this technique works better for me on bigger lakes with more spots than smaller lakes.

[Hammer 4]

Re: fishing Fast..just another take on it, not to say it's right, or wrong, just different. I've been on lakes where there were 30 boats for a tourny, and it's not a big lake..anyways, I see folks pull up, and work the shallows, throwing a wacky senco, which is fine, but they fan cast, and retrieve at a fast pace, which I don't understand when your using that kinda rig. So for the heck of it, my Son and I follwed this tourny guy, we stayed well behind him as not to bother him..we get to where he was fan casting his. My son was rigged with a dropshot wacky senco, I was tx rigged, he cast's parellel to the shore about 5' out, and lets it sit there for maybe 10 secs. take 1 turn of the reel, and blam, hooks up with a solid 3.6 lb'r.

Now, in my mind fishing a tad slower might have gotten him a good keeper for that day, maybe...but it was worth a try to slow things down and give the fish a better chance at taking the bait, imho.

So both have their good points and bad..well maybe not bad, but you get the idea.

[zelmo]

Thanks for all of the great comments.  I can see that I have been much too patient before making changes in what I am doing, and the changes I do make are probably not accomplishing much.

I will first change up the lure choice to cover all water depths. Ten to twenty cast.

One thing I will not do is go to another spot like it. It is time to make a change and depending on the water conditions, time of year, time of day I will either move either deeper, shallower, or totally change locations on the lake(Upper, mid, or lower), depending on where I started. I may also change the type of cover and structure I have been targeting.

Another post mentined the fish moving.  Do you go back to a spot that was unproductive later in the day, or are they only moving a small distance?

[simplejoe]

Another post mentined the fish moving. Do you go back to a spot that was unproductive later in the day, or are they only moving a small distance?

[JuniorFisherJJ08]

There is 2 ways i will go while trying to find bass. This is where your technology comes in handy. If you see fish on the radar i will hit all sections of the water column. Still No luck its time to move. My first move is usually to a different types of cover. From Grass beds to trees top rocks etc.. This is what ive been doing alot of this year. Alot more types of "Power fishing". Its really paid off big for me and my partner so far and the other guys just cant figure us out.

For example last night we were in a tourney and during the last 20 mins we had the motor on about 20-30ft off the bank at just slightly higher than idle Throwing buzz baits while moving. We caught our 5th fish this way but we covered a lot of ground and were bound to go over an aggressive fish.

Fish fast if the weather permits. If its cold fish slower etc.. Common sense.

[bigtimfish]

I am all about slower in most situations. for example: how many times has your child,girlfriend, wife, or even yourself, thrown a senko and got a bird nest? and the whole time your fooling with it, a fish will pick up the bait and run. its because the bait was barely twitching from rod movement or the boat moving. just my opinion. maybe im wrong, but ive seen it enough to make me a believer.

[Raul]

There is 2 ways i will go while trying to find bass. This is where your technology comes in handy. If you see fish on the radar i will hit all sections of the water column. Still No luck its time to move. My first move is usually to a different types of cover. From Grass beds to trees top rocks etc.. This is what ive been doing alot of this year. Alot more types of "Power fishing". Its really paid off big for me and my partner so far and the other guys just cant figure us out.

For example last night we were in a tourney and during the last 20 mins we had the motor on about 20-30ft off the bank at just slightly higher than idle Throwing buzz baits while moving. We caught our 5th fish this way but we covered a lot of ground and were bound to go over an aggressive fish.

Fish fast if the weather permits. If its cold fish slower etc.. Common sense.

You can 't detect fish with a radar.

[bigtimfish]

There is 2 ways i will go while trying to find bass. This is where your technology comes in handy. If you see fish on the radar i will hit all sections of the water column. Still No luck its time to move. My first move is usually to a different types of cover. From Grass beds to trees top rocks etc.. This is what ive been doing alot of this year. Alot more types of "Power fishing". Its really paid off big for me and my partner so far and the other guys just cant figure us out.

For example last night we were in a tourney and during the last 20 mins we had the motor on about 20-30ft off the bank at just slightly higher than idle Throwing buzz baits while moving. We caught our 5th fish this way but we covered a lot of ground and were bound to go over an aggressive fish.

Fish fast if the weather permits. If its cold fish slower etc.. Common sense.

You can 't detect fish with a radar.

Then what are all of the archs on my lowrance.  Suspended air pockets in 15' of water? :-?

[Raul]

Your device is a SONAR not a RADAR emits radio waves. Sonar emits sound waves. Sound waves and radio waves are not the same.

Radio waves: electromagnetic waves occurring on the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Sound waves: an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas.

The sound waves are emited by the transducer ( you can actually hear it clicking ) and when they bounce back to the transducer this unit transforms them into electric impulses that the unit displays in a screen as pixels.

[skunked_again]

There is 2 ways i will go while trying to find bass. This is where your technology comes in handy. If you see fish on the radar i will hit all sections of the water column. Still No luck its time to move. My first move is usually to a different types of cover. From Grass beds to trees top rocks etc.. This is what ive been doing alot of this year. Alot more types of "Power fishing". Its really paid off big for me and my partner so far and the other guys just cant figure us out.

For example last night we were in a tourney and during the last 20 mins we had the motor on about 20-30ft off the bank at just slightly higher than idle Throwing buzz baits while moving. We caught our 5th fish this way but we covered a lot of ground and were bound to go over an aggressive fish.

Fish fast if the weather permits. If its cold fish slower etc.. Common sense.

who was driving the boat?

[WRB]

Trying to put this question into perspective; we are talking about a small shallow lowland reservoir used for flood control.

Sonar signal area at 8' deep is less than 3' in diameter, a small area. If suspended fish are at 5' depth, the sonar signal return diameter is less than the length of a adult size bass. The boat is moving and the bass are moving away from the boats sound, your chances of actually metering bass, in shallow water are nil. Metering the bottom contour looking for isolated rocks, hard areas, channels and baitfish schools are what you should be targeting and why a sonar unit is necessary.

Trying to pattern bass on this type of reservoir isn't nearly as important as locating spots where the bass are. Finding active bass should be as simple as making a milk run to about 20 good spots and taking your time to determine what the bass want to eat that day.

If you are fishing large or deep highland or hill land reservoirs, the bass have a lot of choices and several patterns of activity everyday, that change seasonally. Very different lake systems, same bass.

The most common mistake a weekend fisherman makes is fishing the shoreline; the bass spend 90% of their day time out away from the shoreline.

WRB

[skunked_again]

Trying to put this question into perspective; we are talking about a small shallow lowland reservoir used for flood control.

Sonar signal area at 8' deep is less than 3' in diameter, a small area. If suspended fish are at 5' depth, the sonar signal return diameter is less than the length of a adult size bass. The boat is moving and the bass are moving away from the boats sound, your chances of actually metering bass, in shallow water are nil. Metering the bottom contour looking for isolated rocks, hard areas, channels and baitfish schools are what you should be targeting and why a sonar unit is necessary.

Trying to pattern bass on this type of reservoir isn't nearly as important as locating spots where the bass are. Finding active bass should be as simple as making a milk run to about 20 good spots and taking your time to determine what the bass want to eat that day.

If you are fishing large or deep highland or hill land reservoirs, the bass have a lot of choices and several patterns of activity everyday, that change seasonally. Very different lake systems, same bass.

The most common mistake a weekend fisherman makes is fishing the shoreline; the bass spend 90% of their day time out away from the shoreline.

WRB

im really, really trying to break that habit.

[Needemp]

Hammer 4, and others that mention fishing slow: I totally understand fishing slow when you know the fish are there, but isn't that wasting a bunch of time if you don't know where they are and you are looking for them? It can take more than 10 times longer to cover an area fishing slow. Besides that, it really limits how many spots you will fish, and therefore reduce your odds of finding fish, much less several spots with fish. (With the relaxing and fun fishing aside)

Sure, you can get lucky with one fish behind a tournament angler or with one fish after a birds nest when your lure sat there, but is that one fish enough to establish a fish-finding pattern? Does that tell you the most effective pattern at that time? Would that fish not hit a fast moving lure? Besides, there is a reason these stories of fish being caught after a birds nest or after a tourney angler has past through, the reason they become stories is because they don't happen as often. It happens more often that you find fish on a spot and catch several. I'm not against fishing slow or against one preference to do so, but I do think it is fair to mention that it can handcuff you (cold water and other condition excluded obviously). To me fishing slow would hurt my possibilities of finding fish, and therefore should only be a technique used after covering a lot of water has proved fruitless.

If I am missing something, let me know!

[Hammer 4]

Need, I don't think your missing anything..I was simply trying to show that you can fish slow-er, and get fish. I only used that senairo as an example. everyone has their own ways of fishing, whatever works for you, and your lake, pond ect is what to do. Again, there's no Set way imho to get fish, ...I love worm fishin so I feel really confident when I toss a worm, or any soft plastic out there. hope that clears things up..

BTW, I haven't used a sonar since the mid 80's...Just got a portable a few weeks ago, and I'm dyin to try it out.