why are some good lookin spots not hot?

[shimmy]

As i was contemplating a lake i fish every summer, i realized that the hot spots on this lake are nothing like logic would agree with. In addition, all of the incredible looking spots and dropoffs are terrible for catching bigger bass. This got me thinking, why are some good lookin spots terrible?

I know water temperature, time of year, gravel for spawning, vegetation, depth, drop offs, and ledges play a role on spots that should be hot. But i wonder why some spots remain consistent producers of big bass while other spots that have all the right conditions for a big bass hideout have nothing. I have been fishing for many years and have my theories but it dawned on me, that i really don't know the answer to this. Any thoughts

[Dan:]

If the fish were always where they should be then it would be too easy!

[hmongkidBee]

My opinion on this is that the spot seems perfect to you, but it doesn't seem perfect to the bass.  For example, fishing lures catch fishermen, not fish right?  you think a lure is supposed to work because it looks good, but it doesn't.  I think this applies to finding bass as well.

[Catt]

Prime structure can be so inconspicuous which is why I'm constantly do map study and spending hours on the water constantly watching the deep finder.

Even on bodies of water I've spend most of my life fishing

As to why, my thoughts are it provides all the necessary needs of the bass in one location.

[Nitrofreak]

My thoughts would be maybe not enough oxygen during a given time of year or the hot spot is so good that the bass does not need to take the bait if it does not look natural enough to them.

[FishingBuds]

Usually your not there when they are.  Just like when a fisherman finds a hot spot time and catches fish like crazy, He will always return to said spot over and over but this time its not that hot and he assumes all the fish are not biting today.

[D4u2s0t]

Prime structure can be so inconspicuous which is why I'm constantly do map study and spending hours on the water constantly watching the deep finder.

Even on bodies of water I've spend most of my life fishing

As to why, my thoughts are it provides all the necessary needs of the bass in one location.

Great post.

I'm constantly looking for new locations on my home lake, and I agree with shimmy.  There's some spots on paper that look amazing, but never produce, and then I have some spots that seem like they shouldn't hold fish, but do.  I changed my tactics last year (this is my 3rd year on the lake) out of frustration, and throwing a bait into a wide open, seemingly structureless area of water where nobody would think there was a fish... and got a nice bass!  After that, I would try not only the places I thought would hold bass, but I'll try anywhere.  Like Catt said, there must be some type of reason for the fish to be there... I'm not good enough with the depth finder to figure out some of these subtle spots.  They appear to just be flat areas that gives no reason for a bass to be there.

[Catt]

To be considered "prime" structure there needs to be cover of some type for concealment, be in close proximity to feeding/spawning areas and deep water.

What I find just a random at times is where on the "prime" structure the bass are positioned. Occasionally while attempting that perfect presentation a cast will go array fighting the urge to quickly reel back in to re-cast I'll work it back to the boat. Often this cast gone array will produce making me wonder, why were you there, aint nothing over there.

[K_Mac]

That is a great question shimmy. 8-)

I think in the answer is the reason some are better at always finding quality fish than others. Attention to details and understanding how fish relate to subtle differences is the key IMO. With that said, there are a couple of spots on my "home" lake that looks like they have all the necessary elements, that rarely produce. There other spots that look less attractive that always seem to hold fish. There are likely some subtleties involved that I haven't figured out :, but I will continue to study hoping to put all the pieces in place. That challenge is what keeps me focused and what makes fishing fun.

[WRB]

Excellent question!

Determining where the bass are located is the key to constantly catching them. As mentioned several times on this site, Bill Murphy's book; In Pursuit of Giant Bass, will help to understanding bass location in deep structured lakes with pelagic and demersal bait fish.

I relate location to seasonal periods; it helps me to survey specific types of locations where I have caught large bass. Open water bass fishing is definitely a frontier to be explored.

Bass need food, safe sanctuary, comfortable water temperatures and DO levels. If any one of those elements are not available in that location, the bass may not locate there. If the location has everything and is being hammered by anglers, the safe sanctuary isn't there, so they move off and stop feeding at that location, for example.

Bass need food and tend to prey on the most available food source for that seasonal period. If the lake has a big population of pelagic bait fish like thread fin shad and the shad are schooling near a good location, during the summer period, then you better be offering those bass what they are looking for, otherwise you may not catch bass on a that good location.

It takes a lot of time on the water to eliminate non productive locations and find production areas. Next it takes time to determine what the bass on a good productive location want to eat at that time.

Current is a major factor that activates bass into feeding, even very slight current generated by light winds. Big factor over looked by most anglers.

In the old days before sonar units, angler relied on visual targets and trolling open water areas. We still rely on visual targets today, with the aid of sonar units, but few bass angler will troll open water areas for bass.

Like Catt suggested; study topo maps and find your own honey hole.

WRB

[cart7t]

If a spot looks good to you it probably looks good to many, many other guys.

There may be fish holding there but they'll be tougher to catch.

Try looking for less conspicuous places. 

[Raul]

Never have caught anything inside this cove, you can literally draw a line from that small point behind my compadre to the next point in front of him, however right in front of my compadre there 's another very similar cove ( doesn 't appear in the picture ) which has been of the most productive places for me for years. Go figure.