Quarry Fishing

[bigredxlt]

How would you/do you fish a small size quarry?

I have been fishing at small to medium sized quarry out of a row boat and I have been struggling to find effective techniques. The banks are choked with weeds and its difficult to find a definite bottom because there are a ton of weeds. I have caught a few bass on small minnow cranks and the biggest on a chrome rattlin rap, but nothings been working. I know there are some huge fish in here because I have seen them jumping, but I just cant seem to catch them. Any advice?

[Fishes in trees]

Quarries can be real deep and sometimes, past a certain depth there won't be enough oxygen in the water.  You need to find out how deep that quarry is, to start with.  Find someone with a portable depth finder that you can borrow and spend some time getting to know the terrain of the lake.

Quarries generally have a hard bottom, weeds generally grow in a softer bottom.  Finding out where the weedline stops is a good place to start.

You said you were fishing out of a row boat.  Oars only or do you have access to a trolling motor?  Trolling motors make fishing small to medium sized waters much easier.  You don't necessarily have to buy new - try calling around to some pawn shops and see what's available.

Good luck - quarry fishing can be tough, especially if you aren't geared up for it.

[Gangley]

If its clear water, take a swim with some goggles and have a look around.  Almost every quarry here is fairly clear water.  If its too cold to swim, take the bottom out of a bucket, put seran wrap on the bottom, put it in the water and have a look to see what kind of structures or weedlines you are dealing with.  My first thoughts would be a worm through the weeds or a spinner along the weedlines.  If they are exploding on top, try a spook, pop-r, or a subsurface lure like a bomber model b or a rapala DTFAT01