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  1. #1
    Member
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    Mar 2017
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    Knoxville, TN
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    2,161

    Help with flats.

    One of the big players this time of year for big bags are shallow flats. But I for the life of me can't figure them out. I've worn myself out tossing traps, cranks, and a rigs on main lake flats and came back empty handed every time. I know I'm just choosing the wrong ones, so what do you guys look for to find productive flats this time of year?

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Gastonia,NC
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    460
    #2
    Bottom composition is huge if you are talking about flats fish are pulling up on to spawn.... Check the composition by poking around with your rod tip on the bottom of the lake.

    access to deep water close by and current can both help or hurt. Here in NC the fish haven't really pulled up yet though they are still suspended for the most part.

  3. Member
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    Mar 2017
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    Knoxville, TN
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    2,161
    #3
    I'm talking prespawn bass using main lake flats to feed. I would assume the same applies with being next to deeper water and having a gravel bottom or shells on top of it.

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Campbellsville, KY
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    4,367
    #4
    If youre looking for fish pulling up to feed find flats with bait on them. Also, the whole flat is not created equal. If you can find a ditch or random piece of cover on the flat itll help to concentrate the fish
    They aint got hands, set the hook

  5. Member wareagle24's Avatar
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    Aug 2009
    Location
    Florence, Al.
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    16,317
    #5
    There's a flat that I fish that's about 100 acres in size. It all looks the same but there is one spot that a culvert empties a very small creek into it. There is a ditch there that is about 2' deeper than the rest of it. They will stack up in that ditch like firewood in the early spring.

  6. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    Mar 2016
    Location
    Twin Cities, MN
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    8,049
    #6
    Sidescan is huge for finding "spots on the spot" on things like that in my opinion. If it's just bare (or mostly bare) flats you're looking at without vegetation, you can look at a LOT of stuff with sidescan. The above advice to find ditches is exactly what I'd be looking for. Otherwise finding other cover or transitions would be what I'd try. Google Earth can help with that, especially if the water is dropped at certain times, or gets dramatically clearer at certain times.
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