Fishing Deep on the Ohio River for Bass

[RoughThumbBG]

So I have been trying to catch some fish in the River anywhere from Louisville to Mayesville. I have done pretty well near Louisville especially in May-July. Later in the year (Aug-Sept) I always struggle.

This year I have been finding more deep (8-18 ft) structure and cover that looks pretty good on my SI.(Small ledges, Deep stumps, Log jams, etc) I have tried to fish it, but don't do well on it either. I think that it may be too deep for the fish where the silt chokes or out oxygen or I am just not fishing it well enough due to my concerns about holding fish.

So I ask you all, do you do any good fishing deep on the Ohio or similar rivers? How deep do you consider too deep?

[artcarney_agr]

A river doesn't stratify like a lake does, meaning that your highest concentrations of oxygen are fairly close to the surface. I have tried fishing deep, but with little success. Rarely do I fish any deeper than 5 ft on the river.

Now I have heard reports of smallmouth being caught in deeper water on the river, say maybe around 10 - 12 foot deep on structure...I've tried to duplicate what they told me, but have had little success. Also those that have reported it to me find it to be an inconsistent thing...there one day, and then gone the next; as if conditions have to be absolutely perfect.

I struggle late in the season as well, usually when there is an overabundance of small fry/shad, and can't seem to find anything that they'll choose over all the live bait.

[RoughThumbBG]

On lake that statisfy the highest oxygen content is also very close to the surface. But as you move deeper in the water column the DO slowly decreases as does the temperature until you reach the thermocline. Then both drop off rapidly.

Thermoclines are caused by water being stagnant and light penetration. In a river the turbidity of the water keeps a strong thermocline from forming. But the current also picks up silt and dirt and makes it harder for fish to breath deeper in the water column.

That is atleast what my understanding is. Next time I am on the river I am going to try to find a thermocline with my graph using the clearfire MAX mode. See if I can determine if there is one. Although that will not solve my issue the silt choking out oxygen.

[Zach G]

I don't think rivers have thermoclines. do to the always moving water. I watched a show with Stacey King about that. he refrenced the TN river and KY Lake as why fish are so deep there as there is no TC.

that was my understanding. I would assume the OH would be the same.

[RoughThumbBG]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Zach G &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I don't think rivers have thermoclines. do to the always moving water. I watched a show with Stacey King about that. he refrenced the TN river and KY Lake as why fish are so deep there as there is no TC.

that was my understanding. I would assume the OH would be the same. </td></tr></table>

I would agree. The ohio river usually has more current than KY lake so it woud have less of a thermocline.

Yet I have heard that in such river the current will pick up sand and silt from the bottoms causing the oxygen to get choked out down deep. How deep that is I don't know.

[bigmikeindiana]

My problem with the no oxygen deep argument is I have sauger and walleye fished the ohio for many years and caught them down to 40+ feet regularly so the O2 has to be there. I personally think the bass don't go any deeper than they have to to be comfortable and on a river system with currant this isn't that deep. JMHO

[DanCard]

If you are fishing for bass over 6ft deep in rivers, you are wasting your time usually. River water doesn't stratify like a lake does. If you are fishing in the summer, river bends are usually a better bet as they have a higher O2 content and are usually the cooler spots in the river. It also makes natural ambush points for passing baitfish. The deepest I have caught bass in rivers is around 8-10ft, and those fish were suspended in the late summer time when the river level was low and there was very little current and the surface water was becoming stagnant.

[B.R.ONE]

I struggle on the river myself but seems I always catch the most when I find the bait fish.

[DanCard]

The late summer and early fall is some of my favorite fishing on rivers. Took a friend of mine on Monday. He wants to learn river fishing. He said he has never caught a bass off the section of river we went to Monday. When we left that afternoon we had caught 10 keepers, 6 of which were over 15" and had one that went 4lbs 8oz. I grew up on Green River in Morgantown, KY. I lived walking distance from the boat ramp and didn't fish ANYWHERE else until I was in my late teens. Once you learn how to fish river systems for the bigger fish, they are a blast.

[BassHog007]

I fished the river for a year when I lived in Hebron, KY. Fishing deep is natural to me so I used cranks and football jigs deep. There are less fish out deep but they will be grouped up and receive little to no pressure.

Fish on the banks in creeks simply get beat to death.

[SkeeterHBK]

The way I have been taught largemouths hate current so any bend in the river or creek entering at a parallel creates great deeper pockets for bass. Down around oil creek and painters creek I have used the mouth like this for years but still can't say I remember catching them in anything deeper than 15 ft

[DanCard]

You're right about the current part. Largemouth will use anything that is blocking the current to ambush bait. They will simply lay behind the log, rock, creek mouth, etc and let the current bring them dinner. Then they slip out and catch it. I've caught 4 and 5 lbers in a hole in a rock wall that is only about 4" wide. Like I've said, I've never caught anything deep. The oppertunistic fish are much, much easier to catch. Just my .02

[wcsmithiii]

I lived on the Ohio for years ,I have caught a few fish that were almost coal black so I know they were deep fish,that being said if you stick to fishing 1 to 4 foot deep no mater what the temp. is I think you will do better than trying to find deep fish.I have caught some big fish in 18 inches of water in Aug.,now that is just my experience ,I fished deep but if you dap a 3/16 black and blue jig in every lay down you can find I think you will do better on the Ohio River.