Ledge and Hump Fishing

[Big Orange Basser]

This is the first year I have tried fishing open water. I have had limited success but have found some pretty interesting spots whcih I think will hold fish. Questions....Do you find it better when there is current? Also, I have found that fish will be in one spot one day and be nowhere in site the next.....why is this? This one area I have found I postion the boat in 12 ft of water and throw to a 6ft hump with stumps. The fish will be there early and late but leave the area as the sun goes up. 25ft water is very close by but I have yet to find structure that I feel like they will relate to. Where do these fish go during the day? Do they migrate very far? I have alos noticed bait is the key....when ther is bait there is fish. Any help/ideas on rigging, techniques and overall knowledge would be appreciated. This is a TVA lake. Thanks!

[Bass Hawk 87]

One thing you did not mention is whether or not you have grass or weeds on this lake.

On the lakes I fish, there is no vegetation, and we rarely find fish in shallow water during the warmer months. Of course, you will catch fish shallow occasionally, if they happen to be feeding, such as at night or when we have a couple of days of strong winds blowing onto a shallow point, hump or ledge, but only if there is deep water on the edges of the area.

Here, humps in 12-25' of water are normally excellent, especially with brush or stumps on them, as well as rock. If there is current, the fish will be positioned along the downcurrent edge, and facing the current. Normally this happens when the corp is pulling water through the dam, causing these fish to feed. When the current stops, the feeding stops, and the bite slows.

When the fish are feeding on top or along the edges, I like crankbaits, or C-rigged baits. If they move off and suspend, then I work jerkbaits over those areas.

On lakes with vegetation, fish tend to be much shallower, even in the hotter months, and can be found in very shallow water year round.

[Ouachita]

"When feeding" is your answer above my post. It's kind of like going by yuor favorite restaurant at 2 am when it's closed and you see no customers parked there. There is no food set out there. Bass don't stick around where meals are not coming by. Look for baitfish instead of the bass. When you find them the bass are close by, in the parking lot somewhere. Smaller bass roam a lot more, while mature bass take up positions where they have "learned" food comes by regularly, indeed close to channel highways used by baitfish. If no shallow cover they go to the nearest structure offering shade, cool water, and ambush potential. I would ignore any hump or ridge below the thermocline if there's one in the lake. Neither oxygen nor baitfish will be there either.

Jim

[fishin blues]

i live near 2 major lakes. i too have been trying to learn ledges on ky. after living on barkely for 6 yr several yrs ago it spoils you. makes it hard to change old habit and patterns. you used. especially if you know where they are on home lake. keep at it , it takes alot of water time. so many tournments here, may not have success till later in the yr.

[xx]

Drag a Lizard on a C'rig!!