Help me plot my fishing trip!

[morrow50]

Hey everyone

I figured with the combined brain trust here I will have a better chance at success in locating fish on this lake. I will list as much info as I know and you guys can give your input.

This lake is about 4-6 acres, natural made, creek fed by one main creek located by the arrow. The lake recieves very little fishing pressure. The bottom is a muck type mostly of dead leaves. Around boat landing area, bottom consists or redclay and small amount of sand. No rocks of note can be found anywhere on site.

Dam has fairly rapid and consistant dropoff from 0 to 15-18 depth within 10 feet from the bank. Both banks drop off fairly rapidly as well to the same depth but more gradual. Marker "3" is just off a small point that if you look across to the other point across the lake is where another depth change takes place. In the area of markers 1,2, and 5 depth change is gradual then a sudden drop from 6ft to 15ft.

On two trips to the lake, I boated some 72 crappie on the first trip, and 41 the second trip. Those fish were found in marker positions, 1 and 2. There is a multiple of laying logs and small tree stumps in this area. Textbook position for a structure type pattern. I hooked and landed a 3.5lb bass on marker 2. Fishing at marker 1 back to the wood structure, I hooked and lost a fish in the 6 to 7lb range. With those fish a few smaller fish were taken off the isolated stump at marker 5.

The air temp will be in the 50's and water temps will be in low to mid 40's. Reports in the surrounding area have been active for this time of year with bass been caught on everything from pig and jig to medium running crankbaits.

I will be aboard a small boat with no electronics. I have to go about this by my own instincts and the information I gather here. Any input and advice will be helpful. This particular place has given me a bit of trouble. The fish don't seem to be as structured oriented as I would have thought. Without a depth finder, I might be missing a secondary point or underwater feature that might hold the secret.

Below is the map, I sketched out in Photoshop. Thank you in advance on this little venture.



Mike

[Bassin_Dude]

well, fish the dropoffs right along the edge with some kind of crankbait. also fish the stumps with different jigs. those beaver cut trees look apatizing to fish. i would throw a weightless worm or lizard in there. and throw a crankbait or a small swim bait up the creek and reel it back towards you. good luck

[zman]

Tough assignment. Â*I would start around the beaver cut tree stumps, looking for active bass on a small spinnerbait - don't burn it, just nice and steady, in the cover. Â*Use a trailer hook. Â*

Then I would back off and check out postions 1 and 2 - you say there is a dropoff? Â*Little george or a split shot rigged fluke along here. Â*Might also need to check out that little point near number 3, does it extend further out into the lake? Â*Same for the larger point across the lake, check it out and see if it extends farther into the lake using a split shot rig to feel the bottom. Â*Also pay special attention to the area located south of the point, would this be protected from a north wind? Â*Is there any cover in this area to speak of?

Cover the water well. Â*You've already had some sucess, so dont discount what you have already learned. Â*

[macgyver]

Are we talking in VA, and are we talking Bucket Mouths or smallies?

Lizards

[morrow50]

Largemouths

[Rich]

Great scenario, Mike. In that water temp I'd try several things. I'd throw a jig-n-pig in and around the beaver trees, a suspending jerkbait on the outside edges, and a rat-l-trap parallel to the trees. Since it is so cold a slow retrieve would be advised. The other thing I would try is a crawfish colored crankbait that will run deep enough to dig into the sand/clay area to imitate a crawfish.

[Big_Drew]

I would find out what other forage is available to the bass besides the crappie. Also depending on water clarity is would determine alot. I would deffinately start in the northwest corner at this time of year which appears to be a small point by where the stumps began and where the inlet is. That would be the area I would start in. If it seems to be active not just fish but birds and stuff I would start with a quicker moving bait in a more natural color if water is clear. Golden shiner or a logperch suspended rogue. let it pause 5 to 15 seconds between jerks. Slow rolling a single willow spinner bait with a more natural colored skirt would also be worth trying. Then also a shad rap in natural colors. I wouldn't jump to a craw bait for slower presentation until I had tried a centipede/french fry on 1/16 to 3/16 oz. jig head just draggin' it along the bottom. Also a split shot or drop shot rig with a fluke, french fry, or finese worm. (all "natural" colors). I wouldn't use the craw pattern anything prolly untill last because they generally don't get active untill water temps hit low 50's so they probably won't be the predominant forage right now. Not to say they wouldn't work. Caught a 4lber sunday on an eakins jig with plastic craw trailer and had a bigger one break me off. There are as many ways to tackle this thing as there are fisherman. So go by what you know. I would deffinate concetrate on fishing the first and second "breaklines" where ever I could find more the two edges excluding the surface and bottom.

[morrow50]

Guys keep the info coming, I will get pictures from the site as well as try all the tactics you guys stated. One other thing I forgot to add. A few different guys in the area have told me they have had luck on the crawdad colored cranks as well as 1 guy told me he caught two on the trailer hook of a spinnerbait on a slow, but steady retrieval. Chartruese and White was the spinnerbaits colors.

The night before I go, I will print out this entire thread and review everything written on the way to the lake. Keep the tips coming.



Mike

[morrow50]

basstech,

On the suspending bait, what are your ideas on a Rapala Suspending Husky Jerk for that situation?

Mike

[BassNva]

if you're there in mid afternoon try throwing a rattletrap in the shallows over the stumps.just make sure you hit the stumps to make the trap move erratically.

[macgyver]

[quote author=basstech link=board=MessBoards;num=1110927576;start=0#6 date=03/15/05 at 20:02:22] I would deffinately start in the northwest corner at this time of year which appears to be a small point by where the stumps began and where the inlet is. That would be the area I would start in. [/quote]

I guess great minds think alike, so where do we fit in

I fish a local reservoir, that is by far at least 100 times bigger than this, however, the set up is almost identical. It's fed more like a small river, and is dammed up in the same place as yours is. The Majority of the Bass were always on the(lets say NW since no directions I can find or the topleft). The creek will first off have some flow, and the bass will sit facing towards the creek waitng for an easy meal to be swim by or be pushed by. When the current is slow, they will post up to the first major breakline and start to feed over in the shallower areas. The biggest difference is there is alot of vegetation on that point where I fish, but the stump tells me theres, more there than 1 stump. Also remember the sediment will have washed in and given you a shallower area, and then start to drop off gradually. This is another spot the Bass will congregate. A c-rig is very had to beat in this area, fish it like you would a point, however fish it throwing your c-rig up into the creek mouth, and retrieve it back towards the deeper water. Make sure you fan cast the whole area however, because of debris might have gotten logded in the flat somewhere creating another break in the current. I of course love wood, especially Beaver houses, and with the water temps you are descibing I would fish these with weightless plastics, either a baby fluke or a Lizard. I would throw it up and let it fall, and slowly work it over the branches and let it fall again after it hops over each branch, let it fall to as far as it can or the bottom, whichever is first. I really don't think with the water temps, you'll find very many ACTIVE fish, but perhaps you could. With the water temps you are describing my best producing bait has always been weightless plastics, either deadsticked or just plain ole worked a slow as pond water. Everyone has given good choices, and some good techniques, but I will say in these conditions, if you have a confidence bait that is what you should use, unless of course it fast moving. I also find it hard to believe there are no rocks around the dam, but I wouldn't throw out fishing it, but it would be my last choice. Now below the dam would be a different story if it's fishable. Suspending rogues are also a very good choice. After I had worked those, instead of a PNJ, I would t-rig up a Yum crawbug which seems to be easier to get around the timber for me. Well I hope you catch a ton, and any and all of the suggestions can work. But if I was going to this body of water that would be my plan of attack with these conditions.

bassintom,

What no 4"redshad worms?

Of course this is all just MY opinion, so take what you know, and implement the things that you like.

And don't forget to use plenty of scent, it may or may not help, but it sure won't hurt.

Lizards

[BassNva]

too many people know about them already...i shoulda kept my mouth shut. ;D

i'm drinking homemade wine so it's possible i'll start posting jibberish...lmao!

[Big_Drew]

To mikedurrbeck, I know they work. At a tournament on Lake Truman a couple of years ago they out fished the rogues 3 to 1. I bought two in each size and of basic color schemes when they first came out in '94 it think it was. In clown, black/chrome, blue/chrome and firetiger, but i haven't done very well with them. I would say though they would be the way to go if the fish are sluggish, and suspended off points. But this year i prolly won't throw one even once, the bass are fat and active, water temps here in low to mid fortys and they are killin' slow moving wigglewarts and rogues.

[morrow50]

Thanks everyone for the input. I got alot to try,lol. I picked up the rod and reel I mentioned before and spooled it with the Power Pro 15lb/4lb dia. I have fished both Spiderwire and Fireline in the past so I know not to overdo it on setting the hook and such.

I tied on a Dave's Tournament Tackle El Nino 1/4 oz Brown Jig and going to tip it with a No.18 Uncle Josh Crawdad Brown Pork Frog. On my second rig, I am going with a #5 Rapala Suspending Huskie Jerk in Silver/Black. On my last rig, I am going with a 6" Culprit Red Shad worm Texas Rigged with 3/16oz Weight (To get slow fall) rigged on a 3/0 Owner Hook.

I will report back on my trip as well as my first experience with the PowerPro line. I have a good feeling about Saturday as the weather is shaping up and I have been hearing from others in the area of prevailing techniques and trends in the fish mood so to speak. Needless to say, here in Va where the weather has been crazy at best a degree or two change will change where these fish will be.

Thanks again all that responded. I will continue to subscribe to this thread and print it out and give each tactic a try. I will report back and let you know accordingly.


Mike

[bassmania25]

I think the water is still a little cold for fish to be chasing baits, gonna have to put it right in front of them and stay in the strike zone longer. The rogue is a great idea try dropshotting the area thoroughly, with a 4 -4 1/2 " worm. moving it slowly. again in 40 degree water these fish are letting the bait come to them. when you think your going to slow slow down. fish dont start getting active again usually until water reaches 46-48 degrees then they start looking for warmer temps thinking its time to start looking for beds and feed accordingly. good luck, lots of great ideas out there hope they help you get em. .............. Scott R