Finding the BASS

[crankitup]

Hey Guy's! I hope everyone has been having some good fishing!! So as a lot of you already may know I fish a highland lake here in Texas. What this means it the lake usally drops off very fast from the shore, vegetation in the water or close to the bank it gone due to the massive amounts of rock, and I cannot find any substantial amounts of structure. The points are very broad and typically blend in to the rest of the surrounding drop off's. The only thing on the lake that reflect structure are a bunch of rotted out timber that provide absolutly no shade or reason for forage to seek it out. The water temperature is in the mid 80's and typically stained. I need help finding these fish. The majority I catch are on the bank but I know the bigger ones are somewhere else. All teh show's, magazines, etc. always talk about finding Bass around weeds, breaks in rock from soft bottoms etc. This lake has none of these items. No vegetation, no change in bottom structure or firmness and no distinct drop offs or points. What do you suggest or do you need some more information?

[Buzz Wing]

Welcome to the lakes up here!

Up here we have weeds, and sand. I have never found any stumps, trees, rock piles, etc. They're just not in these natural lakes...

[crankitup]

So what's your strategy? The bigger bass are going to be deep but what attracts them in lakes like these. Mine doesn't even have one dock on it.

[Buzz Wing]

Well, deep weedlines and points have been working lately. Throwin' a T-Rig down or across the points and draggin' has produced the most. Flippin' and throwin' the frog around docks and emergent weeds has been producing well also.

[crankitup]

So what do you suggest when my lake has no weeds?

[BigBassin144]

Use a crankbait or something fast paced as a search lure. Once you find the fish, find the lure that'll catch you a lot of fish, and use it.

BB

[3dkicker]

Use a sonar with a grey line feature. This will help you find sand, mud, or rock bottom. It will also help you find the fish. If you are fishing from shore then use a C-rig or PnJ to drag the bottom to find a change in bottom composition and dredge up deeper grass or anything else on the bottom.
The fish will relate to the drop offs even if it is only a 1' ditch. Fish parallel to the drop offs and find out if they are on top, on, or at the bottom of the drop. If you still can't find them then they're suspended off the drop.

[zooker]

CRANKBAIT!!!!

is the tool to use.. that sounds so simalar to high rock. -minus the steep drops- you want to work any hump/creek channel edges you can find.. islocated cover like the standing timber is the place to chunk dead drop baits-jigs,big worms,wacky rigged stuff..

zooker

[Bob Smith]

Crankitup, what is the name of the lake we are talking about, maybe I can make some "straight from the heart of Texas" suggestions based on experience or knowing someone who fishes it regularly. I still have contacts from the homeland even though I live in Georgia for now.

[Rebbasser]

Crank-the rock is the cover. Big rocks, chunk rock, etc. One of the most effective techniques I use on Canyon is a deep running crankbait up shallow where it digs into the bottom kicking up a mud trail. Even the bare banks can produce.

I was real surprised when I caught fish along a bank that looks like there is no way it would hold fish. Soft plastics like a Senko rigged either weightless or wacky will also produce along those bare banks.

For some reason unless you are fishing a wind blown bank spinnerbaits don't produce well it this type lake.

[crankitup]

You know I fished the Tourney again lastnight and got stomped. I was stuck trying to fish about 8 different deep spots I plotted and I couldn't get them to bite. The only thing I didn't try was a crankbait. I tried a C-Rig, Spinnerbait slow rolled, a 4" Wildeye, and a T-Rig with Black Salamander. The Lake I am Fishing is Georgetown but Travis is identical. There was one spot that must have had 6 fish around it and I through out my marker, set myself about 15 feet away and tried everything. I'm sure I hit at least one inf the head and I got nothing. The only thing that produced was a Devils Horse at 8:30 when the started hitting the surface.

[Jim80]

give the cankbaits a shot man and did you try a drop shot ?

[zooker]

Originally Posted by Jim80

give the cankbaits a shot man and did you try a drop shot ?

drop shots rarely work in this type a lake why i don't know.

zooker

[1FASTLASER]

Sounds like lehigh valley lake in pennsylvania. You gotta key in on the spots on a spot usng your electronics and studying hard. There is something your over looking such as boulders becoming chunk rock or something of that nature. Use them electronics and study them hard. You will find that spot on a spot.

[crankitup]

I bet I will. To fish the drop shot though you typically would want to have your line directly below you right?

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by crankitup

and I cannot find any substantial amounts of structure. The points are very broad and typically blend in to the rest of the surrounding drop off's.

Crankitup,

Now don't get all cranky 'bout this, OK?
What you are looking for and calling "Structure" is COVER. The ledges, bluffs, points, humps, etc, ARE the STRUCTURE of any body of water.
The structure itself may indeed provide cover...undercut ledges are a prime example, but it's important to accurately distinguish between the two terms and their meanings.
Highland lakes DO offer cover, though not perhaps so visible as one might find in a lake like, for example, Caddo, with its forests of cypress and expanses of hyacinth; or Choke, with all that weed mat.
Come to think of it, those bluffs at Canyon, or whatever similar lake you're fishing, offer cover that actually changes as a sunny day wears on...it's called "Shadow"...think about it, use it.
If you're on Canyon, take a slow cruise up the left side of the southern arm of Turkey cove (the boat launch and hotel are in the northern arm). After you pass the shallow flats, you'll suddenly find deep water less than a cast from the long and low rock ledge to your left. There's some visible wood, but there are many submerged trees, some quite sizeable, right under your boat! We're talking 25'-40' water here. These run parallel to the bank and they persist until you reach a little right turn in the bank. Back off and fish 'em. The bank-huggers usually lose out on these trees 'cause, depending on lake level, you can't spot 'em until you run over 'em.
Be safe!

Lancer6

[crankitup]

Lancer,

All of your information sure has helped. I have looked for shadow areas but it seems that the way the lake is built and the sun is out there are no areas that contain shadow areas. But what you are saying is that since the entire bank that is rock is there structure but to look deeper and find cut-outs, change in bottom composition, etc. It seems the majority of the fisherman fish right up on the bank to catch there fish. All the rotten tree's are heavily presssured to but sont seem to produce. What would be your tactic for starting out a day of fishing for this lake?

[1FASTLASER]

Lancer put it in a lot of detail and hit the nail on the head. The lake I mentioned above used to have a massive weedbed that was killed off by the state when the land owners around the lake used to complain about the ugly spot on the water. It was a hell bent for leather race to that weedbed beforeit was killed during a tourney. Then we had to get serious and find that spot on a spot.............that single huge boulder on a bank of regular sized boulders,or that 10 ft area of pea gravel on a bank of basketball sized gravel. But it didnt matter where we where out came the jigs. Fished the crap outta them till we got the rate of fall correct and the color. Back then there was no drop shot otherwise that woulda been a good choice. A carolina rig was also coming on the scene.

[Fish2win]

Crankitup, This time of the year on deep clear water lakes go nocturnal. The best bite does, Fish2win

[crankitup]

What do you mean by nocturnal? Fish at night or use dark baits?

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by crankitup

What do you mean by nocturnal? Fish at night or use dark baits?

Yes, that's what he means! Given boat traffic, the loonies on the water, and the misery of fishing in summer heat and glare, night bassing IS a wondrous thing, especially on a moonlit night OR under shoreline lights.
There are inherent dangers, mostly related to running too fast and other boaters, but if you can find some relatively confined waters and observe ALL safety regs (+common sense) night bassing can be most rewarding AND less taxing on the body.
May I say...I LOVE IT! Sadly, my usual partners are either afraid of the dark or, for other reasons, unwilling to try it...with one exception, a new "Student", and we're plotting and planning.
There's an air of mystery attendant to night fishing, especially on secluded and quiet water. There are bird and animal sounds, meteorites that thrill, splashes off in the dark..."WHAT WAS DAT?!?!?!?!"...If there are 'gators in the waters you fish, then it gets really, errrrr, entertaining.
But when a nightfighting bass erupts, hit or miss, on a topwater lure the excitement is great.
I've done a great deal of night bassing over the years. It's been every bit so productive as my daytime efforts and generally was more enjoyable.
Preparation of boat and gear is critical, however, and decks MUST be clear. All boat systems must be "GO", especially safety gear...running and anchor lights...and there's a need for good flashlights, at least one spare one, and fresh batteries. A first aid kit won't hurt either.
Oh, there is one thing you never take along...ALCOHOL!

L6

PeeYess: Before you lip a fish in the dark, make damned certain of the species. I once lipped a very toothy walleye in the dark...Yeow!

[1FASTLASER]

Sounds like you and me need tohook up Lancer. I AINT SKEERED. In fact for along timrr that was the majority of my bass fishing. In the northeast where I lived lakes are taken over by lake lice almsot from ice out to iced over. Therefore the sport of skiing and jet skiing cant be done at night by the sane so I fished then.

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by 1FASTLASER

Sounds like you and me need tohook up Lancer. I AINT SKEERED.

I'm more than willing, buddy, but gas prices are a real stopper and I can't expect you to tow your rig to San Antonio.
Maybe in our next life.

L6

[1FASTLASER]

Ditto on the gas.

[Fish2win]

Night fishing is the norm for all the serious bass fishermen I know in East Tenneseee once the bass go post spawn and until the fall frenzy. Black light, florencent line. short armed drop style spinnerbaits tipped with pork, various size T rig worms and pig and jigs are the staple.Day fishing in the summer is like beating your self in the back for punishment. Most of the lakes here are deep and clear in the summer. Fishing structure in deep water at night is the norm for numbers and size. Fish2win