Florida boy in deep clear water

[Top Tiger]

Hello All, Just moved to western NC in the mountains. I've been bass fishing for way too many years to be this skunked. I can see the fish on the finder, just can't figure how to get them up from 150'. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I was born and raised in central Fl. If you find a spot deeper than 20', you're in DEEP water. Totally at a loss here.

[keithdog]

At what depth are you marking fish? Are they suspended in 150 feet of water, at say 20 foot down? If your marking fish at 150' down I'm sure they are not bass. If the fish are 150' down, other than maybe lake trout, I don't know what they would be. Maybe try a 2oz jig with a long stout rod and see what happens.

[Lv2spd]

I'm going to agree with keithdog that those aren't bass if they are at 150 feet.

You could try vertically jigging a spoon or a little george to see if you can find out what they really are though.

Generally, when I've been faced with 50' plus depth (which hasn't been often) I've ignored them and sought fish at what I considered more fishable depths. In effect it shrunk the lakes I was fishing down to less than half their actual size.

That said, when I first moved to Bama from Texas 15 years ago I had a similar (although FAR less extreme) situation with fishiing culture shock. I solved it by finding a couple of locals to fish with and by hiring a guide for a couple of trips.

[Embrey]

if theres any bass that deep, you aint catchen em...lol

[Bubba_Bruiser]

If they are that deep, try a drop shot with a 3" worm wacky rigged. I would take a gallon jug and fill it with cement for a weight though to get it down there quick.

[Top Tiger]

Thanks to all who responded. I understand that there are walleye and pike in these reservoirs. Do they go down that deep? Are there any western NC fishermen out there? Would really like to learn how to fish these waters.

[BigBassin144]

Walleye usually stay towards the bottom, but I don't know if they'll go that deep. The only place I've really ever fished for walleye was on Lake Erie, and our end isn't even that deep.

BB

[Shake n' Bake]

They could be lake trout. Here is a list of species present in different lakes in NC. http://www.north-carolina-tourism.com/nc-lakes.htm

[Top Tiger]

Lake trout, I'm guessing. Went back the other day and they were on the surface. Must have been 200 fish in one of two schools that we saw. They were circling on the surface. Never saw anything like that in fresh water. I've seen tarpon do that a lot when they are chasing bait. Is that what these trout were doing? Cast net or a bow and arrow could have got me a freezer full. The bass must be somewhere in this lake. Try to find them again today.

[lilmule]

Surface action(breaks) is by schoolers,and many species do it,white bass,stripers,largemouth,perch just about every species that schools up.
They either tear up anything tossed to them or ingnore everything as oriented towards what they are chasing,kind of hard to imitate 3/4 in long grass shrimp.If chasing shad generally hit about anything.If you visually see what and size try imitating it.
Even if whites or stripers bass are generally below picking up the pieces.