Need help fishing deeper

[Fishnngolfn]

Now that I have my boat and have access to different areas of lakes, I was wondering where and how to fish deeper. I know where to throw my worms and lizards during the weeeee hours of the mornings. I just don't know what to do after the fish have moved to deeper waters. Can I use the same worms and lizards (with weights of course) to fish deeper areas? Do I just throw out to open areas of the lake and let the bait sink to the bottom and then work it from there? How do I work it at deeper depths? I prefer plastics but I am not against throwing crankbaits.

[flfireman]

Just what you said will work. Depends how the fish are biting. May have to go Carolina rig. If not cranks work fine, jigs, spinner baits. Sometimes the only difference between pounding the shore and deep water is just that........deeper water.

[pignjig]

The Carolina rig really is a good choice for learning to fish deeper water. It will allow you to determine the bottom environment such as mud vs. gravel, weedy, submerged trees, etc. You'll pick up on the differences very quickly. Once you've determined the bottom makeup, you can search points, transitions, humps and such for schooling fish. The fish will generally be relating to anything "different" like stumps, boulders, riprap to gravel, drop offs... The fish will also tell you what bait they want, what retrieve, etc. just like shallow water- exactly as flfireman wrote. Right now, large worms are hot on the highland lakes in VA. But, the Carolina rig will allow you to present all kinds of baits, including cranks, in front of their noses. I'm not saying that this is the end all and beat all of deep water techniques, but it will help you become familiar with that type of fishing.
If you believe the fish are suspending over cover or structure, try throwing a deep diving crank or spoon-- Just be sure to be prepared for the spoon bite on the fall.
And last, suspending fish are often looking up. Try throwing some topwater out there along the deep points and drop offs, too.

[MrPhotographer06]

think is.. you about have to find a point or something to have any idea to fish deeper water right? with a depth finder.. or fish finder.. w/o that your screwed.. right?..... i've never fished anything deeper than probally 15 foot ponds and i only fish the pads or near structure as in trees etc.. if fishing in a lake how can you figure that ? or do you fish coves and stuff like when pond fishing?

[bamabassman]

you have to think of a lake like it is a larger pond. at least i do. whatever and whereever you feel that is a good spot on a small pond is where it is on a larger body of water. i may be wrong on now, so don't take just my advice. but that is what i TRY to do on a larger body of water. look for the same points as you would on a small pond.

[Robbie R.]

Silver buddy....1/2 to 3/4 oz....one of Billy Westmorelands tried and tested method for BIG smallies and largemouth.

I have caught a bunch on this bait.

Yo-Yo method......pull it up a couple feet let it drop. They hit usually on the drop.

Cast and let it go to the bottom, a quick wrist/rod pop will yank it off the bottom and then let it fall.

If it gets hung on bottom, get over it and jiggle it loose........simple and you can cover acres or underwater ground.

What ever you do........DO NOT read "them ole brown fish" by Billy W. before you go fishing using one of these baits..........I did not sleep for weeks after reading that book.

(I just have to throw in this link in honor of Billy...........what a smallie fisherman.)

Billy Westmoreland
1937 - 2002

http://www.fishin.com/reports/billy/billy2.htm

[Fishnngolfn]

What is a Silver buddy?

[Jim80]

you could throw a c-rigged creature bait , or try slow rolling a spinner use you rigged bait to search out the structure and cover in the area and then go from there

[JB]

Originally Posted by Fishnngolfn

What is a Silver buddy?

You can bend the back section to make dif actions too.

When I 'm on the lake I look at the graph for bait fish clusters, then look for lots of bigger fish. Usually I'll start mid range for suspended fish, but you can try for the bigger fish on the bottom with any lure that will sink to the bottom. i.e. a silver buddy or any plastic

[Captmikestarrett]

Also called a gay blade..

My favorite was a little george..



Capt Mike

[bamabassman]

hahahaha, gay blade, sorry, did i say that outloud? hahahahahaha. had to say it, sorry.

[Buzz Wing]

Originally Posted by MrPhotographer06

think is.. you about have to find a point or something to have any idea to fish deeper water right? with a depth finder.. or fish finder.. w/o that your screwed.. right?..... i've never fished anything deeper than probally 15 foot ponds and i only fish the pads or near structure as in trees etc.. if fishing in a lake how can you figure that ? or do you fish coves and stuff like when pond fishing?

Mr. P,

Even with a depthfinder, you'll find yourself struggling until you master the lingo of which it projects. I've been using one for over 7 years and I can just now understand sensitivity, gray line, etc.

For deeper water, I suggest this:

Crusie the lake and stay where you approximate the "deep water" to be. As you're going, you should see where sand and gravel meet "the unknown", or "black" area. After you locate this, drop a buoy or two on the shallow side, then anchor or man the TM and cast just short of your buoys, drag, cast, crank, etc., "into the black". Using this method, you start of in shallow and then work down deep. A surefire way to "get deep".

This technique works especially well in wind when the water turns "black". Then you can really tell sand from "deep".

Good fishin'!

[flbassman]

Don't leave out the mighty rattle trap. Especially if you can find some rip-rap, or underwater rock type structure.....

[MrPhotographer06]

well i did mariners post on the rattle trap mod since i never catch anything on a 1/2 oz.. i'll try it one day

[Fish2win]

Lots of good advise about the depth finders. I fish 15 to 25 feet deep here in Tenn esse much of the year. WHen a school of bass goes to a bank they spread out but once they go deep again the school groups up and at times will not move very far to take a bait. You need to look for humps,' drops,' creek channel bends, Deep brush, or heavy rock structure at the depth the fish are using. If yuou fish a lake that stratifies in the summer the fish will be limited to the depth they can go. Here at Norris the thermocline is at 30 feet at this time. below that little or no oxygen. Look for edges that the fish will use fopr migration routes to and from feeding flats. Most importantly turn the gray line and sensitivity all the way up and believe what it tells you. If it does not show me bait and fish I dont fish that location. Shad school tightly in a ball when predatory fish are present. Lean to recognize what that looks like and what brush looks like. Use marker buoys. Once the structure or fish are located turn off the device you are using. It will spook the fish after a while of the constant thumping. Hope this helps. Fish2win