Fishing Points and Drop Offs

[IowaBasser]

I hate to admit it, but I'm a one dimensional fisherman; a shore pounder. I cast spinner baits to shore, rubber worms to docks, plastic frogs in weeds, etc. My biggest weakness is fishing in depths of more than 6 feet.

When people ask, "Where should I fish for bass?" inevitably I hear someone respond, "Try the points and drop-offs." The hair stands up on the back of my neck and I cower in fright like a 12 year-old listening to campfire stories about an escaped convict with a hook instead of a hand. My confidence level is ZERO.

1st Question: Where should I start? Occasionally I hear to look for points near deep water or look for wind-blown points. I have a topo map of the lake, but I don't know how to target one point over another.

2nd Question: Do I cruise the point looking for fish on the depth-finder, and if I don't see them, do I move on to another point?

3rd Question: Once I decide to fish a particular point, do I start fan-casting spinner baits and crank baits. If so, do I position the boat deep and retrieve down the point, position the boat shallow and retrieve up the point, or retrieve across the point. Or would you start with a finesse bait like a rubber worm, sluggo, jig, etc.

Crank baits are not one of my "confidence lures" ...I have a difficult time telling at what depth they are running. Instead of casting a crank bait, I would more likely slow roll a spinner bait or drag a rubber worm (either Texas or Carolina) so I could feel the bottom. Any tips on crank-baits to improve my confidence. I have mostly Rapala count-downs and shad-raps. I also have a handful of lipless rattle-trap type lures, but I've NEVER caught anything with the lipless cranks.

4th Question: How long do you spend on a particular point without catching fish before trying a different bait or moving on completely. Does this vary depending on whether or not you've seen fish on the depth-finder? After I've covered a point with a spinner bait or crank bait and haven't caught a fish, is it worth trying a finesses technique to catch fish showing up on the depth-finder? Or would the fish be warry due to all the crank-bait casting? Perhaps it would be best to come back to this point in 30 minutes and try a finesse bait?

5th Question: How do your strategies for finding fish on drop-offs differ from finding fish on points?

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by IowaBasser

The hair stands up on the back of my neck and I cower in fright like a 12 year-old listening to campfire stories about an escaped convict with a hook instead of a hand. My confidence level is ZERO.
That's hilarious...

1st Question: I have a topo map of the lake, but I don't know how to target one point over another. Occasionally I hear to look for points near deep water or look for wind-blown points.
That's not a question...
But yes, that's usually a good place to start. A point or a ledge with deep water close on one side and shallow water close to the other is a good first choice.

2nd Question: Do I cruise the point looking for fish on the depth-finder, and if I don't see them, do I move on to another point?
I'd try it, anyway, even if you don't see fish on the depth finder. Maybe not for as long as points that you DO see fish on, but it's worth a few casts, at least. Some fish won't show up on the finder, if they're too close to the bottom, underneath an overhanging limb or ledge, or too close to the cliff.

3rd Question: If I see fish on the depth-finder, do I start fan-casting spinner baits and crank baits. If so, do you position the boat deep and retrieve down the point, position the boat shallow and retrieve up the point, or retrieve across the point.
Yes, do that...
Usually, position the boat out in deeper water and throw shallow, then cast across the point and run the bait up one side then down the other. Then go shallow and cast deep. I've gotten bites doing all three.
4th Question: Do you normally start with crank baits and spinner baits to cover more water, or would you start with a finesse bait like a rubber worm, sluggo, jig, etc.
Power fish first...cranks, spinners, and 1/2-3/4 oz jigs, then downsize if you either didn't get any bites, or want to try to entice the more finicky fish.

5th Question: How long do you spend on a particular point without catching fish before trying a different bait or moving on completely. (Does this vary depending on whether or not you've seen fish on the depth-finder?)
See Question #2

Crank baits are not one of my "confidence lures" ...I have a difficult time telling at what depth they are running, so I would more likely slow rolling a spinner bait or drag a rubber worm (either Texas or Carolina) so I could feel the bottom. Any tips on crank-baits to improve my confidence. I have mostly Rapala count-downs and shad-raps. I also have a handful of lipless rattle-trap type lures, but I've NEVER caught anything on them.
In all seriousness, the best way to gain confidence in a particular lure is to fish it a lot. To learn take NOTHING but crankbaits with you, and figure out how to catch fish with them. You may blank for a while, but once you figure it out, you've got it.
Also, the billed floating crankbaits are designed to run down to a certain depth. When you buy them, write the depth (4-7 ft, 9-12ft, whatever) on the underside of the bill in black Sharpie. Remember that line size and water temp will change the depth they'll run....bigger line and lower temp makes them go shallower, smaller line and higher temp will let them go deeper.


Do your strategies for finding fish on drop-offs differ from finding fish on points?
Not really. Same principles, just different targets. Position the boat where you can cast parallel to the face of the dropoff and retrieve all the way down it, then put the boat out deeper and cast shallow, then put the boat shallow and cast deep.

I've got to write something here so it'll let me post this.....blah blah blah blah blah.....blah blah blah.....

Klaatu! Barada! Nikto!

[IowaBasser]

Thanks MississippiBoy

[lilmule]

Start close in where you are comfortable at use the baits your used to,then alternate and go slightly deeper.let the fish tell you what and how they want it or what they want .
As for cranks I dont use them a lot on points other than jerkbaits,main lake flats on ky lake are shallower than near the bank so you would feel at home.Yet may be 2 miles from land.Often they suspend over the drop about 2 ft deeper than what the flat is or hump is,it may or may not have grass,but use a heavy weight one goes right by them unweighted senko,fluke,and many of those shallow flats have a point or points and a dropoff edge.Even grass sometimes has a minor point where it gets say 6 in deeper or so and doesnt grow on either side.
So fishing ledges,humps,points does not necessarilly mean fishing deep,just looks like should be deep water due to distance from the bank.
Have I caught fish deep yes 34 ft on a jig,here,was smaller than most fish I catch.
I fish shallow water 10 months a year less then 6 ft deep most of the time less than 3,often being able to wade ashore without getting my knees wet.Yet not beating the bank,majority of the year.
The places you fish will determine a lot of how you point fish or hump or ledge fish,you determine the rest as what you are comfortable doing or throwing.
I own dd 22 yet dont use them much,cant stand the pull on the rod,bandit 200 yes,fat free shad yes ,rattle trap ok,try using what cranks that wont wear you out,to find the ones you like.

[IowaBasser]

Never thought about points and drop-offs in the context of being relatively shallow water far from shore. The lake I usually fish is less than 500 acres with no big flats like KY lake. Here's a topo map; I labeled the points for reference.

[3dkicker]

Looking at 7b I'd fish the underwater points and ridges on the west or left side from 7b back into the skinny water. Also across from it that area where the two points come together looks interesting. The small creek south of that has an amazing looking point that hooks and might hold fish if it has some rock or brush on it.

Not all points hold fish. They have to have cover or be a staging area for fish on the move. Also if it's an area that bait fish hang on then it really doesn't need any cover.

[IowaBasser]

You're good!!! ...the area marked 7b is one of my favorite spots on the lake, there is a nice weed bed there that almost always holds bass. (Our lake house is between 7 and 7a - so it's within trolling distance if I'm only going out for 30 minutes before super.) Also across from 7a and 7b where the points come together is an alright spot too. I caught a 2lb10oz fish about 20 feet up shore near an abandoned boat lift 2 days ago. That's a little larger than average for this lake. Four 3-pound fish will get you in the money in the tournaments. We had a tournament 2 weeks ago; the big-bass was just over 5 pounds and the second big bass was 4-1/2 pounds. Those were the only 2 fish in the tournament that were over 3-1/2 pounds, but there are a lot of fish around 3 pounds. 1st place was 14.2 pounds, second was 11.9 pounds. (15 boats entered, 2 people/boat, a combined 4 bass limit) There were 3 other teams with 11+ pounds. We had 9.1 pounds and finished 8th or 9th.

I fish the bay between 7 and 8 more than any place else on the lake - probably because of it's the closest to the house, but a lot of other boats from all over the lake come to fish in this bay too.

[lilmule]

I wondered as its the only cove with secondary points marked,as for fishing it those three contour lines near the bank are the lead in lead out banks.Meaning highway in and out of the bay,staging at various levels 1-3contour lines if 5 ft ea from out to shallow spawn and then back out gradually getting deeper,but from bay 7b to 7 at the mouth thats their roadway,and at 7 their staging point coming from deep then going in and coming back and gradually going deeper after spawn.
Later in the year fall again as coming in after shad or baitfish using more or less same highway but at different levels as following their food source.As for boat lifts, docks abandoned its wood in the water some you dont see.
Its also chock full of points under the water that do not show like in front of 6 and on both sides of it,behind 9 way back in the bay,those are what ky lake people call a ledge point,not super deep either.Built for a crig.
Sounds like a nice place to live.

[IowaBasser]

It's probably one of the best places to live on the lake for fishing. In the spring we catch a lot of 2 pound to 7pound walleye fishing night-crawlers or leeches under a slip-bobber ...right off the dock! (I'm not much for bobber fishing, but it's the most productive way to catch the walleye - and my dad loves to walleye fish.) We catch some decent bass on the slip bobbers as well as lots of sunfish, which the kids love. Fishing with minnows is restricted, which is a pain in the butt for walleye, but it is how they keep roughage fish from getting into the lake. A side note, there are no traditional bait fish in this lake. The ONLY species are: sun-fish, crappie, walleye, cat fish & large mouth. Also this fall they stocked Muskie for the first time: only 150 total Muskie in 414 acres, but they were 20 inchers so they should have a good survival rate. The walleye in this lake do not naturally re-produce; I'm not sure why, but the DNR comes out every year and takes samples of fish and never find ANY small walleye. The large-mouth bass have a slot limit - If you keep a bass, you can only keep fish between 12 and 14 inches. We never keep bass, but keep almost all our walleye. It's EASILY the best fishing lake I've been on in Iowa, but it's private - no boats allowed on the water unless you are a home owner.

What started this thought about deeper water was a bass tournament 2 weeks ago. Almost every 2-man team caught 40+ bass through out the day, most of the fish were around 2 pounds with a few up to 3 pounds. The winning team only caught 15 fish all day, but their fish were considerably larger; 4 fish totaling over 14 pounds. So they must have been doing something different than the other teams who pounded the shore like me. I'm realizing that I need to expand the water I fish if I want to catch bigger fish. My guess is they have a number of spots marked on the lake where there is submerged structure - I figure the best way for me to find the submerged structure is start fishing the deeper water like the points and drop offs. Hopefully along the way I'll find stumps, rock piles, etc.

Thanks for your help!

[bamabassman]

Have you gone to the little "pond" area ACROSS from 7b? To me it looks like a KILLER spot that will hold bass year round. Narrow gap to get to it, nice open area and then a little narrow clove in back. I would for sure hit that spot pretty often. Seems like a great place for getting outta wind on real windy days.

[IowaBasser]

Yeah... I've fished the little "pond" across from 7b quite a bit, caught a few bass here and there - but nothing special.

There is another little "pond" just to the right of number 8 & across the lake from point 5a... it's funny you say pond. This spot actually WAS a pond before the big damn was built in the early 70's. They used dynamite to blow a hole in the little damn that formed the "pond." That's a pretty good spot too, right at the open hole on the main side of the lake, but never had any luck inside the pond.

[lilmule]

Think of that pond area as a raised island look how many points it has,standard thee corners for a triangle and a very long narrow finger point.Now submerge it,its the reverse deeper water with cuts form a point ,with two actual points sticking in above the back of the finger point.Sitting between those two underwater shallower points in deeper water say 12-14 ft,you can toss across to about 8 ft and drag back.to deeper water.Just think of it as an island and visualise the coves,underwater they are points,that lead to deeper water.Then go from those contour lines to deeper ones to fish deeper,curves in creek channels or river channels are of importance on larger impoundments.

[bamabassman]

I saw that one too. Yeah, they are in there....both of those "ponds" have a biggun or 2. In spawning season I would go way back as far as I could to find em. There must be a spring in the one you are talking about that used to be an actual pond. It has to have a spring or some sort of water inlet to it.

[IowaBasser]

The problem with both those ponds is they have very muddy/silty bottoms. When they made the large lake, they also made 20 or so tiny "silt ponds" to trap sediment before it flowed into the main lake. However; the 2 small ponds (the ones we are talking about fishing) were there a long time before the lake was made and they developed very silty bottoms. I've had better luck just outside those ponds or in the open water at their entrances.

Originally the points I that I was thinking about fishing when I started this thread were main lake points like: 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, & 13. There aren't any true drop-offs or ledges in this lake, but I was thinking about trying to fish some of the steeper areas like near points 2 and 3 where the water drops off to 40 feet (the deepest part of the lake.)