Fishing Deep: What to tell a rookie

[RandyFish]

FMers,

Since you all did a good job helping learn jigs last summer, here is my next goal -- learn to fish deeper.

Deeper being off the weedlines (milfoil type, metro-area lakes).

Now I did read Ray's (I think it was Ray) advice in an earlier post about locating rocks/point that are attached in some way to weeds...and I know of a couple spots like that so...

If there was one method to use to get the hang of deep-edge fishing, what would you recommend?

a: Fishing a heavier 1/2 oz+ pig and jig bouncing and dragging along the bottom

b: Simply pull carolina rigs parrallel to the line

c: Use a small, slow-fall (bitsy style jig and pig; senko or fluke on a weighted hook) plastic to cast up on the weeds and then let fall down the edge.

I am looking for the "simple Simon" approach until I get confidence.

thanks,

RandyFish

[Lunker]

Thank you for this post, I am very interested as well to see some responses.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Randy-Deep water fishing can be some of the most rewarding fishing there is. And when the light bulb goes off for you, you will know. It will be just like catching that first 4 lb bass as a kid. I remember my dads first real deep water ecpierience, we were on Lake Minnetonka, fishing 22 feet of water about 20 feet off a weed edge. We caught 19 bass with the boat anch. in one spot.

My advice, find somone you know who has had success fishing deep and go fishing with them. We can tell you all the words and write all the words in the world, deep water fishing is something you must do, not read.

The biggest advice I can give you I have to steal from another angler. One of my best friends drew Woo Davies as a pro duing an event on Tonka... My buddie was not a deep water angler, and neither was I at the time. Woo said this "It doesnt matter if you make a cast and have 30 feet of line out vertically or horizontally. Its still just 30 feet of line and its still just a bass."

Bass seldome just roam out in the middle of nowhere, they are there for a reason. When you fish shallow you are fishing a very small area. Weed edge, tree stump, dock... ect... Deep is the same way... Its a very small area you are trying to cast to, you just cant see it.

An underwater camera is almost a must for learning deep water fishing. Knowing fish are in an area, and thinking fish are in an area at 2 different things. The camera helps you to know EXACTLY what is down there and exactly what you are fishing for.

Good luck!... stick with it...

Ohh and to answer your question...

D) all of the above...

There is no simple simon answer to this one. Sorry! If I had to pick one lure that works best for deep water... a 4" straight tail worm on a jig head. Weight of the jig head will depend on how deep you are fishing and how much wind.. try and fish the lightest head you can get away with.

[beeflover]

If you have a good sonar look for deep weeds, deep weeds and rocks even better. You might start on inside turns out away from the weedline and then off the ends of the points.

If you can't afford an Aquaview go with the Carolina rig. Try carolina rigging with floating baits behind. I have been using Gene Larew floating tubes and worms in watermelon candy. Just drag em steadily feeling for weeds and rocks.

[delmuts]

i just want to add , if/when you start using a carolina rig. if you are unsure of what the different bottoms,( muck,sand,weeds,or rocks)feel like. just go to a shallow area with these types of bottoms, so you can see what it is and by pulling your rig thru it,you will have a idea of how it feels for each.

[OnTheWater]

Say Dietz, what underwater camera do you have? I'm thinkin about gettin one, but I don't want to spend much. However, I don't want to waste my money on somethin that doesn't accomplish what i want. --For open water fishing--

[Deitz Dittrich]

OTW- I have a Aqua-Vu Scout XL.. think it retails for $280?.... I had a Scout and just wanted the bigger screen and the easier cord dump... however the scout at $200 worked great! Marcum also makes some great cameras... As far as quality for the money I would stick between those 2 companies.

[Crank It Up Pro]

Fishing shallow is fun,but that is what 90% of the fisherpeople are doing all the time. Your choice to go to the deep side is a smart move I have been a fan of deepwater for a long time and have been very successful at it, Crankbaits and Carolina rigs should be your locator lures,pair these with an aqua-vu and good electronic's and start looking offshore for anything different,stop,drop camera,if fish then cast if not make mental note to check spot later.If you know fish are in the area then you need to work it hard these fish will turn on at different times of the day so stick it out or frequent often. Good luck this year.

CRANK IT UP PRO

[OnTheWater]

Thanks Deitz, thats the direction I'm probably heading.

[Captain B.R.K]

This is a very good read and great question to bring up OnTheWater!

Unfortunately I don't have a camera and all my confidence is fishing jig-n-pigs in deep moilfoil mats or docks. Yeah I spend time in shallow water with senkos, buzz-baits and cranks near your basic shallow water cover (lilly pads, bullrushes, docks, etc.) But I to do not have any confidence in deep water. Probably because it is so foreign to me.

Deep water would consist of what depth?!? Over 15ft of water??

My buddy fishes a carolina rig and I've never fished it, but maybe it's time to try this year. So then what type of rod weight am I looking for? Line size to use too? How about weights for the rig, what size should I stock up on?

This is the time to start stocking up on my inventory, so I'm all ears...thanks guys!!

[OnTheWater]

I'm right there with you BRK. Fishing deep is really the one tactic that I rarely use. Occasionaly I will throw a deep crank and othertimes I'll throw a fluke or senko with some weight pegged in them. But other than that, the deep end is pretty foreign to me. I'm just gonna have to force myself to get a camera, and fish nothing but deep water until I have it down.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Capt-Deep really depends on the lake... In a very stained lake, I would consider deep to be about 8 feet?... On a clear body of water deep could be 22.. I think the deepest I have pulled a fish was about 28 feet.

OTW-Just make sure you are trying deep water fish when there are deep water fish. Some think all winter on how they want to learn deeep and then try it on opener... fail, and then give up.

[beeflover]

Captain B, Medium heavy baitcaster outfits. Long rods are good for casting with the long leader and for hooksets. Braided main line with mono leader is what I like. I like some give in the leader because I usually use 10lb material.

If you have a 7ft pitchin stick with braid on it this is perfect.

I personally like to use two 3/8 oz bullet weights, I put the first one on nose first then a brass clacker then put the second one on backwards. This pulls thru weeds better than an egg or anything else. Using these worm weights then I don't have to stock special weights for c-rigging.

Any type of plastic bait works but also floating plastics and even floating stickbaits.

In the weeks before bass opener, I do not recommend casting shallow with light weight c-rigs or even split shot rigs with big minnows or leeches. I have accidently caught too many bass this way.

[OnTheWater]

Deitz- You can be assured that I'm not leaving my shallow water ways that early. I've just been thinkin about all the times where I have been outfished in the warm months; so I figure that it's time to take deep water fishing more seriously. Good point though!

[Wallydog]

Out here in da west we fish deep (12'- 50+') most of the time. Favorite methods include: drop-shotting, blade baits, mojo rigged plastics, jigs and even carolina rigged crankbaits. The bulk of our impoundments are dammed up river canyons with loads of very verical banks.

WD

[ikeslayer]

Wally

for those that aren't familiar (me) with those tactics please do share and be more descriptive of what these are. blade baits, mojo, and even some tips and tricks of carolina rigging cranks and how that would be helpful out here. thanks for your input. ike