deeper water structure

[ocf]

what deeper water structure do you guy's use most often, i am trying to improve my overall bass game ive tried weeds and weedlines

P.S. my dang rod broke so now i have to get a new 1 super cheap so i can get my gloomis next year

[Stratosman]

Deep weeds or rock/weed humps and points all hold bass at certain times of the year. I personally like chasing shallow fish, but sometimes to get the quality bass you have to move deep.

[Deitz Dittrich]

deep water fishing is an art!... I like to fish it all. Deep weeds, deep weed transitions, bottom transitions.. all can be very good at times.

[Matt Johnson]

I've been targeting deeper weeds for my bass lately. Anywhere from 9-15 feet. Jig worms have been working the best. Drop it right down amongst the vegetation and slowly bounce/hop/slide it back. It's been working pretty well the last week or so...

I also like to work deeper wood and rock for bass, both largies and smallies.

Fishing deep structure is definitely an art like Deitz mentioned, and I'm still trying to figure it all out

[dan2957]

Deitz and Matt,

I have been fishing deep and staying away from the shallow bite the past few years. I find alot of fish along cabbage but have not been able to find any rhyme or reason as to what weed lines are better than others. I just fine a few good spots now and then that seem to hold the fish. So my question to you guys is....

When you are finding these deep fish along the weed line do you notice if the bottom has changes any, from sand to gravel, hard to soft bottom, thin weeds to thicker weeds, or a change of vegetation type? Do you look for a change in contour or something differant about an extended point? I think my main question is..... what do you think is keeping the fish in that location? Deitz you said deep water fishing is an art, can you talk a little more about that art and how to pick up on it?

BTW, fish count for 2006 is 130, with a 4.64 catch per trip average LOL I need to catch more to get closer to your 1000 fish mark this year.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Just got off the lake... 10 more this morning, biggest was 4.5lbs.. all came from deeper than 16 feet, deepest was 23 feet deep.

The fish today were keying on weed transitions. Where the weeds changed from one weed to the next. The outside weed edge was in 18-20 feet, but most of the bites came in 16-17 in the weeds, but as it trasitioned from one weed to the next. I know this because I dropped the Aqua-vu down. The one weed(not sure what it was, I call it celery) stopped then hydrilla started in 17 and grew to about 18 feet...

So, there is a ton of deep water in some lakes, every place I caught fish today I caught more than one fish from, and even went 4 casts in a row once. While these fish were on a transition of the weeds they were also on a very small point comming out from the weeds as well.

So, depending on the situation I look for different deep water structures, some times the fish seem to key in on deep weeds... find the deepest weeds in the lake and you catch fish. Some times its finding the shallowest deep weed line. The weeds ususally stop because the bottom is so hard in these areas(rocks) Sometimes they are on the points, sometimes in the turns. They key is eliminating water as fast as you can till you find a pattern.

Then once you find them, find the best way to catch them.

Did that answer your question?...

[Matt Johnson]

I've noticed that when reading the graph, I tend to look for areas where the weeds are taller and less compact. The real thick blotches of weeds hold some fish, but I've been preferring the taller, thinner weeds lately...

I guess I haven't really noticed a drastic change in bottom content, but I would be willing to bet there's a change where the weed growth drastically changes form, so that could play a roll in the lakes I've been fishing...

[Muddog]

Matt

Would you like to take a trip to Frances to check out a 14' deep Bass spot that is good from June 15 - July 15. These are Bass that are very light in color and do not seem to go shallow. They are from 15-18". I only make this offer once a year.

If I don't respond try the south central area.

[Matt Johnson]

Muddog,

Shoot me an e-mail, maybe we can work something out...

[dan2957]

Thanks Dietz and Matt.

Yep you answered my questions. You basically confirmed what I have found to be true when I fish deep water. I had that same pattern going a few weeks ago where the fish where in the thinning out weed line. I found the fish where the weeds started to thin out. Its good to know I am on the right track. Thanks again.

[Muddog]

Matt.

You've goot mail.

[bucketmouth64]

When you come upon the deep areas that have been mentioned do you look for fish to show up on the locater or do you just start fishing the area? Would you start using search baits like cranks, or traps, and if you get hits switch to a slower technique like worming, or jig/pig?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Yes and no... Inormally do not look for fish on the locator...and depending on the weather, I will use search baits.. There are a lot of days, that I will not use search baits as they are not as effective!

[jdoyle5599]

Don't forget the carolina rig when you start fishing deep. I have never seen a better search rig for water 20 - 45' deep. Keep the bait small to start and play with the leader length depending on the cover you are fishing.