How to fish for Bass deeper? Pls help

[Ignobilis Lunker]

Howzit Guys,

I would really like to take my bass fishing to the next level, but I seem to be stuck pitching plastics into the shallows as I have always done.

We fished Rhenosterkop a couple of weekends ago, and the guys on the boats smashed fish, while we got a couple, casting towards the banks. The guys on the boats said afterwards that the were fishing in 9M of water. How does this work?
Obviously, a fish finder helps for this, what do you look for? What rigs do you use at these depths?

A little off the subject, what rig would you use to livebait a small baitfish? Especially at depths? Livebaiting under a float is quite self explanitory, but its when trying to take the bait deeper, I don't understand the principal.

Thanks for your help guys!

Cheers

 

[alwayscatchfish]

Howdy
When fishing depths what I normally look for in terms of structure would be "drop offs" or submerged trees / brush piles and rock outcrops,the usual rigs would be texas or carolina rig, dropshot works well for some, my personel choice would be 1/2 - 1/4 oz jigs with a trailer, fish slower than normal almost dead stick the bait, most plastics work well at depths but I would reccomend flukes, senko's and brush hogs.
I've caught some lunkers in 40-60 ft of water so don't be shy to go deep - a depth finder is a MUST for deep water fishing.
As to live bait - not very sporting - but you can rig the same as for sea fishing on a sliding hook line with the sinker attached to the main line.
Good Luck

 

[Ant01]

Hi,

We also fished rhenosterkop a couple of weekends ago same patern....shallow did not deliver. Mainly I think because of the water temp. On the fish finder the water was 29 C. That will send any bass deeper....

 

What worked for us was senkos with a small texas weight attached ...waiting for it to hit the bottom. +- 1 ft per second drop so if you fish 15 ft it should take aprox 15 sec. WE then jerked the senko on the bottom...that worked cast after cast.

When fishing deep use darker coulours: Junebug.

We also slow rolled a spinnerbait on the bottom and that also delivered bass.

Hope this helps!

Ant

 

[HennieS]

Hi Igno

On this thread there is a sticky about fishing River channels and creeks have a read I think it will help you a lot. It is important to understand underwater structure and how to fish them! You have any questions feel free to ask!

 

[Croc-Hilux]

Ant01 wrote:

Hi,

We also fished rhenosterkop a couple of weekends ago same patern....shallow did not deliver. Mainly I think because of the water temp. On the fish finder the water was 29 C. That will send any bass deeper....

 

What worked for us was senkos with a small texas weight attached ...waiting for it to hit the bottom. +- 1 ft per second drop so if you fish 15 ft it should take aprox 15 sec. WE then jerked the senko on the bottom...that worked cast after cast.

When fishing deep use darker coulours: Junebug.

We also slow rolled a spinnerbait on the bottom and that also delivered bass.

Hope this helps!

Ant

Hey Ant, sounds like great advise, I am in the unfortunate position not to have any type of floatational device, and fishing from the side.

But I cast it in fairly deep, will the same rules apply and would you use the same lures and rigging.

 

[Ant01]

Hi Croc-Hilux,

Dependant on the depth from the side. I will not use a texas rig at a depth of say 3-7ft. Rather use a smalll split shot weight or weightless.

If you are however able to find deep water in casting distance from the shore the same rule will apply.

 

A tip when fishing from the bank:

Look at the dam using google maps/earth and find any steep drop offs close to shallower water:

Look at the picture attached, firstly cast to the shallower areas (during mornings and afternnons) bass tend to move to shallows during these times to feed. During mid day cast to the the deeper water as bass tend to move deeper during this time. Do however remember that bass will still feed during mid day (quickly moving to shallows and back to deeper water)

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ant

 

 

[Croc-Hilux]

Wow, Ant thanks a stack, will give it a try.

Trying to fish Edenvale quarry and not having much luck from the bank.

Where do I get these maps, have tried google earth but cant find the topographic settings. Or do I need to get a mapping software?

Sorry for all the Questions, just very much hooked on the bass fishing idea and want to get as much gen to make fishing easier and exciting.

 

[bblunt]

Try and find a channel running from the shallows to the deep water as the bass use the channels as highways. That way you can fish the channel from the shallow all the way to where it meets the main river (deep water).

A point is also a type of highway used by bass to get from deep water into the shallows. Each bay normally has two points either side with a channel down the middle-ish. If the channel is closer to one of the points than the other, even better.

Think like a fish. If you live in the deep but the supermarket/fast food outlet is in the shallows, how you gonna get there without putting youself in danger from predators or without suffering adverse effects of weather changes? Use a channel....

If the channel is quite long and you want to know where along the channel the fish are. Use your finder to identify cover such as trees, stumps, brush piles etc or a simple change in the hardness of the bottom. Fish will stop off on these types of spots to rest and to equalise pressure etc. No fish can move from 30ft to 3ft of water in one short burst.

Get topo maps and look for these channels. Then go out and fish them. Carolina rig is the best way to cover water and feel out the structure/cover beneath the water.

Good Luck

 

[Croc-Hilux]

Thanks Bblunt
That is great info. My problem is that I dont have the technology on a boat to find the channels.

Is there any other way to see the channel just looking at structure and what to do if the water visibility is low.

 

[popperdotcom]

okay so let's say you are fishing renosterkop. - and the shallow bite is quiet, say mid morning... What would you do to find fish deeper ? Look for submerged drop offs or trees ? Follow a channel into deeper water ? what would your gut say. (and what is the logic behind it) ? Sorry guys, same question as ignobilis I know

 

[Ignobilis Lunker]

Thanks for all the advice guys!
Just Struggling to get my head around it. If your finder shows structure directly below you, do you drop your rig straight down and leave it deadstick?
Fishing channels? Do you basically try to find drop offs and fish the deap side? Surely bays just follow contours, where the main river will be in the middle of the dam.

Thanks agaian!
PS Popperdotcom, donttunetunebabboonchufchufgirafItuneumychina

 

[MarvelousMark]

Croc-Hilux wrote:

Wow, Ant thanks a stack, will give it a try.

Trying to fish Edenvale quarry and not having much luck from the bank.

Where do I get these maps, have tried google earth but cant find the topographic settings. Or do I need to get a mapping software?

Sorry for all the Questions, just very much hooked on the bass fishing idea and want to get as much gen to make fishing easier and exciting.

Type "dam contoures" on google

 

[bblunt]

There are many ways to skin a cat (stupid saying)

When you see something good on your finder when fishing deep, either back off and fish it by using landmarks to give you the spot (if you don't have technology) or mark a weighpoint and fish around it or simply put out a marker bouy, back off the spot and fish around the bouy. Drag the carlolina rig to feel out the bottom or throw a drop shot.

If you don't have contour maps, sediment maps, GPS etc etc. Then look at the land above the water and picture it coming down into the water (a lot like putting in golf)

Steep cliffs from the waterline upwards won't suddenly flatten out under the water. You can normally see the start of a channel in the shallows. Patch of very green vegetation indicating a small stream. At the water edge there are normally reeds and lily pads etc. If all else fails go to streetmaps.co.za and look for the contours that are available.

A basic depth sounder and lots of fuel can give you a fair idea of where dropoffs are and river channels. Your carolina rig (1/2 ounce to an ounce) cast out in a fan pattern will help you to determine where the structure and cover varies (even from the shore). Bass like break lines which are changes in anything...hard to soft bottom, large to small rock, changes in grass type, change in water temp (thermoclines), changes in water colour, sudden changes in depth (as small as a foot) etc etc etc.

Find these break lines in the right depth range and bingo.