It seems every Bassmaster Elite Series event we learn something new. Last event on Lake Havasu we learned about baby black birds and this past week we learned about fishing ledges and schools of bass on them. I think the new live feed is going to educate not only the general public, but even those of us on tour to new tactics, strategies, and baits.
However, that's not the schoolin' I really want to discuss in this blog; let's talk about catching schoolin' bass. This is the time of year where bass start moving to the summer haunts. Depending on your lake there are some key things to look for.
It's important to trust your electronics, both the sonar and the mapping and really utilize it to its maximum potential. Understanding how to use it, knowing what to look for, and putting in the time it takes to find key areas can be the difference between a bad day and an epic day of fishing.
For me, I start with my Garmin mapping and I am looking for drop-offs and ledges. The problem is that on a lake like Kentucky Lake you can find 100 miles of ledges, so where do you start? I start by looking for abnormalities in the ledge; steeper drop offs signified by closer contour lines, swings in the channel, or sharp turns in the ledge, or where creek channels and the main channel meet can all be key areas on a lake like this. For some lakes like Lake Fork or Falcon Lake, it could be brush piles or rock piles along the edge of the ledge that hold fish. Find those key areas on your lake and mark them on your electronics map well before getting on the water. Those will be the areas you start, and from there you can expand. Once you find fish on one type of irregularity you can look for other similar areas around the lake.
Next is figuring out how to catch the fish you find. Sometimes, maybe often times, that sounds easier than it actually is; as
evident with my third-day struggle on Kentucky Lake. What I can tell you is bring an arsenal with you and don't hesitate to change up completely. Every school of bass can be different and what they want and how they want it is the puzzle we are constantly looking to solve. This past week I caught fish on twenty different baits. Some of the key baits for me were the Livingston Lures Deep Impact, the Picasso Fantasy Football Jig, and a Tight Lines UV 10" ripple worm. The key was going through the entire arsenal before giving up on a school. It seemed like I would catch a few on the crankbait, and when that slowed I could throw the jig out there and get a few more. The next school might not touch the crank bait or the jig, but would inhale the 10" worm as soon as it hit the bottom, then after that bite died down, they'd eat the crankbait. I'm not sure if its more like chess or guess my number between one and ten, but either way - having a plethora of baits ready to go is key and go through each of them to figure out what gets the school going.
One last tip that I find helps a lot is to use a marker buoy. Once I have located a school of fish I will put a marker buoy near what I think is the edge of the school. Now when I cast near the buoy I have a point of reference. If I catch a few making casts to he left of the buoy, but none to the right of the buoy - I'll know to keep to the left of it. And I can move around and expand on the productive areas. It's even happened where I have caught smaller fish initially, but as I ventured a further distance from the buoy, more towards the opposite side of the school, I will find bigger fish - or vice versa. Using the marker buoy will give you a sense of location and allow you to adjust more accurately to where the fish want the bait presented.
In closing, it's summertime and a great time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Do some research on your maps, use your electronics, and bring all your favorite tackle and enjoy some great summer days on the water, with friends and family.
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