catching fish on featureless bottoms

bwhit16 · Post by **bwhit16** » Sun Nov 02, 2014 12:51 pm

I was out at Lopez yesterday and we marked a million fish. They were all in 20-60 foot of water and most were not holding to structure. We marked plenty of bait as well. How do you go about fishing for fish who are not holding to structure or cover? We caught fish off of deep points but never could get them to bite on the featureless channel bottom. Any advise? I threw an A-rig,drop shot, spoon, crankbait, jerkbait, football jig, and almost everything else in my boat at these fish with no luck.

Kelly Ripa · Post by **Kelly Ripa** » Thu Nov 06, 2014 8:35 pm

H'mmm no help from the cheap seats?

I'll tell you I think most people are in your boat trying those same baits with those results on our south coast waters ...But those are actually the fish I am targeting right now. I fish Casitas but I know every inch of Lopez and bass are bass and bait is bait. I'm using my Lowerance HDS 10 to it's utmost capabilities right now and ultimately this seasonal bite was the reason I bought my unit 3 years ago. Right now... I had been catching my quality fish (7 pounder two weeks ago) deep crank'n but had also started catching fish in 40 feet in the shad. I have an open back seat this Saturday ...that being said...So far it has taken me a few trips to work out and tweek this bite that I know is changing daily. Here's the thing when you see all this bait and your in 20 to 60 and you don't you see any features.... do you see fish actively pursuing this bait? The shad move darn quick just watch how fast the grebes are swimming.... I can travel along those barren zones sweeping with the electronics and walk right into a wolf pack attacking and those are the fish I do the most damage to. I fish them vertical and have worked out what they want. For me it's my lowly spoon box that I turn to every year. The fish? Sometimes small sometimes 4 pounds so It can be done. I try to figure this bite out as early as I can as it will be all I have in the coming months...Gawd I only wish I could fish Lopez now I could fish it with spoons all day right now and the bonus smallmouth you got it rough

.....I also have started to notice that where I catch my fish can be correlated to a type of bank that appears as a do nothing but in reality in our lowered water conditions are not featureless but the features themselves. Rock to stone/shear to flat/chunk rock/mud. I'm thinking edges. My thoughts on what works for me. Serious send me a p>m and the back deck has room for you and your partner for that matter... the first Saturday I've had off in 3 months...Good luck in your pursuit.

Rip

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:38 am

Kelly Ripa wrote:H'mmm no help from the cheap seats?

I'll tell you I think most people are in your boat trying those same baits with those results on our south coast waters ...But those are actually the fish I am targeting right now. I fish Casitas but I know every inch of Lopez and bass are bass and bait is bait. I'm using my Lowerance HDS 10 to it's utmost capabilities right now and ultimately this seasonal bite was the reason I bought my unit 3 years ago. Right now... I had been catching my quality fish (7 pounder two weeks ago) deep crank'n but had also started catching fish in 40 feet in the shad. I have an open back seat this Saturday ...that being said...So far it has taken me a few trips to work out and tweek this bite that I know is changing daily. Here's the thing when you see all this bait and your in 20 to 60 and you don't you see any features.... do you see fish actively pursuing this bait? The shad move darn quick just watch how fast the grebes are swimming.... I can travel along those barren zones sweeping with the electronics and walk right into a wolf pack attacking and those are the fish I do the most damage to. I fish them vertical and have worked out what they want. For me it's my lowly spoon box that I turn to every year. The fish? Sometimes small sometimes 4 pounds so It can be done. I try to figure this bite out as early as I can as it will be all I have in the coming months...Gawd I only wish I could fish Lopez now I could fish it with spoons all day right now and the bonus smallmouth you got it rough .....I also have started to notice that where I catch my fish can be correlated to a type of bank that appears as a do nothing but in reality in our lowered water conditions are not featureless but the features themselves. Rock to stone/shear to flat/chunk rock/mud. I'm thinking edges. My thoughts on what works for me. Serious send me a p>m and the back deck has room for you and your partner for that matter... the first Saturday I've had off in 3 months...Good luck in your pursuit.

Rip

Dude, don't hold back! Hahaha
I didn't reply because I just didn't have anything to contribute. That's probably true for a lot of folks out there.

merc1997 · Post by **merc1997** » Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:35 am

we have the same type of situation in the winters here in the ozark area. here on table rock, bass will go deep in the winter following the shad schools. a jigging spoon is a prime weapon of choice. we look for areas where you do not ever leave the shad for at least 50 yards. then you just stay up with the bait, but you have to determine if you get bit under, in, above, or to the edges of the bait. no two days ever seem to be the same.

a 5500c is a great reel for deep water fishing. why?? because you do not have to worry about how deep your lure is because the level wind is a line counter. with say 12 to 15 lb. test, when the level wind goes from one side of the spool to the other side, you just let off 7' of line. that makes it very easy to know exactly how deep you bite came from and return back to that exact depth.

bo

Post by **WB Staff** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:25 pm

Brent talks about bwhit's question

Kelly Ripa · Post by **Kelly Ripa** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 7:26 pm

Wait are these real time answers from Brent on the water to this question?

Wow! on another note...Do Ya think bwhit has read any of this???

I have a question for Brent.....Got an open back seat???

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:30 am

Kelly Ripa wrote:Wait are these real time answers from Brent on the water to this question? Wow! on another note...Do Ya think bwhit has read any of this??? I have a question for Brent.....Got an open back seat???

Rip,
He's gonna be asking you!

bwhit16 · Post by **bwhit16** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 12:27 pm

Sorry guys I just got around to getting on here (Being a fulltime soldier and trying to stay active fishing is rough)! Thanks for the help. Awesome advise will be putting it to work on my first day off.