Summer Bass

What's ya'lls favorite way to fish for summer bass? I'm working on fishing offshore more this summer and it's been a struggle.

Offshore humps/ Ledges- Grass- Big Worms- Big Swimbaits- Big Jigs..... Go big, remember you are matching forage that has grown since the spring hatch.

Looking for something different than what everyone else is doing.

I almost never throw a bait until I find them on the graph. If you spend enough time scanning, which is what it will take, you will find several spots that they will repeatedly use. Now I just go from spot to spot. Once I find the school I will throw a crankbait to verify and then throw multiple types of baits and then move on to the next school. This method for me eliminates a lot of wasted time just throwing lures at fish that aren't there. YMMV

I primarily fish TVA lakes on the TN river, if you're not fishing offshore or fishing the tail race below a dam it's hard to compete this time of year.


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ZachMarkus":1zyxbmt6 said:

I primarily fish TVA lakes on the TN river, if you're not fishing offshore or fishing the tail race below a dam it's hard to compete this time of year.

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I like fishing offshore, but I have a hard time with it (or maybe my expectations are too high). I'm heading to Chick the 20-23rd and plan on concentrating offshore and trying to learn it. Feel free to come down one morning/evening if you want to show me the ropes!

I'm in the same boat of learning my graph and off shore fishing. What depths and what kind of baits are you targeting these deep bass with????

Thanks

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ZachMarkus":340loxuw said:

I primarily fish TVA lakes on the TN river, if you're not fishing offshore or fishing the tail race below a dam it's hard to compete this time of year.


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ADR":340loxuw said:

I almost never throw a bait until I find them on the graph. If you spend enough time scanning, which is what it will take, you will find several spots that they will repeatedly use. Now I just go from spot to spot. Once I find the school I will throw a crankbait to verify and then throw multiple types of baits and then move on to the next school. This method for me eliminates a lot of wasted time just throwing lures at fish that aren't there. YMMV

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I'm in the same boat of learning my graph and off shore fishing. What depths and what kind of baits are you targeting these deep bass with????

Thanks


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ADR":3u5ugfs8 said:

I almost never throw a bait until I find them on the graph. If you spend enough time scanning, which is what it will take, you will find several spots that they will repeatedly use. Now I just go from spot to spot. Once I find the school I will throw a crankbait to verify and then throw multiple types of baits and then move on to the next school. This method for me eliminates a lot of wasted time just throwing lures at fish that aren't there. YMMV

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That's my game plan right now but I'm struggling to "confirm" what I see on my graph is bass. Any chance y'all could post pics of your graphs showing bass?




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ZachMarkus":3tn7i4pu said:

I primarily fish TVA lakes on the TN river, if you're not fishing offshore or fishing the tail race below a dam it's hard to compete this time of year.


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That's the conclusion I finally came to. I love flippin and pitching structure on the bank but it's tough to get quality fish. It's hard to win a tourney with bank runners.




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Grandslam11":1lhdfyzg said:

Offshore humps/ Ledges- Grass- Big Worms- Big Swimbaits- Big Jigs..... Go big, remember you are matching forage that has grown since the spring hatch.

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That's solid advice!


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off shore/ ledge fishing can be as fickle as any pattern. The fish move a lot, like by the minute. Most folks dont realize how they affect a school, especially when they catch a fish this time of year, sometimes the whole school will follow the fish and essentially move the school. one of the worst ways to move a school is long-lining. Most ledge fish on the TN river relate to irregularities. Pay attention to hard spots (shells or rock), inside and outside channel swings, and my favorite is off shore islands and river bars. If you spot bait with fish under them in 15-25ft right now chances are bass are around. Also, try adjusting the color pallet and contrast on your scanning sonar. My favorite is the blue pallet with about 76% contract on my Lowrance. Bass look like tic tacs to me on side and down scan, where other fish look like either little dots or long returns made by catfish, etc. The past couple of weeks the ledge bite is been on fire. My best catches have come on scroungers tipped with hogfarmer spunk shads 5.5, big worms, and crank baits. That bite is going to peak soon and the fishing pressure, heat, and eventual stratification of the river will slow it down by July. So now is the time to go learn it.

First off, this is what has worked for me. Everyone may do a little something different.

I would suggest a decent graph. Most manufacturers have decent units affordable for the masses. Like anything else, you get what you pay for but there is a law of demenishing return. I use a lowrance elite ti 9. I'd rather have a hds gen 2 but, I like that extra cash in my pocket. Side scan is not an absolute must but it sure makes it easier. Downscan for me is imperative.

Fish on percy priest (where I fish 90% of the time) school up better on sunny blue bird days. Finding them at night has been difficult for me and I think it because they roam more and not pile up together. On other lakes they may get boat shy but with all the traffic on JPP, I don't know it bothers them. I would recommend leaving your rods at home and just drive around in varying depths of water. You'll find that the 90-10 rule applies here. Fish on priest last week were in 10-12 fow. Not always but usually crappie and bass will be in similar areas and depths in the summer and can be sometimes hard to distinguish. When you are starting out, I wouldn't worry, you just need to see fish. Again, you'll start finding a few areas that have fish. After scanning for a couple days, then go back with tackle. Scan areas you previously found fish, they may not be on the exact same spot but typically are close. Use a crappie marker if needed just don't drop it directly on the school. I usually start with a crankbait suited for the depth of water. Usually I will have a fish in the first few casts. Having 2 people in the boat helps because once the school is fired up they will continue to bite bit as previously eluded to sometimes the school will move or quit biting moving baits but will bore a big jig/worm/etc.

You tube has tons of videos showing what fish marks look like on a given type of unit. But if you just take time you will learn how to read it and will gradually become more comfortable knowing what is fish vs brush and bass vs crappie. I'm happy for anyone that wants to hop in the boat with me to come on if I'm out there but IMO the best recreational fishermen at reading graphs are hybrid/rockfish fishermen. My $0.02

It is great to spend time looking at the depthfinder. Some places though, I just fish.On Priest anywhere from 8' to 22'. Last week I wore the bass out in 17 to 22' of water. Mostly on a crankbait. I throw a texas rig and a carolina rig to and a large spinnerbait, meaning 1 to 1-1/4 ounce spinnerbait with a large blade, sometimes they really like it.

learn to read a topo map, without that skill you will be fishing blindly. back in the old days ledge fishing was fairly easy, but now, with todays electronics, everybody and their momma is parked on them and the fish see just about every bait ever made. back then it was paper maps and a depth sounder. as far as ledge depth that fish hold, it depends on the lake. as far as stratification and turnover, typically most of the tennessee river/lake system is a non issue because if it does happen its not noticeable and short lived. when you get around the deeper parts where the flow is less, like watts bar, i imagine it would be an issue. on our part of KY lake, shell beds, hard rock bottoms are key, old road beds, drainage ditches, etc. bass chase shad against them and can pick them off easier. they lose shad in soft muck or silt bottoms.

we could write an essay to try to explain it, post screenshots, etc.but the easiest thing to do is watch this video. he came out last year with a series of videos which turned some heads on his pro tourney lake breakdowns. this kid was like a child prodigy to bass fishing and has already figured out things that it takes most people a dozen years to learn:

https://youtu.be/4FTi1wx0Y68

Jonny is a good kid. Great fisherman, too.

WTM":1kgi70jz said:

learn to read a topo map, without that skill you will be fishing blindly. back in the old days ledge fishing was fairly easy, but now, with todays electronics, everybody and their momma is parked on them and the fish see just about every bait ever made. back then it was paper maps and a depth sounder. as far as ledge depth that fish hold, it depends on the lake. as far as stratification and turnover, typically most of the tennessee river/lake system is a non issue because if it does happen its not noticeable and short lived. when you get around the deeper parts where the flow is less, like watts bar, i imagine it would be an issue. on our part of KY lake, shell beds, hard rock bottoms are key, old road beds, drainage ditches, etc. bass chase shad against them and can pick them off easier. they lose shad in soft muck or silt bottoms.

we could write an essay to try to explain it, post screenshots, etc.but the easiest thing to do is watch this video. he came out last year with a series of videos which turned some heads on his pro tourney lake breakdowns. this kid was like a child prodigy to bass fishing and has already figured out things that it takes most people a dozen years to learn:

https://youtu.be/4FTi1wx0Y68

Click to expand...

I've watched a lot of his videos and actually paid for one of his 1-on-1 video chat sessions. I'm looking forward to it!


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Is anyone having any success with the Nikko baits and tackle?

Is this just another way to catch the fisherman and not the fish?

Neko rig is an awesome presentation and flat out catches them.

neko rigs work. bass and most fish see in a vertical and horizontal plane, not so much at 45 degrees. ill tell you the rip off baits are the articulated "natural" looking baits, like some of the crawfish plastics. bass relate to cylinder shapes. talking about natural looking, how many of you guys ever seen a big earthworm swimming or crawling in the water? they hit it because of its cylinder shape and enticing action, not because its their natural food source.