Fishing Fallen Trees?

[Millerst12]

I have a new spot I’m fishing that has a lot of trees on the bottom of the lake. Limbs and branches from 4-15ft down. Does anyone have luck with presentations or baits that work in this situation?  Water is low 60s overnight temps in 40s. This morning I threw the dreamsmasher top hook gill with a “weedless booger” over the jig hook. Missed a couple bites but was also bumping so many limbs, I probably was confusing bites and bumping limbs.  Any info is appreciated..thanks Steve 

[Mossyback Angler]

So, for me this season, I have had much success working a wake bait over or close to sunken timber structures, that appear to have been cut down and piled up during construction of the reservoir I typically fish.  Due to drought conditions, water depth was about 5’ (+/-) at the time. Now they are completely out of the water. 
 

With the reservoir being the lowest I can remember in history, and steadily dropping, I am finding these isolated timber structures. They are cleanly cut, so I assume they were piled and left there. My next step is to use Navionics and mark these structures for future use.  When resevoir is full pool, they will be in about 12’ or more of water. 
 

Sorry for going in a different direction. 
 

But yea, around timber, a wakebait has been money for me. However, I do subscribe to the theory, each fishery is different. So what works for one, may not work for another. 
I’m sure others will chime in with their experiences, and help you to assess your fishery and what to try out. Good luck, hopefully you figure them fish out and find success. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by Mossyback Angler

[BayAreaAngler]

It’s a treble hook bait but the Boulder craw was pretty good at getting through structure and over it

[Jinxd12]

Dead Horse Baits makes a huge "craw" that takes a 10/0 beast hook and is weedless. I think sunken trees could be the perfect presentation no different than what conventional guys throw except on steroids.

 

It has pockets in the pinchers for foam is you wanted them to float around, and a scent pocket in the middle as well.  I've also rigged it with a spinner but have only got bit 1 time on these monsters.

[porkmeatballs]

Although I get snagged more frequently, I have had quite a bit of luck fishing glides around submerged timber. Even if you don't get the perfect cast right next to structure, glides often have enough drawing power to pull fish up out of the timber and trigger a bite.

[chefchris]

I like throwing a rat over the top of them or as close to them as I can, and walking them in place, kind of violently, like a panicked rodent would respond to falling into the water, then slowly walking them out, sometimes it takes 4-6 casts/retrieves but if you can see fish watching its worth making repeated casts. 

another bait that's worked great for me and fallen timber is the crawler, again super slow retrieve with a big commotion. 

also had luck a few places throwing the 6" citizens into trees, skips really well and surprisingly comes thru cover great. 

[swimbaitrookie]

I had a lake back home that had an entire section of a breakline covered in downed trees / wood piles.  A Yunique Scout on a 8/0 beast hook or the G2 on a 10/0 beast was my go to.  I'd swim it over the tops of the limbs, just ticking the cover on the first couple of casts to see if one would rise out of the cover to eat. But the majority of success came when fishing the bait deep in the cover, lift and fall like a Texas rig.  If the bait got caught on a limb but I could pop it off - 9 times out of 10 it'd get hammered on the fall.

[swimbaitrookie]

4 hours ago, Jinxd12 said:

Dead Horse Baits makes a huge "craw" that takes a 10/0 beast hook and is weedless. I think sunken trees could be the perfect presentation no different than what conventional guys throw except on steroids.

 

It has pockets in the pinchers for foam is you wanted them to float around, and a scent pocket in the middle as well.  I've also rigged it with a spinner but have only got bit 1 time on these monsters.

Rock Lobstah!

[Swimbait_Jeff]

Wakes and weedless swimbaits on the outskirts of the tree limbs . Create a lot of commotion with the wake with several pauses . Use an under spin on your swimbait to give them something more to track 

[bigpoppabass]

They say that lures with line tie on the lip are snagproof wonders in timber. Don't know many swimbaits that do that. Older school deep diving minnowbaits are like that.