Boat Positioning

[timcauliffe]

I see myself going back into old habits of fishing primarily shore lines when I have the chance to take the boat out. I am running a Helix with maps, but a lot of places I go do not have depth maps.

 

What can you all recommend with boat positioning and other off shore spots that will turn into good luck? I know there is other factors that come into play, but would love to here any your inputs!

[Top Ramen]

First, don't feel bad about this. 90% of the bass fisherman I know are not comfortable fishing in more than 12-15 feet of water and most just motor along the shore casting at laydowns. But you are definitely asking the right question if you want to expand the water you know how to fish.

 

 

There's so much I could go over I'm not sure where to start so I'm going to suggest picking out a couple of basic forms of structure and starting with them. I'm going to keep it super basic so any else should feel free to elaborate. 

1) long points

2) ledges
3) boulders/rock piles/brush piles

1) Points are probably the most basic form of structure and I'm sure you fish a lot of them already. To transition to getting farther from shore, start targeting longer points and deeper points. Some of them can run quite a way out into a lake. Even if they are just a hump out in deeper water, it's still a topographical feature that will hold fish. Baitfish moving along the bottom parallel to shore will still find themselves moving out along the point and stacking up as they go around it. It will also tend to have more rocks/boulders etc on it.

I generally fish points up-hill. I cast over the spot I plan to set-up on as I approach, just in case there are fish on it, but most of the time I am holding over the point itself and casting out along the sides or at an angle and reeling up. I believe I get more hits that way as the bass feel like the point becomes a barrier and helps them pin the fish. They will often follow a large bait a considerable distance and then rush it when it gets to the point they feel it is 'trapped.' The deeper you go, the less the effect occurs but the basics are the same.

2) Ledges are the next most obvious deeper structure to fish. Large fish prefer to have deeper water nearby (for safety) and ledges give them the perfect opportunity to hunt with safer, deeper water close at hand. I usually fish along the ledge, generally parallel to it. If the fish are actively feeding, they are usually nearer the top of the ledge. Also keep in mind that deeper ledges can have some current moving over them, even if the water in the rest of the lake isn't moving much. If there is current, the fish will usually be facing into it. Before you give up on a ledge, fish the area just above it, the ledge itself and the area right below the ledge. I usually position myself just above the ledge so I can cast along it. Also, ledges aren't always steep. Even a gentle change in depth can hold fish.

 

Here's a video of me fishing a Hudd along a ledge at the mouth of an inlet.

It can be hard to stay correctly positioned and cast to the right places until you get used to it, so invest in some marker buoys and don't be shy about using them. I use mine all the time. I like these 'H' type buoys because they will unwind to the right depth and then stop. If you want to be super-stealthy, replace the line with 30-50# clear mono. Drop two of them spaced out along the ledge so you can see where it is. I like to drop them about ten feet in front of the ledge so I have room to fish in front of them. I just keep in mind where the ledge is in relation to them. If you put them right on the ledge itself, they are more likely to get in the way.

 

 

3)  Rock piles and brush piles are also great for holding deeper fish. The really neat thing about them is that fish will often stack up on them, even if the pile is relatively isolated. I usually start out up-wind from the rock/brush pile so that I can make long casts. If there is current, I adjust for the tendency of the fish to face into it. Mission Fish, WRS, etc are great for hitting deep rock or brush piles. The fish on them are generally eating both crayfish and baitfish. I alternate between crawling a bait over it and stroking a bait until I sort out a pattern. Once you are dialed in, you can often put together a good limit off one good rock pile.

For more info on deep rock and brush piles, check out MickeyBalzz on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeybalzzfishing/videos). He started out almost exclusively punching mats and flipping but figured out how to fish deeper structure and the evolution of his YouTube channel has been fun to watch. Now he spends most of his time fishing deeper structure and is putting a lot of nice fish in the boat. You can replicate most of his techniques with Mission Fish, WRS or Big Hammers.

I know there isn't a lot of detail but I hope this helps at least a little bit.

Edited June 18, 2017 by Top Ramen

[Top Ramen]

Damint. Left out the first video link:

 

Edited June 18, 2017 by Top Ramen

[Mountainryan]

Tap ramen for the win. I have a nice DI set up for electronics, on my trolling motor which is useless to motor around and find structure. I find I hit the shore a lot but am trying points more. Tim what maps do you have? I was thinking of getting the lake master for the north east. Great info here

[timcauliffe]

Awesome - thank you all so far!

 

Ryan - I have the North east Lakemaster chip. It's great minus not having the smaller ponds I generally have luck at.

 

My next question is with electronics - what's the best way to determine what's a ledge, rock pile, etc. with a finder that only has normal color and no side imaging, etc? I'm referring to places that do not have contour maps.

[Top Ramen]

I don't even have color on my sonar, although I do have DI. But I hardly ever use the DI. For me it's mainly a tool to use if I'm trying to figure out how dense a brush pile is or what a big boulder looks likes. Mostly I run the 2D.

Ledges/drop-offs are going to show up on your history as the chart moves along. When I see a break that I want to fish, I look at the depth on the chart history and back-track until I hit that point, then move a bit further back and drop a buoy. I'll move around a bit more to get the idea of the direction of the break and mark it with a second (and sometimes third) buoy.

 

 

 

Rock and brush piles are going to show up as lumps on the bottom. If it's really messy/fuzzy with gaps in it, it's probably a brush pile. If it shows up as a more solid return with few or no gaps in it, it's probably a rock pile. Sometimes it's a mixture. If you have your color pallette set so that red is the cleanest/best return, then a brush pile will have orange and yellow mixed throughout with some red. A rock pile would be mostly red.

YouTube is a great resource. If you search for your model, I'm sure there will be some tutorials with on-screen examples.

[MattC94]

First, don't feel bad about this. 90% of the bass fisherman I know are not comfortable fishing in more than 12-15 feet of water and most just motor along the shore casting at laydowns. But you are definitely asking the right question if you want to expand the water you know how to fish.

 

 

There's so much I could go over I'm not sure where to start so I'm going to suggest picking out a couple of basic forms of structure and starting with them. I'm going to keep it super basic so any else should feel free to elaborate. 

1) long points

2) ledges

3) boulders/rock piles/brush piles

1) Points are probably the most basic form of structure and I'm sure you fish a lot of them already. To transition to getting farther from shore, start targeting longer points and deeper points. Some of them can run quite a way out into a lake. Even if they are just a hump out in deeper water, it's still a topographical feature that will hold fish. Baitfish moving along the bottom parallel to shore will still find themselves moving out along the point and stacking up as they go around it. It will also tend to have more rocks/boulders etc on it.

I generally fish points up-hill. I cast over the spot I plan to set-up on as I approach, just in case there are fish on it, but most of the time I am holding over the point itself and casting out along the sides or at an angle and reeling up. I believe I get more hits that way as the bass feel like the point becomes a barrier and helps them pin the fish. They will often follow a large bait a considerable distance and then rush it when it gets to the point they feel it is 'trapped.' The deeper you go, the less the effect occurs but the basics are the same.

2) Ledges are the next most obvious deeper structure to fish. Large fish prefer to have deeper water nearby (for safety) and ledges give them the perfect opportunity to hunt with safer, deeper water close at hand. I usually fish along the ledge, generally parallel to it. If the fish are actively feeding, they are usually nearer the top of the ledge. Also keep in mind that deeper ledges can have some current moving over them, even if the water in the rest of the lake isn't moving much. If there is current, the fish will usually be facing into it. Before you give up on a ledge, fish the area just above it, the ledge itself and the area right below the ledge. I usually position myself just above the ledge so I can cast along it. Also, ledges aren't always steep. Even a gentle change in depth can hold fish.

 

Here's a video of me fishing a Hudd along a ledge at the mouth of an inlet.

It can be hard to stay correctly positioned and cast to the right places until you get used to it, so invest in some marker buoys and don't be shy about using them. I use mine all the time. I like these 'H' type buoys because they will unwind to the right depth and then stop. If you want to be super-stealthy, replace the line with 30-50# clear mono. Drop two of them spaced out along the ledge so you can see where it is. I like to drop them about ten feet in front of the ledge so I have room to fish in front of them. I just keep in mind where the ledge is in relation to them. If you put them right on the ledge itself, they are more likely to get in the way.

 

marker.jpg

 

 

3)  Rock piles and brush piles are also great for holding deeper fish. The really neat thing about them is that fish will often stack up on them, even if the pile is relatively isolated. I usually start out up-wind from the rock/brush pile so that I can make long casts. If there is current, I adjust for the tendency of the fish to face into it. Mission Fish, WRS, etc are great for hitting deep rock or brush piles. The fish on them are generally eating both crayfish and baitfish. I alternate between crawling a bait over it and stroking a bait until I sort out a pattern. Once you are dialed in, you can often put together a good limit off one good rock pile.

For more info on deep rock and brush piles, check out MickeyBalzz on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeybalzzfishing/videos). He started out almost exclusively punching mats and flipping but figured out how to fish deeper structure and the evolution of his YouTube channel has been fun to watch. Now he spends most of his time fishing deeper structure and is putting a lot of nice fish in the boat. You can replicate most of his techniques with Mission Fish, WRS or Big Hammers.

I know there isn't a lot of detail but I hope this helps at least a little bit.

Wow this is great read for myself filled with a boat load of info for myself being such a noob, definitely taking notes for when I hit the water next time to fish.

[bigpoppabass]

Mid lake humps can both gold and fools gold but you gotta hit em. One thing I recently learned using si is that when u r right over a hump it will show on both sides of screen. It is not showing two different pieces of structure.

[andrewbee]

Hope this helps.... Helix 7 SI

 

 

 

 

The part about fishing uphill has been really succefull already this year

[timcauliffe]

What are some ideal settings you guys run on your units?

I'm working with a Helix 5 Chirp GPS model.

[andrewbee]

What are some ideal settings you guys run on your units?

I'm working with a Helix 5 Chirp GPS model.

 

Going out tmw I'll have a detailed write up for you

[fishinpunk]

Lots of great info here! I will add that the depth highlight option on the Lakemaster chip is a valuable tool as well. I typically set my deep setting at where the visible weedline ends and + 3 feet . For my home lake this highlights the 12-15 ft range and points, reefs and so on will jump out on the screen. As well you can add shallow highlights.

[fishinpunk]

Something else that hasn't been brought up yet, is how and where the sun will cast a shadow. On your weedlines, steep drops, banks, and so on. During high sun or any sun for that matter there will be more shade on a certain side which will usually also give fish more security and comfort. I've found fish can be schooled up in these areas also.

[NEbucketmouth19]

This might be a pin-worthy thread when it's all said and done. Great info guys! 

[timcauliffe]

This might be a pin-worthy thread when it's all said and done. Great info guys! 

I'm blushing