When You're Not
Sure, Where Do You Start?
Written
By: Rick McFerrin
Introduction
Recently
I was loading my boat after one of my guide trips, when two young
anglers pulled up beside me on the ramp in their bass boat. We
exchanged "Howdy's" and
then the normal ramp question popped out from one of them. "How
did you guy's do?" One of my clients said "We did great" and then
in his excitement began to tell about all the fish the he and his
father had caught.
Automatically
I could see the look of despair on the two young guy's faces, which
told me instantly how their day had gone. And again before I could
step in my client asked "How did you do?" I believe their answer
was "It's our first time on this lake and we didn't do nearly as
good as you!" Then...the very next question from them was "What
were you throwing-and what
color was it?" In over 50 years
of bass fishing I have been on both sides of that ramp conversation.
I've been the guy smiling and I've been the guy frowning. I've
been the bug and I've been the windshield. And I'm sure that you
have also.
So let's go back for
a minute and start over with the original question. When you're
not sure-Where do you start? First of all I don't believe it starts
with What you're throwing or what color it is! To
me the most important question these young guy's should have asked
was "How deep were the fish holding?" You see if you
have a fix on their depth then everything else will eventually
begin to kick in.
But let's say
for a minute that your getting ready to fish a lake that you have
never been on before. You don't have anyone to ask about fish depth
or to give you good fishing information. You don't have any prior
lake specific information passed on to you and now your at THE
RAMP! What now? Well, I've got some bad news for you! If
you have waited until arriving at the ramp to ask the question "What
Now" you may be in for a very long day. You may have set your self
up for sure failure. Where did you go wrong? Let's try to answer
that question.
Lack Of Prior
Planning = A Long Day At The Lake
Many people
work off the idea that bass will be shallower in the Spring, deeper
in the Summer and Winter, and somewhere in-between during the Fall.
The truth is "That's Not Always True!" Relating the time of the
year to the depth of the fish can be deceiving. There are
so many contributing factors (no matter what season it is) that
will help determine how deep fish will be holding. Factors
such as (1) Light penetration (2) Oxygen Content (3) Recent Rains
(4) Recent Snows (5) Wind Direction And Velocity (6)Water Clarity
(7) Current or Lack Of (8) Cover (9) Rising Or Falling Water (10)
Food Availability and much more.
My suggestion on where
you start actually happens BEFORE you get to the lake. Not everyone
can afford a GPS with specific lake mapping capabilities that most
certainly help you on a new lake. But most of us can afford a good Contour
Map of the lake we intend to fish. A good and let me say that
again, a good map will give you a detailed view of what the lake
is all about. Please beware that lake maps vary when it comes to
contour line depth designations. For instance, some map makers
will use 20 foot intervals between contour lines, but I have always
like the maps that use either a 5 foot or no more than a 10 foot
contour line separation. The reason for this is because it
will give you a much more detail. Maps that use a lot of contour
lines will help you define subtle shallow water changes that many
times will hold the key to a successful day. Good maps will show
old house foundation locations, flooded cemeteries, old ponds,
hidden road beds, sunken bridges, culverts, shallow points, stump
rows, shallow ledges, shallow flats, coves, creeks, boat ramps,
marinas and much more.
So the first
place I start is with my map and a highlighter, marking the key
areas that I want to fish in water 10 feet and down. Shallow areas
that might be closer to well defined channels that has as much
cover as possible. Since you haven't been to the lake some areas
you will mark won't pay out. So concentrate on the ones that have
cover such as grass, wood, chunk rock, bank transition areas, current,
shallow outside bends of main channels, points of major and minor
creek entrances. Also check out the current side of visible and
underwater islands in that 10 foot or less range. One sure area
to key on is boat ramps and marina areas. I catch a lot of fish
around boat launch areas. Many of these ramps will have a chunk
rock wall that will butt up against the sides of the concert as
it descends into the water that provides a current break and ambush
are for bass. At the end of many ramps there will be a "Blow Out
Area" which is a hole that has been created at the end of the ramp
from the constant loading and unloading of boats that can hold
a multiple fish. Other ramps will have a definite drop or ledge
area on either side and at the end of the ramp itself. Ramps
are always a good place to start instead of running some where
right away. Another plus with ramps is that many of them are lighted.
At night this light will draw bait fish in and consequently bass.
I very seldom crank my outboard when unloading my boat. I always
float it off and then use my trolling motor to get to an area to
tie up so I can park my Tahoe. Most times if there are active
fish on or near the ramp you still have a good shot at them if
you start out being as quite in the beginning as possible.
In marinas
I like to concentrate on not only the ramp area but when I can
the water that is between the dock and the bank. Some of these areas
will have concrete sea walls that very in design and depth that
offer fantastic fishing at times. Other will have cables and huge
sunken concrete anchors that are used to stabilize portions of
the dock. These concrete blocks provide great ambush areas for
bass. Some will have vegetation like grass or lily pads. Other
might have a chunk rock finger or jetty that is used as a wind
break for the marina. Marinas always have an abundance of
shade, structure and food available for bass all year long. Older
marinas many times will have remains of old docks, work barges
and other debris and building material located in shallow water
areas that can be like magnets to bass. Actually marinas are almost
like a lake within a lake when it comes to potential places to
find not only several bass but many quality fish as well.
So where do
I start on a new lake that I have no outside help or information
on? I start at home with a good map planning session that will
lead to a well defined shallow water game plan for when I get to
the lake. Now, do you remember the question that the two young
guy's asked me first? You know the one. "What were you throwing?
Let's try to answer that now.
Shallow Water
Search Bait Of Choice
My personal search
bait of choice all year long is a crank bait. In my humble opinion
using a crank bait is an excellent way to locate fish. You can
cover a tremendous amount of water in a short period of time and
still be very thorough in your search. If there are two of you
in your boat that works out even better. You and your partner can
use different depths baits and vary your color selection until
you hit on the right combination.
Now I can almost
hear someone say "But Rick it's winter where I live" you don't throw
crank baits in winter do you? Let me answer that this way. The
only reason that I wouldn't start out with a crank bait is if the
lake was frozen solid. I was born here in Tennessee and moved
back home almost 20 years ago. For several years before that I
worked for a corporation in Indiana. We couldn't wait until "ICE
OFF" day. Not three weeks later, but "THE DAY" that the ice
came off many of our Northern Indiana Lakes. You would find
me throwing a crank bait in the old lily pad fields in 3 to 5 feet
of water killing the bass and there would still be chunks of ice
floating.
Here in Tennessee
we have been in the midst of winter just like you have. Our water
temperature last week on the lake I guide all winter was 45 to
46 degrees and the bass are slamming a crank bait and have all
winter long. Sometimes you have to slow or pause your retrieve.
Sometimes the "Slam" turns into a "Soft Weed Like Feeling" But
either way, bass will attack crank baits in cold water. I have
proven it with my clients every winter.
Conclusion
Keep
in mind that this article is based around fishing a lake that you
haven't been on before. A lake where you have had no outside help
or information about. A lake where you don't know at what depth the
fish are holding or what they are hitting. If your fishing
your favorite lake you may know that they are hitting a jig better
than a crank bait, BUT that is a whole different set of circumstances.
If you are contemplating a trip to a brand new lake that you have
no information on. Start with:
(1) At home with a
good contour map that breaks it's depth intervals in 5 foot increments
if possible. One that shows all the various structure I have already
listed.
(2) Lay out a good
game plan for what you are going to do and where you are going
to start when you get to the lake.
(3) Use a crank bait
as your search bait that lines up with water color and depth conditions.
Don't hesitate to switch colors, depths of baits and vary your
retrieve until you hit on the right combination.
(4) Be meticulous
in searching out the best shallow water areas. Leave no rock unturned.
Chunk the crank bait where angles fear to tread....you might get
your arm broke.
(5) Wear a
good pair of polarized sun glasses (even on cloudy-rainy-dreary
days) and be constantly aware of what is moving around you under
the water. I sight fish a lot when the water is clear enough to
do so. Many times you will see just a slight flash near a log,
rock or some other type of structure. When you do place the crank
bait just passed the structure and bring it back in. If the water
is real cold or the fish are sluggish you may have to make repeated
casts before "Wham" get the net!
(6) If the bait fish
are active in the areas your fishing, try to get a close look at
them and match their size and color as close as possible.
(7) When
you establish a shallow water pattern, stick with it and don't
waste your time on unproductive areas.
I
hope this has helped you and given you something to think about
as you plan that next trip to uncharted waters. This is part
#1 in a series of articles that I hope will help you answer the
question "Where do I start
Now?" Stay tuned for part two.
Rick McFerrin
Owner - Tennessee Bass Guides
www.tennesseebassguides.com
