Page 20 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine May 2023 Revised

Half the Battle in Finding Fish

As spring approaches, bass move into a transitional
period where they begin to set up near those shal-
low water areas close to deeper water. This is key in
locating fish before and after the spawn. Bass have
followed these same highways since the body of wa-
ter has been in existence.

Have you ever wondered why some areas of a body
of water hold more fish than others year after year?
What makes one boat dock or pier better than an-
other? What makes one point or hump better than
another? What makes a small section of a tree line or
grass line better than another? Each of these has one mined, and the right techniques applied, then you
key factor is common with all of these. There is deep will have a productive day of fishing. Also, this can be
water close by. applied to various places around the body of water
you are fishing. Ultimately, if you are not fishing the
correct depth, you are spending more time casting
than catching. Fish in a give area will hold in the pre-
ferred depth for the conditions.

There are no easy ways to find the depth of the day.
One option is the trial-and-error approach. Try dif-
ferent depths until you catch a few fish and then con-
centrate on that depth in that area. With success, you

Remember, deep water is relative to the body of can then fish other areas of the lake at that depth.
water you are fishing and can even be relative to the Probably the most reliable method is to rely on your
immediate area. Even when bass are up shallow, a electronics. Not only will your depth finder show you
3’to 5’ area is deeper than a one-foot area. Even fish fish, but it will also show you the depth fish are using
that tend to live in deeper waters share this tenden- and the cover they are relating to at that moment.
cy. They will use shallower areas like humps to feed There are variables to where the fish will be located
and move off to adjacent deeper waters nearby when at any given point in time. This can change through-
not feeding. Getting back to the point, regardless of out the day. Knowing these things can help you
whether you are talking about structure or cover, the adjust. It is important to remember that even the
areas that are the most productive more times than best angler will not be successful if they are fishing at
not are those areas with deep water in proximity to the wrong depth. Any angler can be more successful
the bass. Even during the spawn, when fish deviate if they are fishing the right location, with the right
from this to a degree, you can almost bet that deep presentation and the right depth. The depth that fish
water is not that far away. Why? Well, that is simple. select at any given time is dictated by many differ-
Bass instinctively position themselves with an escape ent factors. These factors include food supply, oxy-
route into deeper water. gen content, time of day, water temperature and of
course, the time of year.
You have located that key piece of structure or cover
that always holds bass. Next, it is important to figure
out the mood of those fish. Are they holding shallow,
deep, suspended, tight to cover or out a bit? Unless
you figure out the depth at which fish are holding,
you can fish that key piece of cover or structure with
little or no success. Once this depth has been deter-

20 Lady Bass Anglers Association Half the Battle In Finding Fish