FS Digest

There’s a lake here in northern ca I’m trying to fish. I got out with my boat and new fish finder and all the fish I saw were in the 89-104ft range (sitting in the bottom). There were a couple of small schools in the 55-60ft range as well. Water temp was 44 degrees, outside temp was 34, got to the low mid 50s that day. Any opinions on how to fish these fish on the bottom? I know the lake has largemouth, spotted bass, planted trout, and channel cats. The only thoughts I would have so far are dropshot, jigs or Carolina rig, but at that depth I have a hard time telling when the weights are actually at the bottom. The only one I could tell was a 3/4 jig I let down. What techniques/ weight sizes would you all suggest?

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by 93TheDude

FS Digest

I've been fishing some deeper water and killing it lately in a much colder part of the country. I set up a dropshot, but with a 1/2 oz or larger weight to get down deep and still provide the feel of the bottom. It's been working great so far.

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by H3BREWH4MMER

FS Digest

How deep are you fishing it? And thanks!

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by 93TheDude

FS Digest

Only 40 feet max, but I think the concept holds. Up the weight to get deep quickly and have good bottom contact.

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by H3BREWH4MMER

FS Digest

I would slow roll a tight wobble crankbait in the 55 to 65 ft range. Id imagine what you saw on the bottom are cats. Could be wrong. Thats fishing! Glad someone can get out there this time of year! Good luck

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by jbeigs

FS Digest

Thanks!

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by 93TheDude

FS Digest

I’m in Nor Cal also and if I find deep suspended fish on a clear water reservoir I will drop a wacky rigged stick bait down deep to keep it in their face. Put a nail weight in to get it down there faster. You can vertical jig them also which if they are schooled up and hungry you can really put a hurt on them. If you catch them deep be sure you know how to fizz them so they don’t end up dying. Good luck

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by BassRanger4Life

FS Digest

Blade baits work great in cold deep water. Look like a rattle trap but it's a piece of steel with lead and double trebles. Tie up on braid on a spinning rod let it sink and yo yo it back short pulls it vibrates like crazy. Seen cats bass walleye all caught on it.

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by TriggerHappyTurk

FS Digest

Have you tried a spoon or blade bait? I've caught several species on an el-cheapo Cotton Cordell "spoon" pretty deep. They're like 3 bucks for 2. They will twist the line really bad, so use a swivel, but they have a really good vertical jig action.

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by pacer_3iii

FS Digest

We fish 1/4 jigheads with zoom finesse worms down to 80-90 feet. Sometimes just let it lay there or hop it every now and then. If it gets heavy tighten it up.

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by biggrits00

Ron620DVS Loc: Guntersville Alabama

What is the name of the lake that you are asking about. The reason that I ask is because all lakes don't fish the same during winter..

Ron620DVS Loc: Guntersville Alabama

In winter the water column is basically the same in terms of temperature and oxygen content from top to bottom, so both largemouth and baitfish can be as deep as they desire. The key is locating some sort of shad pattern. During the coldest months in most clear bodies of water, both the baitfish and largemouth will be relating to vertical structure.This type of habitat seems preferable to the sluggish bass, which can easily adjust their depth without exerting much energy.The most important thing about fishing clear lakes in the wintertime is understanding your electronics. That time of the year, a high percentage of the fish are offshore. And when those fish are offshore, your electronics really come into play, because it basically shows you everything that's underneath you. "The largemouth are going to be deep if deep water is available. And most anglers throughout the country, as much as they like to think that they are deep water anglers, are not very good at disseminating offshore hot spots. When the fish get deeper than 20 or 25 feet, many anglers don't have that relationship or that feel for what's below them. It all begins with being able to read your electronics." I prefer to fish "Vertical Presentations" during the chilly season, opting for subtle techniques like a Spoon or Drop Shot. "By Fishing Vertically", I can see everything take place on my electronics below me. I can see the fish come into the screen. I can see the fish approach the bait, feel the strike and catch him. So it's very exciting." Most of the time idling around while studying your graph as you search for "where a main creek hits the main river on main river points and off bluff ends. Deep valleys and coves along steep channel banks are great areas. You should fish close to the "Main River Channel or Main Creek Channels", trying to find Intersections, Junctions and things like that." The transformation is completed when you learn that the "Number 1 Tool" for catching cold, clear water largemouth is a Jigging Spoon. "A spoon is my first choice for me, I like to fish a little faster and cover more water, it's a much more efficient way to find those fish." If I can find bass relating to a "Channel Drop" or where baitfish are relating to the "Channel Drop", that's where I have a lot of confidence when I drop that "Spoon Down. "The second thing that I really like to do (especially once I've caught several fish on the spoon, because a lot of times that school will bust up) is throw a drop shot rig, if you can believe it. Over the last couple of years, I've learned the effectiveness of a drop shot. I don't claim to be an expert with it by any means, but I've asked the guys that are experts and I've learned quite a bit. To me, it's really important to match the type of bait that you use to the forage, both in size and style. So, I pretty much just use a little 4-inch straight-tail worm in (Strike King's) 3X material, which has tremendous action compared to a lot of plastics." Whether drop "Shotting or Spooning, you need to emphasizes the value of using 6- to 8-pound-test "Fluorocarbon Line". The low-stretch line is practically invisible and provides ultra sensitivity. You will need to fish s-l-o-w-l-y. In water temperatures less than 50 degrees, a largemouth has to eat just once every 14 days, so the vast majority of its time is spent being inactive. Slow is definitely the key anytime you're in cold water with any kind of bait. "Wintertime largemouth are just not going to chase a bait." The Standard wintertime patterns involves methodically crawling a brown 1/2-ounce Strike King Pro Model jig (with its skirt drastically trimmed) with a small 3X chunk trailer along deep, rocky banks. Hot spots for the jig are the ends of "Bluffs, where you casts into the "Shallowest Rocks" and then uses your reel to slowly drag the jig down into deeper water.When largemouth living in clear water environments they won't aggressively strike a jig, immediately follow up with a "Carolina Rig" (with a 12-pound-test fluorocarbon leader towing a Berkley Power Noodle or floating worm). Believe it or not, cold, clear water does not always involve fishing deep water. "There is a Shallow Bite in the wintertime on clear lakes," "It may not necessarily mean that the fish are up in the backs of the Coves or up on the Shallower Flats. But those fish might be 5 feet deep or less, on a "Bluff Bank" where your boat might be sitting in 40 feet of water. "Also, you get two or three days in a row of sunny weather, and those fish will come up to that warmer surface water and sit on those rock ledges. That's what I call a shallow wintertime bite. You can catch those fish on a "Suspending Jerkbait" or by pitching a Jig up on those "Rock Ledges" and working it off. And sometimes it will even warm up enough to where you can catch them on a Crankbait or a slow rolled Spinnerbait in those situations." On the warmer winter days, when the Largemouth come shallow, you can most often be found flinging a "Strike King Wild Shiner Jerkbait". With a "Pearl or Chrome bBody and Black or Blue Back, the 5 1/2-inch minnow-shaped bait closely resembles the big gizzard shad that typically die off during the coldest months in the water. Shallow or deep, largemouth bass in cold, clear water can be caught surprisingly well with the right approach and a big dose of patience.

Egghead

If fish deep 90 percent of the time 65feet to 120 feet for lake trout,using 1/4 oz jugs to 1 oz jigs and feel them fine. I use 20 lb power pro braid with a 8-12 lb Pline. There's no coil memory and no stretch. So if a fish looks at your lure, jig,or bait you will feel it.

bassman57 Loc: Kinston, NC

Check out TACTICAL BASSIN winter fishing on YouTube. Those guys are from California and give excellent advice. Tight lines!

Happy Rooster Loc: Alabama

Have to agree with using blade baits and jigging spoons, I have to say however, I've never fished that deep.