Fishing Structure For Bass Hogs
First of all what is Structure? I would think it was anything out of my sight and
relates to the bottom contour. It can be a ditch, channel or humps. Anything a Bass can lay in waiting to ambush
his prey.
In fishing structure for bass hogs, you have to become a guy that pays a
lot of attention to your electronics.
Watch that dept finder. Look at what it shows you is beneath the
surface.
A lot of fishing folks just go by what the bank looks like. I am not saying that is
bad since it will give you a hint of what might be under the surface. A good example would be you going down
to the lake and see a huge tree that is laying in the water. 2 plus 2 equals a lot of branches that will hold bait
fish and that hog you looking for.
If the bank and the depth finder is not helping you see what is down there, you
can always throw a bottom hugging lure to feel what is down there. If you pull the bait up and see grass all over
your Crankbait, Guess What? You have found a grass bed and that I would say holds a lot of fish that can be
had.
Get yourself a real good Corp of Engineers map that shows the lake. Look for
something that you want to fish but don't always go by the maps since they can be off as much as 10
feet.
The best way I have found is, and it is not pleasant, is to go out in the winter
when most of the lakes have been pulled down for winter pool. Take your lake map with you and make little marks on
it so you know where to come back in the spring and summer when the lake is full again. I have even taken my camera
with me and took pictures that would include the bank so I could line my boat back up to the same spot in the next
trip.
One thing I must point out is if you pull up to some structure and do not get a
bite. Don't give up especially if it is a deep structure.
Most Bass feed in shallow water and then pull back off to rest. They may be there
and just not hitting anything you throw at them...you've heard the old saying "I threw everything including the
kitchen sink". That is about what I am talking about. Don't give up on that spot. Move on and then come back to
check it out a few times during the day. I have done this a lot and even tricked the fish into biting by taking a
crank bait and hitting the stump. They can't stand that and eat the lure.
Structure fishing takes a lot of time and experience so don't loose faith if you
don't hit the mother load. Fishing folks do that a lot and never go back to the spot and a couple of weeks later
you read in the paper where a guy won a Bass tournament fishing your structure.
The only other thing that comes to mind is confidence. You have to have a couple
of tons of confidence. I bet if you went out on a lake and kept telling yourself I am not going to catch anything
today, odds are you will not.
Every time I go I am going to clean some clocks before I come home and I bet out
of the last two years of fishing I got skunked only once.
You might not get that hog but if you caught 120 small fish that would still be a
great day. Every Hog that I caught, I did not know it until I laid back on the rod. They will get you every time.
A guy was fishing at Lake Fork for Crappie and now holds the lake record for the largest bass (over 18 pounds). Get out there and practice
and let me see your name in the lake record books.
Keep The Hooks Wet!
Steve McGoldrick
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