9-13-05 Structure/cover and how you fish it

[Mike Cork]

Today's contest topic:

List types of cover or structure that you fish and then tell us how you fish it.

List the specific presentation and bait you like to use with the different cover and/or structure you fish.

Cover = anything a bass can use to hide it's self, find shade around or just associate next to or in.

Structure = all the natural lake bottom features, I.E. points, flats, drop offs, creek channels ect.

Examples:
When fishing boat docks I like to pitch a jig to the pylons at the center of the dock

When fishing a creek channel I like to find the bends and then work a carolina rigged lizard on the break line.

[LoonyToon]

  When I'm fishing the Nanticoke River or it's two biggest tributaries in my neck of the woods. I look for fallen trees, quick bends, and low current...The trees provide great cover, and an adventageous ambush point, and as the tide is going out the bait fish seem to congregate at those locations.........On the down side of the quick bends, there is less current, a great ambush point, and when the tides coming or going fish can be found in that area..........In the head waters of the feeder creeks the water is not brackish, there is an abundance of food, and there is shelter along the banks, along with scrubs/vines/overhangs/and deep pockets for quick retreat.....Lily pads close by, grass abundant, and honeysuckle abound

[LoonyToon]

  On the types of water i just posted, this year I have tried and had great success with YUM's New Yum Sooie in 5 1/2 in Black/Blue flek..I dip the tenicles in spike-it orange garlic color, and some in chartreuse.Just the tips....I went back to an old yankee technique my uncle taught me 50 yrs. ago called swinging....Instead of pitching You use a spinning rod and reel.Greater distance, covers more ground, and the rods are more sensitive than the baitcasters..I can't wait to try those new jig heads when they get here Thanks

[wareagle71]

I love to fish over logs coming from the bank lying in the water.  I chuck a buzzbait to the point closest to shore and try to zip it the length of the laydown.

WAR

[pegleg]

On the outside bends of river banks with rock bluffs. I hop a brn./blk. jig with a craw trailer.

[wareagle71]

When wading a clear creek/stream where I can spot submerged Rocks ahead of me, I like to throw a crawdad crankbait (rebel craw, storm craw) ahead of the rock and reel the lure back to me past the rock, a lot of times fish will wait in the calm water that the rock breaks to ambush food.

WAR

[wareagle71]

I like to throw a Snag-Proof type of frog onto floating grass/slime with a retrieve as slow as I can stand, until I can drop the lure into a small opening or any clean water where a lot of times fish will blow from the cover to strike.

WAR

[wareagle71]

Also when wading I like to throw a tube with as little weight as is needed to get the tube to the bottom but still allows it to float with the current.  I then throw the tube upstream and allow the bait to "roll" along with the current and bump the bottom.  This normally works with decent current and a nice rocky bottom.

WAR

[pegleg]

On small rivers and creeks here in Florida I like to run a frog colored Devils Horse along the edges of reeds in the deeper pools and gator holes.

[Fishaholic]

I love to fish a worm on top of matted duckweed where the hard, compacted edges meet the still fresh and moving vegetation.

[Pferox]

In the phosphate pits, I have had luck runnin a Rattle trap deep bouncin over the various mounds and hills created by the dragline. Early on a cool mornin.

[Sharon]

When on the dock, I use a swinging motion to drop my line under the dock where all the hydrilla is, and slowly reel my green plastic life like frog back in.

[Sharon]

When fishing off the banks, I use my weedless weights and worm and drop my line down into the tall grasses and slowly troll along the edges.

[Pferox]

Oh cool overcast days, a buzz bait run slowly, parallell to a dock in late afternoon will entice a strike.

[Pferox]

In lake lillypads, a gold weedless spoon, about quarter to half ounce, when flipped lightly onto the pads then drug off and allowed to drop to the bottom, then kind of jigged a little back produces alot of nice fish.

[Pferox]

I was told this is called blind man't sight fishin, watch for the lilly pads to move, and then pitch a weedless jig to just opposite of where the movement was and bring the lure back through the area where the movement was noticed.

[Warpath]

When I fish riprap banks, I like to throw crankbaits to irregular areas of the shallow rocks.  I move to deeper water wunitl I find actiuve fish.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing laydowns, I like to throw spinnerbaits to the heart of the structure and slowly wind it over branches.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing a point, I like to throw a 1/2 ounce carolina rig with a creature bait.  I will work the structure from shallow to deep, and also deep to shallow.

Eric

[Warpath]

When working submerged vegetation, I like to use a texas rigged plastic to coax bass into biting.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing boat docks, I like to throw spinnerbaits to the back of the dock and wind them slowly just below the dock itself.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing a point, I like to throw jerkbaits (soft or hard plastic, floating or suspending) and catch bass on a reaction bite.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing a reef, I like to throw a jighead in a tube and drag it until a fish bite (and unfortuantely breaks my line recently).

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing underwater humps, I like to tie on a Vibee and vertically jig for bass.

Eric

[Warpath]

When fishing a ledge, I like to take a jig and bounce the jig from one level to the next until I find active fish.

Eric