07-04-13, 11:52 PM | #1 |
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What makes a good ledge great?
Summer time in definitely here and fish are well into their summer patterns. On the lakes near us, that means froggin and punching. Everyone does it and everyone catches em.
Another popular summer tactic we all know about is ledge fishing. With the out new addition of boat, this is something I can finally do after years of beating the bank. So I've got some basic questions about it. What exactly is a ledge. Way I understand it, is it's basically a good drop off from shallow to deep water. But are we talking about the kind of drop offs people look for in the early spring (kind of like they were fishing at The Classic). Or are these more main lake type ledges? But what is a good ledge? What things adjacent to the ledge do you look for? Thanks, for any help. Really interested to find a lake around here with some good ledges and fish them if nothing other than to broaden my horizons.
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07-05-13, 06:39 AM | #2 |
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On the technical note yes dropoffs,it is however usely used to denote fishing deep water or near it.
Many are not fishing the drops they are in fact fishing flats or humps that have deep water nearby and will argue all day long that hump that is 8 .ft deep is surrounded by 30 ft of water.And it also depends upon where the bass locate themselves just off the hump (generally suspended)on top of it.So one can be a mile from shore fishing 4 -17ft of water and be ledge fishing.There are terms like first drop and second drop those denote each drop in depth the first then a second generally the one next to channel that is deeper.That is a true ledge. Places here prior to flooding due to mining etc have sheer rock walls 4 ft deep around an island and goes straight to 45,that to me is to drasttic and to deep yet find one that is sheer under 20 in business and just like anywhere else fish can be found anywhere inbetween top and bottom. It is with mixed feelings I do ledge fishing,as deeper than say 17 ft would need fizzing,and many lose fish doing it.At pickwick I caught one keeper shallow -15 in then had to go ledge fishing to get some more but kept it 12-17 and fish healthy later. Think the cure is no T should weigh in dead fish,and illegal to cull even if law permitted it if dead.Yes im a T fisherman just against killing fish,it does happen but that would make those who fish deep take extra care of fish rather than .50 or a lb off a 5-6 pd fish. 5 fish 6 pd average 4 dead should have 6 pds and an announcement over loud speaker as to how well you took care of them-meaning hall of shame-ive seen 9 lbers floating. Knock on wood even after switching boats and not having all my extra care stuff added like bubbles aerator,poor mans air 36 bucks air stones and 1/4 tubing. havnt lost a fish all year lost exactly 2 last year but deeply hooked,blleeding and out of shallow water.Not nitrogen of the bends from deep bass. So mostly im flat or hump fishing rather than ledge fishing proper it is rather loosely applied,any time you want to try some come to ky lake will take any of you out one day but will keep it interesting not deep deep,just surrounded by deep. One rather large T at paris landing recently had 300 lbs of dead bass weighed in as fish had just moved out and adjusted not moving back in and out or back and forth weaker just after spawn and more resting in deep rather than foraging. I have seen a bass fizzed three times during its stay in the livewell and not be doing real well,so fizziing is not foolproof,cure is to fish a tad shallower keep it no deeper than say 17 should have little problems.15-17 ft fish merely ice them down during the day a few times.14 or less should require nothing but a decent livewell system with a little brains thrown in. Think this comes hand in hand what makes a good livewell? Mfg use 1 gal of water for each pd of bass as an estimate for sizing,fresh water only takes three entire changeouts per hr,and lastly those with true recirc not bringing in fresh one exchange per hr of fresh to flush.Those are rules of generality more often is better,but not always hot water a fresh water only system isnt the best to be using,that is cooler in your livewell than lake trust me.Additional air via a bubbles type is also beneficial,and does not always cost over a 100 bucks,simple bubbles aerator operating off 12 v supply not batteries not much bigger than a cigarette pack works quite well. Lastly mfg count entire livewell not just to overflow so a 30 gal holds maybe 25-26 gal and for additional pds of bass in it require more water exchanges and air.The average guy normally does not worry about overloading livewell capacity yet 30 lb 1 oz have been out of the money at paris landing paying top fifteen places,and not all boats have 30 gal plus livewells to the over flow . Lastly in order to have a good ledge bite their has to be current or it as well is slow fishing. Last edited by lilmule; 07-05-13 at 08:50 AM. |
07-05-13, 09:26 AM | #3 |
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http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...atalogId=10001
Here is a link for you Sammy. Hope it helps
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07-20-13, 03:19 PM | #4 |
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ledges that are good for summer fishing will occur, most of the time where a flat drops off. on many of the tva lakes, the ledges also corrispond with the river channel. what makes a great one. the first thing would be that a big school of bass is using it. stumps or big rocks are a plus. the other important thing is that the break matches up with the depth the fish are preferring. example would be a ledge where the break occurs at 20 ft., but the fish are all wanting to be 15ft. deep. that ledge with the break at 20ft. will usually be pretty fish-less. you always want to find structure that reaches as shallow as the bass may want to be.
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07-28-13, 07:11 PM | #5 | |
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