It's Tip Night again...a fallen tree requires your input...

[Fishhawk]

Here's the scenario...



You come across a tree that has fallen into the water. The end of the tree looks as if it is in five or six feet, the depth is dropping rapidly. What would you do?

And thanks to everyone last week who pounced on the first ever Thursday Night Tip Session.

[spinner]

I would start by dreaming about the 7lb. bass that is hiding there.
Next before getting too close I would throw a spinnerbait past the tree so as not to spook any bass in there and bring it back first across the tip and then over the top a few times.No luck I may tie on an unweighted slug-o type bait and bring it all thru the bush from different angles ,still w/o getting too close.No luck I'd try a tube or jig n pig all thru it.At that point if I still haven't caught anything,I would go back to Dreamin' as I look farther down the edge and see another tree unless on my last attempt I got snagged bad(likely) and am too busy workin' on getting it out.

[SkeeterJohn]

Now how many people think about throwing something like a jig onto the bank and slowly draging it back into the water.

[slimer]

By looking around the tree, I can see that it's kinda rocky. Tree or no tree, I would probably be throwing a wiggle wart or a fat rap. something of the sort. I would be catching fish along the whole shore, but like spinner said it would probably be holding a big fish, hold on!!! Nothing?? I would slow it down a bit with a small plastic crawdad and try to get it in the branches, still nothing, oh no Spinner was already here, oh well better luck next time.

[Joisey Joe]

First I would dream about getting a Bass bigger than Spinners! Then I would reach into my bag of tricks and pull out a Snagfree tournie frog. Plop it on the rocks and jerk it across the fallen tree. If that didn't work, I'd bump a spinnerbait or buzzbait off the tree. Having no luck with that tact I would try a good old floating Rapala, jointed, to entice the fish. Then I throw my Leafs in line spinner with Domi's ugly mug on it, sure to tick off any fish, success! BigJoe.

[Fishhawk]

Personally, as much as I love lay-downs, I have to be weedless to work them comfortably. And I, like John, think it is a great idea to toss something at the bank and slowly pull it in, let gravity do it's thing as much as possible. I give the nod to a 10 inch texas-rigged power worm (black of course).

I would go with the worm because a bad cast is more forgiving. I know with a crank it would take me 20 minutes to un-wrap it from the twigs. It would be little late to follow-up with a more subtle presentation by the time I untangled. That 7 pounder would be underneath the boat laughing his butt off at me. Incidentally, I got a 2.5 from that tree.

I could see a spinnerbait working great, because I am pretty good at tossing them underhand in a pitching motion and hitting the target. But again, if the first delivery isn't on target it could be disasterous. A bad pitch with the worm and you may get a second chance.

[Cancatchbass]

Messing around on the outer reaches of the tree with spinnerbaits, topwaters and soft jerkbaits might be a place to start. I'd hit it from all angles, hoping to pick off an 'outside fish' before moving in for the kill.

Then it's a case of slowly working from the outside in. Often a good tree will hold more than one fish, but if you pull the first one out of the middle of the hidey-hole, you'll never know. It's possible, with the right bait, to lead a fish out of the cover, with gentle pressure, before setting on him. This also helps to avoid spooking other bass buried deeper in the tree.

The right bait? My lure of choice would also be a Power Worm (7"/blue fleck) T-rigged with a 1/16th weight. As Hawk said a worm is very forgiving. A light worm even more so. Remember, once you hang up in this cover, you may as well leave it for another day.

As the worm drops, I'd hold it at various levels, giving the fish time to get a good look. The horizontal (or nearly so) branches of the tree let you fish vertically, by letting your bait hang from them. Clear?

There are dozens of trees like the one pictured (and better) on Charleston Lake. Some have 40 feet of water or more at the crown!

CCB- loves playing in the trees...

[Fishhawk]

Messing around on the outer reaches of the tree with spinnerbaits, topwaters and soft jerkbaits might be a place to start. I'd hit it from all angles, hoping to pick off an 'outside fish' before moving in for the kill.

Then it's a case of slowly working from the outside in. Often a good tree will hold more than one fish, but if you pull the first one out of the middle of the hidey-hole, you'll never know. It's possible, with the right bait, to lead a fish out of the cover, with gentle pressure, before setting on him. This also helps to avoid spooking other bass buried deeper in the tree.

The right bait? My lure of choice would also be a Power Worm (7"/blue fleck) T-rigged with a 1/16th weight. As Hawk said a worm is very forgiving. A light worm even more so. Remember, once you hang up in this cover, you may as well leave it for another day.

As the worm drops, I'd hold it at various levels, giving the fish time to get a good look. The horizontal (or nearly so) branches of the tree let you fish vertically, by letting your bait hang from them. Clear?

There are dozens of trees like the one pictured (and better) on Charleston Lake. Some have 40 feet of water or more at the crown!

CCB- loves playing in the trees...

40 feet? Wow - I'll bet there are times when you can get a real mixed bag of smallies and largemouth underneath a tree like that - same time. If the Ice Storm was good for one thing, it was good for fisherman who like to fish trees that have toppled in.

[JP]

I have to go to my go to bait. As Cancatchbass said, work the out side edge first with a slow 3 1/2" tube, giving it a pop off the bottom once and a while. Also, skip a tube(wrigger weedless) to the back of the tree and let it fall and wait for the hit.
For the inside I would flip a 5" tube right in the branches and let her sink. Also use a jig and pig(flipp'n jig with a Mad man craw trailer) in the wood as well.
Throwing a spinner bait and buring it back to the boat a little farther out from the tree might produce a smallie or 2.
Cheers
JP

[SALMON]

I enjoy flipping a 3" twister in white,yellow or chartruese..usually within a foot of the bank and then working it deeper towards the boat. Using a plain jig and minnow has never failed and seems to appeal to all sizes of bass.

[Fishhawk]

You now what I am going to toss more of this summer? A Baby Torpedo! I've never seen a stationary bait work so well other than a plastic. You just toss that little sucker to the edge of the stick and let it sit there. The slightest movement makes the prop on back rotate, and even the slowest rotation makes tha bait look like somthing that is alive.

I know why I have gotten away from them, and other cranks like Pop R's. It's because I am having so much fun nudging through the grass and picking apart the pockets, mostly with tubes, second with jigs.

[Pietor]

I would probably keep my distance from this tree, so I wouldn't disturb around. Then I would probably toss a texas-rigged purple or black powerworm (no weight) and cast all around it.

If that did not work, I might even throw in a Big O and crank all around it, trying to bring the fat boy out. However, I would probably hit and snag the tree that is out of the water. This would force me to beach the boat, shake out the lure, disturb the whole area, swear a bit and then look for another good spot....

[SkeeterJohn]

However, I would probably hit and snag the tree that is out of the water. This would force me to beach the boat, shake out the lure, disturb the whole area, swear a bit and then look for another good spot....

A bit like the guy did 15 minutes before you saw the ideal spot

[jazman]

I love the mini torpedo's. nothing like perfect sheet of pwater being pushed by the slow moving wake of a torpedo, and the crush that bass love to put on them. That split second before the set is magic, the adrenaline has been released and is en route....love it.

[Fishhawk]

I love the mini torpedo's. nothing like perfect sheet of pwater being pushed by the slow moving wake of a torpedo, and the crush that bass love to put on them. That split second before the set is magic, the adrenaline has been released and is en route....love it.

Ahhhh Jazman, I've been there Brother. It's something I really try to control but I have to admit that the adrenaline hitting my brain often results in giggling. Not the way Izumi used to, thank goodness he's shaken that. But excitement levels are real high with the top water action. It's hard to beat the anticipation.