Bass-gri-la

[Fishhawk]

Where's my drooling avatar? I think Topwater sent me one a while ago and I can't find it.

Here's a tree on Big Gull Lake that produced a couple of nice largemouth bass. How could it not? The very back end closest to shore was already in 3 feet of water with vegetation around it. The depth dropped from there until it was about 8 feet deep underneath the tip. And there was vegetation there too! Having visited a lot of trees like this one, Meghan has come to know a spot like this as "bass-gri-la"

There are a million different ways to pull bass off a tree like this - but what would you do?

[JustinHoffman]

Heh, heh.....just after a discussion on Big Gull, you tease me with something like this.
Here's what I would do:

Approach the tree from downwind, using the bowmount. By doing this, you can hold yourself in place, allowing you to cover the entire tree, rather than just sailing by if going with the wind.
Judging by the clear water present in the photo, I would tie on a 3/8oz Black and Blue flipping jig, with a blue-flecked Zoom trailer.
Starting at the tip, I would start flipping to every nook and cranny of the tree branches themselves. I prefer to work from the tip to the trunk, as any fish caught from the tip, can be played away from the tree and out into deeper water, minimizing the chances of spooking other fish that are present.
Work my way around the tree, pitching and flipping.....and hopefully have a few chunky bass to show for my effort!
Good Fishing,
Justin

[Fishhawk]

Heh, heh.....just after a discussion on Big Gull, you tease me with something like this.

Muahahahahaha!

I tease you more!

Take this...



And take that...



Can ya stand it? As I rub my feet together underneath my desk to generate some heat in my toes I pine for 30 C and falldowns.

[Tip-up]

Can ya stand it? As I rub my feet together underneath my desk to generate some heat in my toes I pine for 30 C and falldowns.

Stop it

[steve-hamilton]

the cover shown in the first picture would be approached as follows.

first i'd approach it from the windy side, the opposite side justin says (gotta love how each angler has their own styles), as i find the most active fish will hold on that side.

depending on depth, i'd run a 1/4 or 1/8 pre weighted gammy wide gap worm hook with a 6" purple with chartreuse tail powerworm; texas rigged.

once a half dozen casts around the outter base of the tree, i'd rig a heavier tube jig, probably in brown, and work the bottom, around the tree.

difference between Justin and I? About four pounds per bass (or so it seemed this season....but trust me, i'm gonna work the jignpig more this year bud!)

[Fishhawk]

depending on depth, i'd run a 1/4 or 1/8 pre weighted gammy wide gap worm hook with a 6" purple with chartreuse tail powerworm; texas rigged.

Here's my thoughts on your presentation Ham-Steve.

If there is a panfish in the neighbourhood he will be pecking at that little chartreuse tail like a demon. Your 6 inch worm will get the odd big fish but the little ones often beat them to the punch. Rock bass and blue gils go mad for those little yellow tales. If there is a 3 lb bass in the hood, it won't be shy of a much larger presentation like a 10 inch worm or 7 inch dinger.

Of course, I've caught my share of rock bass on 10 inch worms too! But ya increase the odds of getting a hawg with a big bait.

[BBRich]

If they aren't gonna hit my black/blue buzzbait, I pack up and go home.

No but really that seems like prime jig & pig water to me. I've always had luck with light flippin' jigs tipped with pork around deeper wood cover.

Knowing me, I'm more likely to spend my time working the leeward side of it with a Slug-go or Black Mamba.

On the windy side I may even make a bunch of casts with a spinnerbait.

Oh, let's not forget the scum frog!

[Relic]

Cover the water away from the tree with crank or spook to pick off the active fish. Then go in with flippin tackle, jign pigs an big texas rigged tubes.

[JustinHoffman]

Hey Steve,
Although I would approach the tree from the downwind side, experience has taught me (as you alluded to), that your more active and bigger fish will most likely be situated on the wind blown side. Not always the case, but usually. The only trouble with fishing the windy side first, is the possibility of blowing right by the tree, or bumping into the tree with the boat. Been there, and done that.
Now, as for throwing a flipping jig - you make it up to Ottawa this coming season, and you got yourself a day in the boat.

Good Fishing,
Justin

P.S. Great thread, guys...

[Lunkerlurker]

I would approach downwind and use if possible a floating anchor to slow me down. For bait the std black and blue flippin jig 1/2 oz (drop faster in clear water) and for follow up bait a greenpumpkin flippin tube tx rigged.

FH you dont mention the time of the year. The presentation discribed above worked in early spring (1 week after ice-out, still was snowing a bit)

LL

[Kpin]

Thank you for rejuvinating the Thurs. night tips to "Random any time of the week." Love it! Interesting approaches. Txs again FishHawk, I owe ya one.

[Fishhawk]

I would approach downwind and use if possible a floating anchor to slow me down. For bait the std black and blue flippin jig 1/2 oz (drop faster in clear water) and for follow up bait a greenpumpkin flippin tube tx rigged.

FH you dont mention the time of the year. The presentation discribed above worked in early spring (1 week after ice-out, still was snowing a bit)

LL

Time of the year is only one factor, LL. Up to the end of September (or this year it was mid-Oct) spots like these produced from the beginning of our Eastern Ontario bass season which opens at the end of June. How well they work at the beginning of bass season would largely have to do with each tree's proximity to spawning grounds I would imagine.

I can only talk about the rules of thumb that I have developed through my experiences. And lots of times throughout a season my rules get blown out of the water. But...

When these pics were taken it happened to be early August. But like most forms of cover, I enjoy success catching bass in the trees as long as the water temp is above 70 F. This would be a rule of thumb, pls keep in mind. I have less success with trees when it drops below 70, but then there are those days in October when it is sunny and warm and a tree may be worth taking a look at again.

I've hit those trees with 10 inch worms (black my fave colour) and seven inch plastic stick baits (pumpkinseed being my fave colour) and four or five inch flipping tubes (pumpkinseed, various greens and dark colours) and done well. I have used jigs with success but I am hardly the master of the jig (or anything for that matter compared to a lot of anglers on this board). Look to J Hoffman for jig advice.

Everyone has been talking about wind so I will too.

Given:
- My propensity to use weedless-rigged plastics,
- to fish the plastics really slow - especially plastic sticks (senkos)
- and to drift at 40 knots in an aluminum boat,

...I prefer to start upwind and stay silent with the electric, trying to make one or two fairly long casts that are able to stay in the spot for as long as possible before my boat position forces me to extract the bait. If that dosn't work so well, or stops working, than I will try to hold the boat in position longer with the electric and start picking off the nooks and crannies with a weighted bait.

Something that I intend to practice is burning a spinner bait from the shoreline, parallel to the tree, back to the boat, on each side of the tree and as close to the sticks as possible before I slow the presentation down with a plastic bait on subsequent passes.

Ohhhhh so many variables to work through to effectively pound a tree.

[SCUBA_STEVE]

wow keep going guys i am reading and learning!


thxs zort

[wolfe]

My 1st choice would have been the same TX rigged worm as well (Steve) but I like the point made as to using the larger worm to avoid the pannies voracious attack. Another little bit of useful info gleaned.

Tempting bit of wood there, though.


W.

[Shad]

Gotta luv fallen tree/bush cover for a Big BASS!

I would approach with my bowmount from about 30-40feet straight towards the tree as the wind in the picture looks like it's blowing towards the shore. I start casting a balsa crankbait covering 180 degrees for active fish. About 15 -20 feet from the tree I would cast near the shore and tree with a buzz bait and or spinnerbait for any agressive fish.

If the bite is tough or I think they may be spooked I will go back out with the bowmount and comeback in bow first (from the right hand side according to the pic) about 10 feet from the tree and pitch a 10" black worm and jig n'pig.

Ahhh....Bass season is too short and I neglected her to much last season, lol!