Catching Bass on and near dams in this episode of Bass Pro Shops Fisherman's Handbook
Welcome. In to another episode of the Bass Pro Shops fisherman's. Handbook when, an angler first sets out onto a new body of water one, of the most obvious pieces of structure, that sticks out is a good place to hold fish is the, dam these, man-made creations, come, in a variety of forms, and pose, many challenges, to would-be anglers, in today's show we'll take a look at dams and provide, a wide array of information that'll, help you catch more fish you, know dams are one of the most unique places to fish at. Anybody, in water and they, come in a variety of, designs. For, lack of a better word you know you may find some that are earthen dams you may find some that are straight rock with, concrete. Around them you may find some with giant riprap you may find others that have a mix of it and, then under, the water which, is obviously, where the magic takes place when you're fishing the. Designs, are all based on functionality, and some of those may just be flat gently, sloping, others may be very, sharp drop-offs that you'll find but. The one thing about it is all dams, that I've ever found across. The nation always. Holds some fish. Outstanding. You. Know for me when, I start looking at a dam I, like to idle along the sides I want to kind of study it I want to look at what I'm what I'm dealing with I want to you, know have my side my, down on, and, be looking at all the different types of structure I want to zigzag, up I want to find exactly, where that roll is maybe exactly, where the riprap ends, and drops off I want, to look for any unusual, things, that could be around a dam I mean I've seen aeration. Systems, on lakes I've seen pipes. Coming out I've seen obviously a, debris, that has washed up in floods that are gonna provide opportunities. As well as grass beds on the edges where there's flats so you just never know what. You're gonna find when. You pull up to any given day anywhere in the nation, you know water temperature, setting, up in the upper sixties, it looks like there's some fry in the water I've already seen right after we've unloaded so we're, just gonna go around and go planking. The. Big thing that I'm looking at when I first pull up to that dam or to the riprap section, is I'm trying to analyze what's there the water color I'm trying to analyze if there's bait a lot of times you know you'll get a shad spawn up, on it on a riprap Bank so I mean you're looking for bait you're looking for any key, you want to start watching your your electronics, I mean that's, one thing I focus on as much as anything not only 2d sonar, but you know live you Panoptix, so I can actually start seeing the depth that the fish are at.
Just. Right there. Again. Lass. You, know when you're fishing around a dam I don't. Know what it is there's just always some. Fish around, that dam and you just got to figure out how to how, to get bit and how to catch them you. Know whether it's fishing right on the edge of the dam fishing, out in front of the dam taking, advantage of whatever the cover might be but. Dams are just absolutely, always loaded. With fish when. You look at a dam and you begin to break it down let's just start at the shallowest, parts. Of it let's look at the 2 foot or less part of a dam, you, know what you could have wave actions, turning up the bait fish you could have dead slit. Calm you generally, and a lot of the dams that are rocky are, gonna have lots of cracks and crevices, that fish can use as ambush points, setting. Up and other things that you'll find is lay downs or items, that have washed up on the dam creating, literally, shallow, brush piles in those types of scenarios. Yeah. You know what about, the same sized fish that I saw, blow. Up on a piece. Of meat just a second ago. Very, good let, him go back. It's. So fun you. Know when you look at dams they come in lots of different shapes and sizes summer. Earthen would drop off summer rocks. Like this one here and you, know some have little jetties, or outcroppings. Off of them some have you know water control, devices. Some may have grass out. In front of them you never know you just got to go search, out the fish holding habitat on each one of them and catch them. Coming. Up after the break we continue, to work our way through the water column along, the dam this, time breaking, down how to target fish in deeper, water oh good, one. Shake. You head on the corner of the dam fish, stay. Tuned and be, prepared to learn more as this episode of the Bass Pro Shops fisherman's. Handbook continues. As. People who love the outdoors, we. Know what we stand for. We. Stand for Fish Wildlife, and. Conserving, the places they call home, we. Stand for the traditions, we inherited, and, that we must pass on. We. Stand for great gear fair prices, expert, service, and memorable, experiences. At, Bass Pro Shops in Cabela's, we, stand together for. You. For. 50, years, Ranger, has led the way and innovative. High-performance. Designs, and we're raising the, bar again, with a bold, new flagship. Line the, Ranger, C Comanche. L Series these, rigs are custom crafted with a passion. For perfection, and loaded with more features and advantages to deliver domination. Every level the next generation. Ranger, l-series, celebrate. A legacy. 50, years, in the making, the. Fisherman's, handbook is brought to you in part by bass. Pro shops and Cabela's. Your, adventure, starts, here Garmin, fights, your fish not, your fish finder, and by, Yamaha. Marine, reliability. Starts here before. The break host Wade Middleton showed, how to target fish that are positioned along the shallower. Part of the dam in some, cases however fish, will not always be located, near the bait and along the surface conditions. May warrant that fish move out of ways and hold closer to the bottom when, this happens, it's important, to be armed, with the proper baits to get bites you. Know as I start to look deeper, at dams there's so many different ways to target them a guy, can take a shaky head he can take a crankbait he can throw a jarred behave you can drag a dig I mean it's just the opportunities. And ways and means and methods to fish a dam are, almost endless, I'm, guarantee, you somebody, is always gonna catch them on the dam they, always, do fish love the rocks on the dam there's a lot of ways to approach it probably, the one thing that will always work no. Matter what is just throwing a shaky head on those rocks. Shaky. Head, he's. Tugging. He's. Heading out this way he's - whoa I. Don't. Know what we got here oh. Good. One good one oh, there's. A shaky head on the corner of the damn fish, I, had. Just. Gotten. A bite. That. Felt. Like a bluegill. When. This guy bid thing. About that old shaky head, you. Never know when Oh big thing about it and it's, about three four pounder probably, looks like. My. Locating. Come. Here, he's. Got it. Sure. Is good to me. That's. Awesome. Good. Fish right there he's. Got it yeah, it's Carter's I. Mean. Happy oh that's. So fun to catch up on shake your head rector it's, fun to catch it anytime. You. Know some of the things I've really learned. And noticed about fishing, rocks, and around dams is some, baits especially. The crank bait series are, probably, gonna perform better at not getting hung up I look at the SPRO rock crawler it's. A great design, for a bait that can hunt you know for the shallow version, and the and then what I can't call a mid that version it's, got a bill designed to deflect and, bounce, off of these rocks and not only does that help. Generate bikes but it also helps, keep you from getting hung up. Look. Where he's got that bait in his mouth a rock.
Crawler Is in my opinion, probably one, of the best baits, ever designed, to fish that particular type of cover debate. Hunts, it deflects, well I mean when that bait gets down there and starts beating off them rocks it's going to the right it's going to the left it's, doing, a lot of key things when you stop the baby it backs up so, when you're throwing around those big rocks and you feel that baits start to bind up on a rock if you'll, stop it and let it back up it'll come up and over that rock so, any time you're fishing riff-raff bridges. Dams, marina. Dike balls be sure and check out the arcade. 15:55. And MVP. Once. You've identified the, right bank for the given situation it's, also important, to take into account what, type of line you're using the, rocks along dams and riprap banks, can be very damaging to your fishing line having a line that is abrasion, resistant, durable, and offers great sensitivity can. Increase your odds at landing a fish when. I'm deciding what line to use for fish. And rocky areas. Whether. It be riprap dams. Rocky. Bank or whatever and, I'm flipping I always choose sun. Line shooter. 18. To 20 pound test line I want, a brazen, resistant, fluorocarbon. Line that. Has. Little, stretch and abrasion, resistant, is very important, whenever you're fishing around rocky areas, for, a simple fact that you're fishing around sharp, objects, you know if a fish gets you over a rock or if, you're just fishing a bait for a long time you, know you're gonna get nicks in it when you're fishing rocky areas so a strong, abrasion, resistant, line such as sun line shooter is the, way to go we're, fishing rocky style, banks. Time. Now for another break but, when we return we. Take a look at a different style of dam and discuss. How both generated. And wind currents, affect, the way fish position, along these structures. An. Entirely, new species of extreme, predator, is moving offshore. The Yamaha five point six liter v8, XTO, offshore, outboard, extreme. Big-block thrust, and power in, the, industry's, first direct, injection, four-stroke. Quiet. Efficient. Powerful. And proven. Yamaha, reliability. More. Than an outboard, it's a fully integrated power, system, the all-new, Yamaha, v8 XTO offshore. Use, sons of fishes and enough, fish on this lake for two clubs really. We, see plenty of fish live with Panoptix, yep. Dang. We should get Panoptix. Maybe. We'll just take yours. There, is parka the. Fisherman's, handbook is brought to you in part by Ranger. Boats still building, legends. One at, a time, Engle the, original, high performance cooler. Son, line America, the strength to guarantee, your confidence, and by. Bradley. Smoker food smoking, made easy. Well. He choked it the.
Topic Of discussion on, today's episode is how to target fish, on and, near dams damps. Come in a variety of, forms, and provide the angler with a number of different, scenarios to prepare, for post, weight Vinland is now going to discuss another relevant to take into consideration, current. Both, generated, and windblown. Another. Big thing that you can find around. Dams is current. You know when the current can be created to buy a lot of different things it could be channel swings it could be the river coming right there but it can also be, can. Basically manmade. Where they're opening, and closing, different, gates. You know when you look at some of the the lakes, unit around Alabama, on that Tennessee River I mean, you can get in positions, below, the dam when they start opening it up and the current starts running. Out, where you're setting up Eddie's and little seams out there they can allow you to have ambush points to catch a lot of different fish. And, in those types of things in my, mind it's like the buffet opened, and all this bait is rushing through that current and every different species you can imagine is, now setting up to pick off an easy meal. Mama. You, jumped so what's really happening though is they're turning water on as they turn it on we. Seem to be getting one more advice and, you, know we're late in the day and we still haven't caught a big smallmouth yet, and you, know Clark's doing this he's doing that and he's constantly experimenting, he reaches down he grabs a swimbait, fires it out there BAM first cast catches one and that, just shows you to keep an open mind to make some of those little changes out there and see what will happen. And. We finally get a big smallmouth it's about a three pounder that's a nice one the. Winds can really play a big role. In fishing. A dam obviously. If you're on a dam and the winds blow it way down, the lake, for 15, 20 30 miles, you, could have giant rollers, relevant, area to make a dam unfishable on, the flipside of that maybe you've got a good wind that's crossing it or the dam, is actually blocking the wind allowing, the bait to set up where you can fish for them or to provide opportunities.
For You to be able to position your boat to be able to fish there. Right. At the end of the dam you know so many dams across the nicely gonna far down that lady isn't his mouth yeah. Holy so many dams across the nation, are, you. Know right at the end of them a lot of times you'll have flats just like this one right here and you. Know you pick the windy side of where it's blowing in that and run, around a lot of times it gets reaction bites, just like this you. Know rip fish and riprap is a really good way to start, off to try to find some fish really quick there's, usually always some fish on bridges, and riprap wind, currents, you know natural, wind blowing, current will, position them on the outside corners, and now you just want to stay on the corners and work them make, lots of gas and move around and change your angles and vary. Your retrieve speed and just try to give them you know try to figure out what you know the presentation, that they want but like, I said fish. And rat rats a great way to start off and get you some bites really quick biggest one right there. That's. The fastest way to lose a fish. He. Didn't hit me with a bit about 10 foot a lineout. Crankbait. Down the end of the dam where the winds blowing in hat oh yeah. You didn't hear ya. Total. Reaction bite right there you know you're right up there you, know a lot of times on a dam the rocks will just come out in the end you get a little flat and we're at the end of this flat right here and this. Is a great feeding place you know picked up that crank bait and that's. The result that guy just slammed, it, when. We return from the break the, fish catching, continues, as we unlock, more secrets, about fishing. On and near dams right. Here on the Bass Pro Shops, fisherman's. Handbook. Pretty. Finisher. Secrets. Are created, to protect information, but keeping a secret is not as easy as it seems, for, over a decade, anglers, across the nation have used secret lures tackle, to reel in their catch from. Small ponds to large bodies of water and tour level events the secret to their success has, been tied to the end of their line all along they've. Been using secret, lures, first. You've heard of them maybe, your fishing buddies aren't really your buddies visit. Secret lures come in place your order today. Not. Talk about Sunline I think. Of one word confident. Sunline fx2 is what I use, for all of my froggen, and flippin, s61, brave which sprayed, the plays of a big part in a fishing. Line shooter. I'm gonna use in those close, quarter deals like flipping, and pitching one. Of my favorite techniques and, fishing the tournament trail is to fish offshore ledges. We, have taken, the the questions, out of the equation, take, my word for it. It. Works it, works dude. That's. Sawyer we use the best technology to. Make simple products, that keep you going regardless. Of your journey so. Whether you're boating, hiking. Fishing. Camping. Or. Hunting, we. Keep you outdoors, with a full lineup of products, to both protect, you and make. The outdoors, more enjoyable. Sawyer. We. Keep you, outdoors. The. Fisherman's, handbook is brought to you in part by Sawyer. Products, we, keep you outdoors, power-pole. Shallow water acres swift. Silent. Secure. And, by. Secret. Lures the. Secret, is out. Although. The dam of a lake offers a great, opportunity to, catch fish with ease it's, not always that simple different, variables, can factor, in to how the fish will set up if, there is a significant. Amount of clouds the, fish may suspend, our position. Near the surface depending. On the time of the year fish may be keyed in on a specific bait these. Are all things to take into consideration, when planning for a day on the water and while, you're out there all, of these variables, could change at a moment's notice, when. It comes to targeting fish, on a dam. There's obviously seasonal. Patterns but the reality, is you, may catch on one, foot to, thirty. Feet deep at any given time on a dam and a, lot of that can be driven by what's going on like I said before the seasonal, patterns and just how the bait fish are setting, up at that particular time, of the year under. That particular time, of day an hour that you're fishing. Love. The sound of the drag I don't know what we. Got he's heading out here we got him in deep open-water off the dam got. A pretty good one right there let. Him do his stuff and wear him out. I'll. Let him go down there. Just. Keep good steady, pressure. I. Don't. Shake it, starting. To show out link, coming up.
Pretty. Finish right to go. Boy it's so fun. Never. Gets old, I'm, throwing the tilapia color big black baits for that smartly that guy Arthur maybe the belly on that fish. You're. The drag thing is that not fun that's just too fun. Last. Two fun I mean that's just the most. Simple, technique. There is in. The. World in a lot of ways great. Way just to get by it's on tough days but also, catch big uns I mean catch a couple of three and a half four pounders along the dam here, I've, got ten pound son line fluorocarbon. With. Actually a 10 pound. Braid. My. Spinning rod and. I'm just just shaking that little guy right there and tilapia. That's. Pretty awesome you, know to summarize fishing, dams without. Question there a place that are. Gonna pay off for you it's a place you want to go and visit it's a place that top, pros. Across, the nation will rely on at different times which you have to you, know kind of understand, just like in any fishing situation, what you're getting into how, to digest, it how to. Adapt. To what's going on and, be really, ready to, find, different ways to catch up there's no, doubt in my mind that when I go fishing damn I'm gonna have a wide range of baits on to, match the current to match the wind to match the cloud cover and to match the mood mostly, of what the fish want so, like, I said in this show before, whether I'm fishing one foot or twenty plus a damn as a place it definitely holds a lot of fish good. Luck man about two pound. Laughs, on the edge of, the rocks out here long ways. Grinding. And grinding and, grinding but, all of them are good every bass you get everybody, to get always, a lot of fun. Go. Back in. It's. Funny how some days you get the tap tap other. Days your line swims off things get heavy and this, is one of those days where the line just gets heavy and swims. Off and you. Know it's you, miss. Some you lose some in, those situations. But at least you're getting some bites. That'll. Do it for this episode of the Bass Pro Shops fisherman's, handbook be, sure to take these tips study, them and apply, them to your next fishing trip and see, if just maybe you'll get a couple of extra bites and. As always follow fisherman's, handbook on social media and YouTube, for, more great content and information from. Out on the water and. We finally get a big smallmouth. Tired. Of forgetting to set a recording, or missing, the latest episode, of your favorite outdoors. Show check out outdoor, action today never miss a second, of shows like americana, outdoors, Cabela's. Fisherman's, handbook and whitetail. Diaries all of this at the press of a button without, a subscription, fee required start, watching your favorite, shows when, you want to watch them by going to outdoor, action calm, or through the outdoor, action channel, on any Roku device. This. Tube is the greatest thing in the world when you're catching fish on it builds your confidence to me that's the most important, part of bass fishing is you have to have confidence in this bait when we're throwing I've. Had guys say you fish like you believe there's a fish thing well I do I'm filling everything, that I can feel with that bait. If. You need to get bites it'll just absolutely, get better. Here. At big Pike bass we've got a big line of different plastics, and you know they're all the tools so you want to have them with you all the time I made several checks in crowded areas, flipping. That right there just, a six-inch big bike retail, worm here, a big bite we came out with four brand new colors this year all four of these colors are gonna be great fish catching bass definitely, my number one go to faith that big bite has out right now is a big bite battle bug big bite leading, the way when it comes to innovation and.
Colors. Many. Said that we were just obsessed, when, we started, that. There had to be an easier, way to smoke food, as. Time passed the Bradley, family created, a lineup of Bradley, electric, smokers, that has made it easier, for the novice, or even expert, chef to get perfect, results every, time, they use it grab. Yourself, up Bradley smoker, and take your cooking, to an all new level. We. Demand a lot from the products, that we use on our adventures, around the world. When. It comes to keeping things seriously, cold, we, rely on angle, coolers, who, have for over 50 years kept. Things cold, angle. Coolers the, original, high performance cooler.
2019-01-16 23:24
