Fishing in submerged standing timber

[Christopher Laurencio]

Does anyone have suggestions for Bass fishing both LMB & SMB in "standing / submerged" Timber. This lake by me has some flooded standing timber that is very hard to get into to get close to the shoreline, but once there the fishing is great. But like I said it is very hard and punishing to the boat, especially on windy days. There are a lot of tree tops that are 1' below the surface and you get hung up on them.

The standing timber goes out about 75' - 100' from the shoreline, the outer most part of the timber is in deep water 20' - 35'. Would the bass hang around the timber out there? My guess is they would be suspended along the tree tunks. If yes, any suggestions on presentation lures to use?



Another question is, I was fishing off of a point in rip-rap and about 15' off the point on the surface I was getting alot of small bass (jerk bait), would the bigger SMB's be under them? The depth was about 15'. But could not get anything over 12".

 

[Michael S]

Well the first bait that comes to mind is a jig and pig....but a spinner bait can also be very effective in standing timber depending on the time of year....and I would also jig a plastic worm TX Rigged...around the timber as well. And jigging a weightless Senko might do the trick as well.



The Bass will be throughout that entire area it will all depend on the time of year you are fishing it....and yes they will also be on the very outer edge in the 20+ft of water.

 

[Michael Snow]

You found a school.. same year class hang together. Larger ones around? Probably not as the small schoolies would have been dinner.



Before you get IN the trees, crankbait and spinnerbait bouncing off the trees. Once you've seined the area to your satisfaction, move in. Flip to the larger trees (diameter). Flip at least three times (left right, front) to the good looking ones. I'd go lightweight jig or fl rigged tube. Oh who am I kidding? I'd toss a friggin wacky worm, but Denny Brauer (who fishes considerably better than I) would do the tube or jig.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Try the Ledgebuster spinnerbaits to get you down deep.

I started using those on Mark Twain in Missouri a year or so ago and had luck in spots I had never succeeded before. That lake has tons of the types of submerged timber you described.

 

[Michael Snow]

Hey Pat... please take me fishing on Fork... please? The abundance of timber there simply makes me go batty.

 

[Jim Brone]

Sounds like someone has a tournament coming up.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Jim N,



I already had my tournament in this lake, but I didn't do my homework before and the weather the day of the tourney was not favorable (very windy), so I didn't do as well as I could have if I pre-fished more than once. It's actually a real nice place to fish if you know what you are doing, not much structure to cast to so I have to throw out all my old habits and start over.



But the lake is only 10 minutes from me and will be visiting it more often now that I am getting more confidence in this place. I had to fish from shore before this year because they have a boat minimum requirement to be allowed on the lake and my jon boat didn't cut it.

 

[Larry Harp]

Several of the lakes I fish regularly are thick with standing timber. It all looks reeeeeal good too, but not all of it is. What I have found is somewhat like Pat said, although I had never really thought of it that way. When I think of the timbery (is that a word?) locations that are productive for me, they are usually assocated with a point, creek, or flat with deep water nearby. I have wasted hours, no days dropping jig, worms, brush hogs, tubes, and every other thing around every tree out there with no results. But I have found some locations that ALWAYS produce and those are more related to the structure more than the cover.



Harpo

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Thanks, that's why I was asking the question, those spots look sooo good but I was not sure how to fish them or if they would be productive. Ofcourse I will still give them a try, but will try to locate the best spots without destroying my boat in the process.



Hey maybe the cicadas will be on the timber next time I go, could be topwater heaven!

I also try and locate some of those ledgebuster spinners that ME mentioned.

 

[Larry Harp]

Chris, I have definatly put some wear and tear on my boat fishing in the trees. My decals are torn and peeling and I have dings, scuffs, and scratches all over my boat. Both of my speedometer sensors are broken and I've replaced my rear finder sensor bracket once as well as the rubber rub strip on the gunwale. All thanks to fishing in the trees.



Pat, thanks! You've put into words what I've been trying to figure out in my head



Harpo