Steep Banks Tactics 2024

mudcatwilly reply :

In CA, most of the places I fish have steep, rocky walls along the shoreline. The water depth goes from 0 to 20 feet 7 or 8 feet from the waters edge. What are some good tactics to use to pick off those bass hanging out on those steep walls?

Deuceu72 reply :

Try dragging a tube or a GYCB fat ika off those ledges.......... ;D

.ghoti. reply :

Deuce beat me to the punch. Work tubes, ikas, small jigs, down the ledges. Then parallel the bank with spinnerbaits or cranks, working deeper until you get a bite. This is a good time of the year for bluff banks.

Good luck,

fourbizz reply :

Drop shot or dart head. Try casting more parallel to the shore so that your bait stays in each depth zone longer.

5bass reply :

If its not STRAIGHT DOWN and has any sort of slope to it,a jig would be a good choice.Let out plenty of line and let the baits weight work itself down the slope.

K_Mac reply :

Like most of the others I like a jig. That is a steep slope, but there will likely be a few shelves along the way that provide good ambush spots for fish. A grub, t-rigged worm or creature bait are worth trying also. The size and weight of the rig will vary depending on water temp. and time of year. Sometimes a heavy jig and craw or football jig with one of many plastics (I like a spider grub) will work great, at other times a small worm or grub with a light weight or jig will work well. Working a c-rig down the slope is another good option. I like to work it down at various angles to the wall, including parallel as close as possible, then moving out until I have worked the base of the wall. Sometimes you can find concentrations of fish on a steep bank close to a creek/river channel, flat, or wood and catch a bunch of fish in one spot. Man talking about this is making me want to go fishing. Good luck.

Raul reply :

Steep like this ?

guest reply :

beautiful place Raul.

Oddly enough with sheer drops like that my first choice would be to call em up with a Sammy.

Raul reply :

Sammy is a good option Avid also hard jerkbaits, with such steep banks fish are located at different levels along the ledge, by walking the dog parallel to the bank not far apart from the ledge you literally call them up from the depths.

I fish that lake and many other lakes with similar structure with Salty Centipedes, wacky rigged but weighted with a #5 split shot without allowing it to touch the bottom, Senkos T-rigged in split shot rig allowing them to touch the bottom but NOT HOPING the rig but shaking it. Tubes are lethal presented on banks like those, no hoping again, just pulling the tube and allowing it to fall on a slighty slack line so they helicopter as they fall into the next step, fish usually grab them as they fall along the bluff.

With crankbaits I start by casting parallel to the bank with a subsurface runner, then a mid runner, then a deep runner and finally an extra deep runner, that way I "slice" the wall.

Dropshotting is very effective in very steep banks, drop the rig, shake several times, then drag the rig several feet again and shake so you can follow the bottom contour.

When fishing banks like those boat position is very important, there 's absolutely no point at all to cast perpendicular to the bank. Position your boat PARALLEL to the bank, about 6-10 ft away from it at the most. Any point no matter how small it is becomes a prime spot.

Same lake Avid:

Nice bass:

guest reply :

Is this in Mexico below the "canyon country" of Arizona/New Mexico?

Absolutely magnificent view.

Catt reply :

Y'all aint gonna believe I'm not saying a T-rig but I'd throw a weightless senko or wacky worm

Alpster reply :

Like 5 basslimit said, let a big jig & trailer fall down those bluff banks. JMHO

Ronnie

Raul reply :

Quote
Is this in Mexico below the "canyon country" of Arizona/New Mexico?
Absolutely magnificent view.

Central Mexico Avid, the lake is called Zimapán. But 90% of the lakes I fish look like that one, some with chunk rock like Zimapan others have smooth surfaced rock.

T rigged worms don 't work well in lakes with lots of broken fist size sharp edged chunk rock like Zimapán, the bullet shape of the sinker hangs up in an eyeblink between those rocks, C-rigged worms with an egg sinker work a lot better and they don 't hang up. Jigs work well on the fall, but they also hang up if you don 't hop them.

Joshua Vandamm reply :

Follow up question..,How do you land a big Bass from a steep bank or overhang?

Is netting the only option? I'm thinking of making a dropper net on a rope for the long drops. Anyone dealt with this issue?

thanks!

pondbassin101 reply :

On 5/8/2017 at 11:04 AM, Jvanda1 said:

Follow up question

first question was 11 years ago.....................................................

papajoe222 reply :

I assume you are fishing from the bank, so my first response (working a crank parallel to the drop) is not really an option. I, also, would recommend a tube bait with an internal jig. Let it fall on slack line and count it down increasing longer on each cast. When you catch that first fish, you'll have the depth figured out.

Joshua Vandamm reply :

That's exactly what I do Joe.

still pulling em 10 ft up a cliff by the hook, no good...

Should I be starting a new thread? Figured same/similar subject..

th365thli reply :

I recently encountered this problem. So I shouldn't be casting perpendicular toward the bank? Does this mean I cast diagonally, trying to work depth and length of the bank? Also, is it more effective casting towards the bank and letting the bait drop, or fishing from the bank dragging the bait up the slope so to speak? Or does it not matter? This is for jigs, texas rig, and shakey heads.

scaleface reply :

Steep banks are like other structure and something different will hold more fish . Look for cuts and juts .

frogflogger reply :

all good advice - for myself - jerks and topwaters

IndianaFinesse reply :

On 5/8/2017 at 5:14 PM, th365thli said:

I recently encountered this problem. So I shouldn't be casting perpendicular toward the bank? Does this mean I cast diagonally, trying to work depth and length of the bank? Also, is it more effective casting towards the bank and letting the bait drop, or fishing from the bank dragging the bait up the slope so to speak? Or does it not matter? This is for jigs, texas rig, and shakey heads.

I prefer to cast parallel to the bank because it makes it easier to maintain the correct depth, and my bait is in the strike zone for the entire cast.

reerok reply :

On 5/8/2017 at 11:29 AM, pondbassin101 said:

first question was 11 years ago.....................................................

This is a Bass Resourcer who knows how to use the Search function! Well done!

jimf reply :

On 11/4/2006 at 6:44 AM, .ghoti. said:

Deuce beat me to the punch. Work tubes, ikas, small jigs, down the ledges. Then parallel the bank with spinnerbaits or cranks, working deeper until you get a bite. This is a good time of the year for bluff banks.

Good luck,

GK

I will use some bigger stuff - 7" worms and 3/8 jig - but where I really agree with your comment is the parallel bank presentation. I fish alot of old strip pits with this type of structure and I found that technique works really well. I'll start with a spinnerbait or lipless and then move to a deeper running crank, or even fish the jig or worm like that.

Quarry Man reply :

Weightless worm, wacky rig, ned rig, dropshot, blade bait, spoon.

geo g reply :

Don't neglect a senko with a !/32 weight and let it slowly flutter through the water column all the way to the bottom, next to the drop-off. Pop it off the bottom and let it fall back. Also a wacky trick worm, or a small light jig head with a small craw. If you can fish parallel it is good.

Joshua Vandamm reply :

With the senko do you mean wacky or Texas with 1/32 oz?

they were hammering my split shot tube rig. 4 good fish in a row of 4 casts The other day also. Just droping em right down the side of a point or fliping 5-10 yards out at a 45deg angle. Let fall hop back repeat. (Love these places!)

my question is about Landing them. A regular net doesn't even reach the water in some places. I was thinking a pier dropper net type basket would be good. Might make one from just cutting to net off an old lander and tying a 3way rope to it.

12802

Steep Banks Tactics 2024

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