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Senior Member
saw a lot of fish busting water and chasing bait last week. usually on a flat near a drop and shallow(3-5 feet). Caught them on rattle traps. Mostly small fish but a lot of fun. The biggest was a 3lb smallmouth. This is a lot easier if you aren't familiar with ledges.
Super Moderator
Actually my report is not just what I am doing...but a mix of what I have been doing and what the folks that I network with down here have been doing...it takes two like reports from my network to make my weekly report so there are always some things working that do not make my report...I try to make mine as accurate as possible.
That being said...as my report stated...the better ledge bite all week has been late morning and afternoon.....earliest I have seen it is about 10:00 this week...there are shallow fish.....they ate Hook Some Bass blue glimmer vibes today with twin tail Yamamoto trailers and Texas rigged Charmer timber pups in watermelon/purple..back on the flats around wood cover.
Member
Hey Dave, seem pretty knowledgeable on KY/Barkley. I don't do bad on local lakes and stuff (Nolin, Rough, etc.), but KY Lake is a whole different beast. Was wondering, without giving away honeyholes, what do you look for when the ledge bite is on when locating staging bass? I've been there in the spring pre-spawn, and wacked a bunch, less than 3 lbs. though. Have trouble finding bigger fish and getting the ledge bite down though. When summer fishing there, I've heard that working soft plastics off ledges typically out produces deep cranking. Is there any truth to that? Thanks in advance. >Matt
Senior Member
I'd be very interested in the relative effectiveness day in and out of deep cranks, vs. C-Rig Plastics vs Jig/trailer as well. Not having a single ledge honey hole myself, I would be interested in knowing how long you would recommend I fish a specific ledge before I try a new spot.Originally Posted by Bass Addict 170
Super Moderator
There are no honey holes...only high percentage spots...LOL. The first thing you have to do to be more consistant whether your are ledge fishing or fishing banks and points...you need to know how to eliminate water to find the highest percentage spots. To write here how to do that would take more time than I have....and besides...I make my living teaching how to do this so I really am not going to write it down here or anywhere else while I am still guiding. There is no secret to catching more big fish other than getting your lure in front of more of them and you do this by only concentrating on the higher percentage spots. I would be more than happy to take you out on one of my teaching trips...or if you would rather...wait until this winter and I will be teaching the class on how to eliminate water again this winter during my off season.
As far as the question about crankbaits vs finesse baits (soft plastics, jigs) on ledges. Early in the ledge season they both work good (May and June)...as the water warms up in July, August, Sept: the crankbaits still work but in my opinion the soft plastics and jigs will be more consistant in catching the ledge fish.
Senior Member
Hey Dave whens your class going to start I,m interrested.
Senior Member
I took the class last year.........and I'll tell you this.............WORTH every penny.
Super Moderator
Thanks George...glad the class has assisted you in catching more fish. I have had a lot of feedback from the classes last season and this past winter and the feedback has been all positive....nice to know that I have been somewhat instrumental in assisting folks to be more productive on the water.
Super Moderator
Well, I do teach the class now in conjuction with my ledge teaching trips and my lake familiarization trips. (3 hours classroom and 5 hours on hands on the water) I teach the same class in the winter Dec, Jan, Feb as an expanded version of the 3 hours class I teach on these trips...basically you get more one on one time with me in the expanded class for questions and more fishing tips. The winter class lasts 4-5 hours and is all classroom. I have not yet set the dates for the winter classes, but will announce taking reservations for the class in my late Oct and November weekly fishing reports. Basically, at this time I expect to run the classes the entire months of Jan and Feb with some early December classes (just not sure of the December dates as my wife wants to go on vacation). Last winter I ended up booked up for every day in Jan and Feb, 7 days a week...and had to turn down folks so if you want the class...watch for my announcement and make your reservation early.
Senior Member
Thanks Dave!
Senior Member
There is a reason Dave doesn't write it down here or anywhere, there is a reason guys who take the teaching classes do not talk about what the learned in detail.. oh you'll get tidbits, but you will never get the little necessary things they have learned from Dave and a lot of it has to do with - that it's almost like being given a key to multiple "honey holes" that you can find on your own and your taught where to look. the one thing that I was told/taught, and I have been concentrating on this year is very simple - yet very hard to change,and most guys won't understand but when you do it will boink you in the head.... "Don't fish what looks fishey - fish where the fish ARE or where they will be", the "high percentage area's"
BUT - that is the little tidbit's you won't hear "where do I find those?", you can do one of two things 1st. pray for an answer to fall from the sky while studying a map for hours/days/weeks and years or 2nd pay someone (a guide) to teach you, and I definately recommend Dave Stewart because I had most of the tools and he filled in the blanks.... the second option pays for itself AND IT DOES PAY FOR ITSELF!!!! You will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars in fuel costs alone - TRUST ME! I live on KY Lake have for 14 years and have burned thousands in fuel cost alone trying to learn "offshore structure" that you see the big boys fish and you hear about in every fishing report about KY/Barkley lakes all spring and summer.
JMHO..... if you need proof PM me I send pics of the fish Ive caught since fishing with Dave!!!!
Senior Member
First, thanks to all who have joined the spirit of the question and thread. I appreciate the help. All things go right, I'll be posting a small report of tomorrow's fishing. I have everything ready to go, and providing I can feel good enough, I am at the lake tomorrow.
Dave, thanks. I appreciate your taking time to answer. The reason I asked "regular" fishermen/women was that we don't have sponsors. I know you have clearly stated you never reccomend a bait that sponsors you just because they are a sponsor. That stated, even though I don't know if you are still sponsored by hook some bass baits, I know you were sponsored by them at one time. And I would imagine your network is made up of guides and others who are sponsored, and I don't have any reason to believe they are as principled as you are.
offdtop,
He should not be providing for free what he sells. He can't make money that way at all. In fact, any of us that may have been out with him should not give away what we bought from him. We got intellectual property. Us doing that would be like others making pirated copies of software, music, or movies, and either giving it away or selling it. By doing so we prevent Dave from getting those folks as customers. A very good example would be someone getting a copy of one of those hydrografix lake CDs and making copies of it, then giving them away to others. This would stop them from buying that CD. Isn't that right Dave? Your intellectual property is yours!!
HDF
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