Ledge fishing

[davisjeremy1981]

Just getting back into fishing this year after a long lay off during a career change and all I'm hearing about is the summer time ledge bite on chick. Ledge fishing is something totally new to me and I'm not quite sure how to approach it. Are there certain things I should be looking for before I start fishing a ledge? Is there a certain type of drop or bottom type I should look for or will any sharp drop off work? Don't mistake me I'm not asking anyone to share their honey hole or secrets. Just looking at my chick topo map and there are so many possibilities that I'm not sure where to start. Any advice would be most welcome.

 

[lafae7]

Around seqoyah nuclear plant closer to cfp side.... You'll see boats fishing the community holes around the grass flats/ledges/ ditches

 

[lafae7]

Also Harrison bay... but don't give up bank beating. To me finding productive banks can be more rewarding than a decent ledge. Remember a 6+ pound LM can pretty much swim wherever she wants whether it's 4 inches or 40 foot.

 

[davisjeremy1981]

thanks lafae. never gonna give up on the banks just want to try to figure out the ledges. always something to new to learn when fishing

 

[scooby-doo pole]

I've never had any success fishing deep either dj1981! I've fished ledges, deep points, and humps time after time and only managed to get a few keepers that were average at best. However, I continue to beat the bank and fish in water no deeper than 10ft all summer long; and, I couldn't tell you how many times I've hooked into a "donkey slaunch" that was cruising around in an area that "typically" they shouldn't be during that time of the year!

 

[scooby-doo pole]

Exhibit A: caught in 3 FOW... water temp. was close to 80°

 

[Blue76]

I suck at ledge fishing and pretty much fishing in general but one trip with Rogne last year changed my mind on ledge fishing. We caught about 20 plus fish over 5 lbs fishing deep ledges in areas I would have never even thought about fishing.

That's the thing about ledges... it takes a lot of time on the water to find them or a lot of luck.

To hear the pros talk Chick only has about 5 majors schools of bass on the ledges and everyone knows where those are. (not sure I do)... the winning anglers seem to find those smaller schools with little pressure on them away from the normal community holes.

BUT... then there is people like Greg Hackney who fish shallow all the time and John Cox who doesn't even have a transducer on his boat and they win their share.

Greg

 

[Triton20xHarris]

Between the grass and bluegill spawns it'll keep bass shallow year round. There harder to find vs out deep cause you can't scan them. And if we have a dry summer with no current it'll make the shallow guys more competive.

 

[scooby-doo pole]

Exhibit B: caught in a similar area close to the same depth about 2hrs later... both fish were over 7 pounds.

 

[Gavynb]

Here are a couple links to videos that should help you get started man.

https://youtu.be/dPyOFx4fg7U

https://youtu.be/XlLIiOfZsi8

https://youtu.be/WOgXPNdRxF8

 

[fishinvol]

Ledge fishing used to be fun before everyone knew how to do it, now they all get over crowded. Im a shallow water fisherman by nature, but I still fish offshore a bunch. Not deep offshore, I just don't beat the banks a whole lot.

 

[gatorsfan78]

Very interesting post and answers. Thanks everyone!

 

[Jmax]

davisjeremy1981 - 5/16/2016 5:56 PM

I'm not quite sure how to approach it. Don't mistake me I'm not asking anyone to share their honey hole or secrets. Just looking at my chick topo map and there are so many possibilities that I'm not sure where to start. Any advice would be most welcome.

If it makes you feel any better I have been at it a long time and after what I saw in this last CBA, I don't know Jack doo either. I think I need some help too. emoGoofy Jmax

 

[davisjeremy1981]

Thanks everyone for the info

 

[derek81]

Gavynb - 5/17/2016 10:23 AM

Here are a couple links to videos that should help you get started man.

https://youtu.be/dPyOFx4fg7U

https://youtu.be/XlLIiOfZsi8

https://youtu.be/WOgXPNdRxF8

Is the guy in the second video Jacob Wheelers older brother? lol

Seriously though, keep in mind a ledge is not necessarily a deep drop, a ledge could be a shell bed that drops from 8 foot to 12 foot. When people hear off shore ledge fishing they automatically assume it's deep fishing which can be overwhelming to some. A lot of times off shore fishing is just referring to a drop or piece of structure that is holding fish for one reason or another. I know a lot of the "off shore fishing" I do on the TN river is between 8 to 15 feet deep.