I currently gained permission to fish a strip pit approximately 40-50 acres in size. I have actually wanted to fish this pit my entire life and just happen to buy a house right behind it! haha. Anyway, there is only roughly 80 yards worth of open bank that can be fished ( I have permission to fish it from a boat, just don't have the small john boat I need to put in it) so for now I'm confined to fishing this short stretch of bank. I talked to a neighbor who has fished it (crappie) for many years and his depth finder said the deepest point is 125 ft. but averages about 50-60. The points are shallow and in one cove there is a very thick grass mat, but all that doesn't really matter because I can only access the deep bank right now...by deep I mean you go three foot off the bank and it is roughly 12-15 ft deep. I went fishing there for about an hour the other day and saw FIVE bass that were well over 22" and one that might have been 24"-25". I couldn't believe my eyes, just cruising 5 feet in front of me, I threw everything but the kitchen sink at them trying to provoke a bite..nothing. Sinkos, frog, spinnerbait, swimming jig, crankbait, buzzbait, chatterbait, flukes, you name it I threw it. I have fished many other strip pits and never had any problems putting fish on the bank but this one has got me. Sorry it took so long to get to the question, but for those strip pit guys, what has worked for you in the past? Water clarity is somewhere around 12-15 ft. I have noticed that the cat tails on the bank have root wads under the water and it has kind of washed out underneath the root wad creating a small pocket that likes to hold fish. But give me some tips, pointers, lure ideas to help me bank some of these pigs!

Since you say they were ~5 feet off the bank...those fish probably knew you were there...and when they do, its tough to get them to committ.

Any idea what these fish eat naturally? You know crappies are in the pit, are there bluegills or perch? Pumpkinseeds?

I've got some exp. fishing pits as well, sometimes they just wont hit what seems unnatural for the body of water.

Example: I brought live crayfish down to a local gravel pit...and 90% the bass would not touch them. However, any frog or pumpkinseed imitation would draw strikes from fish of all sizes since I know that is what they naturally feed on everyday.

Key in on your pits specific forage, and you will start banking those hogs.

well I know there are blue gill, as far as other forage I'm not sure. I'm 99% sure they probably prey on crawfish...We have TONS of them around there and on a farm pond next door, every bass you cut open it full of them...but i'm going to have to spend more time on that pit to know for sure

I'd approach this problem by throwing money at it. Score a boat. While you're at it get a medium sized trolling motor and a battery (deep cycle) and a battery charger. One of those pond boats would be nice, or a 14' jon boat. Then you're not limited to 80 yards of bank. Clear water = longer casts. Throw parallel to the bank or a 45 degree angle to the bank and eliminate water by depth. I'd throw a green pumpkin senko and it would take a lot to get me to change baits. Maybe some top water early or late.

Step A to solving this problem though is getting a boat. Go ahead and drop the cash. A boat will get you though times of no money better than money will get you through times of no boat.

Well I'm currently looking for one. Me and dad have a bass boat but it's to big for the makeshift boat ramp...I've been looking quite a bit trying to find one that will be WIDE enough (for stability)...If there is one thing I hate, it's feeling unstable in a rickety old jon boat! haha

Float tube, bro. Nothing better or more relaxing.

_{or a kayak...}

_Mike

In the strip mines that we fished, never did good where it went straight to deep water. There is usually a shallow end to a pit. It may be sloping but it usually has weeds or more cover than the straight to the deep areas. My goto lure was a 4" to 6" almost clear or motor oil ringworm.usually TRig.

Mike

Thanks for the input

I fish with a friend that lives close to a bunch of strip pits, I use hair jigs a lot, they work great when nothing else does.

Purple. And look for irregularities in the bank. Cuts, points, pockets in the cattails, etc.