I have been seeing bass at 30 - 50 foot depths lately when they are not in the shallows feeding. An example... the other day at SML... a buddy and I were in this cove and thousands of alewifes were schooling but nothing hitting them in the shallows. It was obvious by the Humminbird that the larger bait balls were surrounded by predatory fish at depths of 30 - 50 feet. They wouldn't take spoons or jigs and I couldn't get deep enough with anything else. What do you guys use? Sinking jerk bait? What would you recommend?

Im waiting for the answers too. I have rarely fished those depths in my region. I would have to try a Rocket Shad or bladebait simply because that is what I have.

Pull out the drop shot! Get over the school of fish so you can see them on your electronics and drop the drop shot down to them (you can see your lure going down to them on the screen). Keep the lure a few feet above the fish, give it a jiggle, and the fish won't be able to resist.

I would also drop a drop shot on them.

10-4

Drill a hole on the belly side and let it fill with water...it'll sink for ya.

I did try a drop shot that day with several brands of flukes. Colors were green pumpkin, white, smokey shad, pearl, some grey colors, a red one, and several variations of those colors. NOTHING!!!

I think of schooling fish this way, the preditor fish are concentrated on getting the school of fish to a more concentrated area, the bass will push these bait fish into a tighter and tighter ball untill it becomes very easy to pick some off, they will use tactics to injure the fish and pick from the weekest of the bunch, you will notice the bait ball breaking up from time to time as they accomplish this task, when the bait ball gets broken up is when you have your best opportunity to catch a feeding fish, dropping a spoon in or a fluke in the location of the bass when fishing this deep may or may not yeild your best result, make sure you match the lure to the bait fish size, too big and they may dismiss the bait, if they work the bait ball to shallower water, shallower baits become more effective and even top water baits will entice strikes if they are in a frenzy, at 30 to 50 feet of water the color of the bait becomes less and less important if you are looking to duplicate color, at that depth I use darker colors to give off shadows instead of trying to mimic a bait fish, to me size and sound becomes more important at that depth than does lighter colors, small dark jigs with a rattle is one of the most effective ways I have found to attract bites, if the water is very clear or it's a bright sunny day with slightly stained water I will try a brighter color bait, other than that I go for black and blue/black, be patient, when working a bait ball that deep as well, when they decide to feed and the bait ball starts to scatter about, drop your bait right in on the fish below the bait ball and shake it or rip it up and let it fall again.

Hope that helps !!!

Good luck and be safe !!!

Drop shot small worms, 3-4". Don't bother with matching the forage, just get it down there, and do nothing.

Count-Down Rapalas. Way overlooked and very effective.

Scrounger. Cast past, count down, swim thru, hang on

Thanks to all.

I can't believe feeding bass wouldn't take a jigging spoon.

Me too