I'm from Illinois, I flip banks. I fished a tourney last weekend and all we could find were fish sitting on top of stumps in 20-35 feet of water. 

 

How do I get them in my boat. 

Out here in the west if you can't fish deep, there are a lot of days you ain't catching! A variety of techniques will work but I would say the number one all time producing technique for me (and quite a few others) is drop shot. I know, I know many people dread the idea, but trust me it’s saved the day for me more than a handful of times. Low and slow. Weight for is dependent and depth and current, usually between 1/4 - 1/2 oz. with 3/8th being used the most. Always a size 2 gammie split shot drop shot hook. I usually use a 4.5" or 6" finesse worm. Darker colors for stained water, lighter and translucent colors for clear water. Less is more. I will let that rig set as long as possible without moving, shaking, dragging it. Sometimes after what seems like an eternity I will give the rig a quick pop and it will result in a strike. Other times they just plain eat it on the dead stick.

Drop Shot ~

 

Try a Rage Craw . . .It's almost Fool Proof.

 

I said Al-Most.

 

A-Jay

The drop shot is a very slow and boring presentation IMO, but does catch'em..you could also try a tube jig, as this works on smallies up north very well...good luck

Your not alone. I was a fish out of water at 30' in a boat.

I got kicked by people we were with.(live bait) I need to listen up here.

I'm from Illinois, I flip banks. I fished a tourney last weekend and all we could find were fish sitting on top of stumps in 20-35 feet of water.

How do I get them in my boat.

IDK! Sounds like Rinky Dink to me!

Dropshot, texas rig, tube, shakeyhead, jig, all proven at catching both shallow and deep bass.

 

Get to work!

We tried bombing 10XDs and then dragging big jigs, produced nothing. The next day I tried dropshotting and it didn't work so well, provided I've never tried it before. 

How do you know what type of fish you metering are?, The marks could be carp, catfish, bass etc.

Lots of lure choices that are effective at 25-35 feet; jigging spoons, tail spins, jigs, T-rig soft plastics, swimbaits, scroungers, jigging a lipless crankbait, etc.

Tom

You saw fish but that does´t mean those fish are bass.

I'm with WRB on this. If it was a lake I'm familiar with I might opt for a drop shot, but you can waste a lot of time doing so. A jigging spoon or stroking a jig are great reaction presentations and a swimbait on a1/2oz. jig head or a spinnerbait slow rolled, will cover a lot of water in a short period of time. Tough presentations to master during a tourney though.

ditto with last 3 posts.. and I'm in the dropshot is boring camp as well but understand if $$$ is on the line it may have to be done but not before i try other lures

I'm not in the drop shotting is slow or boring camp. If I know bass are suspended in an area and I drop shot the time to trigger a bite is no less than any other bait. If they aren't interested I will move on to something else.

Have to get one to eat to make sure they are bass, after mystery 1 is solved what is most important? Getting something down to them and presenting it to find out what is making them tick. I would test a carolina rig craw for sure. If you c rig, t rig, and drop shot and still have not gotten one to eat i would question the species and decide how much more time is too much.