Last weekend I was out on my kayak on a highland reservoir in Georgia.

I watched bait balls and larger fish (presumably bass) at depth.

I was kayaking a creek arm with fairly steep side slopes: dropping down to a channel bottom about 25 feet deep.

I want to know how to catch fish in these conditions.

 

On both sides of where the creek opened out to the main reservoir, I could see bait balls and larger fish down around the 15 ft mark, along the drop.

 

This reservoir is clear by Georgia standards.  Pretty sure we are early post-spawn, with buck bass up shallow guarding fry.  Assume those might have been bigger females down there.

 

How would you target them?  I fumbled around and didn't get any bass...

 

I was thinking:

- Deep diving crank to the appropriate depth

- Paddletail on a 1/2 oz jig swam at that depth

- Drop shot??

- What about sending a shakey head down through them??

 

What about a deep diving jerkbait??  I really liked that idea but aren't jerkbaits supposed to be PRE-spawn?? (saying this with a wink).

 

There are too many options and I felt overwhelmed by the possibilities.  

 

I know trial and error is key, but grateful for any help focusing me in on the right approach to use in this condition.  

I plan to go out and try to fish these conditions again in the coming month.

I anticipate there will be more fish moving along these steep drops opening out into the main lake.

 

Just for background:

I have been primarily a pond angler over the past 6 years or so.

Over the last year I have been getting into kayak fishing with a fishfinder and fishing highland reservoirs in Georgia.

So I am new to this type of fishing.

 

 

 

I doubt those were bass, but on a steep bank, I like a t-rig, lipless, chatter and spinnerbait, to a lesser degree a crank or swimbait.  I don't like to fish perpendicular to the drop, anywhere from quarter to parallel.

Heavy spoon 

ned and a fluke on a drop shot have been working lately for me

If they are indeed bass, I’d try dropping a baitfish imitating plastic like a fluke rigged on a heavy jighead through the school of bait. I’ve heard that when bass are feeding around bait balls, some of them will wait below for injured baitfish that were stunned by the chasing bass to fall towards bottom. Never put this theory to the test but I figured I’d suggest it anyways. As already mentioned, a heavy jigging spoon would be great as well. Looks like an injured baitfish and you can bounce it off bottom. 

Jigging spoon or test your patience with a weightless wacky.

 

I've never vertical jigged a spoon, but it seems ideal in theory to me. 

 

I would add a hair jig to everyone's list.  Semi tight line as it acts like a pendulum and falls through the bait ball has been effective for me a few times.  Rip reel it up 4-5 handle turns, repeat.  I also like your swimbait countdown method too, I think you have to be below the bait ball and maybe add some decent pauses too to get a similar effect as the hair jig and stand out from the real thing.  Also second Basswhole, quarter or parallel only for me.

 

scott

12 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

I doubt those were bass

@BassWhole! You might be right.  Interested in why you think not and what would be logical alternatives?  Stripers and catfish are the other main predator fish in this lake.

Not sure what your water temps are but you should be around the shad spawn.  Get out early and look for edges in likely areas (rock/riprap, grass lines, grass/rock/clay points, docks, sea walls, hard edges close to the bank...something solid the eggs can stick to).  Pretty easy to tell if it is happening.  Spinnerbait, jerkbait, fluke, topwater, Alabama, swim jig, etc.  After the sun gets up, you can either move out or look shallow in secondary pockets/points for spawning bluegill.