For cover, I fish standing timber and used auto parts.  Sometimes I'll fish the reeds and water willows, but they typically get so thick that it becomes impossible to get anything out of them.  Sometimes I'll fish the edges though.  

 

I don't like fishing standing timber, but that's about all there is.  And as for the used auto parts, well one of the lakes I fish is next to an auto salvage yard, and I guess if people can't sell it to the auto salvage yard, they just dump it in the lake next to it.  Or maybe the salvage yard is dumping stuff into the lake.  I don't know the details, I just know the results.  About six months ago, someone dumped a fiberglass ski boat from the 80's, stripped of anything of value.  No trailer, of course. 

 

As for structure, I fish points.  These are man-made lakes, either water reservoirs or old mines, so there are no creek channels and no feeder creeks.    

On 3/14/2023 at 10:10 AM, Mobasser said:

What's Your Cover?

 

My pet platypus is a secret agent spy...

Fishing rivers, my main structure is boulders and timber, along with current seams and pools.

 

My favorite structure, when the water levels are right, is a good undercut bank.  Nothing like nailing a cast right to the edge of a bank and having an angry smallie explode the moment your lure touches the water.

Sparse, isolated areas wood and very little aquatic plants.

Structure is the earth terrain underwater and man made structures. 

Cover is organic plants growing on structure and floating man made floating docks and platforms,  buoys and boats tied to buoys.

Our local lakes are reservoirs in steep canyons with rocky terrain and brush with a few oak trees.

A few private lakes have docks and more fertile water with aquatic plants.

Clear lake is a natural lake with heavy cover and docks. 
The Delta is a tidal River system with docks in marinas and heavy cover.

Tom

#1 Wood: logs, stumps, lay downs, and brush piles.

#2 Rock: rip rap, rock bluffs, rock piles.

 

Cypress Swamps and Grass

What's my cover?? I tell my wife that I have some work left and have to back to the office on Saturday.... 

 

20 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Not yet, but soon enough.

 

I hear you there.

Most of the cover I fish is vegetation.  Lilypads, coontail, and water willows make up the majority of it.

It's a secret.  

 

I fish the Everglades and south Florida lakes.  We have mostly Sawgrass walls, massive Lily Pad field, Floating mats that change with wind direction and water levels, some hydrilla,  an assortment of native weeds, a little downed wood, and a little docks and man made structure.  No shortage of weeds and this dictates lure selection.  A real jungle.

 

Cypress Trees

Laydowns

Hydrilla

Water Hyacinth Mats

 

Give me any of those or any combination and I'm good to go.

 

 

 

Glades if FULL of cover, any kind of cover, from hyacinth to pennywort. Makes for some challenging yet rewarding fishing!

 

On 3/15/2023 at 8:47 AM, Bankc said:

and used auto parts

Ive caught a lot of river smallmouths from a half submerged car.