I struggle when the fish are deep and need to improve my deep water game. I came across some areas yesterday just stacked with fish in 30ft but couldn’t get them to commit. 

What are your favourite deep water (25ft+) techniques/lures/presentations? Glenn just posted a good video the other day but I don’t feel it applied to this lake. Bottom isn’t rocky and there’s not a lot of cover like boulders or stumps out deep. 

If they are at or close to the bottom, I like a heavy swinghead with a magnum Rage Bug, or Rage Tail Anaconda.  If they are even a little bit active, I also throw 5 and 6 inch flutter spoons.

Jigging spoon or blade baits work really well when fished vertically. You can drift over an area dragging a tube or jig.  

Drop shot

I don't fish that deep myself mostly because I don't have any electronics.

 

But IF I did, maybe:

 

Deep cranks

Dropshot

Football jig

2 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I don't fish that deep myself mostly because I don't have any electronics.

 

But IF I did, maybe:

 

Deep cranks

Dropshot

Football jig

You don’t need electronics to fish deep. One of my favorite tactics is just toss a tube up against a cliff and let it tumble down. Many places it’s 100 feet deep a short pitch from dry land . When the tube stops sinking, reel in your fish 

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

You don’t need electronics to fish deep. One of my favorite tactics is just toss a tube up against a cliff and let it tumble down. Many places it’s 100 feet deep a short pitch from dry land . When the tube stops sinking, reel in your fish 

Yep.

Also, when I started figuring how to fish deep, in mid-summer, I'd position myself shallow on a point and fan cast something heavy out to the abyss and slowly drag it up.  

I’ve fished tubes, jigs, and spoons as deep as 65’.

Bass don’t usually stack up vertically the fish you metered may not be bass.

Our local lakes the active life zone is usually a few feet above a thermocline.

35’ is fairly common during the summer period and several presentations are effective. 
*Drop Shot worms both wacky and nose hooked.

Structure spoon

Blade baits

Ice jigs

bass jigs (stroked).

* dart jig w/finesse worm

*Doodling finesse worms T-rigged (w/ brass & glass).

Shaky head jig & worm

Yo-yo lipless cranks 

Tail spins

Under spins

*Use finesse tackle with 5# to 7# FC or mono line.

Tom

I would also say a drop shot but I refuse to fish that way anymore.

 

If that’s how it has to be done, I am coming back another day.

My deepest smallmouth are caught on Drop-shot and Zoom speed craw on Shaky head.

 

Spoons, tailspins, hairjigs, jighead minnow(including on the bottom) and scroungers for me but they're always relating to bait when I've had success.

 

scott

Heavier Ned, Shakey Head, jigs, and jigging spoons, are a few.

Thanks for all the replies. 
I’ll rig up a few next time and try to focus solely on deeper water to get some confidence. 

9 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Jigging spoon or blade baits work really well when fished vertically. You can drift over an area dragging a tube or jig.  

I had some really good success with a blade this winter. Definitely going to try that next time out. 

Reaper or 4” worm on a dropshot is pretty much standard, but doodling a 4” curl tail is always on the menu. 

 

My absolute favorite though is a 4” straight tail on a 1/8 oz darter head. Dropped through suspended schools can be a killer.

 

Find better structure. No rocks, oyster beds, no wood etc is far from ideal, largemouth enjoy viable structures. A muck bottom isn’t ideal and those may not even be largemouth bass.. 

 

At any rate, a jig & trailer, a Carolina rig with worm, 8-10 XD crankbait. Large spoons work well at times. I have some 6” I use on Kentucky late but down there I prefer a deep crank or jig

A 10” Powerbait worm works fished on the old river/creek channels.. 

PS: Try a Denny Brauer structure jig in 1/2 oz, my favorite for deep work. 

5 hours ago, F14A-B said:

Find better structure. No rocks, oyster beds, no wood etc is far from ideal, largemouth enjoy viable structures. A muck bottom isn’t ideal and those may not even be largemouth bass.. 

 

At any rate, a jig & trailer, a Carolina rig with worm, 8-10 XD crankbait. Large spoons work well at times. I have some 6” I use on Kentucky late but down there I prefer a deep crank or jig

A 10” Powerbait worm works fished on the old river/creek channels.. 

PS: Try a Denny Brauer structure jig in 1/2 oz, my favorite for deep work. 

These are smallies. I’m sure they all aren’t as I pulled a couple pike minnow along with smallies from the surrounding weed bed edges. 
 

But that’s the thing about this lake. There isn’t much for structure in most areas. The bottom is hard in this particular spot but it’s not chunky rock. 

16 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

 

 

My absolute favorite though is a 4” straight tail on a 1/8 oz darter head. Dropped through suspended schools can be a killer.

 

Me too brother, me too 

Dropshot, Ned, Neko

 

I fish 30' of water often and catch fish on all 3.  

Drop shot, heavy Ned, Hula Grub with a half ounce head.  

Echoing most every other post but I fish a lot of 30' to 50' water in late summer. Wobblehead with zoom Zcraw, drop shot, blade bait and Ned on  1/4oz head.

 

The 1/2 or 3/4oz wobblehead is my faster searching bait. Once I find fish (and they stop biting the wobblehead) I re-fish the area with the other baits. 

 

Carolina rig

Dropshot for sure.  Or a heavy ned (1/4oz), football jig or Carolina rig (try it with a fluke… you’re welcome🙂).

 

BUT… catching smallies from any deeper than 25ft-ish presents the risk of death from barotrauma.  My understanding is if you release the fish immediately, the risk is lower.  But if you plan to keep them in a livewell, you may need to fizz them.  I’m no expert, but I avoid fishing any deeper than 25ft. just to be safe.

On 7/15/2025 at 4:51 PM, WRB-2.0 said:

35’ is fairly common during the summer period and several presentations are effective. &nbsp
 

bass jigs (stroked).

 

When stroking a jig in 30-40ft how heavy of a weight do you recommend? 
 

3/4 oz Football jig.

Tom