DIGGING DITCHES
Electronics reveal many ditches.
Some are subtle, but others are
obvious, like this one that drops off
about 5 feet. Notice the bass set up
on the top edge of the ditch.
FINDING THE JUICE
JOHN COX
36
TODD FAIRCLOTH
Regardless of whether a ditch is 10
feet long or a mile long, straighter than
an arrow or with more turns than a
mystery novel, every ditch has a prime
spot on it.
“There’s usually a sweet spot or one
cast that is the best cast,” says
Faircloth. “And it’s usually something
subtle; a slight turn or a hard spot or a
piece of wood – something. But when
you find it, it’s the juice.”
A prime example is a ditch Faircloth
has been fishing since he was a teenag-
er. The ditch is on a popular flat, but as
it runs, it makes a slight dogleg left. It
just so happens there’s a high spot right
in the turn. Almost any time of year,
Faircloth knows he can go to that spot
and catch fish. During certain times of
year, he can win tournaments there.
Cox has similar stories about finding
subtle places along ditches where he
can catch fish by making “the cast.”
“Once I find a ditch, I’m always
going to be looking for ‘the cast,’” says
Cox. “And it may change day to day.
Sometimes it’s casting right down the
ditch. Sometimes across. You play
with it.
“The main thing is finding those lit-
tle subtle things. I know that’s a lot,
because ditches are hard to find on
their own, but when you find the sub-
tleties along these subtle structures,
that’s when you really have something
special.”
FLWFISHING.COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2020