The Bass Insider Issue 1 September 2013 | Page 11

The Bass Insider Issue 1 September side of the structure and cast at a 45 degree angle up onto the shallow side. I want the bait digging when it comes across the lip of the drop, then I’ll stop my retrieve for a second or two as it comes off. A lot of times the bass are lying right at the edge of the drop, and they’ll hit the crank bait when it breaks contact with the structure. The other fast bait I use when prospecting along river channels is the jig, most people think this is a spring and winter bait, but I catch fish on a jig all year long. When you can find bass that is bunched up on the channels, you can drop a jig down to them and tear them up. Normally I use a 1 ounce jig so it will get down fast. When I want to test fish a place, I’ll move my boat right over it and drop the jig down, after five minutes , I’ve either caught a fish or I know I am not going to catch one. The drop-shot rig is also very good for this purpose. In a typical day, I may run and check 5 to 10 places like this. This depends on the amount of potential channels and venue you fish. The only way I’ll spend more than a few minutes on any one place is if there’s a school of feeding bass on it. When action slows down with the fast baits, I’ll back off and change to slower baits and presentations like Carolina rig and standard Texas rigs also a jig. When scouting for bass along river channels, anglers must realize that a ?Y[?[??X\?H[??\??[?\?Z?[H??Y??\?H?YY[????YH[[??H?\? ?\?\???Y][??]?\???\[??\?H?[?[???]Y??X?[?[\?]]\?[\?[??????[??\?[??H?[?YHZ?HH?X[?]?\??[?[\?]??&]]?H?Y?Y?X?[??\??[? ?YY[??[Y\?\?H??X[H??\??Y?H??[?\?\?[???[??\??[???Y[????[??\??Y]?X??\??\?H[??\??[][K????S?T??T??S??S???S??S?H??\?[????[?\??[???\???YH?HYX\??&\??\??\??[??[??[??]?\??[??[?\?H?\?H]\[???[?H?]\?[\\?]\?H?Y\???Y??? L8?&\? ?K?\????H[??H?????[??Y\?[??[????[?\?H?\?[?H?YY[??[?? [?H?]?[???[??H?\?[??\?[?\??\????X[H?Y\\?[??[?\?[?^H?[?H?\?Y\?[???[HHX^H?\? L? ??Y]Y\[?H\?X?[\?[H\?[???[[Y\?H^X???[??\???[??Y\] ?? ?Y][??[?\??[?H??[??H?\?8?&\?X?]?]H??H\?]X??]\?Y?[?Y[?X\?Y\???YH?H\?[?\??[??[?\?H?Z]?\?[?B?LHH?B??