Tuesday, May 19, 2015

How shallow is too shallow?

"I dunno, looks too shallow" I said.  I was about ready to move on to deeper water when BOOM! a bass inhaled my buddy's topwater frog at the end of his cast in what looked to be ankle-deep water.

We're talking water so shallow you're dragging your boat across the bottom of the lake.

Water so shallow that your trolling motor is digging into mud and sand even though its as high as it goes.


In the springtime, fishing shallow water can be a blast!  Don't make the mistake of thinking water is ever too shallow as I almost did.  Topwaters like hollow body frogs and and horny toads are a thrill to fish in water that is only inches deep because you can literally see fish creating a wake as they charge toward your lure to eat.

The problem is, these fish can be spooked very easily in shallow water.  If the fish sees or hears you before you see them, its game over.

To solve this problem one must have a perfectly tuned setup to allow for max-distance casting.  This means having a quality reel with the brakes and tension knob set as light as possible, a rod longer than 7' with a Moderate Fast or Fast action, and a lure with a bit of weight to it.

Combined with a good 50-60lb braided line, this setup will allow you to put a lure out far enough to get those unsuspecting bass to eat.

Next time you're out fishing, don't rule out the shallowest water in the lake, especially during spring!

Good luck.