GET
THE MOST OUT OF CURRENT
BY
JT BAGWELL
Fishing
current, whether it is on lakes or rivers can be very intimidating.
For anglers that are not used to fishing current, this can be
a very confusing and a very irritating time on the water. Once
you get a better understanding of the various aspects of current
fishing, the whole process becomes much less frightening.
Most often,
bass will not be out roaming around in current waters. They simply
do not like it nearly as much as calmer water. However, they will
be roaming around “near” current. Current acts like
a large conveyor belt, bringing food, oxygen and even cooler water
temperatures to the fish all day and night. Because of this, the
bass will position themselves close enough to current that a quick
swim is that is needed to fill their bellies. Most of the time,
the fish will be facing directly into the direction of the current.
This simplifies the feeding process. The fish know that the vast
majority of the food will be coming down stream and as a result,
they live by the old adage of “work smarter, not harder.”
One of the
biggest factors to catching largemouth bass in current waters
is “Current Breaks.” Current breaks are any form of
structure or cover that acts as a barrier to current. This can
be things such as wing dams, trees, stumps, boulders, docks, holes
and just about anything else that you can find in the water. These
things create an area for the bass to lounge in without having
to fight the pressure from the flowing water. Most of the time,
the area behind a current break is the primary target. This is
not always the case. If a current break is large enough, the water
hitting the front is ricocheted in a manner that also creates
an area without current. Bass will inhabit these upriver spots
if they are large enough. Target these slack water feeding zones
and you will have far better results.
Boat control
in current waters can be a real pain. The current is constantly
trying to force the boat down stream. The best way to combat this
problem is to fish with the boat facing into the current. This
will require more juice from the trolling motor, but in the long
run, it will make for a less stressful time. Another tool for
battling the current is called a drift sock. A drift sock is a
device that acts like a parachute, except it is under-water. It
helps slow the speed of the boat as it is pushed down current.
A properly positioned drift sock can and will greatly increase
the level of control an angler has over the boat.
n the heat
of the summer, bass will most generally be in areas that contain
current. If you learn to properly attack these areas, you will
be much more successful in your quest for bigger bass. Fishing
in the current can be about as annoying as fishing in the wind.
Once you master the art of boat control and lure positioning you
will see a drastic increase in your catch rates.
Until
next week…Fish Hard and Fish Often.
Pennies
on the dollar for fishing rods, reels, baits, lures, and more?
You be the judge!
