Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Sweetwater-Impoundments-Brackish » 5 Tips - Deep Schooled Bass
5 Tips - Deep Schooled Bass
By Felippe Gapski
Felippe loves his bass fishing an is finally back in the kayak, back on the dams and back into the bass, offering us 5 Tips for targeting deep schooled bass. Fish on!
Sounder
Most of the SEQ Impoundments that I fish are massive. Let's be honest, they have lots of arms and bays to be explored and for that reason my number one piece of equipment is a good quality fish finder/sounder. This will assist you with reading the bottom of the impoundments, where you will be able to identify the structure where bass most often, but not always, like to hang out. Ledges of old creek beds, flats and points are prime starting points.
Combos
My number two tip revolves around your rods and reels. You want something that allows you to fish for a prolonged period of time, so select something light and strong. You will want a rod around that 7' length, with plenty of power in the blank, but a soft and sensitive tip designed to feel those tricky and tiny bites that bass can sometimes have. For your reel, you want to use a size that will match and balance your rod, with a good line capacity and plenty stopping power.
My favourite combo and the one that I always carry with me is the Okuma Cerros Spinning Rods CER-S-701ML 7' 2-4kg, paired with a Helios SX 30 reel. I use this to throw those big lures, such as heavy plastics and slugs. For the light lures, such as soft plastics and blades, I like to use a Cerros rod CER-S-701L 7' 1-3kg, paired with a Helios SX 20 reel. Both of those combos are my go-to for bass fishing. They are strong, reliable and light enough to fish a 10 hour session and not be bothered by the weight at all. They both have plenty of power to fight the fish, while still having sensitive tips that then allow me to feel every bite and have full control of the lure.
Scent Up
This is one to do when the fish is stubborn. You can see them on the sounder... but they won't bite, no matter what you throw at them. Pro-Cure Scents are made from real bait and are enhanced with amino acids and bite stimulants. There has been plenty of times when scent has helped me catch the shutdown bass. All you need is to add just a little bit of it, spread it on your lure of choice and give it a go next time you're struggling to get that bite.
Take the Lead
Number four comes down to your leader. When targeting deep schooled bass, very rarely will there be structure down there, so your chances of running your leader through something that could snap you off is minimal. For that reason I choose to use a small diameter leader. The Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon is a great one for that matter, starting at 2lb and going all the way to 50lb. My favourite leaders in the range are the 6lb, 8lb and the 10lb, for those days you find the bigger fish.
Heavy Metal
Now, this tip has been a secret of mine for a little while now, however I have decided to share it with you guys. It's no secret that deep schooled bass love a metal lure, such as spoons and jigs, however those lures and especially the main ones out there in the market, have been used for a while now and somehow the bass have picked up on that and learnt. Some days you may find yourself throwing those lures all day for not many bites, if any.
This is where the TT Lures Hard Core Metal lures come into play and have served me well. They have been developed for salmon, tailor, tuna, etc., however they have been killing it at the dams recently and especially the 20g size. You can cast them a mile, due to their shape, which is very important when fishing deep schooled bass. They also have a very particular swimming action and the bass love them! In fact, I have had several sessions where no other spoon was working and it was a matter of changing to a TT Lures Hard Core for almost a fish a cast. Basically all you have to do is cast as far as you can, let it sink to the bottom and work it back towards you using a slow roll, with a stop every so often or a fast burn, then stop for a few seconds, repeat and hang on!
So, those are my 5 Tips for targeting deep schooled bass throughout the winter months. As we gain more access and less restricted travel over the coming months, get yourself out there and get amongst our iconic Australian bass.
Have a great one guys.
Felippe