The Challenge of Bottom Structure

The Challenge of Bottom Structure

It’s no secret that if you fish enough different impoundments or river systems you will find all kinds of different bottom structure. I would venture to say that you could experience different bottom types on your own lake if you just move around enough to find it. On the Tennessee River the common thread is grass, but different types of grass present different bottom types. There is also rock, shell, sand, red clay, stumps and more, all of which becomes heaven for bass during different times of the year. The key is to understand the bottom structure of where you’re fishing; what time of year the bass utilize that structure, what baits are best on this bottom type and how to fish it. When you have this knowledge in your memory bank, moving around your lake becomes easier and you’ll catch more fish.

As we turn toward the warming of the summer hard bottom becomes one of the first areas bass go to as they start to migrate toward their post spawn locations. Generally hard bottom areas produce oxygen giving much needed breathing for bass as the water warms for the summer.  Finding hard bottom is easy as today’s electronics the hard bottom is bright and easy to identify; just look to the bottom on your screen if it is a lot brighter than normal your fishing a hard bottom area. Fishing hard bottom areas are ideal for crank baiting or dragging a football jig on the bottom, patience is key, but the rewards are great!  Hard bottom areas can be a multiple of different types from shell to rock to stumps but all hold fish and become great summer areas.

Rock is a common winter location; you generally find rocky areas next to the bank or causeways or bridges. Rock is an ideal winter location because it retains warmth in the sun of the day and in the winter anything that holds heat attracts bass. Many people put out rock piles for fishing locations during the winter. I like to utilize a football jig around rocky areas it’s a great emulator of crawfish and can be slowly moved, hopped or dragged on the bottom. Hard bottom areas become great targets for the winter and summer, rock is key in the winter and shell is key in the summer.