Vertical Fishing

Vertical Fishing

It’s the time of year when the fish could be 3 ft. deep or 25 ft. deep and it will change daily as the fronts move through the lake area. With today’s technology the aspect of live imaging becomes more front and center than ever before; Lowrance Active Target gives you a front seat view of the fish live on screen and allows you to target them by vertically dropping baits on top of their heads. When you do this, you are vertical fishing, a technique that has just exploded with the on set of live forward imaging.

With the cold water this time of year you are generally looking for active fish that can be caught because they are in a feeding position and generally hiding from fishing pressure. There are certain elements that you have to be aware of to overcome the lethargic feeding patterns during this time. One very important key is the position the bass are in and the only way to see it is to scan the bottom with electronics. In doing this I believe that there are two kinds of suspending fish those that positioned under the bait fish and those that are not.

When you see them positioned under the bait, you have found what I believe are catchable fish, this is when vertical presentations become a killer presentation. The good news is that there are many ways to fish vertically; the first one I like is a big jigging spoon; something in the 4 to 5 inches with a weight of at least an ounce. Today’s fisherman also, uses a Drop Shot technique or a small profile swim bait on a small head to target the fish. Many times, just shaking the small profile swim bait or worm over there head creates a bite, the key is determination and watching them react to your bait on your Active Target; this allows you to see if you’re positioned correctly to create a bite. A drop shot rigged with small finesse worms, gobies, leeches or Senko’s are killers for the drop shot enthusiast.

The elements are always key to catching fish and making yourself aware of the elements can lead you to a very productive day on the water; combine your awareness with good vertical techniques, and you will succeed.