Bass on the Ledge

Bass on the Ledge fishing has become a buzzword in bass fishing circles. In the broadest sense, ledge fishing is really just a way to describe offshore bass fishing on inpoundment that have a river channel. Thus, the “ledges” they refer to are actually just the banks of the old river channel.

A ledge, as related to fishing for bass, is defined as any drop-off where the depth of the bottom goes from shallow to deep in a short distance. Ledges are found along banks sloping into the water, main lake river channels, and creek channels. Other locations depend upon the lake being fished.

Bass move to these deep drops for a variety of reasons. They move there for structure or habitat, easy access to deeper water, temperature, and water quality. Last and certainly not least, bass move there to eat. Crawfish, shad, and other small fish also set up shop on these ledges. Therefore, it is a no-brainer the bass are going to be where the food is found.

Bass relate to ledges during the summer and winter

The first and most important part to success while drop fishing for offshore bass begins before you even get on the water. Pick up a good contour map of the lake, and spend some time identifying a series of offshore spots you plan to target. To prevent getting overwhelmed, focus initially on obvious ledge locations, like outside bends. Additionally, focus on points where creek channels meet the main river channel, and high spots along the ledge. These are your best bets at hooking up with offshore bass. Today, anglers have the odds in their favor with the best of electronics and mapping to break down ledge structure.

Bass relate to ledges during the summer and winter because it’s a piece of structure that gives bass easy access to food during the summer months. The presence of current will determine how a bass positions on a ledge. In a river run reservoir that is generating power, the current will be flowing. In such environments, bass traditionally set up on top of the ledge in the shallowest place. Bass are opportunistic feeders and use current as a food delivery system to ambush pods of bait.

Excerpts taken from Lee’s new book “Strategies for Bass“.