Section: ontario-bassin
Bill RiversBass: Shallow & Shady Characters |
| A casting approach is an excellent means of covering water, searching for "biters" and concentrations of bass. White or chartreuse spinnerbaits, perch-finish rattlebaits, craw-coloured or baitfish imitating crankbaits, and flashy in-line spinners will always catch some bass when cast and retrieved along weedlines and breaklines, near docks, stumps or deadfalls, atop weedbeds, saddles and shoals. | |
| Topwater bassin' is a great shallow-water fishing experience. In weedy areas, topwater spoons, buzzbaits and soft-plastic creatures (rats, frogs) can tempt fish buried in weeds into hitting - water, cover and bass that would be otherwise unfishable. Weedbeds, pad beds and floating weed mats are also ideal places to check out. In more open water, traditional topwater plugs consistently produce exciting topwater action. Jerkbaits, soft-plastic twitchbaits, chuggers, prop baits, stickbaits, popping bugs and dry flies are all proven topwater bass baits. |  |
 | In the heaviest cover, including stumps, beaver lodges, heavy weed and shoreline cover, under docks and undercut banks, a pitchin' and / or flippin' approach is best. Accurately, carefully and repeatedly flipping a bait into a good spot often produces the biggest bass. Proven flippin' baits include the jig 'n' pig, plastic craws and worms, usually in dark colours (black/blue, brown/orange). Inching along a weedline or breakline, or probing an isolated stump or rock spine calls for a slower, more methodical approach. A plastic worm worked down a weedline, a Carolina-rigged lizard snaked along the bottom, a Slug-Go twitched over scattered weeds, or a pork chunk crawled over / through a tangle of stumps and brush will get the attention of any bass nearby. |
| Mid-lake shoals are great smallmouth bass spots and generally overlooked and underfished. While checking out a shoal, fish it from all angles - the fast-breaking side (tube jig, grub), the gradual, tapering side (spinnerbait, crankbait) and, especially, the crown (in-line spinner, twistertail grub, rattlebait). Establish a pattern and work the shoal thoroughly. When the action slows, bass have probably just re-located, so try other baits, locations and depths on / near the shoal. |  Shallow Water |