How do I get these BG to bite during the day when they are in deeper water?

[Craig DuShane]

Hey guys,

I have been catching BG pretty good just before dark when they are in the shallows feeding, but I can't seem to catch them during the day when they move out to the deeper waters.

I have access to a rowboat and a depthfinder. The depthfinder was saying they were all around us when we were anchored in about 7-9 ft of water casting in to about a foot away from cattails on the shore. I tried everything trying to get something to bite in the deeper water, but nothing would even take a nibble.

I want to be able to catch these guys in the deeper water...what do I have to do? I'm in West Michigan if that matters...I'm thinking about buying a waterproof thermometer so I can find out the water temp out deeper.

Hoping some of you have better experiences with this and can help!

Thanks,

-CD

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Great tip Ken!

[jim cosgrove]

craig one or two things that i do is first find the thermocline.water layers this time of year and is low in oxygen below a cetain depth.turn the sensitivity on your depth finder up until you start to see layers in the water.below a certain depth the clutter on the screen should be darker or lighter but you will see layers.the deeper water is cooler but the fish will not spend much time down there because of low oxygen.now you know where they are not.they are also not in the shallows at midday.the thermocline near me is usually 15 to 20 feet.if you have a spring fed BOW.or flowing water may not be a themocline.                     the second thing i do is troll or drift.i use tiny beetle spin type baits or chin spins like road runners.i put whatever size split shot about 18 inches above the lure to keep it at the depth i want.cast as far as i can behind the boat.speed is whatever gets the blades turning and you can see the tip vibrating.most fish will hook themselves.i tip with a wax worm and the plastic of your choice.cruise the weed lines watch your graph and enjoy the scenery.we have caught 100s of open water gills crappies and white bass this way.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Even more great tips, Jim!

[Slip Sinker]

Jim ... good point. if the lake does stratify it is a barrier floor that fish do not cross. to pass would be low oxygen levels. just recently i fished a lake that thermoclined at about 17 ft. so i concentrate my efforts at 17 ft or shallower. i basically ignore the suspended fish over deeper water they are in most cases not actively feeding. i recently snapped a pic off my depth sounder while my boat was over deeper water and a thermocline at about 17 ft. the fish while passing under my boat dropped right down to the level of the thermocline without crossing! i suspended my ice jig right in their midst without a touch. who knows they could of been a school of carp or neutral fish.

[jim cosgrove]

it is the first thing i look for in deep open water.been my experience that fish suspending deep are neutral.thats why we slow troll with little spinners over them.i think you get a reaction strike.dropping bait into them doesn't seem to work like it does ice fishing

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

It's a good point: suspended fish in open water are neutral.
Think about it - there isn't much there for them, and unless they are pelagic by nature, it's out of their comfort zone. This suggests something other than feeding motivates them to be there.

Man you guys are the smartest fish dudes I know.