(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
Western-based BPT pro Cody Meyer grew up on lakes like Oroville, Shasta and Bullard’s Bar, chasing all three species of bass in what were generally clear-water situations. Throughout the year, the bass suspended, getting off the bottom and not relating specifically to any sort of structure or cover.
“That makes it really hard to catch these fish,” he explained. “You don’t have a reference to where they’re at.” In other words, he said, “A suspended bass really does not have a home.” So why chase them if there are other options? It’s simple: They’re often the biggest fish in the lake. While in his early days on the water finding and catching them required some experimentation, modern technology – and particularly forward-facing sonar – makes the game easier.
He starts off in the winter, throwing smaller 3- and 4-inch swimbaits. Bigger swimbaits will work, but it requires more coaxing. He also likes an Evergreen jerkbait, either one of two sizes. He said that LiveScope has rejuvenated his jerkbait fishing because the “video gaming” allows him to vary his retrieves until he gets it right. “It’s a cat and mouse game.” He believes that fish become accustomed to the pinging of sonar, so whenever possible he tries to stay as far away as possible.
He uses a dropshot, often with the smaller size of the Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm, throughout all four seasons, but instead of a heavy weight he’s likely to use a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce version. He’ll slowly shake the worm and then reel up the slack, all the way back to the boat. The key is not to overwork it.
One technique that he didn’t want to give way was one more common in Tennessee or Alabama. “The float and fly is a deadly way to catch all three species of these giant bass,” he said. “I shouldn’t even be talking about it.” For bass that won’t react to a jerkbait, crankbait or other moving bait, the float and fly goads them into biting by hanging around in their face until they simply cannot stand it anymore.
In the spring, of course the bass move to the bank, but en route to their spawning spots, and then again on their way out, they’ll often suspend on main-lake and secondary points, places leading into spawning pockets. That’s when he’ll go back to a jerkbait, giving it long pauses.
By the summer, boat pressure plays a larger role, but on blueback herring lakes like Hartwell and Lanier that’s a good thing – it gets the bait up near the surface. He’ll still use a dropshot, but he’ll increasingly start to rely on topwater lures over brush and standing timber. When the fish want a quieter presentation, he’ll lean on the Evergreen JT silent walking bait, and when they seem to prefer something louder he goes with the Shower Blows (a pencil popper-type lure).
In the fall, the bait gets shallower and starts moving into the backs of the creeks. This, Meyer said, is probably the time of year when the most fish are strictly relating to migrating bait. He’ll look for them around channel swings and utilize crankbaits, jerkbaits and especially topwaters.
If you want to learn some of the other secrets of how the now Idaho-based veteran catches suspended bass, including the full detailed story of his then-world record spotted bass, check out his full video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
