Hey guys,
Hmmmm,... bed fishin huh? OK, spent my time doin this and yes it is one of the best ways to target a trophy. here's what I know.
1) Yes you are going to disrupt and possibly harm the fish. But if you are careful and handle the fish properly it is unlikely you will permanently damage the fish or prevent them from spawning. Stories of fish being hooked multiple times and still returning to the nest undeterred are common. (been there, done that, )
2) for the most part you are probably impacting a small portion of the population, The few beds that can be sight fished represent only a small percentage of the beds not visible. (if you can see three, there are probably thirty you can't)
3) the issue of "it takes no skill" I must assume , is a remark made by people, who were fortunate enough to have had an easy time of it, because IT IS NOT EASY!! It is a learned skill and very few people I know were successful at it immediately.
4) you bet the lure companies are interested in bed fishing with their products! Especially here in SoCal where clear spring water has made California the "sight fishin" mecca.
5) My only issue at present is with the tournament anglers. Because of the need to weight the fish for competition, the spawners, (both male and female ) are removed from their spawning site and up until recently released as far as 70 miles away in an area that may or may not be conducive to the fish completing their spawn. Recently however some clubs are attempting to return the fish to the approximate areas that they were captured in. Hopefully this practice catches on where practical.
If you have never done it before here are a few things that may help you.
1) Knowing where, and how, to find the beds.
LMB's will generally spawn in shallow water. Shallow flat coves or flat topped high spots, and /or points, especially those with brush on them are prime. Favored spots may be places like the bases of trees or brush, affording them overhead cover and some shade. Typical of LMB's, close access to deep water nearby is a plus. SoCal reservoirs are typically flooded canyons as opposed to the river bottom land back east, and as such the banks here tend to be rocky and steep. As a result many spawning beds occur on small cuts or ledges along these steep banks.
Spawning beds are not difficult to spot in shallow, clear, still water.They are usually a round shaped area on the bottom that has been purposefully cleared of mud and debris, down to the hard substrate. Sometimes they are obvious by their color contrast.( or the big fat female sitting high and dry right in the middle of it!)
Spotting them on the steeper banks is more difficult, because there are fewer surface indicators as to their whereabouts. As well they tend to be a bit deeper and more scattered. I have seen beds as deep as 30' at places like Castaic and Pyramid.
Many of the more experienced bed fisherman will spend a good amount of time cruising these areas at high speed spotting the beds and then return later to fish them in a more stealthy manner, carefully planning their approach direction to maximize the number of beds they can attack. Freshly dug beds are a good indicator of occupancy, even though you may not see anyone home.
Most of the more successful bed fisherman, who have a few seasons under their belt know where the historic places are. Your job is to find them as well!! Keep a good journal, have a detailed map or GPS with you, record your discoveries. An empty bed today could be a boon tomorrow.
2) Approach and Presentation.
Many fisherman will approach a large historic spawning area especially one that is too deep, murky or has surface disruption from wind or wave, and cover it from a distance, fanning their casts and hoping to pull their baits onto a nest. Places like Frank's Tract on the California Delta is a prime example of this.
But when the conditions are right they will "sight fish" these areas, creeping about as quietly as possible.
Many will "duck pole" to avoid using their electric motors. Again depending on condition Frank's Tract is one of the prime sight fishing locations in the country. Silence in the boat is crucial. Have your gear well placed and keep your movement in the boat to a minimum! For the most part there is really no reason to use your meter, until after you have fished the areas, so most don't even turn it on.
One of the most critical pieces of equipment you MUST have, is a pair of polarized sunglasses, for locating the beds on the bottom. Many will have them in multiple colors and densities depending on the weather conditions and sun angle.
There are many tactics for bed fishing, but in general you are trying to illicit a REACTION from the fish. The fishes' instinct is to AGGRESSIVELY defend their bed from intrusion. For the most part you are trying to place your bait in the nest and keep it there until the fish tries to remove it. When he/she does try and remove it from the nest, that is your opportunity.
Learning how to cast at a low angle, is crucial at this point. Pitchin' and flippin' is the name of the game. As well as learning how to land your bait quietly! Practice this one at home,.. Take your car keys and practice pitching your keys across the floor and landing them without a sound.
NOTE: At this point I must point out that sight fishing from a tube is difficult as far as finding the beds, and approach and presentation, but not impossible. You are just going to have to work out the logistics of being so low to the water.
There are a myriad of choices when it comes to tackle, and I won't get into that here. My personal advice is to keep the bait small, brightly colored (without being alarming) and it should have lots of passive motion. Wiggly legs, rattles, sparkles, etc., etc., (scent?) I prefer not to use trebles for a number of reasons but suffice to say that in my experience you will miss bites or lose the fish because of poor hook set. My most effective bed bait is actually a specially hand tied fly. Because of the motion of the materials and the small thin profile, the bass tend to suck it in deeper and hold on to it longer. I rarely miss.
Again, bed fishin' is a learned skill, so you need to spend your time out there. It is also one of the funnest things you will ever do with a fishin' po.!!!
bodfish
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