Monster Hunt: Ledge Lunker Blues Part I

Originally published in Procats Online Magazine

Summertime angling for trophy-sized blue cats on huge reservoirs can be tough. Peer across an expansive lake and the sheer vastness will seemingly swallow you whole. Where do you start? Do you just go out and look around with a good locator and hope to see some arches and begin fishing? Based on past experiences you know two things. Sometimes you have to drift. Other times you'll have to anchor. How do you know which to do first and what types of structure are you looking for that will hold big burly blue cats?

Procat pro-staffer Jeff Williams ardently targets big blues on Truman Reservoir and Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. A lifetime of big-lake catfishing has taught him a thing or two about catfish behavior in reservoirs, and according to Jeff you can put more fish into the boat if you learn a few keys to summertime blue cat location. Before we get into the fishing part let's look at the two lakes Jeff fishes.

Lake Ledges

Many lakes around the country have different bottom styles from sheer drops down into as much as 180 foot of water on canyon terrain reservoirs, to relatively shallow featureless bowls with subtle drops in depth. Not all lakes are built alike but trophy-sized blues behave in similar ways wherever they swim - especially when it comes to relating to the same types of cover and depth according to the season you are fishing.

Ledge Blues

While Jeff targets cats in a variety of situations during the summer period, he reports that during the warm-water post-spawn period, drift fishing is in his most productive pattern for most days on both lakes for numbers of fish.

He looks for areas where the bottom has subtle rises and drops going from just below and well above the thermocline. "During the hotter water period, the thermocline is everything." Jeff uses his locator to mark fish on gently sloping ledges with the right depth before he deploys his baits and begins a drift. "You can find fish holding on steep ledges in the summer but steep ledges are difficult to get the right drift to stay in contact with numbers of fish. I prefer gentle rises and drops in a long diverse bottom contour area. Once you catch a few fish, make a note at what depth you're catching them in. If you're catchin' fish in 16 foot of water around a 12 foot hump ? you'd better find some more 16 foot of water to drift around in."

Why Drift During Summer

Jeff anchor fishes ledges, flats, trenches, wood cover, and steep drops during most of the year except during the hot-water post-spawn period. Big blues will hold on specific cover part of the time and roam around in tight areas looking for food before relocating during the cooler months which allows him to set up on a good number of fish. He still has to look for fish with his finder during the colder water periods but once he finds them, he can anchor up and fish a specific area. Jeff's theory about blue cat metabolism may hold the key to understanding why he does better while drift fishing during summer and the opposite during the cooler water period.

"I think as the water gets hotter, their metabolism rises with it and the blues need to roam around searching for food a lot more. It seems that I have to move around a lot more as well so I drift over areas targeting the active fish and don't worry about fish holding in one area. In hot water, when the fish are active ? I can set up on them and by the time I've caught a few fish they've moved. When the fish are acting this way I feel like I've made the right choice by drifting."

The Controlled Drift

Jeff admits that drift fishing for blues isn't really targeting big fish specifically, but he is still targeting structure that holds big fish. He finds an area that is showing the right drift scenario according to his experience on his lakes. He looks for fish arches on his locator holding the right distance off the bottom according to the thermocline. He likes to see fish on the graph holding either really close to the bottom. "Somebody out there might have some success with these loosely suspended fish but I haven't done well trying to target them yet."

Make sure to read Part 2 of this article to learn more about catching monster ledge lunker blues!

Copyright © 2004-2005 Jeff Williams and Procats

Feel free to include a link to the rest of this article above the copyright information: ozark-lodges-fishing-trip s.com/ledge-lunker-blue-catfish.htm

You have permission to publish this article free of charge as long as you are not selling it and that you include the author bylines immediately visible with the article and, if published in an electronic medium such as on a web site, you provide a link back to www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com in the author bylines, both where the web address is listed as well as well as with the text "Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service":

Jeff Williams runs a Truman Lake Hybrid Bass and Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service offering lodging and guided trips in Missouri. To book a trip, learn more tips, or find out how Capt. Jeff would fish your own local waters, call 1-866-HOOKSET or visit http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com today!

---

Spinnerbait Fishing Tactics for Spotted Bay Bass

Like most fishermen my age I originally learned about spinnerbait... Read More

Do You Make Your Kids Fishing Experience Enjoyable?

If you take your children fishing with you, they can... Read More

6 Things You Must Do If You Want To Have The Secret To Catching More Trout

It has always been my private conviction that any man... Read More

Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State

Tide rips are one of the most common areas to... Read More

Are You Interested in Alaska Trout Fishing?

For those of you that don't know, Alaska trout fishing... Read More

Lake Trout On The Fly

The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the... Read More

There Is Bass In The Grass

Did you ever plan that fishing trip to the big... Read More

Bluefin Tuna Fishing

Bluefin tuna are one of the greatest challenges to anglers... Read More

Catch More Fish - The American Way

These are busy times we live in.Running a full time... Read More

Anglers Who Want Quality Equipment at a Reasonable Price Need the Garmin 160 Fish Finder

The Garmin 160 Fish Finder has some big advantages over... Read More

Fancy Catching Something Slightly Different? How About an Angler Fish?

The true Angler Fish lives in both shallow and deep... Read More

The Yellowfins from HELL!

Hi Lee Palm/Red Rooster crew(San Diego - California).. Keep my... Read More

Why a Blacklight Will Take Your Night Fishing To A New Level

If You Have Never Used A Blacklight While Night Fishing,... Read More

Care And Repair Of Fishing Lures

Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself... Read More

Hawaii Sport Fishing

If you're coming to experience Hawaii sport fishing, you have... Read More

The Things You Wont Look Out For (But Should) When Night Fishing

5 Things To Be Careful of When Night FishingNight fishing... Read More

The Sublime Pleasure of Fly Fishing

Fly fishing has a history stretching back... Read More

Fort Lauderdale Swordfishing - The Perfect Fix for the Experienced Angler

If you are looking to do battle with the toughest... Read More

Social Robotic Fish in Fish Farms

We have a problem in our fish farms, especially Salmon.... Read More

Fishing Team Gear Helps Teams Market To Sponsors

Competition between offshore and inshore anglers has skyrocketed within the... Read More

Reviving Billfish

Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish... Read More

How To Choose the Right Fly Line Weight

Written on the rod blank or handle is a code... Read More

Fishing on Your Pontoon Boat

Fishing on your pontoon boat can be both a relaxing... Read More

Photographing Your Trophy Fish

When it comes to catch and release lakes, it is... Read More

Finding Trophy Bass

Have you ever noticed some people have all the luck... Read More

Bass Fishing - Recreation or Obsession?

First of all, we need to look at the word... Read More

Three Main Trout Senses

An angler should therefore become familiar with the three main... Read More

Bass Fishing? Watch Out For the Gators!

Lakes in certain parts of the country contain more than... Read More

The Old Man And His Bluegills

I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset,... Read More

Just What Is the Stream Trout?

The term stream trout is actually a term used to... Read More

Fishing Charter Need To Know

There are several elements that go into creating the ideal... Read More

Stream Trout Fishing

Many people enjoy a nice, long fishing trip. Others enjoy... Read More

A New World Record Bass

Many people go to Florida to fish for that trophy... Read More