Angles Make a Difference
In the mid to late part of winter when the bass are still fairly lethargic, the angle that you approach a piece of structure can be a big difference maker; in fact I believe it is the angle of approach that causes the strike. So many times over my many years of fishing I have seen times when pulling a bait across an edge of some type of structure misses a fish just because the angle that the bait crossed was wrong, bass are lazy in the winter and many times something crossing 2 feet away is just not enticing and they will not hit it. Pull that bait at another angle one that gets it a foot or so closer to the bass and you may get a strike; point being the angle of presentation just moved the bait too far away from the lazy winter bass.
It's also my experience that bass position themselves to face the current, so if the water is moving from power generation or wind the bait may very well move by the fish and she is facing in a way that the bait becomes hidden. Again changing angles of presentation while the water is moving from current can be the difference maker.
So I believe the question becomes how do you know the correct angle, well there is definitely no clear cut way of knowing, but working structure from different angles by turning your boat and approaching from different sides does work. The next important thing is not to make just one cast and change angles, if the structure looks fishy make enough cast to each side to prove that a fish is there or not.
Lastly bass seem to do similar things in like situations, so if you have been finding bass on the north side of a piece of structure then continue to approach like situations so the angle allows you to first pull across the north side. This will save you time and for some period of time allow you to get strikes quicker with less work in like situations.
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Captain Mike Gerry