Over time there has been no better way to catch big fish than to get to the ledges and find a pattern that is successful. Guntersville has over the years offered some of the best ledge fishing in the country during the hot "dog days." Most people however really do not understand why this is the case they just know the big bass are there.There is many types of ledges to choose from, some are deep sharp ledges, some are gradual and some fall from 6 feet to 2 feet yet offer the same possible big lunker bass. All have the same type of possibility that being that here could be a 20-foot section just loaded with big bass. The real question is what drives the big bass to the ledges and why do they hang in some small 20 foot spot instead of covering the whole ledge? The old timers, the bass fisherman that have never used a GPS and who only like to catch trophy bass have a belief that the big bass movement is tied to the muscle shells. That being if the muscle shells moves; the big bass in the hot water moves with them for food. Actually so does the bait as well as other species of fish. Some of the old timers believe that if you fish a real heavy Carolina Rig weight like 1.5 oz. it will drag on the bottom and turn over the muscle upon contact. Hence forcing the muscle to open releasing food for the bass to feed on.
This is also true with today's newest "Football Head Jig" both will contact the bottom, stir up the bottom and dragging it will turn over the muscles and they have to open to roll over off their back side. Hence causing the big bass to strike the nearest bait to them. The old timers tell a lot of stories, but this one has a lot of truth!