A boaters trick

[zippyduck]

I find that driving by my intended fishing area and then pulling into the spot I want to throw from fast will get me bites right away.
The wave action tends to fire them up. Now I will fish fast for a minute or two and move to my next spot to repeat the process.
I once did this on Kinzua reservoir, rotating between 4 points. I proceeded to catch 30 fish and a 16 lb limit. It started with topwaters and progressed down to spoons late in the day.

[D.W. Verts]

Go ahead Wizard- you first.

[zippyduck]

I figured it wasn't a secret but one I seldom see being used. Go ahead and hit me with more knowledge gents.

[D.W. Verts]

I'm a-waitin' on Wiz's take on this and how it affects US.

[Princeton_Man]

I prefer to sneak up on 'em. I tend to kill the big motor and approach my spots by trolling motor or let the wind and current current do the job. 

[Oldfart9999]

Normally don't have to do it, enough other folks do it for me. Not really of much use in deeper water, better for shallow water.
Rodney

[njpaulc]

In one of those old bass fishing books, I forget whose, the writer told the story of sitting in a Florida canal fishing.  He was really annoyed at the inconsiderate boaters blowing through on plane.  The guy he was fishing with started casting into the wakes as they washed back from the shoreline and started catching bass on the first little break where they were waiting for disoriented bait fish.

Never worked for me.....glad it worked for you.

[coldfront]

the back and forth on this ought to be interesting.

[Mike Cork]

This is a seasonal thing for me. Right now, wave action helps. A boat going down a boat road stirs up the bait and can get the bass aggressive. But if there is not bait to work with, this hurts the fishing in my shallow lakes. We're much better off shutting down and trolling into our location. Which many times is the only option anyway.

[Pacific NW Ron]

I always figured that boat wave action would be similar to fishing wind blown points.  On the other hand I normal shut the big motor down and move into an area with the trolling motor.

[D.W. Verts]

Well, my point was that here at the LOZ sometimes all we have is wave action.

There's no doubt it works sometimes. Guiding on Truman Lake for crappie we'd have a boat plow down the channel near where we were fishin' and the fish would start biting. Or you'd run your boat into a tree... That worked too, enough times to be a useful deal.

I was fishin' Kentucky Lake once, and barge traffic made for a short window of activity, especially if the barge was going upstream.

[Oldfart9999]

The boat wake stirs up the water shallow causing the bottom of the food chain to be moved around and disoriented with the baitfish seeing an opportunity to feed followed by the bigger fish. The wakes also tend to put "stuff" in the water making clear water stained. It works for grass beds, at least the outside edge.
Rodney

[coldfront]

think if it happens often enough, it becomes a conditioned response.

same way that if a fish learns to associate being hooked with that wave action/motor noise they can shut down.

different waters can be very different in how this works.

used to fish a little Flint Hills KS lake that had a dam as one side of the ski boat course.  about every 5 minutes a big wake would wash up.  this was riprap and dropped off quickly to 20 feet.  that wake would push small baitfish, crayfish out and bass would feed.

in many ways, it was like fishing rivers below dams when releases occur.  it positions bait, makes it more vulnerable.

didn't work that way at most other spots of that lake.  there those wakes shut it down.  caused the fish to suspend.

[LgMouthGambler]

It will get them fired up down here for sure.

[Deadeye]

I've heard of guys running tight circles where they plan to fish before shutting down. Supposed to stir them up and cause them to eat.

Never tried it.

[Wizard]

In season, there is enough wave action that I go into stealth mood anywhere near the main channel. I'll shut down 50 yards from the spot, come in slow on the troller, and fish quietly. I'll fish like Zippy when fishing mud lines. Mud lines are the most under utilized tactic on LOZ. I don't think this was the answer you expected from me, Dale.

Wizard

[D.W. Verts]

Nope Wizard, pretty much spot on. Except for that mud line fantasy thing you got goin' on. That's a Catfish deal and is a waste of time for bass, especially in the summer time.

[coldfront]

Nope Wizard, pretty much spot on. Except for that mud line fantasy thing you got goin' on. That's a Catfish deal and is a waste of time for bass, especially in the summer time.

can see it now  'hey! that bass needs a shave!'

[dMatey]

I've heard of guys running tight circles where they plan to fish before shutting down. Supposed to stir them up and cause them to eat.

Never tried it.

Heard over this trick as well. Must be effective for some.