Let's pick some brains (Fishing Scenario)

[Texeye]

The wind has been out of the south for the last two days and you finally get to go fish a lake you haven't been on in a while.About 9 a.m. you head for a reef you know that juts out into the lake running east and west off of a point.It is about 25yrds long,8 to 15ft.deep on top and drops off into deep water on the sides and end.You pull up to the end of the reef and throw your marker out on the end of the reef.As you kill the motor, you notice your depth-finders go blank. Not wanting to waste your whole trip you decide to fish anyway.You know where the end of the reef is,about where the edges are,and about how deep the top of the reef is.(1.) Before you even wet a hook, where on this reef do you think would be the best place to start?(2.) How would you begin, and with what? Hope some of you will share a few tactics with us based on your experience.

[tj1n]

The time of the year has alot to do with what I'd do?
But, here's what I like to do;
get on the upwind side of the reef and anchor about 10-15' off and pitch a #109 hot n tot to start with, if nothing after about 10-15 min. I'd switch to a jig/w 1/2nightcrawler and pitch it for 10-15 min. if that doesn't work I'd switch to a minnow on the jig until I had my limit then I'd call home from the bar and tell the wife that I'll be home soon.

That is if everything works as planned.

Travis Joritz

[TBO/MN]

Without electronics, it pretty much limits you to the south to north approach. I would start up wind, and drift across a couple of times. The first pass would probably using the electic to slow the drift so I could vertical jig it, using this method to stay in contact with the bottom, and use my marker to mentally set a visual of the rise, top, and drop of the reef. After doing this, if I didn't contact fish, I would again drift it the same way, and pull a bottom rig, slip sinker, Carolina rig, or Texas rig using plastics, ie. ringworm, shad, power worm, ect. If that didn't make contact with fish, I would try it again with live bait, minnow, leech, or crawler. If that didn't contact fish, I would start working on my electronics, and find another place that would hold fish, because this spot doesn't seem to be holding active fish.

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[G3]

Dude,

Troll that whole area with crawler harnesses dripping with the biggest crawlers you can dig up. If that doesn't work drop off that reef and fish the side of the reef that drops into deeper water by jigging or using cranks to troll to cover alot of water.....

[fisherman]

I would start out tying on a bottom bouncer(would probably have two rods rigged W bouncers anyway). Would have spinner rig on one and probably plain hook w/ a bead on the other. Would have leeches,crawlers and minnows (depending on time of yr.)
Would start with spinner-if no go then slow down a feel my way up and down(would be running bow-electric)useing the plain rig.
Dynamite would be third presentation..

[s.f.]

I've watched this post all day with hopes of learning something. But, all I see here is approaches that really merit using a working
depthfinder. That you have eliminated. So, being lucky enough to get the maker in place before the eyes went dark, I have a good vision of the top of the reef. I get up wind at least 150 to 200 ft., drop the anchor, float back so the boat is right on the up wind side of the reef. Exactly on the drop off. Then I cast slip bobbers
off both sides and let them drift across the top as far back as the downwind edge. I repeat those casts at various distances from the SIDE of the boat. Either way the fishing goes, I then hook the rope to the side cleat and allow the boat to swing to a location that was out of casting distance on the initial set. Same thing. Scour the top with the corks. Then back to the opposite cleat. And then back to center. All those moves WITHOUT spooking fish with motor and pulling the anchor. Fishing a controled depth by using bobbers. And of course, one could slide back further or pull in more rope to fish deeper or the back side. 250' rope lays on my casting deck all the time. Without a sonar, this is the best time management appraoch for this spot with what you give me to work with.

#49

[Kevin/CO]

Well I'd go with a 2 ounce Northland bottom bouncer, the kind with teh quick change clevis, with a glow blade and orange or red beads with bait dependent on season. I'd start in my guesstimation of the middle of the target area and drift slowly probably using a sock or the electric teh first time. The 2 ounce bouncer would let me find and mentally plot teh drop offs and then if I wasn't in fish I'd either go to cranks, a lindy rig, or different color schemes of spinners until I located some fish or some sort of stand out structure (stump ridge indentation that sort of thing). If I located fish I'd probably drift over it slowly jigging till I felt there were no more fish then I'd work teh drop offs with cranks and bottom bouncers. Then if I didn't have my limit I'd swear a long streak at the electronics and try to fix the darn thing and eventually head in to get the thing fixed if I couldn't get it to work.

[Jim Corey]

I'm not a happy camper when I lose my electronics during a tournament but I have had some very rewarding times when it happened while I was out fishing for fun. It made me go back to "feeling" what I was doing and made me say that I should occasionally leave the depth finder at home just to maintain those old Pre-electronic skills.(But I never do, Lol) If there was a good chop I'd start by working vertically with either a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce Hopkins spoon, feeling for the break and working along the sides of the bar. I might switch to a bladebait or thumper jig and work it the same way. I would slowly work up and then back down to the bottom crease where the drop began to level out. If I were alone on the bar I would place another marker or two. Each time I found myself at the upwind tip of the bar I would make a couple of downwind casts with a crankbait, bringing it back along the top. If the wind were light I would do it about the same way but with smaller spoons, bladebaits and jigs. When leaving I would motor upwind and drop a crankbait that ran deep enough to skim the top of the bar. Coming back downwind I would keep the hammer down and dig hard into the bottom with the crank, hoping for a reaction strike. I'd then run like mad to reach the fish market before they closed.

[SnellTier]

Yup, this is the way I would go.

[BFJ]

Pitts, unrelated message,,, I putting an offer on a couple resort properties on Mille Lac's, looking for any knowledge you have of these places...e-mail me a contact @ antond@prodigy.net I'd like your input!!! Thanks, BFJ;)