Plan to to do more open water fishing this year. To be honest I'm totaly ignorant about how to fish these waters. I'm talk'n 25 to 35 feet of water. I've tried spinners and lipless cranks. Any other suggestions on baits and presentations? Any help would be appreciated. Carl.

Carl, at those depths I think I'd try Carolina rigs, drop shot worms, Texas rigged worm, Shakey jigs, spoons or anything else that can be dragged or hopped along the bottom. I've had some luck fishing a Lightning Blade (Chatterbait) swam slowly along the bottom. Good luck, JOhnnie

I would have to agree with "carolina rigs" big jigs and maybe a Fat Ika here and there.

The biggest 'key' to MY deepwater presentation is SLOW IT DOWN until it hurts, then slow it down some more!

Deep fish are fat and lazy, kind of like uncle bubba in the easy chair. He'll reach for a snack but won't get up for it!

Carl, I spend alot of time in open water areas working from 25 to 100 plus feet of water on Table Rock Lake in Branson Missouri. Here are some of the things I work with everyday. Give some of these a try in open water.

1) Drop Shot Rig with 4" worms

3 feet long leader with a swivle on the top #2 drop shot hook and then up to a 3/8 weight on the bottom. Worms used 4" robo worms or yamamoto cut tails worms

2) Shakey Jig with 6" worm
special jig with a spring on the head of the jig to attach my worm. Sizes range from 1/8 ounce to 1/4 ounce. Worms used zooms 6" swamp crawlers worms or zoom 6" trick worm. Color depends on your lake and water colors.

3) Split Shot Rig's with 4" to 6" worms
Small 1/8 or smaller split shot weight in front of a true turn worm hook. We call it the poors mans c-rig. Worms sames as above 6" trick worms rigged texas style.

4) Spoons 1/2 and 3/4 ounce
We use all white spoons in 1/2 and 3/4 ounce weights. We jig these spoons when the fish are schooled and chasing shad.

5) 3/4 ounce FootBall Jigs w/grub trailer
Great for covering alot of water and finding underwater structure. 3/4 ounce helps you keep it down there in deep water and feel everything.


6) DD-22 deep running crankbaits
These are just something I love to throw in the 15-25 foot range. Even better when I found some brush that I can bang it into. same as above covers alot of water fast and great for finding structure.

Something else that is really a must for open water fishing is your Electronics and GPS.

Your electronics help you find the schools of fish or structure that the fish are hanging on like trees, brushpiles, rockpiles or even a long point with a stump right on the end. Most of the time these fish are supended right in or just above these types of hangouts in open water.

Your GPS can get you back on the same spot everytime and hold you there.

Give some of these a try, once you get used to fishing out in the open, it becomes more of a treasure hunt and alot more fun.

Good Fishing

Man there is some great info here!!! Its funny how much I avoid fishing deep water. I used to fish it alot on one lake here close by but when I would go to others I just did not have the confidenc to try it. Now I have a new graph up front and a GPS and I will be changing to deep water on most of the lakes that I fish or at least I hope too.

Capt. Don Thanks for all that info! Great stuff keep it coming.

Conley, I agree Capt. Don knows his stuff, those deep, clear Missouri/Ark. lakes are tough to fish if you're a bank beater. I learned to fish on those white river lakes and then came to fish the Mississippi river-what a change that was. Don't even need a depth finder, just stick your rod in the water to check the depth. LOL. Johnnie

Thanks one and all, Carl.