UPHill downhIll
m UPh d I o l w l n , hill
By Mike Folkestad
any articles discuss structure fishing,
but few have addressed whether
to fish uphill or downhill. Generally,
crawdads move shallow at night, so it seems sensible to fish uphill in the evening. Using
instead, i tend to believe that bass are much more practical about their feeding habits. When a meal passes by, they take advantage of it regardless of the direction of the bait. With this in mind, being practical is just what a bass fisherman needs to do when fishing
the same logic, it follows to fish downhill as the sun
uphill or downhill. There are reasons for going in one
rises and the crawdads move deeper.
direction or the other, but most have nothing to do
obviously, there are times when fishing in one
with fish expectations. it is the controlled presentation
direction or the other seems to work better. When
for the given conditions that produces more bites.
that happens, you need to ask yourself, “is this
Structure fishing demands you to think of
working because the bait is coming in its ‘natural’
contours when bass fishing. Bass go with bottom
direction? as much as i believe bass are conditioned
changes, and our baits need to relate to the changes
to their environment, i find it hard to believe they
as well. For fishing uphill and downhill, my baits of
lie waiting for crawdads to move in one direction or
choice are the jig and the plastic worm. Keep in mind
another (assuming that crawdads actually do so).
that bass sometimes ride higher of the bottom
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