INFO: Ledges (a must-read for beginners)

[BleuGhill]

This topic & link may have been posted in the past, but as with all groups and forums, most topics get rehashed to death. This article however, is mandatory reading for beginners:

Out On A Ledge
by Dave Stewart

http://www.explorekentuckylake.com/l...ng/article.htm

This series of articles

Elev., Current, Water Temps
Weather Patterns
Night vs. Day & Astronomy
Bank & Dock Fishing
Structure
Crappie

Fishing 101
http://www.explorekentuckylake.com/l...01-preface.htm

is very good reading as well.

[Jerry Blake]

Good article on ledges. I like Dave's definitions for Structure and Cover - "Structure being the bottom composition such as rocks, gravel, mud, etc. and topographical features such as points, cuts, creek junctions, gradual dropoffs, steep dropoffs,… etc. Cover being that which allows the bass protection from light, camouflage and concealment from the prey, and physical protection. We all know that bass will orient themselves to cover such as stumps, laydowns, brush piles, vegetation, man made structures, overhangs, etc."

Even though this article was written for bass fishing, crappie are in the same family and have very similar habits. We look for the same types of areas to put our Bamboo Crappie Condos as Dave recommends to fish for bass.

[BleuGhill]

was his description of how to 'visualize' creek and river channels - and how the cover might be distributed on those banks/ledges in deep water - just as they might be on the visible portion of the lake shore that we might fish. All this in the context of using sonar to identify such, and organizing a solid approach for fishing it.

Yes, the distinction between cover and structure is an important one, and the two are used interchangeably (mistakenly) quite often. Most of us don't mind having them mixed up though ....especially if it's our fishing bud's doing the mixing!

BleuGhill

[crappiefarmer]

That drives me crazy( the whole cover/structure deal). I know the difference but when I read an article or see a show and the host/writer does not know, well, it just shows ignorance. Cover is a brushpile, tree or the most mistaken example, a BRIDGE. Structure is a point, bay, ledge etc. I can get really confused if they are talking in a general fashion about structure. The EXPERTs can sound really dumb sometimes. CF

[Cane Pole]

That drives me crazy( the whole cover/structure deal). I know the difference but when I read an article or see a show and the host/writer does not know, well, it just shows ignorance. Cover is a brushpile, tree or the most mistaken example, a BRIDGE. Structure is a point, bay, ledge etc. I can get really confused if they are talking in a general fashion about structure. The EXPERTs can sound really dumb sometimes. CF

I here ya. It is all relative. I call some peas, beans and some beans, peas. I don't think the fish really care what we call it.

[BleuGhill]

"......most topics get rehashed to death. This article however, is mandatory reading for beginners"

Quoting myself.....



I had a dog once; he never saw a truck tire that he didn't want to pee on.