Vertical Fishing question

[zummy]

Alright guys, I'll be the first to admit I am not very multifaceted fisherman. With new electronics I have been finding fish like never before. I then struggle to catch them. So last weekend I found fish like this

I used a 3/8oz jig head to drop a grub body down to what appeared to be the predator fish on the right side of the pic. I had no takers. How do you guy approach the situation when you find something like in that screenshot? Probably need to get a better fisherman than I in the boat so they can teach me some things.

[bluebasser86]

To me that screams for a jigging spoon or flutter spoon. Looks like there's a school of baitfish with larger fish holding tight to the bottom and some rising up off the bottom a little. A spoon imitates an injured/dying baitfish very well. I've worn the paint off a spoon on whites and wipers along with the occasional walleye, crappie, catfish, or bass in situations like that.

[tdinges]

Don't rule out other approaches too. Depending on what type of structure/areas that you're finding balls of baitfish on, you might try to troll cranks or spinner rigs through the area as well. We find this exact thing on roadbeds this time of year (with identical depths) and hammer whites, wipers, and walleye trolling cranks. Those fish on the bottom like the cranks ticking bottom typically. And try to mimic the size of those shad. Vary speed, size and color until you find what they like. Good Luck!

[Ozark88]

Great pic Zummy, what unit is that off of?

[zummy]

Lowrance Touch 7. Got a few more from that day in the side imaging forum.

[fishlessDan]

The fish in that pic would be to hard to verticle fish since ther isnt a break, structure structure or cover that they are relating to. Trolling or drifting would yield better results in my opinion.