How to Troll a Spoonplug on a Hump?

NoMuskyJoe · Post by **NoMuskyJoe** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 1:52 pm

Attachment #1 / Hump off of a Breakline / shoreline:

Trid Hump1.pdf: (50.71 KiB) Downloaded 250 times

Could you please provide some general information based on the attached lake map depicting a hump pertaining to trolling it...

Do you troll a Spoonplug on a hump in just a straight line at a depth with the proper size Spoonplug to be at a depth of the top of the hump at 10 to then 15 feet, then 20, then 25 to 30 feet deep to be at a depth of the bottom of the hump ? And go in just a straight line on the right side (east, in a north / south manner), middle (top), and then left side (west, in a north / south manner) of the hump to be parallel to the breakline, or would you also make a straight line pass by going east / west on the north / south sides of the hump ?

Or, with a hump having a shape being oval / circular, would a hump be trolled in a round pattern around the hump to match each pass at the depth with the right size spoonplug ?

Based on what you see on the water depth map attached...Would this hump be a possibility to troll (or anchor /cast after getting a bite / landing a fish) at the edge of the shoreline breakline to deeper water, or it does not meet the structure a hump location needs ?

For example, since there is not a "point" that leads to / from it to the shallower shoreline depths, fish would not have an interest in it (?)... therefore, in your opinion: don't waste your time trolling / casting here !

Attachment #2 / Hump off of a Point:

Trid Hump2.pdf: (511.76 KiB) Downloaded 260 times

Does this hump seem to be a better hump, then the other hump ?
Not as deep, but seems to meet better structural features that would be of more interest to fish to be located there ?

Craig, thank you for posting a video link pertaining to a hump (#6). I wish he would have had an example depth map associated with what he was referencing so that I could have seen a matching situation on a hump / hump location based on the example hump he was discussing. But, I would like to have a better understanding to compare to what limited comments Buck has in the green book and the educational manuals and that is why I am posting this question.

So, anybody willing to respond to provide additional information or even based on fishing a lake that had a similar hump and you can convey what you experienced / caught at that kind of situation hump, your feedback is appreciated and will be very educational and informative.
Thank you !

ltharley · Post by **ltharley** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:53 pm

The hump size really makes a difference. A small hump might call for a simple trolling pass, but a larger hump might require a lot more work. Please provide more specific information on your particuLar lake. Navionics has so many lakes with reasonably accurate maps we could maybe give more specific guidance.
The hump on your map is part of a bar, the main structure, and also at a depth considered as shallow. That said, if a large hump, you would need to strain the entire water column from zero to 10 feet on the hump (and possibly the bar). Then you would move to each "Breakline" from the shallows (8-10 feet') down to the base breakline.I
With more information you will get more quality information.
Dennis

NoMuskyJoe · Post by **NoMuskyJoe** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 4:37 pm

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your help, feedback.

Unfortunately, Navionics does not have this reservoir / lake scanned, but here is a link to the bathymetric survey conducted by Maryland Geological Survey in May and June 2004. You will have to "zoom in" to enlarge view of the area to match it up to what was attached (which is a different map source and shows the humps) :
http://www.mgs.md.gov/reports/TriadelphiaTIN_Plate1.pdf

That is basically the only accessible map available on line.

Hump #1 is ~ 15 - 20 yards at the top and roughly 100 yards at the base bottom (deepest portion of the hump, end to end).

Hump #2 is ~ 5 yards at the top and like you said, small.

That is why I am comparing trolling several passes in numerous straight lines vs. a circular troll at a set depth for Hump #1 and whether Hump #1 meets the structural requirements related to the shore to the breakline.

The #6 hump video provides a lot of information and I am trying to match it to the only two humps found on this lake and how they can be trolled ? I know it would even be more complicated if it is weedy to a 10 -15 foot depth and impossible to troll with all the snagging which would result in having to anchor in a proper position and cast to the right area and depth where a school could be and the rest of the hump area vacant ?

As you can tell, I am a little confused and inexperienced for this kind of structure, but would like to get a better understanding of what to do when on the water in that area / kind of structure... based on its variations. This was the best example I could post for two different kinds of humps.

If any other information is needed, let me know and I will try to research it and get back to you in a day or two (if I can). Thank you for mentioning how the size of the hump and the depths are important to take into consideration.

Post by **site admin** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:30 pm

Joe... YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND PUT THE LURES DOWN THERE AND FISH IT. WORK IT, MAKE AS MANY TROLLING PASSES AS YOU NEED.
GO OUT THERE AND PUT THE LURES IN THE WATER. You are overthinking it. JUST GET OUT THERE AND PUT THE LURES IN THE WATER,

Team9nine · Post by **Team9nine** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:19 pm

: Fig. 5.JPG (27.92 KiB) Viewed 4691 times

: Humps.JPG (163.89 KiB) Viewed 4693 times

Steve Craig · Post by **Steve Craig** » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:00 pm

Joe,
The 15 foot hump will be a dead end. There is a 47 foot FLAT between it and the channel. Fish would never know it is there.
Also, it doesnt go all the way to the shallows.(less than 10 feet deep) So even if the deepest water was close to it, I would give it a pass or two and then move on.

The 10 foot hump will probably produce. Nice sharper break at 17 feet off the end of it.

But like Jim said. Put a lure down there and make as many passes as you have to to cover the top and sides of the hump.

ltharley · Post by **ltharley** » Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:15 pm

Joe,
It appears that you have a clear water situation with weeds that deep. I remember struggling with the Green Book guidance when I started Spoonplugging in 1987. Most of the presentation of lures Guidelines relate to reservoirs with good water color (no weeds) and a target species of LMB. There are exceptions to the Guidelines. Jerry Borst taught me a ton in this regard. Certain species, like Walleye, do not adhere to some of the Green Book guidance.
A huge problem I had right of the bat was that Wisconsin did not allow trolling on most waters. I had to adapt. I figured out a way to apply the Guidelines to my world.
I have a too much to say for your situation to type. Feel free to call me. My number is 414-218-6019.
Dennis

NoMuskyJoe · Post by **NoMuskyJoe** » Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:09 pm

Thank you Jim, Dennis, and Steve for your comments, and thank you Team9nine for posting the article and associated diagrams. I was just trying to get a better understanding pertaining to the location of a hump and whether it is worth a trolling method and what kind of pattern (circular / oval vs straight line / square - rectangular) . There was a comment I had seen that because of the hump location, bass my not be there but walleye, pike, or a musky could at a certain depth. Buck had an article in Fishing Facts (Sept / 1980, started on page 37), "Fish where you have the best chance to catch a fish" that had a Figure 1 with three different hump locations and a Figure 2 with three different hump depths... all Hump "A", "B", "C" and a comment about their productivity to catch a fish if fished. Figure 3-A and 3-B showed a hump with an associated school of fish at the hump base and an arrow depicting the move upward. I am sorry I can not scan and post it but reading that article is what got me interested in trying to find the humps on a fishing map and where fish could be near the hump or traveling towards / or from the breakline / shoreline. The reservoir (I posted the diagram and a link to another map) will be closed all this year so I will try to find humps on other local reservoir maps and try to troll / fish the area of the hump if I can actually find them when I am on the water. Thank you for all your help and assistance to give me a better idea about those two specific humps.
Dennis, based on your comment... I'll try to give you a call. Hope this weekend that you all have a Happy Easter !

Steve Craig · Post by **Steve Craig** » Wed Mar 28, 2018 5:27 pm

Joe,
On any hump, the first thing you need to do is find the crown. You do this by trolling as it is the fastest way.
Once you see a hump on the map, simply go to the area and preform a trolling grid. Several passes east to west, then west to east then throw a marker on the shallowest spot you find,
Then simply troll the same type pattern north to south and south to north, and note if you find any area that is shallower than where you placed your marker. If you do, put a marker on that spot.

Then drive off from your marker towards deep water, noting any breaklines that might exist and placing a marker on each one if you need to.
Do this in several directions off the hump, to find the DEEPEST water in that area, nearest you hump.

Now drive from that deepest spot back towards your marker and take note of all breaklines.

The last breakline, that breaks the deepest into your deepest water will be your contact point most of the time.

Then get on each breakline and follow it around the hump and take note of any additional fingers that might exist.

Do all this WITHOUT a lure, using only your depth finder. This is the fastest way. It should only take you 5 to 15 minutes to do this, if that long.

Once you have found your breaklines and have a marker on them, THEN run lures in straight line passes from as many directions as needed to thoroughly hit those breaklines, fingers, the top of the hump, and lastly, your contact point.

Remember.......trolling is your teacher. It teaches you where to cast, when to cast, what to cast.
Hope this helps.

jimmyfins · Post by **jimmyfins** » Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:56 am

Steve.

Very detailed post and helps me, in my mind how to work out the structure.

Jim

Steve Craig · Post by **Steve Craig** » Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:23 am

Also, John Bales & Stephen Gillian, made a really great video a few years ago, showing how to do this. He also showed how to locate them trolling as well as how to find the fingers,, turns, etc.
I dont know if these are available any more, and if they are not......they should be.
It was an excellent video series.
So contact John and ask him about it.

jwt · Post by **jwt** » Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:50 pm

Joe I see only one hump at 10'. The old river channel looks to be on the other side of the lake. To me the hump is too far away from the channel and there's a wide flat in between. I wouldn't bother with it, but explore the creek cut(runs between the "D" and the "C" of Howard County) and where it meets the river channel . Just to the N of that creek cut is a bar that tops at 9' with a sharp break into 34'. As Buck said, the home of the fish is the river channel.

The video that Steve referred to is excellent.

NoMuskyJoe · Post by **NoMuskyJoe** » Fri Mar 30, 2018 4:28 pm

Yes, in the hump#2 diagram the hump crown is at ten (10) feet. In the hump#1 diagram the hump crown is at 15 feet.

If you check the Fishing Video forum section, Steve posted a link to "Part 7", which is a part B discussion of the "hump" ... provides more very detailed description / explanation pertaining to humps. Don Dickson provides a great explanation, please check it out, along with his other video's being posted pertaining to the 17 structures.

Yes, there are river channels in the vicinity of a hump, but this forum question was based on the "hump". And I agree pertaining to the river channel, based on the near by structure and drop to the river channel... great areas to troll, fish.

When the reservoir becomes available to fish again, I will hope I will remember to check out: " Just to the N of that creek cut is a bar that tops at 9' with a sharp break into 34'. As Buck said, the home of the fish is the river channel." Thank you for mentioning that location... looks like a great place on the right day / time/ depth in that area !
Have a happy Easter !

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