How to Fish Stump Fields
By: Lynn Burkhead
On some timber choked lakes like Lake Fork and Toledo Bend, stump fields can harbor big bass even on the hottest days of summer. (Lynn Burkhead photo)
Trying to dissect acres upon acres of wood-infested water can consume a lot of time with marginal results; heed these tips from a stump-field expert to point you in the right direction
In a good number of bass lakes around the country, stumps are often key spots holding a fish or two.
But on some lakes – Toledo Bend and Lake Fork come to mind – there are almost too many stumps to deal with, a gazillion or so it would seem. So how does an angler go about turning a minefield of too many stumps into a goldmine of bass-catching potential?
Outdoor Channel personality and Bassmaster Elite Series pro James Niggemeyer, co-host of Pro Team Journal by Strike King on Outdoor Channel, says it often comes down to finding a preferred patch of aquatic real estate on a lake map or electronic chart.
"The reality about cover is that it’s usually best in proximity to structure, (underwater contour changes on the lake’s bottom),” said Niggemeyer. “So if there is a point with cover on it, that’s going to tend to be better than a point with no cover on it."
How does that apply to stump fields?
READ THE FULL STORY ON GAME & FISH