[Jared]

When I first heard of this technique years ago I thought it was insane! When I saw how well it worked, it really freaked me out! I've heard it called "Waking" and how it is done is pretty simple.


When i first saw this done it was on Lake Murray in SC and it was on a dead calm day in the middle of the summer.

If you know of a few close by banks or points you intend to fish, you race up to them and then turn sharply when you get close to them. This will cause your boats wake to grow and rock that shore with large waves. After you have done that, move away and go do it to another. After you have done it to the 2nd one, turn around and head back to the first shore you "waked" and this time, move in slower as you normally would, to fish it. About 15 minutes between waking the shore and then fishing the same shore is what seems to work best. After you fish the first area you waked (dont camp it unless they are REALLY tearing it up) then turn around and go to the second shore you waked. If you do this right you will be able to hop back and forth, waking, fishing, waking, fishing etc...

I'm not exactly sure makes this help the fishing but to the best of my guessing I would have to say it must be the churning of the water causing oxygenation, sending food for baitfish flying up off the bottom and generally the same benefits that a wind blown shore would have.

As I said, when i first heard of it, I thought it was insane. However, let me promise you that if done properly (and SAFELY) you will be shocked how by much it will turn the bite around on that shoreline that you "waked".

Tattered Thumbs n Bigguns, Jared

 

[Ouachita]

That happens around here during the dog days of summer, and it's quite effective, but can get a boater a big fine. On a Corps lake deliberate waking, even getting too close (100') to shore above idle speed, is a natural resources violation. But apparently mulching up floating beds of hydrilla is OK. I do that. I back the boat into thick beds, mowing the weeds, come out, maybe move over 6 feet, and make another run. I'll make several cuts like that then go back to the first and begin fishing the cleared lane.

Jim

 

[KeithsCatch]

Here in Garcia where we have canals that are basically boat highways they have some good fishing but boats run up and down these. Well, after a boat runs by sometimes a fish can be caught right away. I agree Jared that I think it is because it stirs the water which makes the baitfish react because their food source is now awakend and they eat all the floating debris which in turn wakes up the idle bass in the area. For me though I notice it is good right after the boat passes like when his wake is just crashing the shore and slightly afterwards. It rushes water back into the reeds and maybe some baitfish get pushed up into the reeds as a result?

Of course these are all guesses. Jim, I will have to try that mulching thing. We have some serious hydrilla issues in this lake and maybe a nice trail through it will help? But then again, I sure wouldn't want to plug up my prop too bad. I have had to remove mountains of grass off of the prop before and it can be a tiring problem at times.

 

[Ouachita]

I clear the prop of hydrilla by ramming backwards, and never get plugged up that way. I started off using a big weed whacker with a round metal blade instead of string to mow trails. But that advertised to EVERYONE where to go fishing. When someone sees me in there now they just shake their head probably muttering "Durn stuff got another one."

Most any disturbance in cover or just mud around shoreline rocks dislodges tiny prey, starting the forage cycle into high gear. Those trails last maybe 24 hours in hot months.

Jim

 

[Richard]

Sounds like the ski boat pattern,local flood control lake, ski boats and jet skis everywhere. middle of summer get on those steep banks and when the ski boat wake hits the rocks throw a craw right on the bank and skip it off when the second wave hits and hold on. That was the first time i won our local tuesday nighter.
i will have to try it on the points tho.
rich

 

[RGDoherty]

When other fishermen leave the Ski Lake here at home to the jetskis, wake boats, and ski boats, I fish it harder. Skiers have to yield to the red BassCat, but dragging a soft plastic Bacon Rind off the edge after a wake has ripped through has always been a go to pattern for me.

 

[hi steel basser]

This is an awesome bank fishing pattern for me on lake Allatoona. I let the jetskis and other boats beat waves against a bank or across a shallow point, and fish the mudline area. I would love to fish the same pattern from a boat, but 3' wakes and 14' jonboats don't mix very well.

 

[oldschool]

I believe it was Tom Mann who used to do this all the time in tournaments and it doesn't make many friends in the area. If you read his book "Think like a Fish", Mann has a paragraph about churning up weeds beds to make all the bait fish active and the bass follow.
Out where I fish you don't have to "walk the bank" several boaters will run between you and bank your fishing during any given day. Stirs me up, don't know about the fish, although Yelas caught that big bass in the Classic after a boater nearly ran him over.
Tom

 

[fish4funinfl]

Some good info in this thread

 

[bigun]

This method is has been used around here for years, ya just never heard anyone talk about it much.
Just gos to show ya what kind of people are on The Bassholes. Willing to share thier wealth of knowledge with others.
That's why The Bassholes is the "Best Of The Best".




bigun

 

[Swede]

This technique definitely works - plenty of good examples here. I'll add another from the WBT Neely Henry event:

"I started out each morning in grass," Martin-Wells said. "I had some deep patterns, but they weren't panning out because there was no current, no water moving. But today a ski boat kept running back and forth, and I thought, 'Maybe a fish will think that's current.' So I pulled over and caught a 4-pounder."

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/wbt/news/story?page=b_WBT_Tourn_08_Neely_Day_Three

 

[jakefisherman]

that is an awesome technique thanks for sharing jared

 

[bassbandit]

Yep during high boats traffic can be very effective. There's a boat launch about a mile from my home and lot of time on the weekends I go down under the bridge (bank fish) that gets lot of wake especially when ski boats and jet skiers departing and/or heading back to launch all day long in the summer. This particular bridge to the ramp is only about 100 yards.