By Gary Dobyns
When I think about vertical rock structure, I lump traditional reservoir bluffs and steep canyon lake walls in the same general category. To me, it’s a needle-in-a-haystack type of fishing, but if you approach it with a disciplined and thorough game plan, you’ll often catch a bunch of fish.
For me, it starts with recognizing why fish use bluffs in the fall. The first benefit is the vertical profile, which allows the fish to adjust their depth by moving up and down, rather than in and out. Also, as the rocky surface absorbs the sun’s rays, a bluff can be a source of warmth, which attracts the baitfish that bass will be looking for in the fall.
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In most cases, a bluff is divided into three main sections: the actual wall, a step or ledge out in front and the tapering bluff end. Initially, I’ll hit all of these sections; I don’t think you can eliminate them until you’ve fished them.
It’s trial and error. You might eliminate a section once you fish a couple of bluffs, but at first, I think you have to look at them all.
Conditions have a lot to do with where the fish will be holding — whether the day is sunny or cloudy. You also have to pay attention to where the bait is.
I’ve also found that spotted bass, in particular, really like to suspend out in front of the bluff walls. The largemouth will do this too, but spots really seem to prefer holding out in front.
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