# Gravel Pit Bass



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

Question: What type of set up do you prefer for pit bass?

The water is crystal clear. Steep drop offs w/ some 10-20ft flats acsessable from the bank. Some nice ledges that cut under a little, points and a few humps. Lite milfoil and elodea patches and the occasional laydown or stump.

Primary forage is bluegill and gizzard shad. However, crappie, redhorse, carp, cats, white bass, and drum have been seen also.

I hit it hard this spring with 7' ML spinning rod, 6lb co-polymer, and LC pointers or 7" Berkley power worm (motor oil) on a 3/16 jighead. I landed great numbers, but lots of dinks. Biggest was a 5 lber. Every now and then a 2-3 lber.

This weekend I tried the smallest money minnow made on a 3/16 wieghted-swim-bait hook and 10 lb mono. I counted it down about seven feet close to the thermocline and reeled slow. I seem to have found a pattern to eliminate the dinks with the average fish being arouynd 3 lbs. Fish were suspended 7 feet deep 20-30 yrds off the bank over flats in 20-40 fow. 

I know that this pit has some giants in. I was thinking, size up the swim bait and switch to flurocarbon? Maybe a live gill under a large float?

Anybody wanna share a good technique for giant pit bass in a deep, cystal clear pit?

I'm going to hit it hard Friday. Will report.

TH


----------



## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

Big baits - big fish. Swimbaits, large cranks, big swim jigs, big plastic worms (10" variety), big spinnerbaits...

You can try "power shotting". Get some 20# FC and rig it like a drop shot with a big plastic bait and a 2/0 or 3/0 drop shot hook. This is good with big plastics.

Good luck! Sounds like a cool place to fish.


----------



## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

I usually prefer a weightless senko, but I've had loads of success with Jitterbugs at night. Cast it out as far as possible and work it back to shore slow...


----------



## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

This time of year in big gravel pit bass are usually only caught at night. Throw BIG crankbaits(Norman DD22) and BIG black spinnerbaits at night. You might only catch one or two but they should be good ones.


----------



## Bassin' Buckeye (May 22, 2009)

Some good suggestions already, and it sounds like you are on the right track. I get to fish a similar quarry to what you described. I have had great success with a wacky rigged senko and letting it drop along the vertical cliff edges. Early morning has had some top water success also with a pop-R. 

I think the FC is a good line choice for the clear water and I use the 6# also. I know there are monsters in this quarry, and I have been thinking about drop shotting as Toku suggested, also letting a larger jerk bait drop vertically along the sides. 

Also I added attractant to the senko's, seems to be a noticable difference in the amount of strikes as to when it is not used or worn off.


----------



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

Bassnpro1, I had the same revelation. Although I haven't tried the night bite yet, I have experienced the evening mosquito bite. There's something about the area that holds large numbers of hungry blood suckers that will stop at nothing. Half a can of Repel does not a bit of good.

I'm chomping at the bit to get at the lake. Maybe I'll bathe in the stuff after my night class, take up my cap mounter black light, and go for it. I can't wait until tomorrow.


----------



## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

Trophy Hunter said:


> Bassnpro1, I had the same revelation. Although I haven't tried the night bite yet, I have experienced the evening mosquito bite. There's something about the area that holds large numbers of hungry blood suckers that will stop at nothing. Half a can of Repel does not a bit of good.
> 
> I'm chomping at the bit to get at the lake. Maybe I'll bathe in the stuff after my night class, take up my cap mounter black light, and go for it. I can't wait until tomorrow.


I usually counter the mosquitos with jeans and a long sleeve T-shirt. At least it limits the areas they can get you. Usually the mosquitos disappear a half hour after the sunsets and you are good to go the rest of the night


----------



## angler69 (Sep 26, 2005)

I too fish a gravel pit that is very clear. i have had days where I have caught nearly 100 bass on topwater, but all where 8 to 12 inch long.
The pit i fish has had almost no fish taken out of it over the years and I think that the bass are stunted due to over population. As far as big fish I have caught 3 over 5 but they all came at night during the summer.
If you can keep all bass under 12 inch and throw em out. that will help thin out the population. 2cents?


----------



## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

If there are a lot of shad, they will start to congregate in balls as the summer progresses. I like to stand on a high point with a long rod that casts long, waiting until the balls of shad appear. Cast a rattl-trap to the ball, pump once, let it fall. I found that the bass would sit below the shad, hitting the bait once it falls from the shad ball. Worked in pits that I used to fish in the Cinci area.


----------



## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

Carolina rig.. Small weight/small bait/light line


----------



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks to all who replies!

Finally got out there. Didn't get to go at night, but had areally good trip on Saturday. I caught so many, I couldn't tell you the number. Fish were all on the small side, around 12 inches. However, I did catch two three pounders at once. Almost soiled myself thinking I had a monster.

Caught a few on a two tone green/cream senko 5". The rest were caugt on a small lc pointer in american shad. Fish were holding close to drop offs near the flats. 

Also, I discovered a new pit next to the other one. It was smaller, but looked okay. I walked up and saw a few small gills swimmimg around, but nothing like the other pit next to it. Fished for about fifteen minutes with no follows, bites or anything. Just as I'm about to give up, I see a scholl of bluegill up top. They are jumping like a scholl of porpoises. Never have seen bluegill do that by the way. Immediately after ascholl of around 30 largemouth giving chase. I caught them on every cast for 10 minutes then nothing. They were on the small side too, but i did see a few big ones flash on my lucky.

Incredible day. Can't wait to try it out at night. Maybe next weekend.



liquidsoap said:


> Carolina rig.. Small weight/small bait/light line


 I'm thinking that would be good for the dinks as they hang close to the bank. It's really deep. 90% of the shoreline drops of fast into 40fow. I find most of the bigger fish on drop offs of suspended in deep water. There is one big flat, but it's less than knee deep. Could be someting on the drop offs. Will let you know how that works.

TH


----------



## napsax (Feb 15, 2008)

Is anyone willing to hint around as to where some of these cincy "night" pits are that are legal or marginally permissible to fish? I already know Camp Dennison/Grand Valley park is off limits...legally.
What about Newtown & others? I am a night basser at heart.
Thanks All


----------



## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

napsax said:


> Is anyone willing to hint around as to where some of these cincy "night" pits are that are legal or marginally permissible to fish? I already know Camp Dennison/Grand Valley park is off limits...legally.
> What about Newtown & others? I am a night basser at heart.
> Thanks All


As a night basser I would be looking into some of the golf courses that have ponds. Not legal, but it sure is fun! Alot of big dumb bass to be had.


----------



## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

As for mosquitoes.....get yourself a thermacell and thank me later. For super clear water like that, I really love the cherryseed Gulp worms. Get as big as you can find in turtleback. I have had good luck with the 7" and I believe it is something with that bright red in clear water that performs better than other colors I have tried.


----------



## Trophy Hunter (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks bunkeru2k. I'll have to try that. Lately I've been getting a few on a black buzzbait at night: nothing too big though. I can't seem to find them. I think maybe the pit can't support large bass due to lack of cover. The biggest I've pulled out so far has been around 3lbs. Tried a DT10 shad pattern at twilight and got a few dinks. The buzzer caught a 1.5lber. Then a thunderstorm rolled in after it got dark and they shut down. I'm going to fish live bluegill this weekend. Will let you all know how that goes.

TH


----------



## BASSINaDL (Aug 24, 2010)

just got into a new gravel pit im allowed to fish, i have access to a boat. and was wandering in jigs with a trailer jiged on the bottom close to shore would do any good? or what color soft plastics work well? i rather use weedless lures like this because theirs a flat (3'-10')
that we catch bass at and have got a few but have ony made 2 trips their.


----------



## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

thats were i cut my bass teeth use old school top water jitter bug hula popper,and rubber worms theres places are pretty deep with high walls if yours got that cast right down the walls and hold on,


----------

