Drop in on Changing Ledge Fish

"A few years ago, you wouldn't have dreamed about using a drop-shot rig for ledge fishing,but I find myself using one more and more," said Jimmy Mason, a tournament pro and guide on the Alabama portion of the Tennessee River.

When fishermen think about ledges, most think about big baits -- deep-diving crankbaits, 10-inch worms, 1-ounce spinnerbaits and big swimbaits -- and those baits till play a very large part. As ledge fishing gets ever more popular, though, and as anglers get ever-better educated about how find and fish offshore structure, the fish are getting wiser. For anglers who still want to catch them well, that often means making adjustments.

"When they first move out late in the spring, they're dumb, but they get educated pretty quickly, and on some summer days when everybody has been out fishing the ledges, it's hard to catch them with a crankbait."

Any time Mason can find the fish but they won't bite traditional stuff, he rigs up a YUM Mighty Worm on a drop-shot rig and fishes it by dragging the weight slowly along the bottom.  They fish rarely can resist the drop-shot, and he has found that the little rig even produces it's share of big bass.