Bed fishing

Another interesting topic, Bed Fishing, who does it and who does not and your thoughts. Not fighting on this one just some thoughts.

i do. i try to let the fish go as fast as i can though.i know some people dont like it but i do

i am almost exclusivly a topwater fisherman so bed fishing is a must for me. it creates bigger fish and bigger bites. topwater doesnt always produce, but i find ways to make it produce. i did a 6 plug setup and and used a really long thick rod to do it, but it makes it look like an entire school of baifish. little did i know, it was a bad idea cus i got 4 different treble hooks stuck in my arm and had to cut the shafts and pull them out. not the easiest thing to do. so ill never try that again. but it worked in the middle of the summer in 50 ft of water where the finder was showing fish only inbetween 50 and 30 ft. my buddy was able to hook fish on a topwater snake constantly after that even when before he didnt get one bite.

NJ.. Some folks worry that by catching those bass they find on beds might effect the spawn in general. But what I have observed is that when the pressure becomes heavy the bass will swim away and return on the next moon phase cycle. And also they will start spawning deeper.
Having said that I really enjoy getting out on the water mid-week when most of the traffic is working somewhere. I usually employee two anchors, let it get real quiet and I like the challenge of getting the big girls to bite.
My biggest bed bass to date was probably over ten, but with no scale it was a tough guess. She was 23 7/8" and had a huge girth. But with the 24" slot on this lake (Fork) I was unable to bring her into the scales.
My biggest in NJ was also a 9lb caught in a small lake in Indian Mills.
My biggest in Fla. was also a 9lb caught at the Stik Marsh.
I have started using braid more and hopfully this year I will land some of those really big girls that I have hooked but alluded me in the past. BA