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Article 17 - House Foundations #13569898 05/24/20 06:48 PM
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Donald Harper Online Happy OP
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Article 17 – House Foundations

Underwater House Foundations can be found at all different depths in most of our Texas lakes. Many have been destroyed and scattered around the area where the house once stood. The deeper they are the less likely that they have been demolished. Usually if they pose a problem in the shallows by damaging one’s boat they will take them down to the slab. The rubble is scattered along the slope where they once set and will provide a totally different rock that the Bass will relate to. You will most likely find that there are also roadbeds involved and a deep water creek very close by. We will be discussing some of the factors that make some Foundations better than others. The more you search while on the water the greater your odds of finding a couple that are not marked on your lake map card. Bingo; now you don’t have to share one of the best areas on the lake. You just have to be determined to find them with mapping and your skills at reading the bottom with your electronics.

Start your search in two areas. Look for the longest points on the lake that you can find. Watching for the roadbeds that will lead you to the old foundations. Take a look at the largest main lake Inside Bends that the river channel wraps around. Factor in cover on these areas to come up with the best there is out there. These old Homesteads seem to always have shade trees scattered around the yard and along the roadway to the foundation. A stumpy area around the foundation is a big plus to hold the largest fish. I have found some of the best ones on long points that extend out almost a mile toward the river channel and are setting on a large side creek depression to bring in the fish. It will be an area like something you have never found before and I was saying; “I can’t believe this”. It will be that unique. When you find one of the best there is, fish all of it as thoroughly as possible. To cover as much ground as possible the DD22 will get the job done. All the old timers that I have talked to have told me the same thing over the years. You have to tear the bottom up with a deep diving crank bait that will get to the Mid-Range depth for the shallower foundations setting in 6 to 15 foot of water. You will find that the wind blowing across the area to be a must for active fish on the area. Let the wind die off on shallow water areas after the early morning bite will knock your odds way down on big fish. Just like all other feeding areas on any lake the conditions have to be right or the Bass will let you down on your area. Bring all conditions together for the best feeding and it will be the best spot on the lake.

I know some of you have heard about the mystical Brick Yard on Sam Rayburn. Only the legends passed down through time will allow you to find it. This is what I have found out about the area that is sitting out on a long point with a creek running beside it. First it was developed as a Mill of some type. We are talking about the kind with the huge water wheel to power the belts and rollers that were use to make whatever it was used for. There is a road leading in for supply delivery and to take away the product being made; all of which is 20 ft under water. The Mill was apparently transformed into making bricks. Piles of these still remain as well as part of the walls of the mill and the deep ditch that the large water wheel turned in to produce the power. Rowland Martin tells a story about bricks that had dates stamped into them. He drug one up on Santee-Cooper with his naval-type anchor dated 1780. Other stories exist of old farm houses that had a basement or large root cellars dug into the side of the hill with tall walls still standing. This produces a large hole in the ground for fish to suspend in the shade of the walls. There are a couple on Lake Falcon that fits this bill and even includes old Churches. Almost every large farm house had orchards planted and other nut producing trees in large groups close to the house. This is an irregular feature compared to the native wood that is found in the area. Bass will relate to this unnatural wood better than the old mesquite bushes. Fruit and Nut trees planted in a straight line as well as fence rows will hold fish. Orchards planted in a large square are notorious for producing fish on the corners.

You must determine on these deep water foundations if the Bass are suspended or moving around over the rubble feeding. Start with you search baits like crank baits and a 1 oz. Spinner Bait. Slow roll the spinner along the rubble staying in contact with the bottom letting it drop into the holes and off the ledges along the edges of the contour. Switch to the Carolina Rig when all else fails, rigged with your best confidence creature bait. Your maps will give you starting places to learn what you are looking for; as many old farm houses and barns will be plainly marked on the maps. I really do not believe that the long search for a secret spot is that important. Having the knowledge that they do exist and that you can find one is very possible on any point. You may be looking at 3 foundations grouped together and accidentally find a fourth one that is not on the map, sitting away from the others. Make a wide search of the area around the cluster. All in all the foundations are seldom fished by anyone because they set out in the worst wind blown areas of the lakes. You can even discuss such spots with some of the best guides on the lake and find that they do not fish them because they believe that most have been destroyed. I have found that they have not even been there to look. When the lake was constructed some may have been destroyed; but not hauled away; just scattered around. Now in our southern lakes this could very well be the only rock around that area. Rocks and bricks can produce large schools of Bass like no other area on the lake in open water. Those sitting in shallow water can be viewed by Satellite Views if pictures were made during low water times. These are all forgotten places in time and well worth your efforts to search the lake to find them.

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Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571639 05/26/20 02:53 PM
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Donald Harper Online Happy OP
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Noticed there wasn't much interest in this Article. I understand that long reads are time consuming. If there are other topics that you would be more interested in just let me know. It takes about 4 hours of researching my log books to write an Article and enjoy doing it. There are still many articles left to be written. If any of these catch you eye; I will be glad to share. There are a few basic topics left then we are getting into specific techniques. Please add any topic you would like; OR, just say STOP.

Remaining Topic Selections:
- Underwater Hump and Islands
- High Ground With Rubble
- Boat Houses and Docks
- Funnel Points
- Point and Cove Blockers
- Time Table Ledgers
- Lake Record Areas
- Calm Days and Windy Days
- Controlled Drifts
- Fishing Up-Hill
- My 6 Carolina Rigs
- The Power of Scent
- Deep Grass Technique
- Long Lining Technique
- Dead Sticking Technique
- Spook Technique
- Spinner Bait Technique
- Clear Water Technique


Each person you work with holds some promise to your future success.
Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
www.lakeoviachic.com - Booking Mexico Trips
20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571643 05/26/20 02:55 PM
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ZX4545 Offline
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Great read Donald! I think the holiday weekend (re-opening of businesses) may have had people's attention elsewhere. Keep the great info coming!

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571691 05/26/20 03:34 PM
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LeonSulak Offline
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Love the reads. Boat houses and docks would be my vote for next.


Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: LeonSulak] #13571734 05/26/20 04:14 PM
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jlp1 Offline
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Originally Posted by LeonSulak
Love the reads. Boat houses and docks would be my vote for next.


Love the reads and info. +1 on the boat houses and docks.

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571769 05/26/20 04:58 PM
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Jake Shannon(Skeet4Life) Offline
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I'm glad i found this one, love fishing old house foundations.

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571839 05/26/20 05:59 PM
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I enjoy each topic you write. Being new to Texas, a lot of this is new to me. I fished the CA Delta and Clear Lake for 20+ years.

Thanks

Alan

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571841 05/26/20 06:00 PM
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BASSCATONE Offline
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Good read. If you fish falcon you better be able to find some! thanks

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: jlp1] #13571874 05/26/20 06:19 PM
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Tanner101 Offline
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Originally Posted by jlp1
Originally Posted by LeonSulak
Love the reads. Boat houses and docks would be my vote for next.


Love the reads and info. +1 on the boat houses and docks.

+2

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: BASSCATONE] #13571876 05/26/20 06:19 PM
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Mike Keenan Offline
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Same with Roberts, lots of house foundations there too


R.I.P. Mike "pappy" "broken rod" Green born 07-16-62 on to better fishing 06-10-08.
www.basscat.com

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571883 05/26/20 06:22 PM
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Basscat8263 Offline
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Hey Don, how about "Fishing When the Grass is Gone" for a topic. Seems like a timely topic for Texas lakes.


Tony

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571910 05/26/20 06:44 PM
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TomRom Offline
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If there is a boat lane chip available I would get it if only going one time. Avoiding possible lower unit or prop damage is enough for me to buy a chip. I have damaged in the past two different lower units. Not worth risking it in my opinion, especially if I never been on the lake. Just my 2 cents worth.

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13571992 05/26/20 08:07 PM
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Po Boy Offline
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How about submerged cemeteries? Back in the day knew the location of a couple in Toledo Bend, one was on a submerged hill top, the bass loved them old empty graves. We called them ghost bass.

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13572003 05/26/20 08:19 PM
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El Senor Gato Offline
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Excellent article Don! Much appreciated and please keep them coming.

Re: Article 17 - House Foundations [Re: Donald Harper] #13572152 05/26/20 11:11 PM
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kirbydog Offline
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I'd love to see an article on spinnerbait fishing techniques. One of my favorite ways to catch fish. And I'm prone to fish
the lower end of the lake so clear water becomes a factor as well.

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