Not sure I understand what is meant by the term 'ledge fishing', can anyone help explain...thanks

To picture a ledge in your mind think about going down a road in some hilly area where when the road was built they cut the road bed through small hills. Now at that point when you look out the window you are looking in to a rock face. Fish can orient them self anywhere around that type of drop off and any brush or grass will make it even better.

To me a ledge is more of an area that has a relatively flat area (usually not very wide) and breaks off to a very steep or even vertical drop. I think a lot of folks use Ledge and Ridge to mean the same thing.

Any underwater drop-off: A razor back coming off a ridge that extends out into the lake, a bend in a creek or canyon wall, a vertical canyon wall that extends out into the lake toward the river channel, a underwater island with a steep drop on one side and many others that we work so hard to find.

I have found that they exist more in the man-made reservoirs than in natural lakes.... but, as folks have said, usually they are steep drop offs... can range form a few feet to 100 or more feet.. the key is the flat top and the steep drop....

We fish Whitney all the time, especially the main lake.... the river channel and some of the larger creek channels provide these ledges and associated flats... they are easy pickings for bass.. fish are easy to find with a depth finder, they will often bunch up along the ledge wall.... it is just a matter of getting to them when they are biting or enticing them to bite...

Much easier than beating the banks....

+1

With the proper electronics and time on the water

Ledge fishing skills are a must this time of the year. Here on Lake Guntersville live and die in the hot summer fishing these areas. If you read the FLW winner notes from last weeks event here on the Big G, you see he fished ledges. It is not hard to do, but does take a lot of practice to read electronics and learn the lures that are successful. Good fishing and tight line.

So what are some of those "successful" lures?

deep cranks, heavy texas rigs, carolina rigs, jigs, spoons, slow rolled spinnerbaits, things of that nature.

+1

Remember depending on the depth of the ledge,drop off, ridge, etc., you will want to adjust the weight of your lure accordingly. If your fishing a ledge that only drops to 15-20ft deep max, you can probably get away with a lighter weight. But if your fishing a drop off that goes from 10-15 to 40+ft deep, your going to want a heavier presntation to get that lure down there deep and on the ledge faster. I go with a 1/2 oz when fishing anywhere from 15-25ft deep. Beyond that I start bumping it up.

Thanks for the insight...