Posted By: Donald Harper
Article 17 - House Foundations - 05/24/20 06:48 PM
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.
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-52902-article_17_h._fou..png)
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-52903-article_17_sat._1.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-52904-article_17_sat._wall.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-52905-article_17_mills.jpg)
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.
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-53213-paul_k_sherrill_iii_foundation.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics/userpics/2020/05/full-28031-53214-bill_mcann_foundation.jpg)