Throughout Louisiana, crappie anglers construct brush piles from branches, whole trees, cane and other materials to attract crappie. Those woody clumps interest more than crappie. They also hold bass.
“Almost all lakes have brush piles because people have learned how important it is to create habitat,” said Kevin VanDam, a four-time Bassmaster Classic champion, now retired. “Crappie fishing has become extremely popular, but bass use brush piles too. Some lakes have almost as many brush piles to attract bass as they do for crappie.”
Small fish find good piles quickly. Soon a pile can become a thriving oasis for many species. Bass and crappie go where they can find their groceries. Largemouth eat minnows, shad and other baitfish, but bigger bass also hunt around piles for more substantial meals.
“Brush piles can be dynamite places to fish for bass, especially on lakes that don’t have much natural cover,” said Denny Brauer, a former Bassmaster Classic champion. “Brush piles are such good places to fish because they make entire ecosystems. Algae builds up on the branches. That attracts minnows, shad and other small organisms. Small baitfish and other organisms attract larger fish like bluegill and crappie. Bass eat those species and other things. The more different species the pile attracts, the more activity around it and the better the fishing for bigger species up the food chain.”
All winter long
Although anglers build brush piles at all depths, many sit in deep water, relatively speaking for many shallower Louisiana lakes. In the winter, bass congregate around deeper structure, making brush piles outstanding places to fish in December. In addition, after the holidays, many anglers use their Christmas trees to make or freshen piles. In a good spot with abundant food, oxygen and relatively comfortable temperatures, bass might hang around all winter. Anglers could keep catching bass from the same piles until the spring spawning season.
“Brush piles are excellent places to look for bass almost all year long,” said Dakota Fleming, a professional bass angler from Oak Grove. “December is definitely a good month to fish brush piles for bass. When I want to fish around brush piles, I look for where crappie anglers are fishing. If there’s crappie there, chances are bass are there too. In December, I’ll look for piles off main lake points and scan those areas with my electronics.”
Forward-facing sonar
With modern side-scan and forward-facing sonar (FFS), lake bottoms hold no secrets. Many electronic systems include Global Positioning System technology so anglers can mark their spots and easily return to them.
Forward-facing sonar generates sound pulses. When those pulses hit objects, such as fish, processors interpret those signals and display information on a screen. Anglers can see individual fish in real time and possibly determine the species by its shape, location and actions. Besides depth, the unit also provides directional information on exactly where fish swim in relation to the boat. Anglers can even watch lures move through the water and see how fish react to them.
“With forward-facing sonar, people can see the brush and feel their way through it,” Fleming said. “When I can see the brush with FFS, I like to use an Alabama Rig. I watch it go through that structure and will work my way through it without getting hung up. Depending upon the way the limbs are positioned, I might go right over the top or off to one side of the pile. Pick the rod up and drop it down to vary the retrieval speed.”
Fleming normally throws a two-hook Alabama Rig. On a five-lure rig, he uses three “dummy” swimbaits without hooks screw-locked on to the rig to act as teasers. He dyes the tails of the baits that have hooks.
“I use 3.8-inch Keitech swimbaits for the ones with hooks and 3.3-inch baits for the dummies,” he said. “When fish come from behind the bait, I want my baits with hooks to be the farthest back. As the bass attacks from behind, that’s the first bait it reaches.”
How to fish brush piles
Around piles, use lures commonly fished in deeper water. Make long casts. First hit the pile edges. Hit piles from multiple angles with various temptations. Throw over the pile and bring lures into it, across the top or right next to it. By circling a pile, anglers might catch several bass before working baits into the middle.
“The only time I start in the middle of a pile is when I figure out that’s the only place I can get a bite,” Brauer said. “Then, I’ll sit over the top of it and vertically jig. If nothing bites on the outside edges, move in deeper. The problem with starting in the middle is risking spooking fish by hanging up a bait. Sometimes, we must really pound brush piles to find the right spot where bass congregate and switch baits to see what fish want that day. Sometimes, getting one fish to bite will fire up the entire school.”
Even with older electronics, sportsmen can still locate and fish brush piles. For the best results, use lures that won’t snag on submerged branches or other structures. In cold water, bass might not chase baits fast or far from their woody lairs. Bass in cold water also hold tighter to cover and frequently burrow deep into piles. Even non-aggressive fish might slurp a slithering shaky head passing temptingly close.
A shaky head rig consists of a small jighead sweetened with a succulent soft-plastic worm or creature bait. For fishing around brush piles, use weedless jigheads. Highly versatile and relatively snagless, a shaky head rig can dance through entangling branches for a subtle, finesse presentation that works all year long.
The best lures
Anglers can fish shaky heads with varied retrieves at any depth. Drag it along the bottom like a Texas rig or run it higher in the water column like a spinnerbait or crankbait. Occasionally, shake the rod to give the bait a shimmy-like action.
“Without FFS, I recommend going with something slow to avoid getting snagged all the time,” Fleming said. “Around brush piles, it’s hard to beat a shaky head all year long for going through cover well. If there’s a bass in the pile, it will hit a shaky head. When fishing shaky heads around brush piles, I bring the bait right through the pile almost like I’m intentionally trying to get hung up.”
In relatively shallow Louisiana lakes, usually in water less than 12 to 14 feet deep, Fleming fishes with a ¼- to 3/8-ounce jighead. He works the shaky head slowly, feeling his way through all the structure. If the jighead hits a branch or other obstruction, just lift it over the snag and let it drop.
“When the shaky head hops over something, that’s generally when a bass will hit,” Fleming said. “Pull it over a limb and let it fall. Often, we feel a little bump as it hits the limb. That’s when the bite will happen. A jig is another great lure for fishing brush piles. I fish it the same way as a shaky head.”
Slow-sinking single swimbaits flicked over the top of piles or around the edges make natural presentations that can entice vicious strikes. Texas-rigged worms, snagless jigs and other soft plastics offer great options for fishing piles because they can slip through woody cover better than most baits.
“Day in and day out, the best lures to fish around brush piles are jigs and big 10-inch plastic worms,” VanDam said. “I first make a finesse presentation with a jig or Texas-rigged worm. If nothing happens for 10 or 15 minutes, I’ll try to rattle the brush with a crankbait.”
Crankbaits and jerkbaits
Even in December, many Louisiana waters might remain relatively warm, so fish act more aggressively. Since bass lurking around brush piles primarily eat fish, deep-running or suspending crankbaits and jerkbaits can produce excellent results. With multiple dangling treble hooks, crankbaits would seem to snag every branch, but they can move through entangling cover surprisingly well when worked correctly.
When retrieved, the bill slopes downward, shielding the hooks. In addition, the bill deflects off objects. Retrieve floating crankbaits slowly through cover. When the bait contacts a branch or other object, pause the retrieve. The buoyant bait will back up and rise over the branch. Bass regularly hit paused crankbaits mimicking a stunned baitfish.
“A deep-diving crankbait is another good lure to use around brush piles,” Fleming said. “It gets hung up from time to time. Don’t just reel and burn a crankbait through cover. Work it through the cover. A lot depends upon the shape of the bait and how much it wobbles, but I can effectively fish some crankbaits through cover where a Texas rig or spinnerbait might snag.”
Carolina rigs also work well around brush piles, especially those in deeper water. In shallower water, anglers can run spinnerbaits or bladed jigs over piles. Try multiple lures at different depths to determine patterns. The right pattern could produce piles of bass, turning a cold winter day into a memorable experience.
