Ott Defoe is known for winning tournaments fishing in the river, including accessing some hard-to-reach places with a jet boat. There are several variables to consider when fishing for bass in a river system. Lots of rivers have navigational hazards, and flow rates and rain can change the depth quickly, which can affect where bass are located and what areas of the river you can access with your boat. Another consideration is the season. Ott Defoe breaks down the seasons by sharing what areas are best to look for bass (including water temperatures, targetted to the North East US, but can be adjusted for what zone you're located) and how to catch bass at different times of the year. Lastly, Ott Defoe answers a deluge of questions about fishing a river: what line he uses, locating & catching bigger fish, seams & eddies, spawning bass in the river, areas that are better for targeting smallmouth or largemouth and more!
- 0:11 Ott Defoe loves fishing rivers and there are times of year that fishing up river can get you a tournament check or a win
- 2:47 What is the make up of a good river system? What to look for to find bass in a river
- 5:07 Breaking down seasonal times (and temperatures for rivers in the Northern US)
- 7:51 How bass position themselves in the current, what determines if they will be in or out of the current, and targeting these fish
- 12:19 Navigating the river and reading the navigatable areas based on water ripples and slick areas
- 20:32 Where to find bass in rivers in the Winter and what baits to use to catch them
- 25:37 Where bass move in river systems in the Spring and through the spawning season
- 29:23 The importance of water clarity when fishing for bass in a river during various seasons
- 31:03 River fishing for bass during the summer season : where fish move and how to catch them
- 37:07 Target rock or grass for bass in the summer?
- 40:26 Autumn (aka Fall) bass fishing up the river
- 43:13 Navigating skinny water : modifying the boat to minimize the running depth
- 47:33 Websites and services for checking river conditions across the US
- 49:47 How to read the flow rates on a river
- 52:25 When to go fishing and when to stay home, based on flow rates
- 56:02 How water levels affect the bass's mood
- 59:20 Current seams and eddies and when fish will setup on them
- 1:00:49 Ott Defoe's favorite baits for finding bass in a river system depending on whether the water is clear or stained
- 1:01:50 Angle of cast for fishing river current for bass
- 1:04:46 Trolling motor noise
- 1:05:32 Keys to finding bigger bass in a river system
- 1:07:02 Where fish will spawn in a river
- 1:08:37 Line for fishing baits in the river and leader knot
- 1:10:48 Does weather play a role in how bass position themselves
