I was reading an article in a popular bass fishing magazine recently where they discussed a number of different fishing patterns being used by the pros during the last two years.
Although they presented information about several different patterns or trends there was one particular pattern that caught my eye. After reflecting on the description of this pattern, I really have to question whether or not it can be considered new …
The pattern I’m talking about is something they referred to as hole-sitting.
What is Hole-sitting?
Hole-sitting is an approach to a day or even entire tournament where the bass angler focuses on one small area of the lake and experiences increased bass fishing success.
If you go back and look at many of the BASS and FLW tournaments recently, you should notice that in many of the big wins by pros like Kevin VanDam, Paul Elias, Kevin Wirth, and Kotaro Kiriyama used that very approach on their way to victory.
Just a few weeks ago, KVD won the 2010 Bassmasters Classic on Lay Lake, Alabama where he hole-sat in Beeswax Creek for all three days of the tournament. The result, Kevin mounted another magnificent Classic win (his third). VanDam also used the hole-sitting approach at other times over the last two years to compile four Elite Series victories on the BASS circuit.
Paul Elias also basically hole-sat for his win on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008 and set an all time heavyweight stringer for a four-day event at 132.5 pounds to boot! Elias focused his fishing efforts primarily on one point throwing deep crankbaits and a Carolina rig to boat the all time record catch.
Hole-Sitting is new?
In my book, hole-sitting is not really new.
This is definitely evidenced by Rick Clunn’s Bassmaster Classic victory in 1984 on the Arkansas River when he finished a stretch of the channel with stumps on the edge of a subtle drop that was less than 100 yards long. Clunn also used a similar approach in his earlier Classic win on Guntersville Lake in the mid 70s.
So the next time hit hit the water perhaps it’s time to re-think your strategy and focus on those areas that produce the best bass fishing opportunity … in other words … be a “hole-sitter”.