Elk and Torch

[Dan]

From two feet to twelve feet or deeper. Basically from the shore on out and that's pretty much it. Average probably 4 feet. When you're bed fishing you have to cover lots of water. Most of my bed fishing is done with the big motor and I run over fish that spook and then I turn the big motor off circle back as the fish is circling back. Works very well for smallies. Largies are a different story. Most important thing is about three different shades of polaroid lenses. You will find that you can see beds better with certain colors and that varies with the lakes you fish. Can't emphasize the polaroids enough. Spotting beds is also an acquired skill. Many also employ devices to look in the water with for deep beds. In a tournament you had better have your beds GPSed, because in the morning, before the sun gets up the beds are really hard to spot. When the sun gets higher it gets easier, but the wind usually picks up then and that ripple, not to mention waves makes spotting the beds unaided very difficult. I have found my GPSed beds from year to year most often are the same, 80% or higher beds are there year to year, like swallows to Capistrano.
You can see how shallow this bed was. A smallie was defending it from some gar pike. Gar spooked. Very hard to see the smallie though.

[Firefighter Jeff]

Thaks for all the info Dan.  Not sure when I'll ever get up there to fish the beds, but I am always looking to learn more.  Just seeing that bed gets me going.  lol