How much thought do you give the water column you’re targeting while fishing? As anglers, we spend plenty of time thinking about baits and techniques, but the positioning of the fish in the water column can often be just as – if not more – important when it comes to catching fish.
“Throughout the different seasons, whether it's winter, summer, fall, or spring, you can use all three columns on the water to your advantage,” said Lee Livesay. “ ... I see it more times than not where guys don't utilize the top.” In this seminar, Livesay explains how all three levels of the water column can be used to help you catch fish all year long.
Livesay explains that while the bottom is sometimes overutilized, the top of the water is often underutilized. He explains that often larger fish tend to feed above them, which makes topwaters, wake baits, and ultra-shallow diving crankbaits premier options throughout the year. Certain topwater baits, like walking baits, can even excel in the colder months.
When it comes to the suspended bass in the middle of the water column, Livesay recommends an umbrella rig or jerkbait. The middle section is where forward-facing sonar has helped us better understand bass activity in recent years. These two techniques will allow for accurately targeting bass that can be identified on your electronics.
In terms of fishing the bottom, Livesay recommends techniques like dragging a jig, Texas rig, or a Carolina rig. He covers all of this and more, including how to follow seasonal fish movement, how to fish a glidebait, and when Gizzard shad spawn.
Chapters: Fishing Various Water Depths

3:15 Targeting The Bottom During Winter
6:20 Targeting Middle Of The Water Column During Winter
7:20 Topwater Fishing In The Spring
11:55 Targeting The Bottom During Spring
14:00 Topwater Fishing In The Summer
19:00 How To Catch Suspended Fish In The Summer
21:30 Fishing Bottom Structure In The Summer
25:20 Topwater Fishing In The Fall
28:20 How To Catch Suspending Fish In The Fall
29:25 Fishing On Bottom In The Fall
37:30 Best Setup For Walking Baits
42:30 When Do Fish Suspend In The Summer
43:10 When To Throw A Glidebait
45:20 How To Fish The Gizzard Shad Spawn

Buy tackle from this class from our partners at Tackle Warehouse
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