Points Vs Channels Vs Swings: How To Fish Bass Highways

Nearly all manmade reservoirs have three things in common. Whether it’s a highland, lowland or mixture of both, a reservoir usually contains points, flats, and channel swings.These three primary structures of reservoirs serve as eating and resting places for bass throughout the year as the fish travel along their seasonal migration routes. The structures are also interrelated because the most productive flats and points lie near channel swings.Finding bass along these areas is a matter of timing and identifying the different types of each structure. Here are some tips on how to catch bass from these holding areas.

Points

A point is the primary structure of any lake. Channels are the bass highways in and out of the coves and creeks and the points are the primary holding spots for bass along those channels because the structures have deep water nearby in almost every direction. The prespawn and postspawn are the best times to fish points because bass are staging on this structure either on their way in or way out of the spawning coves and creeks.Most reservoirs feature the following types of points: main and secondary, bluff or sharp, rocky drop-offs and round, flat gravel slopes. Main and bluff points are good in summer, winter and early spring. Secondary and flat gravel slopes are best in spring, early summer and autumn.

Flats

Warm water, cover, and baitfish activity draw bass to flats because it’s easier for the fish to chase prey there. Prespawn bass are attracted to the flats when sunshine warms up the shallow waters of this structure. Postspawn bass can be caught along flats near spawning areas when the fish use the available cover (grass or stumps) to ambush baitfish. Fall is a prime time to fish this structure because schools of shad move up on the flats then.

Channel Swings

Channel swings, or bends, offer bass a deep-water sanctuary in the upper ends and creek arms of reservoirs. Channel swings cutting into a point or flat are good spots to find bass most of the year, except during the spawn. Bass tend to move off the flats and retreat to the deeper water of the channel swings whenever cold fronts hit in the spring and fall.Current also draws bass to channel bends so summer is ideal for fishing this structure when water is being pulled through the dam for power generation.