Quarry Lakes Fishing: How To Catch Bass In Quarry Lakes

Without question, old rock quarries and gravel pits offer some of the best bass fishing in the country. Quarry lakes are deep, typically clear, and the best part is that no matter where you live – there’s likely to be one within 20 or 30 miles. Here are some tips on where to find bass in quarry lakes, and how to catch them.

Fishing Ledges on Quarry Lakes

When they mine quarries, they blast the rocks away in layers, and mine each layer all the way along a horizontal plane before moving to the next level down. This typically creases a “stair step” shaped drop off – and it’s a key holding spot for quarry bass. Use your electronics or if it’s clear enough, just look down and see if there’s a horizontal ledge somewhere near the bank. This is typically the main travel route for bass throughout the lake. They cruise the top of the ledge because it allows them to come up to feed or go down to escape predators with ease. Focus on this ledge with cranks, swimbaits, or a bottom presentation like a Carolina Rig or football jig.

Fishing Quarry Entry roads

In order to get the mining equipment down to the quarry floor – quarry operators create an access road that winds from the top wall to the bottom of the pit.Once flooded, this access road typically offers finer gravel or sand and a gentler slope than the rest of the quarry. This is a key focus point, as it’s also usually the primary spawning area for bass, panfish, and any other fish that live in the quarry. In the summer, panfish typically spawn on this flat – and you can score big with bass up feeding on the smaller baitfish. Try covering the flat with big noisy topwaters, spinnerbaits, or vibrating jigs.

Overhanging Grass In Quarry Lakes

When a quarry fills up with water, the landowner often stops maintaining the bank. This causes grasses and shrubs to grow right up to the edge of the water. Unlike typical ponds though, the water right on the edge of a quarry is often four or five feet deep if they mined right up to the edge. This creates an ideal feeding situation for big hungry bass. Bass can tuck right up under the overhanging grass, and wait for any prey to come by. Target these overhanging grasses and shady spots with a topwater frog or flipping rig and hold on. This pattern can be particularly effective on sunny days as bass will pull up under the grass to get out of the sun.