Fishing channels is no easy task, however. There are lots of theories and ideas about how to do it right. With that in mind here are four for your consideration.

1. Don’t get in a hurry. Most of the fish relating to channels will be found in very small areas along the channel. Don’t get in a hurry. Spend as much time marking the channel as you do fishing it. Know where it goes and where you want to go before you start chucking and winding.

2. Fish both sides of a swing. Don’t make the mistake of fishing only the outside or inside drops along a channel swing. On any given day the better bass may be located outside or inside. Fish both until you are satisfied you know where the fish are located.

3. Try something other than a Carolina rig. There’s no doubt about it, Carolina rigs are a great way to fish a channel swing or irregularity. But there are others. Well-known BASS professional angler and pro staffer for Tru-Tungsten, Ken Cook, designed a jig that is an excellent alternative to a Carolina rig for those times when you want to show them something different.

According to Cook, Picasso’s (a division of Tru-Tungsten) Fantasy Football Jig offers these advantages:

4. Don’t forget about crankbaits. Far too many anglers are afraid to throw crankbaits in open water over structure they can’t see. Get over it and try throwing a hard crankbait for a change.

A great choice for this type of attack is the new Red Eye Shad lipless crankbait from Strike King Lure Company. It’s sweeping the country and is one of the hottest baits for 2007. There’s a reason for that — it catches fish.

These ideas aren’t the only ones that’ll work but they are some of the best. Don’t forget about them under the pressure of the USA Bassin Classic.