How would you tackle this??

Roger Spaulding · Post by **Roger Spaulding** » Fri May 02, 2003 1:29 pm

Spring - water temp. 58-62
Water down 4-5 feet
Reservoir no grass
Rain with water starting to get some stain
Not enough rain to get to full pool
Little cover in reservoir
Sunny skies with temps getting to 70

Just wanted to pick your brains on how you would handle this situation.
Everyone is welcome to respond!!

Roger Spaulding :

Dennis Bligh Jr · Post by **Dennis Bligh Jr** » Fri May 02, 2003 6:52 pm

hmmmmmmmmmm. Personally I would toss a shallow diver around the shorlines looking for a bite, if that doesnt produce there is always the Jig and Pig to fall back on.Good topic, I'll have to think more about it.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Fri May 02, 2003 9:27 pm

I believe I would first start at main lake points close to deep water. With those water temps and no grass the fish could be staging here. Crankbait medium-deep depth or carolina rig. Without the grass and little cover the fish should be identifying with depressions, humps and other similar features. If this did not pan out, I would move to the mouth of creeks and up in the creeks looking for pre-spawners or a couple of brave souls looking to be on bed. With the water level that low, ordinary areas the Bass would not think twice about spawning at may now have their attention. Shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits if all else fails drag a lizard or worm. Most definately a puzzling situation.

BASSGUIDEPA · Post by **BASSGUIDEPA** » Sat May 03, 2003 1:25 am

Roger,

If the water as been stable for a week or two, I would be looking for spawning bass. If the water has just dropped, I would probe with a shollow to medium depth crank baits or a rattle trap. If the wind is blowing, fish the wind blown banks. If no takers, I would slow down with a carolina rig or drop shot. With the water temp. around 57-62, the bass should be feeding and getting ready to spawn (or already spawning). I may also try a floating worm, weightless tube, or an RT Slug.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:27 pm

Nice scenerio. I will make this short but I just fished a local lake near my home under almost the same conditions you described. Although the lake level was near normal.

I targeted any cover or strucure near spawning areas, covering water with a spinnerbait. The first drop off of spawning flats and hard cover such as stumps or rock should hold fish until vegetation pulls them away from such cover. I fished fairly fast looking for aggressive bass or a reaction strike, then once I caught a fish I would work the area slower looking for what held the fish and if the area held more bass. Most of the time it did. Look for small underwater points or indentations along the outside edge of spawning flats when there is no cover, ditches leading into spawning flats or nearby channels will also concentrate bass.

On that day, 6 hours of fishing produced 11 bass total. All were keepers but one. I caught a 7, a 5, two 3's and a 4 pounder! Talk about a good 5 fish limit! Every fish was caught on a spinnerbait but the last fish, the 5 pounder was caught on a Zara Spook.

I guess the point is that I covered a lot of water looking for fish near spawning areas. Details were the key, if I found an irregularity along a drop or small ( and I mean even a small branch ) isolated cover along the flat closer to deeper water there would be bass.

Good luck, this is the time of year for the big boys.

johnnie crain outdoors · Sun May 04, 2003 4:00 am

I would put the trolling motor on high, tie on a medium size spinnerbait and start fan casting the whole area, I'd bulge the spinner across the surface, looking for active fish. I'd also have a weightless tube tied to another rod and if a fish swirled and missed the spinner I'd throw the tube at it. Johnnie

MMT · Post by **MMT** » Mon May 05, 2003 8:17 pm

No doubt the bass will be moving it to spawn, I would look for flats with hard bottoms. My preferance for a flat that is near a point or at the back of a cove would be paramount. No veg??? Are you fishing in a moon crater? This time of year, bass spawning instincts will far outweigh any other comfort factor so look for spawning areas and you will fish success.

midwest · Post by **midwest** » Tue May 06, 2003 5:04 am

With the lake level being 4-5 feet low the bass are going to be looking for new spawning grounds. I would check out the creek channel swings where they come into or near the bank of potential new spawning flats. Check them all, even if they are on the south shore. I won a tournament this weekend doing just this with water temps at 62 and the lake 2 feet low. Use a spinnerbait or my favorite, the 4" tube.