Where to target the fish? I generally like to start my search on the main body of the lake. i keep to main body points, banks where the creek channel swings right next to, and just into the mouth of major creek arms. Staring at a contour map, just look for the lines to swing close together near the main channel. i like the 45 degree banks and steeper. This allows the bass to change depth quickly with minimal distance and still be able to look up to feed. if there is red mud with rocks and brush on a bank like this, it’s guaranteed to be used by the spotted bass this time of year. Keep an observant eye out and if you see holes in the mud, it is more assurance that the crawdads have burrowed out of the mud and followed the water level down as the lake level dropped. also, key on transition areas. look for changes of rock size from large chunk rock to small boulders. or boulders to pea gravel. Slides are another great feature to target due to the abundance of crawdads and changes in the bottom contour. Keep your eyes on the electronics and look for the activity level of the baitfish and bass. This gives you a depth to focus your attention and keep the bait in the strike zone longer. also, i catch a lot of fish this time of year by spotting the archs on my electronics and dropping a bait right on the fishes head. Not something i will pattern necessarily but i always keep a rod rigged and ready to drop just for this scenario. it usually involves dropping the bait within the transducer cone, watching it fall and seeing an arch appear next to the bait. it is pretty neat to watch and effective at least half the time when you recognize what you are seeing and have the equipment set up right.
When I am throwing the reaction baits I keep to the same general structure features as well, steeper banks with deep water very close by. a lot of the fish hit reaction baits just as it is leaving the water so stay observant and keep the follow up rod close by for those second chance opportunities.
If you are unable to find success on the main body, then it’s time to head up the river arms. depending on the lake, it’s not uncommon to have most creeks flowing clear cold water and to find just a couple that are dumping stained, slightly warmer water into the lake. if you find this scenario, you could swear that every bass in the lake is sitting right in that creek channel. i’m not sure you’d be wrong! i’ve had some phenomenal days on Shasta in January under
Issue 5 December 2011
just those conditions. i’m talking 50 to 100 fish days, easy, when everyone else seemed to be struggling to catch 5. it doesn’t happen a lot but it pays to check for things like this. also, as another golden rule, run up the river arms until you find the temperature break. it is usually indicated by a swirling current loaded with debris and will be confirmed by noting a very rapid drop in surface temperature of up to 15 degrees or more. This location gives you a starting point to work down from toward the main lake. The baitfish and bass seem hesitant to travel too far into the cold water and can really stack up in transition areas like this.
So as Old Man Winter drags on, keep some of these pointers in mind. Bundle up, keep your life preserver on for safety, and hit the water in search of what could be the “Spotted bass of a lifetime”. i hope you find some of this information helpful. They are just things i’ve learned over the years, mostly from better anglers than myself. They were nice enough to pass the information along to me and i hope i am able to pass it along to all of you. Good Fishing and God Bless.
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