Spring 2021
S
ometimes, fishing just isn’t fair. Maybe you waited
all week to hit the water, or perhaps you were on a
tournament-winning pattern during pre-fish only to watch it get iced out with a sudden cold front or evaporate
beneath bluebird skies.
Bassmaster Elite angler Bill Lowen greets both
situations with a grin and a flipping stick in his hand.
OLD SCHOOL LOGIC
Growing up, Lowen knew to listen attentively to the lessons taught by the anglers that took him under their wing. They instilled in him that the water beneath matted vegetation and trash piles will always be a few degrees warmer than in other areas.
This knowledge comes in handy for Lowen during the onset of a cold-front. While a front can make some anglers panic, he keeps a level head and adjusts his game plan.
“Fish are no different than we are; they like the warmth,” Lowen reasons.
The best day of a cold front will always be the first morning after it rolls through.
“I can remember so many events that you could get some bites those first couple of hours and then it all went to hell,” Lowen said.
Once the cold front continues for a couple of days, usually the areas get better as fish become acclimated to their surroundings.
The same holds for bluebird skies filled with sunshine and high clouds. Largemouth
know that they are most vulnerable and seek the protection of overhead cover.
In both instances, it is the quality of life beneath the mats that encourage largemouth to seek safe refuge. Bluegill minnows, brim and crawfish all gravitate to these areas and make for the perfect protein-rich meal.
During the spring and fall, Lowen targets leaf mats as they offer an impressive canopy of security. They will pile up in the backs of drains once the water runs out and the leaves accumulate. Root stems, matted vegetation and trash piles also offer prime real estate. The better spots often have a different type of weed, cattail clump, or log mixed into the area.
DON’T BLOW IT
It’s in Lowen’s DNA to run and gun. He will compile a bunch of these areas and rotate through them.
Watching Lowen dissect such areas is likened to a doctor performing surgery. He leaves nothing to chance while always being aware of the factors he can control.
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