Let's face it, the big fish are still there, and they're eating also, but time and time again you're pulling out 13' bass and can't seem to get more than a 2-pounder. What gives? Well, just like humans seek ways to beat the heat, so do bait fish (and consequently, bass). So let's break this down by looking at where the bass are moving and at what time of day. I'm going to focus on river bass, similar to the shallow freshwater rivers of Texas, but might digress into a general topic like bass descending down a steep rock bank that can technically be applied to anywhere. I'll focus on mid-day patterns since this can be the toughest and least rewarding (not to mention the hottest) parts of our days.
Morning:
The pre-dawn and early sunlight time periods offer bass the coolest water they'll have all day. As the sun rises and warms the water up, the water will retain heat well into the night. Water in direct sunlight will be warmer when compared to water in shaded areas. Generally baitfish are higher in the water column and while bass tend to have a morning feeding pattern, we'll usually find them higher in the column as well until the water warms. Cloud cover leaves the bite on a little longer and the fish remain higher in the column a little later. Blasting structure and cover near banks works very well, especially with craws and creature baits. Topwaters can prove effective, especially near underwater structure (submerged trees or rocks) or overhead cover (low docks or lily pads). Remember that paralleling these objects allows you to cover ground quicker than casting perpendicular to individual areas. Morning bass fishing tends to be marked by aggressive feeding near the surface and you''ll notice that your topwater frog gets annihilated or your baby brush hog gets inhaled as soon as it hits the water. Don't get too excited though! The rapidity with which the bass strikes the lure almost ensures that the bait isn't in it's mouth quite yet. Once that tarpon-like breaching bass takes your frog for an aerial display, it will want to immediately dive back in the water and submerge and at this point they'll readjust their bite and swallow. That's when you set the hook.
 |
| This 4.5 lb. LMB took a topwater frog as soon as it hit the water. She was posted up one cloudy August morning along the bank in the middle of a fallen tree. She took the frog, and when she dove I set the hook. |
Mid-Day:
Just take your swim trunks and go swim, nothing is biting. Just kidding. But realistically, we know there's a tendency of fish to slow down on feeding in the middle of the day, that explains some of it, but where do the bass even go? Well, where do you want to go on the hottest days of the year? That's right... some place colder than right here.
The bass head deep. To where they'll find cooler water. As the amount of shade decreases and water temperature increases, bass and their prey will fall lower into the water column. In general, the heavier ones sink to the bottom- meaning bigger fish go deeper. So as the sun rises and heats the banks, remember that cool water will preferentially separate from warm water, and there will exist a thermocline where the temperature variation will change rapidly in a few feet of depth. This ability for a bass to be chilling in cooler water, while baitfish are in the warm water a few feet above their heads, offers a chance to feed mid-day. But, some of the warm shallow rivers of Texas won't have the depths required for a thermocline (usually 20-30 feet in most freshwater Texas lakes). Instead, cooler water will pool in deeper holes and depressions and around shaded eddies where water flow is insufficient for mixing, and this is where our bass hide.
Dissecting the depths of new water can be tough, but look for obvious signs and do your research. Navionics offers a free web app that allows you to check out the underwater topography (bathymetry) of lakes (I wish it had rivers also). This is great to compare to satellite maps (like Google Earth) or to plot in your gps to evaluate later. Just seeing bluer water in a satellite map is enough of a sign for me to go bounce some crank baits in the area. Using your paddle or anchor as a sounding device can greatly increase your knowledge of water depth. Generally an area either gets wide, shallow and fast or wide, deep and slow. During the days, I'll try to run the deepest crank baits I can without snagging. In shallower waters I'll run a 6'-8' diver on one rod and a 12'+ on another to allow me to burn through an area quickly. Mid-day I'm moving constantly (and I do swim a lot as well to keep cool), but mostly because the bass are going to stack up and when you do find them, you usually find a lot. If you're pulling out drinks and you're not snagging a tree or bouncing off rocks, then you need to go deeper (I move deeper in 4' increments). I once sat above a submerged tree and pulled out a half dozen dinks and few tiny white bass. I upgraded (downgraded?) my lure to a deeper diver and my first bass was a healthy 3-pounder and my next was a keeper white bass.
But don't forget shaded eddies, even if they are shallow. The local rivers of Texas (Guadalupe, San Marcos, Comal, Colorado, Llano, Blanco, etc.) are home to the Guadalupe Bass and also some Smallmouth and these guys love to prey on fish as they pass by in current, by hanging out in the eddies alongside the banks. Cooler, shaded eddies offer a chance to lay in wait while remaining comfortable. In these instances, I like to throw a lightly weighted swim bait like a jointed perch bait or a paddle tail plastic. Ripping these past and through these eddy pools can elicit reaction strikes from both of these species (not to mention the Rio Grande Cichlid and large sunfish).
Mid-day bites tend to be characteristically soft. I notice that bass will tend to lightly grab or inhale the lure before taking it down (especially in shaded eddies). Mid-day casting in to (not paralleling by in the current) these eddies should be soft and not cause a big splash (lob rather than burn it in). I leave my bail open and close it with slack to spare and as I reel in the slack I wait for the characteristic chew and tug before I set the hook.
 |
This chunky 3+ lb. LMB was caught on the Guadalupe at 5:00 PM along the bank, in a shaded eddy, near Cypress roots and an overhanging deck. She aggressively took the baby brush hog and dove under my kayak.
Evenings and Nights:
Evenings begin late in summertime Texas... and I wouldn't consider it "evening" until the river is shaded by the trees along the banks, which in some cases is nearly 9pm. Texas is known for it's "working man" tourneys in the summertime weeknights and these tourneys consistently have pairs pulling in multiple 5 lb. (and more) bass. The Lake Dunlap tourney is cut throat at the top. I've noticed two trends for evening bass... they like jigs near cover and they like live bait near cover (and lights if you have some).
Evening bass tend to be predatory and stalk their prey. As such, their behavior is limited to laying in wait for the perfect opportunity. Once that opportunity presents itself, they don't wait long. Pitching near cover in < 10' of water is perfect, especially if using a fish finder to locate structure and fish. Tossing a lightly weighted minnow or shiner into the water (even free-lined) can be an effective way to find the bunker you're chasing also. Swim baits through a well lit area (even moonlit) can bring on some massive strikes also.
I hope these tips will help you through the tough times. I feel the stresses of daily life need to be released through fighting fish and in the summer especially. Remember to drink plenty of water, bring snacks along with you, wear sun protection and cool down often.
No comments:
Post a Comment