Ozark_Basser

I went bank fishing today on a local small lake (~30 acres). It's a shallow lake with a max depth of probably 10 ft or so out in the middle. The main cover is water willow on the banks and can get pretty thick in some spots where it extends out with points and in the backs of the two large pockets associated with the lake. There is very little rock in this lake. There is also some fish attractors that have been placed off shore in deeper water. Water temperature was 43 degrees so I expected i might get one to come up to a jerkbait off of a main lake point close to one of the fish attractors. I didn't get a bite and the water was a little dingy so I gave up on the jerkbait and started walking around the lake to see if I could see any fish. When I came to the shallowest pocket of the lake. I seen about a three pound bass relating to a small patch of water willow in about a foot of water. I threw a few baits at her, but she didn't commit to anything. I walked a little deeper into the pocket and seen another good size bass up real shallow like the last, but soon found she wouldn't commit either. I wasn't too surprised I couldn't get one to bite. That lake has received a whole lot of pressure the last three months. I seen a good blow up as well in the same area. What was she blowing up on? I assume that baitfish wouldn't be hanging around in that cold shallow water. Either way, according to seasonal patterns, shouldn't the fish be out deep in the main lake with this cold water temperature? It has warmed up into the sixties the last few days but the water temp has only raised a few degrees. Before anyone says, "The seasonal patterns are just guidelines." Yes, I know this, but why does it seem that the only time they follow those guidelines is in the spring time. Pre spawn, spawn, and post spawn are about the only times of the year when I can confidently go out and predict what a good bit of the bass are doing. I'm pretty good about predicting bass in the summer as well, but mid - late fall and winter can really get me flipped around. Also, it can be harder to catch bass in these time periods due to colder water temps making it of course even harder to learn more about bass habits this time of year. Any thoughts?

The only reason I use a MH is because I throw a lot of DT 10's and other larger crankbaits than WW's as well. If I were to have a rod specifically for WW's it would have to be a 7' M but a MH works just fine.

I would say that 20 lb fluoro could be more abrasion resistant than 20 lb braid depending on brand. But if you compare the two by line diameter, 20 lb fluoro is in no way shape or form more abrasion resistant than 50 lb braid unless you're comparing some cheap braid to some expensive fluoro, and it's still probably not as abrasion resistant. I can flip and pitch to moderately heavy cover all day long without a single worry in the back of my head with 50 lb Seaguar Smackdown. If I were using 20 lb fluoro, I'd be checking my line every time I had to pull my bait through anything where the line touched the cover and would probably have to retie half the time. The only fluoro I have used that I would be confident in throwing around pretty heavy cover all day without worrying too much is Toray's high end stuff. However, I haven't tried Sunline's fluoro made for flipping. Abrazx, Trilene 100%, P-line, Maxima, none of these would hold a candle to 50 lb Seaguar Smackdown.

To the OP, braid vs fluoro is all about preference. Does braid cast farther than fluoro? Well, 20 lb braid will definitely cast farther than 20 lb fluoro because you can pack more line on with 20 lb braid, but really i've never noticed that big of a difference in casting distance between 50 lb braid and 15 lb fluoro, and yes braid sometimes bothers the fish. Stretch is not always a bad thing either. It depends on your technique and/or what kind of rod you're using for that particular technique. Also keep in mind that your kind of have to adjust everything else if you want to fish braided line.

Yeahhhh fluoro is not as abrasion resistant nor does it have a longer lifespan than braid. That's not even all that's wrong with this list.

I've thrown wiggle warts since I started throwing crankbaits. On the White River chain of lakes, they're something special. I only use three colors - Natural Brown Crayfish and Natural Green Crayfish for clearish water and Natural Red Crayfish for stained. I always want the water to have a little color in it when throwing these baits and/or wind.Throw them anywhere you can get them to crash into something, but I love them on banks sloping at a little less than 45 degrees preferably with some sort of rock transition. The mag wart will get a little deeper, and they work year round. I use graphite for everything. I'm not a big fan of glass or composite. I throw them on a 7' MH TFO signature series rod. It's rated as fast, but pick one up and shake it in your hand and you'll see how much tip it has. Its line rating goes all the way down to 8 lb if that tells you anything. I usually throw WW's on 10 lb fluoro though.

Yeeeeaaaah. I grasp the concept of using Google. However, when you visit the USGS website it says URL cannot be found. Bummer

I can't seem to locate topo maps online of small city lakes like Lake Willastein or Lake Valencia in Maumelle, Arkansas. Do you guys know of any sites, or will I have to look around town? Catt, what was the website you're saying we should dig around on?

My knowledge on both is pretty limited. I know that shad use each as a food source, and that a steady wind will eventually push them both to a certain area of the lake in which the shad will follow. Any information you guys want to add would be much appreciated, but I'll start with some questions to use as a good starting point, so you don't have to type as much. If you know any good links that would also be great. Does the cold weather kill them off? I know that shad kills start around the 45 degree water temp range. Do phytoplankton and zooplankton die off at a higher temp? Do they die off at all? If they die off, what would the threadfin shad feed on due to the fact threadfins aren't bottom feeders like gizzard shad, or is that just large gizzard shad that feed on the bottom? Is there primary food source algae? How are algae blooms affected by weather? It seems like I only see them in the spring and in random coves and sometimes in the backs of creeks. What else do these plankton feed on, and what are the essential differences between phytoplankton and zooplankton?

I have mostly fished the White River chain of lakes (Bull Shoals, Table Rock, and Beaver Lake). I wasn't really sure if they were considered highland or lowland reservoirs until now. Highland definitely fits the bill.

You always read articles distinguishing between highland and lowland reservoirs. What are some of the key differences in how bass and baitfish behave between the two? How are their seasonal patterns different and why?

Your baits don't really have to change in the winter from my experience, unless the water gets cold enough for shad kills then I would be throwing a jerkbait a lot more or maybe a spoon. I like jerkbaits regardless of whether it's cold or not, but if you can get away with bank fishing and throwing a jerkbait I'd be throwing one with the duration of pauses depending on water temp. Long pauses with colder water and shorter pauses with warmer water. If you have water temps in the low 50's you can get away with not pausing between jerks TOO long. Maybe something like two or three seconds between jerks. Fish seem to bunch up in the winter a lot so try and find a bassy looking area that has access to deep water (points that drop off into channels, steep banks or bluffs etc) and be patient. If you find one, you might have found a whole school.

TFO signature series

I use an 8:1 for all my shallow to pretty deep cranks down to DT 10's. Anything deeper gets thrown with a 5.4:1. I'm not trying to be specific. It's just what I have. I would throw extra deep divers on higher gear ratios. It's just a matter of getting used to it.

If you're looking for a scientific explanation, I don't have one, but I can tell you're over-thinking it. This happens to everyone. To me this would be a clear indicator that I'm trying to hard and just need to relax and try to enjoy my time out on the water. If you have the confidence to relax and let muscle memory take over, you'll fish better and have more fun.

My confidence color is green pumpkin or some variation of it. I only throw black and blue when the water is stained pretty good.

True. I read somewhere that bass become more pelagic when they get much larger. I guess I never put two and two together in recognizing that bass follow the food source.... no matter how big they are. As for bass behaving as a group or as individuals, I want to side with individuals. You just see far too many adult size bass alone. However, it could depend on the body of water. In large bodies of with lots of shad, bass could start out their lives in schools and chase shad in these schools their entire lives. To say that bass in this situation act as a group, still seems unlikely because bass are such opportunistic feeders. I feel as if bass will operate in whichever manner suits them best at the time, but as individuals not as a group.

All I know is that when the water is stained or muddy I target bass shallow and tight to cover, and it works. It works well. This is not to say that the same isn't true in clear water, but I always expect bass to be a little farther off the bank when the water is clear as opposed to muddy on the same body of water.

Definitely interesting. I wonder if he noticed bass becoming more pelagic as they grow larger, especially once they get around the double digit size.

If you're on a budget, go to tackle warehouse and check out Living Image skirts that you can put on Boss jigheads. This is a cheaper way to buy jigs and the living image skirts are awesome. As far as my favorite silicone skirts, I'd have to go with Dirty JIgs. For Living Rubber Jigs, I'd have to go with Skinny Bear Another brand I've been wanting to try but have yet to get to is jigs from Greenfish Tackle.

Only thing that ever seems to work for me on pressured waters is to try new techniques the bass have never seen. Just try and think different than everyone else and get creative

I don't have a lot of confidence in topwater baits in that water temp. You can get bit on topwater in that temp range, but I always feel there's better ways to approach the fish than topwater when the water gets cooler.

First, you'd have to know if there is any fish over 3 lbs in lake you're fishing to begin with. During the spawn, I'd walk around the lake and see if I saw any big ones on beds. Also, in lakes where everything is the same, you have to find something different. Bass just seem to relate to anything different. Look for breaks such as where thicker grass breaks to sparse grass etc.

If you're getting bit then who cares. If you're not getting bites then it's a good idea to downsize everything or try a different technique. A lot of times in fall the baitfish are at their absolute biggest so depending on what you're surrounded by is where you should start. If you're fishing Millwood, I'd say just look for baitfish and you'll do well. Last year I went out in early December on Bull Shoals with three people on a boat. I was throwing a big mop jig and the other guys where throwing finesse jigs. We all did about equally well with a couple of better than average fish apiece. Get my drift? Sometimes it doesn't matter the size and sometimes you couldn't buy a bite if you had the money if you're not using a particular color or size of bait it seems. Best plan of action in my opinion is start off by trying to match the hatch then go from there.

It really doesn't matter. Just because it's November doesn't mean what you were throwing in July won't work. Just start with trying to fish with something you have confidence in that could mimic the baitfish where you're fishing. It's not so much about certain baits as much as it is about locating the fish then throwing a particular bait that would be best for the area you're fishing.