Curious If Anyone Else Has Seen This

[Smiths.R]

I live near a reservoir. At the end of the reservoir is a very large dam. When there is water coming over the dam (big rain storm) I go and fish it. I will throw a ribbit frog right into the churning water, and the bass DESTROY it. When there is no water, no action. Just wondering if anyone else has seen anything like this. I can't imagine bass liking all that moving water, and I have no clue how they hear/see the frog with all the foam etc.

Anyone else seen anything like this?

[ww2farmer]

It's pretty commen for bass to relate to, and feed when there is water movement in other wise slack water areas. While we don't have dams that pull/release water where I fish to make current, we have wind that move water and food, maybe not as pronounced or swiftly as river/reservior current, but its the same basic principle.

[hooah212002]

The dam is aerating the water and providing an extremely oxygen rich environment for the fish. More O2 means more feeding because they can replenish energy faster. Especially in otherwise still water.

[shimmy]

The dam is aerating the water and providing an extremely oxygen rich environment for the fish. More O2 means more feeding because they can replenish energy faster. Especially in otherwise still water.

...?

[hooah212002]

...?

Do you have a question?

[00 mod]

There are rock dikes on the Mississippi River to help with errosion, and when the water level is just right(saw 1''-1') flowing over the tops of the dikes, it is one cast after another catching white bass. Mostly cranks, blades and spoons.

Jeff

[dale.m]

Chances are, the bass are hanging out waiting for things to float by in the current and then ambushing them. This way, they don't have to exert too much energy, and the food basically comes to them. At a lake where I live, we fish an inlet where fresh water spills in from another lake. I throw anything from worms to topwater lures in the current and let it float by calmer areas. 9/10 times, the bass are hanging out in the calmer area and destroy my bait. Good tactic OP!

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Yup, that is pretty common. Flowing water definitively attracts bass.

[shimmy]

...?

You are right about the oxygen attracting fish. But the whole replenishing energy thing is not why they automatically turn on when the water rushes in. Stirring up the bait fish and chopped up bait stir up the feeding. The oxygen will bring the bass to the area but the feeding occurs because of what the flowing water does to the baitfish, not because of "replenishing energy faster".

[hooah212002]

You are right about the oxygen attracting fish. But the whole replenishing energy thing is not why they automatically turn on when the water rushes in. Stirring up the bait fish and chopped up bait stir up the feeding. The oxygen will bring the bass to the area but the feeding occurs because of what the flowing water does to the baitfish, not because of "replenishing energy faster".

Ok, point taken. I just didn't make myself clear. What I was alluding to was that lower oxygen content means fish are more lathargic. I simply extrapolated that to mean that higher oxygen content means more energetic fish. This is why fish (or aquatic life in general) tend to be around weeds that are alive as opposed to dead/decaying. Think about a mountain climber for example.