Will This Area Hold Bass In The Spring And Summer?

[hoosierbass07]

  Sunday I visited a boat ramp at a state park reservoir I usually bank fish at.  I've done a little kayak fishing there.  I visited this ramp to find a new area were I can use my kayak to fish for bass at.  I've never bank fished or used my kayak at this spot. 

 

 Anyway, the lake is called Raccoon Lake.  I took some video from the boat ramp.  The lake is 95% drained for winter so I could see all the structure (or lack of structure).  

 

 So, I'm wondering if this area will hold bass this spring and summer.  Really, all I see are slopes and I don't see many places were bass can hide.  But I don't really know.  I have a fishing map of the lake and it shows the deepest part of that area as twenty feet deep.  

 

 Here is the video.  What do you think?  

 

 

[deep]

"Structure" is an identifiable part of the bottom. Plenty of structure there. Look for the sharpest drop-offs into the deepest water in the area, for a start.

 

As for the "spring and summer" part, it depends on the big picture (topo of the whole lake).

 

Walk around, and take pics AND notes. (Just an idea)

[Ozark_Basser]

Definitely.

[Ozark_Basser]

Since its a small body of water I'd still focus mostly on the banks unless there is a lot of shad in there. Then I would try to figure out their "daily commute," especially in the summer.

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

 

I'm wondering how many fish survive such a radical drawdown. I doesn't sound very promising to me.

[Sam]

If there is water deep enough to hold oxygen then the bass population may survive the drawdown.

 

Are there any old timers around who can tell you about the lake and if it holds a good amount of bass?

 

And as stated above, map the bottom while you can for future reference.

[Catt]

First mental image I got was brush piles!

I'd build me some

[Sam]

And to continue with Catt post....map them so you will know where they are and DON'T TELL ANYONE.

[scaleface]

Did you go lure hunting ?

[WIGuide]

Being that it gets drawn down that far and it's only 20 feet deep at it's deepest I'm not sure how much is really left to harbor a population over the winter. Not that there can't still be bass in there, but from what I'm seeing I'd be skeptical as to how many fish will be in that lake. 

[EmersonFish]

Plenty of structure there. Probably not a lot of cover when that lake is at "normal pool," so to speak. I don't see any reason why there would not be fish there in the spring and summer, but I'd have to have a better idea of what the lake as a whole was like to know it that was an area I would prioritize in those seasons. I also confess to not being familiar with the potential idiosyncrasies of a lake that is drawn down that much.

On that second shot about 10 seconds in, where there is a shot of that channel, I'd note where those isolated groups of boulders are along the wall, and it looks like off in the distance where you are pointing there is a fairly significant swing in the channel where it drops of a bit as it narrows. It's hard to tell in the video. If there is current back there at all, I might give that a shot in the summer.

[fishballer06]

As stated before, I would be skeptical as to many fish surviving that drastic of a draw down. I wouldn't be surprised if the F&BC didn't net the fish and transport them somewhere else for this draw down. I know they have done that in my area in the past. 

 

It looks like there is plenty of wooded area around the lake though. If I were you, I would walk around the woods and collect some various pieces of wood and drag them down to the lake to create your own wood piles. That way you have a new spot (or two) once the lake fills back up. I'll do this around here whenever the lakes ice over. I'll throw some brush into a pile on top the ice and once the ice melts, the woods sinks and creates a new piece of structure. 

[Grizzn N Bassin]

that's great you were able to video tape a spot you fish. hopefully it all works out and you nail bass this year!  But like others have said i hope the bass are able to survive the draw! 

[hoosierbass07]

 Well, Raccoon Lake is not known as a good bass fishing lake.  It's main purpose is flood management and water skiing.  I think it's more known as a striped bass lake.  The book I have says Raccoon is not that good a fishery because it gets drawn down so much.  But I have got bass bank fishing there (another spot) and I did catch a bass that was almost three pounds last year.  

 

 I bought a bracket/holder for my fish finder so I will use that for the first time on my kayak this spring at that spot and see what I can find.  

[Ozark_Basser]

Hmm...

 

I'm wondering how many fish survive such a radical drawdown. I doesn't sound very promising to me.

I thought the same thing. More information on how or where the lake is drained to would be helpful.

[hoosierbass07]

 So if you all were fishing that area in the early spring, what lures would you throw?  What would you use to fish shallow and what would you use to fish the deeper part?  The lake is not a clear lake, it's green/brown colored.  Visibility might be a foot or so.  

[Ozark_Basser]

Everything that makes some noise or has a larger profile. Chatterbait, cranks, and jigs in the thick stuff. Bed fishing will be easy in stained water. There will be a lot of beds right up against the bank where there is a hard bottom. If there is any bass in there thats when you will find out for certain. Stick with soft plastics or small jigs for bed fishing.

[RSM789]

That drawdown has got to mess with the basses head.  When it is cold & his metabolism slows down, all the food in the lake is now right in front of him, since the lake is only 5% of its normal pool.  Then, when it warms up & he (she) starts to get hungry, all of the bait is now dispersed in an area 20 times the size that it was previously.

 

I bet most of the bass in that lake commit suicide due to depression.

[Team9nine]

Looks like the back of Walker Ramp Plenty of structure, and plenty of bass in that area, along with crappie, too. As an FYI for readers, the lake is drawn down 22 feet each year (winter pool) as a flood control measure, but the main lake has a depth of around 60 feet or so, so there are minimal issues in regard to fish survival.

 

-T9

[hoosierbass07]

 Yep, Walker ramp.  I want to fish that area with my kayak.  I will not try to go out into the main lake part because that is just too much paddling.   I'm hoping I can have some success just paddling around and fishing the area around the ramp, to the left and right of it.  I will be using a fish finder for the first time on my kayak this spring too.  I might venture out into the main lake but not too far.  One thing I learned last year when I paddled my kayak from the swimming beach area to another area - it takes a heck of lot of paddling to get to one spot to another on that lake.  I also checked out Portland Mills ramp and I hope to kayak fish that area too.    

[RipzLipz]

Hit it with a jig & craw as soon as the ice melts or as soon as you can tolerate the air temps. Those fat bottomed girls will be hungry around that time. We're getting close, but this cold weather will push things back a bit longer.

[Pete-K]

Looks like you have found some nice spots to fish for sure. If I were you would be looking at more spots while the water is down. And not sure if you know of this site. But here is a map of the lake.

http://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#@39.743749,-87.073214,10z

[hoosierbass07]

Looks like you have found some nice spots to fish for sure. If I were you would be looking at more spots while the water is down. And not sure if you know of this site. But here is a map of the lake.

http://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#@39.743749,-87.073214,10z

 

 

 Cool map.  Thanks.