If You Dont Do This Now Is The Time To Start

[Brent Christian]

This time of year atleast around here all the lakes have went to winter pull, thats usually around 15ft or so down. I usually take the boat out a time or two and look at the layout of the lake, look at what is usually underwater and set waypoints on gps, maybe even take pictures. Also a real good time to look for old luers that has been snagged for years, anyone else do this?

[Snakehead Whisperer]

I do this when we experience the low spring tides (equinoctial spring tides or LAT); that is, if the boat launch is still submerged. These typically happen in March and September where I live, and many of the shallow flats are completely above water. Pretty cool time to go exploring.  

[Oregon Native]

Was going too but the last rains brought up all the reservoirs I wanted to explore....maybe later.

[Catt]

You should be doing this year round!

After 44+ years on Toledo Bend I still idle around structure I've fished for years looking for subtle changes. Unless exposed to "air" wood for the most part isn't going to rot and unless there's sufficient water flow the bottom contours will remain similar.

With fluctuations in water levels and water temperatures inside/outside weed lines change monthly. The areas close to the shore line where spawning beds are located get special attention.

[MFBAB]

Some of the reservoirs around here have a 20-30' drawdown in the winter, you can go out on a 4 wheeler and find all sorts of things like old foundations and rockpiles, ditches, you name it.  I've found cars, trucks, culverts, thousands of manmade mats,old boats, you name it! It's also a great time to build stake beds. 

The corps has habitat days here where they furnish the supplies and you just volunteer your time for a day, it's a great way to meet other fishermen on your home waters and learn more about why you catch fish where you do when the water is up.  Usually there are a few biologists on hand for these events, and it is incredibly informative to speak with them at times!!  As fishermen, we can compare our anecdotal experiences with their data and a lot of mysteries get unraveled that way  

[NorcalBassin]

19 hours ago, Brent Christian said:

This time of year atleast around here all the lakes have went to winter pull, thats usually around 15ft or so down...

My home lake shockingly went UP a foot this week... 286 more feet to go and she'll be back to full pool!

[WRB]

It's hard to imagine what the lake bottom/structure actually looks like from maps and sonar, seeing it with your eyes is reality.

In Californis we have very few natural lakes so lakes are  made made impoundments/reservoirs where dams are located in steep deep canyons, the lakes as a result are very deep, usually over 150 to  300. Our lakes see normal water fluctuations over 50', so you see structure nearly annually that is fishable. The problem draw downs cause is soil erosion, the structure changes annually to some degree.

The current 4 year drought our lakes haven't recovered from draw down and are now over 100 feet below full pool levels exposing structure we haven't seen in decades....it's all new. When the drought ends (this year!) the normal structure will have new cover growth and that changes where bass will locate. It's a good time to looking up where we fished 4 years ago to plan for 2016.

Tom

[lo n slo]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

It's hard to imagine what the lake bottom/structure actually looks like from maps and sonar, seeing it with your eyes is reality.

In Californis we have very few natural lakes so lakes are  made made impoundments/reservoirs where dams are located in steep deep canyons, the lakes as a result are very deep, usually over 150 to  300. Our lakes see normal water fluctuations over 50', so you see structure nearly annually that is fishable. The problem draw downs cause is soil erosion, the structure changes annually to some degree.

The current 4 year drought our lakes haven't recovered from draw down and are now over 100 feet below full pool levels exposing structure we haven't seen in decades....it's all new. When the drought ends (this year!) the normal structure will have new cover growth and that changes where bass will locate. It's a good time to looking up where we fished 4 years ago to plan for 2016.

Tom

 

Tom I sincerely hope that you guys out there start coming out of the terrible drought that has lingered for way too long. May you have a rainy, and snowy, winter thru spring!

[Starchalopakis]

3 minutes ago, lo n slo said:

 

Tom I sincerely hope that you guys out there start coming out of the terrible drought that has lingered for way too long. May you have a rainy, and snowy, winter thru spring!

So far so good! All the indicators point to a very wet Jan, Feb!! The snow pack is already much better than last year!

Attached file of Nov 2014 vs Nov 2015

[lo n slo]

Just now, Starchalopakis said:

So far so good! All the indicators point to a very wet Jan, Feb!! The snow pack is already much better than last year!

Attached file of Nov 2014 vs Nov 2015

Thats great news. I'm a retired water works guy and have dealt with drought before....nothing to the extent that yall are having to live through. Surface waters and stream flow are the first to recover. Ground water table replenishment will take longer. Hopefully 2016 will be a wet one for you.

[BigSkyBasser]

I do this but on the other side of the season, right before melt off. It's when the water is at it's absolute lowest and has been for a while. This also usually lines up perfectly with some of the best pre-spawn fishing I've ever stumbled across so it's kind of a double win!