How would you fish this lake…

[Cbump]

Large man made reservoir that is predominantly limestone bluff walls. Clear water, 5-8 visibility. The water is deep, 20-80 feet just right outside the walls. The other side of the lake is just shallow sand/mud flats about 2’ deep for a couple hundred yards up to shore. The lake is low so the water is below any vegetation line on that side. These types of lakes get me every time. 

These pics aren’t a great representation but gives you an idea. First pic I was sitting in 30’, second 20’, third 80’. 

 

No grass in this lake. 

[roadwarrior]

(1)  Pitch a jig and soft plastics right up against the wall and let them fall on slack line.

 

(2)  Crankbaits at various depths parallel to the bank/ walls.

 

(3)  Paddle tail and swim jigs parallel to the bank/ walls.

[TOXIC]

When I fished Lake Powell’s vertical rock bluffs, I would find cracks or openings that looked like they went down a good ways and toss a weightless Senko next to them and just let it sink.  

[Woody B]

I would beat the water to a froth casting everything in my tackle box, everywhere on the lake........but that's just me.

[WRB]

MLF had a event on a lake Whitney that looks the same in Texas.

Ott Defoe won using a small frog in the back of deep pockets (middle photo).

Bobby Lane caught 2 bass 6 & 7 lbs using a bone Whooper along the deep rocky main lake step banks (bottom photo).

Go figure. 

Tom

[Mbirdsley]

Deep Cranks along the cliff faces and there is probably a step ledge in there before it drops totally off  , jigs along the rocks , wacky worm and let it float down side of the cliffs , arkie jig or tube in the shallow rocks.  Probably also a square bill in the shallow rocks.

 

I don’t drop shot but, If I did probably on those cliffs. 

[T-Billy]

Places along bluff walls that flatten out a little and aren't quite as steep, transitions from big rock to more broken stuff, mouths or backs of little pockets, irregular features on those shallow flats... 

Cracking a stupid rigged tube has been very good for me in waters with a lot of chunk rock. It'll cover a lot of water while still being fairly subtle presentation, can be fished shallow to deep, the plastic covered jighead comes through rock well, and will usually pop free when it does hang.

[casts_by_fly]

6 hours ago, Cbump said:

How would you fish this lake…

Poorly.

 

deep rock structure like this isn’t my forte. We don’t have much of it so I maybe fish it once a year. Given my preferences, I’d throw topwaters along the waters edge (surely things fall in or get schooled up against the rock by predators) and then crank parallel to the bank. Not saying it would work, but that’s what I would do. 

 

[WRB]

After launching my boat I would check the surface water temps, look for baitfish and bass in the marina, the determine at What depth the thermocline is. Now I know where the life zone and seasonal period Is.

Steep rock bluff walls in the summer with shade usually hold bass and baitfish just above the thermocline so finesse soft plastics should work.

Broken rocky steep wind blown shores in the summer I would look for breaks in the soil sand rocks and any isolated wood or big boulders. Jigs are my go to lure for this type of structure followed by crankbaits.

That's what I would but as posted earlier top water worked for lake Whitney bass for MLF anglers.

Tom

[Cbump]

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

After launching my boat I would check the surface water temps, look for baitfish and bass in the marina, the determine at What depth the thermocline is. Now I know where the life zone and seasonal period Is.

Steep rock bluff walls in the summer with shade usually hold bass and baitfish just above the thermocline so finesse soft plastics should work.

Broken rocky steep wind blown shores in the summer I would look for breaks in the soil sand rocks and any isolated wood or big boulders. Jigs are my go to lure for this type of structure followed by crankbaits.

That's what I would but as posted earlier top water worked for lake Whitney bass for MLF anglers.

Tom

Great stuff. Water temp was 83 degrees and striper were chasing tiny threadfin Shad (and a few huge gizzards) all over the lake. I did not check for thermocline. 
Funny, this is lake Whitney!

[RDB]

Ott caught his big bag on Hunt For Monster Bass in the same area as your photos (a little further out toward the main lake).  His win when he was using a frog was pre-spawn if I’m not mistaken.  There are a lot of points off of that creek as well as some wood along some of the bluff walls.  There are also some docks that hold fish.  Pay attention to the top of the bluff walls and you will see places where big chunks of rock has broken off.  That rock is now in the water. 

[Cbump]

You guys are good. Post a picture on a National forum and find people who know the creek I'm in lol!

[BlakeMolone]

I would definitely try a jerkbait.

[txchaser]

I'm in your area - it's fishing more like fall, not like summer. After the long drought the rain and cooler weather brought many things up shallow. In particular the shad. They are tiny right now, so try both normal and downsized. Jerkbaits, flukes, shallow cranks. And a 3.3 paddletail on an underspin. If you only have 3.8, try cutting it down. 

 

Still some bigger girls hanging out on deeper flats, IMO they are too energy stingy to chase tiny shad. 

 

Tom's advice above about finding the baitfish and the thermocline should be on the first page of the 'how to catch bass now that you are off the bank' book. 

 

[Cbump]

Thanks tx! You fish any clubs? 
 

[Jrob78]

3 hours ago, Cbump said:

Great stuff. Water temp was 83 degrees and striper were chasing tiny threadfin Shad (and a few huge gizzards) all over the lake. I did not check for thermocline. 
Funny, this is lake Whitney!

That's awesome, I knew as soon as I saw the pics it was Lake Whitney.  I've fished it before years ago but we were after striper.

[Cbump]

I’ll be trying this lake again on March 25!

@txchaser have you been one the lake lately? 

[txchaser]

Not that lake or much of the limestoney central texas/hill country lakes. Mostly going to east texas right now. 

Everything was dirt shallow today. Water was 64 degrees, up from 50 a few weeks ago. Last weekend felt like pre-prespawn even though it was 57. This was definitely prespawn.