How would you approach this lake?

[ernel]

MEET YOUR LAKE:

Water Temp: 44-48 degrees

Water Color: Slightly stained to stained

Cover: Mostly Laydowns and docks in 3-10 ft. Some mussle beds in 10-15 ft

Structure: Mostly fast tapering points with river rock and clay. Most banks are fast tapering down to 25 feet with gradual taper from 25-45 on average.

Resevoir type: River fed chain, 3rd lake in chain. Has three  seperate lakes feeding into this one

Specise of Bass: L/M, Spotted, Hybrid, and Striper

Forage: Gizzard Shad, Blue Gill, Bream, Crawfish

Weather pattern: Rain on Sunday and Monday with temps in upper 40s.

Partly Sunny on Tuesday with temps in lower 50s.

Wednesday Rain with temps in the mid 50s.

Thursday and Friday Post front with mostly sunny skies temps in the mid to upper 50s.

Saturday, mostly sunny temps in the mid 50s winds from north at 3-8 mph

Above are your lake and conditions. You are fishing on the Saturday following the front passing on Wednesday. How are you going to catch your fish? The same rules apply as if you  are on the B.A.S.S. Tournament trail or FLW trail.

[Snag]

I would have to start out with a white spinner bait, slow rolling as a search bait. Next, a jig and pig around docks and cover then back off a bit and fish a worm, lizzard or tube slowly. Thats just my .02...

Tight lines,

Snag

[Stickling]

id have to go with spinnerbait too.

[squid]

I would not appoach this lake until its in the 60's...lol  

I would slow roll a finesse worm, or a suspending jerk bait.  

But if no tournament going on...YOU WONT FIND ME OUT ON THE LAKE IN THAT COLD WEATHER....LOL

[Nick.Culver]

I'd fish deep structure. I would start with a carolina rig, then I would also throw a football headed jig with a yamamoto skirted grub. I probably would't throw a suspending jerk bait because the water is stained. I've found that suspending jerk baits work good in cold clear water a lot better than stained. The bass can't see it very well in stained water. During the cold water season bass usaully feed on cradads so i key in on a crawdad pattern. So I'd throw baits that ressemble them. Thursday sounds like it could be the hardest day. With the post front conditions and all. If the water cleared or I felt it was clear enough I'd toss a drop shot rig. My targeted species would be spots. Spots are more likely to hit in cold water. I don't think i'd target a shad pattern since most of the shad are going to be large. If the shad were Threadfin shad, then I'd key in on a shad pattern. I'd fish in water between 40-45ft. Thats my .02 cents worth. If it's worth that much.

[ernel]

Well since I created this monster of a fishing mess, I guess I should add my approach to these conditions.

Seeing as it is post frontal, but not a major front, (notice the temps stayed close to the same day to day) I would opt to start my day working the points. I would focus on depths of 5-15 feet, on the north east side of the lake, but in a creek with plenty of bends to block the approaching  North winds.

First thing I would do is find schools of bait fish with fish underneath relating to structure. I don't think the L/M will be in a full blown pre-spawn mode yet. Need about another 7-10 degree water temp increase to get them really staging and coming up.

First bait of choice would be a chartruse/white 1.5 oz #5 colorado blade spinnerbait slow rolled and helicoptered down the points in search of active fish. Second and third choices on the same point would be a c-rigged tube (green/pumpkin spiked chartruse tail) if this area was in the slightly stained water. 1/2oz. black/blue jig with rattle if the water was darker stained.

As the day warmed and the sun warmed the water temp nearing the 48 degree mark, I would move to some of the boat docks looking for fish that had moved up in the shallower water to warm themselves. 1st choice would be a slow suspending crank or white compact spinner bait with a tandem colo/willow setup. 2nd suspending jerkbaits and jig and pig get the call. Mostly focusing on the 5-8 foot range.

If these two methods failed to produce, then back out to the main lake channel, but still on the N/E side, work the mouths of the creeks. Main focus here would be the fast tapering banks that contained chunck rock and break lines from one form of rock to another or from rock to clay. Black/Blue 1/4-3/8oz jig-n-pig bounced down the slopes. Deep Down Huskey Jerk other type of deep suspending jerk bait would be 2nd choice.

Just my opinions on some early spring fishing conditions. I think next time I create a scenario it will be with 70 degree water temps. LOL ;D

[squid]

I would like that Ernel...lol

[clooney]

Jigs and slow rolled spinners by docks and cover. Next, I would try drop shoting 3-4" baits both along the banks drops and along the deeper drops. Suspending jerbaits both hard and soft if all else fails.

[Chris]

I would spend the day tunning my crankbaits waiting for warmer water and weather. Thats what I did last Saturday when I was freezing my butt off.

[5bass]

I am a big fan of fishing points.I would definitely hit the points touching the main channel first.....with a spinnerbait.

Then with a Carolina Rig

Then with a crankbait

Then with a jerkbait

Then with a jig

and if no bites.....then back to the ramp ;D

[JF1]

I too would begin searching the points w/ a crankbait or spinnerbait in the morning.  

Later in the day I would focus on the shallow waters IE docks/laydowns.  I would throw a small football head jig or a small senko.  

Because this is a river chain lake, and due to the recent rains I would focus my search for less stained water in the lower end of the lake.  I've had much better sucess fishing river lakes early in the spring focusing on the lower end of the lake.  I've found the water simply isn't as stained.  However I have had much better success in the dog days of summer fishing the upper end.....water is moving a bit more, constant flow of fresh oxygen I guess.

[BD]

I fished this last sat. all through yest.

I think it was to cold to catch anything. I did see one guy catch two small white bass on a jig and bobber, and then didn't catch anything the rest of the day.

I fished worms, spinners, jerkbaits, lipless cranks, and jigs. I had no such luck those 3 whole days. I did get sunburned though.

[bassin4life]

I wouldn't carolina-rig til 68-mid70's.....jigin with a spoon off the deep ledges lookin for schools of bait fish or jig-pig off the docks slowly....

[Nick.Culver]

Why wouldn't you toss a carolina rig until the water is in the mid 60's? I went out saturday and the water was 44 degrees. I guess I'm just wondering why you'd wait for the water to be so warm.

[Chris]

If I had to fish it I would slow roll a single bladed spinnerbait with a white pork trailer down the laydowns or on the points. I would also try a crankbait just reel steady until you hit bottom then reel just fast enough to stay in contact with the bottom or any laydowns. A jig would be the other option. Even if you have fast tapering points the fish might suspend off the end. The mussle beds would hold fish if there is any other structure around it like a stump or something. Later in the year that mussle bed would be a great feeding flat.

[Dark_Basser]

First of all i would try a deep diving suspending crankbait like a Fat Free Shad Suspending Series on the points.  If that doesnt work then i'd try a football jig with a yamamoto skirted grub on the points. 3rd id flip a 1/8 oz. black/blue jig w/ a blue twin tail grub around the docks.  If all else fails a chart. suspending jerkbait around the docks and points.