Falling Water Tepms

[BiggerWorm]

Here locally we have been having some cool nights, getting down in the 40's at night. Along with the cool nights we have had a lot of rain. So in the past week I have seen a surface temp. change on our lake by 6-8 degrees and the level rise by about 3-4 ft. The fishing has slowed to a halt, any suggestions? Current water temp about 60 - 62 degrees. I would guess probably 75% of the fish have spawned

[powerman970]

Wow...I'd move.

Seriously though it sounds like you have a scenario that someone on here should be able to help you with but I don't think I'm qualified.  It sounds like you are dealing with post spawn funk and crazy weather.  I may be totally off base but I might try to analyze the situation in pieces instead of as a whole.  First, the fish are post-spawn so they are in recovery mode and not really feeding actively anyway but at least they are still hemmed up close to the spawning area,  Secondly, with all that rain, I'm sure you have had several mild cold fronts moving through so I would think you would find fish holding extremely tight to cover and again fairly inactive.  Third, if water levels have risen that much I would assume that you are probably dealing with some fairly  muddy water.  So it sounds like as a whole you have extremely slow post spawn fish that are holding tight to cover in extremely muddy water near their spawning grounds.  I think that in that situation I might try pitching a white/chartreuse spinnerbait or a large rattling jig with a good trailer tight around cover near spawning areas.  I may be totally off but I'm sure that someone on here will know a lot more than me.  That is just where I would start.  I don't think the problem is falling water temp, I think it is a combination of all of these things.  If I am an idiot somebody let me know because I am going to be watching this thread closely.  It has got my curiosity up.

[Wayne P.]

I fished in just those conditions a couple of days ago. I moved around the lake to see if I could find some warmer water and found it in the back of some non feeder creek coves that were near the dam and the dirtiest water was about midlake in the main water flow from the upper end to the dam. I takes a lot of cold rain or cold weather and time to drop the temp of the whole lake. I just found the warmest water and the active fish. The lake water temp was 71-73 before the rain and cold weather and 4 days later, the upper end of the lake to mid lake was 61.4 . The warmest water I found was 69-71 and less dingy than most of the lake.

[GStrider]

If you like to fish shallow this can be a great time to find numbers of bass.  Rising water creates new shallow water for fish to feed and flats for them to roam.  If your lake has fallen trees and grassy shores, bass will establish themselves around these new areas if water overtakes them.  If you like fishing offshore structure many of the fish already spawned will continue to use humps, points, channels, etc. year after year.  Deep bass don't care if water rises or falls, they will congregate around the same areas annually after the spawn.  Shallow bass will take advantage of new areas.  If water is cooling off from where it has been use the same lures as you were before just slow down.

[Paul Roberts]

I can only take some guesses.

Rising water can be good, unless its new muddy water. Avoid the mud.

Dropping water temps I'm still trying to get a real handle on. I've begun to fear them less than I used to -an irrational fear. With plenty of forage bass should not be too put off by 5 degree changes. 10 degrees can put 'em off. Also, I've noticed that post-spawn females love heat, which makes me think they'll dislike dropping temps more than at other times. But that's only a supposition.

One nice thing about post cold fronts is that within a day or so you often end up with rapidly warming temps. This is a really good thing.

So, with rising water and the potential for heating you are set to cook. I'd look for shallow back creeks and coves that will heat well -like, I believe what WayneP mentions. I'd target good shoreline cover like flooded bushes, or wood, or the inside weed edge. Move in quietly and present quietly -warming conditions often mean bright conditions.

[fishfordollars]

Rising water after the spawn. Here's how I go at it:

Pick an area of the lake. If you fished it during pre spawn and the spawn the fish will move back out in stages the same routes they came in. If you followed them and learned where they bunched up it should be easy to work your way back out on the flats outside the spawning areas all the way to the first drops,out the drains to the creeks all the way to the river where they will set up in their summer patterns.

The falling water temps could really turn them on. I would pick several pockets that had active creeks. Fish the outer points first working your way back paying paticular attention to the secondary points. If you are struggling to get bites move to the back of the pocket and fish the bushes and any creek bends that you can find in 2-5' . Back means all the way until the T/M is stirring up mud. Fish frogs, traps, S/B, plastics and be aware that the major bite could be between 10:00 and 3:00. Work your way out and try to find the first drop(It may be only a foot or two) and work it over. Wear out the creek channels. I would cover water quickly only slowing when I got bit. Do not spend a lot of time in one place. Cover as much as you can in a days time.  Hopefully you will catch fish. In a days time you should have checked 5-8 pockets. Make notes where and when you caught fish and expand on the area the next day. If the bites were coming on the major points and secondary points it should be an easy day. You could spend the day running points. If the bites were in the back of the pockets forget the points and start running to the backs of the coves. It's usually pretty easy to figure out what's going on. It just takes time and getting the first few bites to let you know.

[Andrew Coleman]

Sounds like Michigan. i'm having the same problems with the crazy wacked out temps.

[BiggerWorm]

Good informations guys, Thanks!

[Catt]

First of it would help tremendously if when y'all ask this type of question you list what state and what type of lake (natural or man made).

Falling water temperatures and rising water will affect shallow water bass to some degree depending on the severity of the change.

Let's address the temperature change first, you stated the following:

#1: a 6-8 degree temperature change

#2: surface temperature is still at 60-62 degrees

#3: you have also stated that the bass are in post spawn

This is how I interpret from those conditions, add 7 degrees to the 61 degree surface temperature which gives me 68 degrees which is where the lake was before the change. That along with post spawn tells me the bass have already moved to the first break line (deeper water) away from the spawning flats. So if any thing the temperature change has moved the bass to the next break line.

Let's address the rising water level, you stated the following:

#1: 3-4' depth change due to heavy rain.

Rising water levels will normally move bass shallow and scatter them out in any available new cover but we have to factor in the dropping water temperatures.

Confusing huh, not really if you look at facts

That bass had moved deeper due to post spawn

The temperature change should have moved them even deeper

The rising water level normally would have moved them shallower

So I have two conditions moving the bass deeper versus one condition moving them shallower; the result I would target deeper water along the second break line away from spawning flats or creek/river channels.