Having trouble locating bass in shallow reservoir

[NH_Bass_Tard]

The reservoir I fish has an average depth of around 3-4 feet. There are lots of flats some sandy and some muddy. In the middle of the lake is a narrow windy creek that has a depth of 8-13 feet. The water is currently 48-54 degrees. The clarity of the water is about 3-4 feet. Not a lot of structure besides the creek. The only cover is the occasional stump and some brown dead looking milfoil. I've been catching bass on the shallow flats, but have not been pulling in numbers. My best day so far is three bass. Having a hard time locating them. I fish on the edges of the creek channel and never have luck there. Since it is so shallow I feel overwhelmed because it seems the fish could be anywhere. I'm not able to narrow down the productive waters and find staging areas. Need advice please.

[Catt]

And most bass spawn in fairly predictable places with the following criteria:

A solid bottom: Bass avoid soft, muck bottoms; instead they prefer to spawn on hard sandy bottoms, gravel or rocky banks, large boulders or even a fallen log or lily pad root.

Protected coves: When possible, bass will bed in water that is sheltered somewhat from the elements like in a cove or pockets.

Look for pre-spawn feeding flats that fit the description above that are near deep water

[lineslinger]

Your might try utilizing a fish finding bait like a rattle trap, crankbait and/or spinnerbait.  I've used a rooster tail type bait on untralight rods and reels using braid, and have caught some really good fish on them and the fight is awesome!  Once you locate them you can follow up with your plastics.  Good Luck!

[Blade-Runner]

You know more about the water you're fishing than any of us. And I'm not going to just recite some information out of a magazine that we've all read at some point or another...

You know where deep, "ice-safe" channels exist...You know a lot of shallow, spawn-certifiable water exists. The reservoir you're fishing presents a tough situation. This time of year, although synonomous w/ big fish, pre-spawn aggression, etc...is still an unpredictable time. Maybe the most unpredictable of times...

I'd just absolutely cover water w/ presentations you're confident with...If you have to "fish slow, fast..." so be it. Or, if you can spinnerbait/crankbait the shallows from the bank towards the channel drop to death, I'd do it...If you've got prototypical "channel to shallow" ledges or points that are obvious, well - hit them...If the reservoir is how I'm picturing it and they could be anywhere - I'd just bite the bullet, work my butt off, and put the bait of your intelligent choice/command in front of as many bass as possible...

Sometimes you've just got to chunk and wind...

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Thanks for the advice guys. I found a point where the creek channel runs by. This point is also near a flat cove with sandy bottoms. I fished the hell out of it and only got a few bites, which I believe were perch because they were nipping the bait repeatedly. The water had dropped from about 52-53 to 46-47 since the last time I was there. We had a cold rain yesterday. I fished near the channel all day long. I was targeting fishing inside the channel, outside the channel, inside turns, outside turns, sandy flats the run near the channel. Did not have much luck. . All I managed was a perch and pickerel. Pretty frustrated with this place.

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Here's a pic of the part of the reservoir I usually fish. You can see the windy creek in the middle: http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=42.967713~-71.932318&style=h&lvl=15&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

[djs fishing]

Also from NH and I fish a shallow pond also. Here is what is working for me. Sitting near the bank and casting out into a drop off (only about two feet drop) that has some rock. Using a small tube (gizit) and work it real slow. When it comes through the rock pause it and wait for the strike.

[Catt]

I know you're on the lake but from the aerial view I see lots of structure; describe the cove in the Robinson road/S Elmwood road area.

[NH_Bass_Tard]

I know you're on the lake but from the aerial view I see lots of structure; describe the cove in the Robinson road/S Elmwood road area.

That cove is pretty shallow like the rest of the lake averging 3-4 feet in depth. It does have what appears to be a small creek that drops down to 5-6 feet. There are some sandy bottoms on the southern side of the cove. Other than those sandy bottoms, about 80-90% of it is choked with millfoil. Even the little creek has millfoil all over it. And then finally, on the east side near the entrance of the cove, there is an area that drops to around 7-8 feet right next to the woods. You can see a slight indentation where the drop is.

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Deleted post

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Based on the info and pictures about this place, I was wondering what you guys thought would be the most likely spawning areas. Today the water temp was about 60-63 so the spawn is arounf the corner and I need to get prepared.

[Catt]

And most bass spawn in fairly predictable places with the following criteria:

A solid bottom: Bass avoid soft, muck bottoms; instead they prefer to spawn on hard sandy bottoms, gravel or rocky banks, large boulders or even a fallen log or lily pad root.

Protected coves: When possible, bass will bed in water that is sheltered somewhat from the elements like in a cove or pockets.

Look for pre-spawn feeding flats that fit the description above that are near deep water

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Yea, well the problem I'm having is that there are so many shallow areas with hard sandy bottoms. I was reading somewhere that bass prefer to spawn close to the bank, is that true?

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Another reason I need to know the likely spots where bass will make their beds is because the water is stained. You can't see the bottom in 3-4 FOW. So if I am going to target bedding bass and late prespawn bass I kind of have to do it blindly. If I can narrow down the productive areas it will make things much easier.

[NH_Bass_Tard]

Based on information I have gathered from fishing here the past couple days and also from what others have posted I have edited the map and marked the areas I feel are the most likely spawning sites and they are numbered and marked in red. The spawning were based on protection from the wind, depth, and bottom contour. The wind is primarily from the North and West.

The reason I'm doing all this is that this is my first time fishing during the prespawn and spawn and I want to make sure I get it right.

Here's what I came up with:

[Catt]

Let me kill one misconception right now

When possible, bass will bed in water that is sheltered somewhat from the elements like in a cove or pockets.

This does not mean bass will not spawn in areas less protected from the elements or in areas out on the main body of water. Given your description of the wind direction one may well assume the bass would spawn only in those areas in the extreme north and west sides.

I still prefer the areas marked #3 & #4

[WRB]

This is a small lake and you shouldn't have any problem locating bass along the creek channel most of the year. Spawn; try the west coves near the 6" depression and the stump row at the south end of the same depression. The coves on the east shore should also be checked, as they are close to the creek channel.

You need to learn to fish that channel and the outside stumps.

WRB

[NH_Bass_Tard]

It is a small lake, but it has been challenging. When I fish at natural lakes I catch way more bass then when I go here. I've been trying to figure this place out for a while. The bass have a very funny behavior here, far from predictable. Not sure if this affects anything but here are all the species of fish: LMB, SMB, Rock Bass, Blue Gill, Crappie, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Pickerel, and Trout. I wonder if all these different species affects their behavior?

[jaystraw]

from everyone I've spoken with, I've heard that Powder Mill can be a very tough place to pull in numbers from.  Especially because it's attached to the Contoocook River, it just gives them one more place to go.

I'm gonna hit it up this weekend using your map and try to figure it out as well.  I'll let you know ASAP what I find.

And as long as you're in the area, you should hit up Otter Lake in Greenfield.  I've heard there are a LOT of fish there.

[NH_Bass_Tard]

   Nice Jaystraw, I've been determined to figure this place out so hopefully you can come up with something. Yea from my experience it has been very difficult to pull in numbers, but it sure does have some monster bass in there. That's the only reason I keep going there. I also enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out the pattern's and secrets of this place.

   My map I know for a fact isn't completely accurate. I'm just basing it off of what I've when the water levels are down and at I'm seeing on the depth finder. Im unsure of whether the creek actually splits apart toward the top. Good luck this week!

[WRB]

It is a small lake, but it has been challenging. When I fish at natural lakes I catch way more bass then when I go here. I've been trying to figure this place out for a while. The bass have a very funny behavior here, far from predictable. Not sure if this affects anything but here are all the species of fish: LMB, SMB, Rock Bass, Blue Gill, Crappie, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Pickerel, and Trout. I wonder if all these different species affects their behavior?

From your explanation the water must have current running down the creek channel to sustain a trout population during the summer period.

The weed areas should be home to the perch, pickerel, bluegill. largemouth tend to roam the outside weed line, work into the weeds through tunnels and any structure break, unless larger predators dominate the weed line. The trout and smallmouth prefer the channels sandy, gravel and rocky areas. Rock bass are usually around the perch areas.

Spawn; trout move up stream into moving water, crappie spawn similar areas to LMB and prefer wood, about 2 weeks earlier ( 58-60) and smallmouth about the same time as crappie, however on more rocky/gravel areas. The pickerel like mud/weeds flats to spawn.

The larger LMB bass have a wide choice of prey to choose from and I would try 6" bluegill/crappie swimbaits and 6" trout color swimbait or wake bait, 6" lizards, bluegill color swim jigs, crawdad color jig, 8" worms and soft jerk baits. Night; buzzers and 10" worms. SMB; jigs in crawdad colors, tubes in crawdad & baitfish colors, 4/12 - 6" worms, hard jerk baits, underspins. Spinnerbaits may work, however the pickerel could be a problem. Small to medium size shallow crankbaits in the non-weedy areas will work for LMB & SMB.

The isolated stumps or any larger rocks and the creek channel bends should be the location to find both the larger LMB & SMB.

I would also down size the line to 8 to 12 lb premium mono if the water clarity is good and it should be if trout live there.

WRB

[NH_Bass_Tard]

  WRB, thanks for all the advice I'll deifinitley give it all a try. I try to stay away from the spinnerbaits for the same reason you said, the pickerel are all over them. Your right about the pickerel being in the weeds, because the thicker we get into the milfoil, the more pickerel we catch. We usually catch most of our summer bass on the edges of the milfoil.

  The water clarity really isn't that great. If your in 3 feet of water you cannot see the bottom. Its a stained green color. The reason I found out there were trout in there is because on one day we caught 2 rainbows. It's the only time it has ever happened. We caught them where the channel is narrow right before it opens up into the main lake. The water is around 15-20ft in that spot, its not shown on my map. I guess you could say it's upstream.

[WRB]

If the water is green, then use lures or soft plastics with purple or neon purple highlights. Yamamoto makes their Pro series green watermelon with purple flakes in kreatures and Hula grubs, both should do well on jigs or C-rigged. Black grape with blue or purple neon blood lines and red flakes also works good in green water.

I would also try a double buzz, lots of surface noise works well along weedlines and near stumps. Frogs when the weeds get matted.

Good luck and catch a big bass. Those big LMB know where the trout are holding!

WRB

[DawsonH]

The fact that it has a deep hole in the headwaters is important imo. That type of place could really concentrate fish in cold water. Give the drops into that area a try with the techniques WRB suggested. Something you need to consider: There probably aren't large numbers of any one species in that lake because of the fact there are so many predator species. Perch,Crappie,Pickeral, and bass are all going to eat the same things. If you get a large number of pickeral on a spinnerbaits then you should take special note of the color configuration, and 1. try that in bass areas, or 2. use a dif bait but with the same colors. hope this helps

[NH_Bass_Tard]

I'm currently facing some new conditions on this particular reservoir. As many of you probably know the northeast has been getting hit with rain and cooler temps lately. The water level is rising, the temperature is dropping, and the water which is usually a greenish-brown stained color with around 3 feet of visibility is now a brownish silty color with about a foot of visibility. The current is also getting stronger. You can't really see the current when on the main lake, but "upstream" where it gets narrow you can actually see the flow of water.

One thing I forgot to mention in earlier posts, is that when the water level is low enough to where you can see the bottom, some of the sandy areas in the middle of the lake and on the sides loaded with freshwater clams.

Taking all these new conditions that are occuring into account, what would be the prime spots to fish on this reservoir judging by the map I have provided earlier in this thread? I'm a little clueless when it comes to conditions such as these..