Surface Temp in 90+

[soopd]

I fish Lake Wilson in North Alabama and the surface temp is well above 90 degrees.  I have struggled my last few outings with only 3 fish for 4 trips.  I have fished ledges, humps, docks, weeds, bridge pilings, rip rap, and points.  I don't recall struggling this much last year and I stayed in water less than 15'. 

I have a tournament this week and as of right now I don't have the confidene that I will even have 5 fish.  Any advice or suggestions to help get me out of the slump.   

[soopd]

My fishing time is between 6pm and midnight.  The baits I have tried are as follows:  Crig, Trig, Jig, Senos, shakey head with various plastics, crankbaits (I am not good with these),  spinnerbaits, and all types of topwater. 

1 of the fish I have caught came off of topwater before dark under a bridge where the fish were schooling.  They were schooling like crazy and blowing up on the surface and I still only managed 1 fish.  They are chasing shad that are about 1" long and I really don't know what to throw.

1 of the fish came off a hump in about 8' of water with a crawdad type bait on crig.

the biggest fish was 3lb12oz off a shakey head in about 4' of water in some weeds.

I hope this gives you all an idea of what I have been doing.  Thanks once again for a great site. 

[Crestliner2008]

I don't really care what hours you normally fish - what hours is the tournament scheduled to be conducted?

If you're fishing the hours you suggest, then tie a Slammer on your heaviest rig and hold on. Have another rod rigged with a (Texas rigged), 7" Senko. You will catch fish.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Two things that helped us when we were lucky enough to find them busting bait fish.

1st Grab a crank bait.

2nd was a carolina rigged fluke.

The weight brought the fluke below where the smaller bass were busting the bait on top. It then fell to the level where the bigger bass were further below and they were nailing the injured bait fish. We had 2-3lber's on top getting the crank bait, but 5-7lbers were getting the c-rigged fluke.

Hope it helps, it helped us in ours.

[Paul Roberts]

I've seen years and waters that have had huge bass hatches, by midsummer filling the water with 1"-2" fingerling bass. Normal sized baits failed. Switching to tiny baits worked like a charm. Last year I had this happen again, and I tested things by gong to 1-1/2" paddle-tails (Sassy Shad) on UL spinning tackle, and the remedy was immediately made apparent!

Got tired though of being towed around by bass on UL gear and moved up to regular finesse gear (8lb) and Slider's and did OK.

Something to try anyway.

[soopd]

The tournament is from 6pm til 2am.  Thanks for the replies. 

[WRB]

Have you been practicing afternoons to after dark?

As mentioned before; fish your strengths! If you are not confident with a presentation during a tournament, leave it in the rod locker.

The bass should be active as the sun sets this time of year. The shad move into cover as the sun goes down and bass are feeding on shad where you fish.

If you like top water, try a Splash-It (Pop-R), Lunker Punker or Spook and a faster buzzer around the weed breaks.

I like to crank, but you don't, so leave that alone.

Soft plastics win more night tournaments then all other lures combined. Hard to beat a T-rigged worm or craw critter after dark. I like to up size plastics at night, larger profile and easier for the bass to find it.

Good luck.

WRB