New things happening at my lake how do I approach it?

[airborne_angler]

A few things have happened since the last time I went to the lake last week. The rain has brought the water up about 4 feet. Now all the milfoil that was up against the bank is submerged.

The weedcutter has been out and has randomly(willy nilly style) cut paths through the weed mats of milfoil,now it looks like there roads through this heavy vegitation.

The water was 82* yesterday according to my fish finder.

Put all this together and please help me put together some sort of puzzle to where the fish have gone.

I know when the water rises,the fish have to adjust.Well I have to adjust as well cause its almost like I no longer have any idea of what im doing,just like a new body of water. Not that I knew what I was doing before,but now its even worse.

With the water temps being in the 80's would it be safe to say the fish are way deep? I only baoted about 6 Dinks yesterday and couldnt even gett he Bluegill interested in my offerings.

I threw Chatterbaits,Tiny Brushhogs,3" Power Hawgs,Mepps Spinners,Dropshot with a 4" paddletail minnow,Soft Plastic 5" stick baits when the wind cooperated.I caught most of my few fish on the Tiny Brushhog.I used Megastrike on everything hoping it would give me an edge. should I key in on trying a Crawfish imitator next time,since I caught at least a few fish on one this last time out??

[Nibbles]

Try c-rigging or dropshotting a craw plastic if you think the fish are going to be deep.

Tbh, I don't think 80ish is really that hot though. If it were me, I'd still be fishing shallower waters and along weedlines, at anywhere from 8-14 feet deep.

If you feel like sizing down due to fish being spooked, I've found the zoom 3" flukes in baby bass color to be pretty good. I usually have a pack of them for when nothing else works.

[NateFollmer]

I bet the fish are in that grass or mill foil. When the water gets hot, I target the grass. The fish are probably in there. Not on the edges, but IN the cover. Toss a wacky rigged senko or sluggo and let it lay on top of the grass. They will eventually find it. Patience is key in the heat, you have to slow down.

You can try deep also but I bet they will be suspended over the deep water and not near the bottom. Look for a point and fish it back toward the deeper areas until you find the magic depth.

[slonezp]

To confuse you even more in many cases when the shoreline is recently flooded there are new opportunities for food. The baitfish may move up to the shoreline to feed on insects and worms. The larger fish should be right behind them. If there is heavy current with the flooded water fish should be TIGHT to structure. Fish the new structure.

[Grey Wolf]

Fish shallow.

[pudmunk]

^^^yep

[Nice_Bass]

If water is up, fish tend to push shallow.  I would start there.

[airborne_angler]

With the Milfoil Mats that were right up against the bank, extending out about 8-10 feet being totally submerged, could the fish be suspending above the submerged milfoil and the surface. This water is probably gonna be between 4-6 feet deep.

What would be a good bait to throw in this area? Shallow Crankbait?

[NateFollmer]

Yeah or the wacky rigged stick bait. Throw it weightless and let it lay on top of the milfoil.

[airborne_angler]

If water is up, fish tend to push shallow. I would start there.

When you say shallow,does that mean they come straight up from the depths and hover suspended under the surface,or are you refering to the fish moving towards the bank?

[Nice_Bass]

If water is up, fish tend to push shallow. I would start there.

When you say shallow,does that mean they come straight up from the depths and hover suspended under the surface,or are you refering to the fish moving towards the bank?

Bass follow the food.  Lots of new things to eat along flooded banks, which bring in insects-bream-bass-etc.

I usually find they move off points and will bury in the grass, or along any wood cover.  I would beat the bank and beat the grass. 

[boneil]

the lures you mentioned using are all small and you caught 6 dinks.  Try upsizing your lures.  And don't worry about water temps in the 80's,  that's not that hot and won't drive the fish deeper.

[farmpond1]

If you know where it is, try fishing the "original" shorline during the heat of the day and fish the newly created water in the mornings and evenings.  My 2 cents