Why Are The Bass Not Deep?

[Red]

Is there something about a lake that will keep fish shallow during the summer/heat/bright sunny days? I fish shallow almost exclusively, 95% of the time less than 5 feet of water. I have caught more bigger fish this year then ever before. Seems all the tournaments on this lake are being won in the same water, and big sacks too. I have fished deep a few times this year when with a friend on his boat, not a single bite. These are known spots (for him) that have produced in past years. As soon as we move shallow we start catching. All the locals say fish the timber in 2-3 feet of water, or stay shallow nothing being caught deep. I almost never see a bass boat that isn't fishing shallow. I am just curious if there is some aspect of a lake like oxygen levels or something that would keep these fish shallow. Or maybe why DO fish go deep is a better question, maybe this lake is lacking whatever makes a bass want to travel deeper. I know there are some fish deep and some stay shallow, but it seems that if you want to catch them good or get in the money you need to beat the banks.

FYI, there is flooded timber all along the shoreline on this lake and very little vegetation in my experience. Use Google Earth and check out Lake Waco in Texas if you want to see for yourself.

Thanks

Cliff

[gobig]

Maybe a Thermocline?

[Glenn]

Yep, I'd say thermocline too.

[Sam]

Why do fish go deep? Oxygen and cooler water.

Why do fish go shallow? To feed or to avoid going below the thermocline in lakes.

Depending on the current, oxygen, forage and places to hide, bass will go shallow.

May I suggest fishing the wood? Any wood in the water.

Let us know what happens when you fish the wood.

[Catt]

La Niña (la NEEN-ya)

The weather pattern is marked by a cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean and it typically results in less rain for southern states. The extreme dry conditions have been made worse by week after week of triple-digit temperatures, which have caused reservoirs to evaporate, crops to wither, animals and fish to die off by the thousands.

No rain means less oxygen being put into the water and what do you think this triple digit heat is doing to the thermocline?

[James Yalem]

If the water is very stained to muddy, like .5 feet to 1.5 feet visibility, then bass will stay shallow even in the summer. My home lake Truman is usually muddy like this and even in the summer, I catch bass in 4-7 feet. Not this summer though and fish are deeper.

[RoLo]

Whether I'm fishing in Florida or Ontario, I’m never surprised to find big bass in shallow water during the summertime.

The largemouth bass occupies one of the shallowest niches of any freshwater game fish, even shallower than adult chain pickerel.

According to conventional wisdom, bass go deep in summer in search of cooler water.

Though it's hard for a warm-blooded human to conceive, cold-blooded creatures have no body temperature to maintain

and no need for a thermal distress system. In other words, cold-blooded creatures are comfortable in all water temperatures

and lowering the water temperature merely lowers their core temperature and their metabolic rate.

If food and cover are plentiful on the shoreline flats, a bigmouth bass has no pressing need to go deep in summer.

There are however two situations when bass will be found deep in summer:

1) Manmade Reservoirs That Lack Suitable Vegetation

In artificial impoundments lacking adequate weedbeds, bass are forced to seek offshore cover in the form of deepwater drop-offs, woody cover, manmade structures & manmade reefs..

2) Clear Water Lakes

Arguably, the "outer weedline" is the most powerful holding feature for largemouth bass.

As a result, bass in clear waterbodies are typically deeper, because the clearer the water,

the deeper the outer weedline, the deeper the bass.

Finally, the maximum depth of bass may be limited by the thermocline, however not all lakes stratify.

Furthermore, depending on dissolved oxygen levels, the "oxycline" may be shallower than the metalimnion (thermocline).

Roger

[quanjig]

I'm thinking that's where the food is!! Sometimes it pays to not overthInk things!

[Red]

good stuff guys, really appreciate it.sam all i do is fish the wood. i am having better luck this summer especially with the size of the fish i am catching. i read about others in the state and country fishing deep and was curious why noone locally seems to be fishing deep. its better for me actually cuz i cant really fish offshore structure in my 8' bass raider, as much as i would like to learn.cliff

[Catt]

Red, how far down is Waco?

Toledo Bend is officially 162.00’ which is 10’ below full pool of 172’, Rayburn is 10.46’ low.

The La Niña weather pattern shows no signs of letting up anytime soon which means no rain in the near future. This coupled with triple digit highs every day is going to drastically affect where the bass are located.

Texas State Park officer Thomas Bigham walks across the cracked lake bed of O.C. Fisher Lake 8/3/2011 in San Angleo. (AP Photo/Tony Gutiererrez)

[WRB]

You guys in the mid west are having a severe drought while here in SoCal the weather has been very cool this summer.

Our lakes are mostly very deep clear water with rocky structure, few weeds. The bass have acclimated to draw downs of over 50 feet each summer, very few weeds, some brush, a few trees so they go down to the thermocline or oxycline which can be 35 to 50+ feet. The bait fish is mostly threadfin shad and crawdads.

The CA delta is shallow and Clear lake has large shallow flats with weed beds, they are the exceptions.

The deepest bass that I have ever caught in the summer was from Crow (Kakagi) lake in Ontario Canada at 85 feet...bass can go deep if the conditions support there needs.

Tom

[Red]

Red, how far down is Waco?

Toledo Bend is officially 162.00’ which is 10’ below full pool of 172’, Rayburn is 10.46’ low.

The La Niña weather pattern shows no signs of letting up anytime soon which means no rain in the near future. This coupled with triple digit highs every day is going to drastically affect where the bass are located.

Texas State Park officer Thomas Bigham walks across the cracked lake bed of O.C. Fisher Lake 8/3/2011 in San Angleo. (AP Photo/Tony Gutiererrez)

Not really sure, I don't know where I cound find that info. If I had to guess I would say between 7-10 feet low. A friend told me it is almost to the old level, I believe they raised it 9 feet permanently a few years back. Like I said, the fishing has been good for me in the shallows and apparently most everyone else too. I was just curious why they aren't deep like other lakes in the state. I read daily it seems about people on Fork catching them deep. Honestly, I hope they stay in the shallows every year!! Makes it a whole lot easier for me.

[Mottfia]

I can't say much about the thermocline cause I fish a river system but it could be number of reasons out side of that.

Bait is my first reason that I point to. If the bait is shallow then the bass will not be far behind. enough said lol

Best feeding oppurtunity is my next reasoning. If the water is muddy then they stand the best chance in shallow water or if another type of fish can out compete them in deep water then they will stay shallow. We see this alot with spots dominating the main lake areas cause largemouth can't compete as well out there.

Cooler water and more oxygen can come into effect in the backs of creeks, where bass will hang out super shallow.

Mottfia

[Red]

La Niña (la NEEN-ya)

The weather pattern is marked by a cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean and it typically results in less rain for southern states. The extreme dry conditions have been made worse by week after week of triple-digit temperatures, which have caused reservoirs to evaporate, crops to wither, animals and fish to die off by the thousands.

No rain means less oxygen being put into the water and what do you think this triple digit heat is doing to the thermocline?

I was just reading over this thread again. I know what a thermocline is and understand that the fish generally want to stay right above it( I think?) Catt, are you saying that the temps are making the thermocline non existent? In return giving the fish "no place go"?

And just a little side note, every fish I am catching in recent weeks is coming from a flip or pitch that lands very very close to cover (stick, stump, laydown etc) or a squarebill crashing into the same cover, and all in less than 5 feet of water.

Thanks

Cliff

[Catt]

The historically low water levels, temperatures above 100 for the last 35+ days, and no rain fall has greatly impacted the entire ecosystem; at least on Toledo Bend.

I’m not sure if it hasn’t moved the thermocline shallower but there again bass are still being caught in 18-27’.

I’m still trying to digest this entire La Niña weather pattern & its effects on the bass; maybe some of our more knowledgeable members can help.

[ww2farmer]

We had a very hot, dry July here in WNY, my local lake is as low as I have seen it in along time. Yet I am still catching fish shallow, some times in barely enough water to cover there backs, but there is cover (heavy grass) and food up there, so they will be there. I am also catching them deep, why? Cover and food. Some times we try to look for complicated answers, when it's simple. Fishing pressure has alot to do with it too. Fish under docks in 4-5 fow, and fish in/around/on the deep grass lines here get pounded on, not that they are not the best place to consistantly catch fish, because they, for the most part are. But the fish in 10" of water in thick heavy slop, and the fish in 20+ FOW on isolated cover see far less pressure from the mass's.