Late Summer Patterns

[GoneFishN]

I have recently joined a local B.A.S.S. chapter after having moved to central Missouri. Does anyone have any suggestions for patterns in clear vs. murky water with the air temps at 95+ and water temps at 85+?

[MinnesotaAngler]

Well to answer that it would be good to know what kind of fisherman you are. Do you like to throw in crankbaits and troll or do you prefer to throw in a drop shot and wait for a fish to strike it?

edit- I was just in Missouri last weekend at Lake of the Ozarks. It was just about as hot as you said. I found that most of the fish liked to sit around weedbeds under or next to the thousands of docks there. I didn't catch anything huge but i caught two three pounders and one that a little over two pounds by trolling an 8 foot diving crank by the deeper docks with weedbeds. The fish wouldn't strike anything in shallow water or anything topwater. It was 97 that day too. Hope that helps a little.

[GoneFishN]

well i would have to say that trolling is probably a "no" i was interrested more in a bait casting method such as "stop and reel crankbaiting", "carolina rig on rocky points" to see what patterns have been good for other fishermen in similar conditions with an imphasis on difference patterns due to water clarity.

[MinnesotaAngler]

By trolling I meant letting the boat troll and take your crank with. I know what you mean, but I tried both and letting the crank go on it's own with the boat pulling seemed to be more effective that day.

edit- The water was very stained. I bet you couldn't see more than 2 or 3 feet without polarized glasses.

[ToPwAt'R GuY]

The bass have really been biting on cranks ands jigs here lately.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaAngler

By trolling I meant letting the boat troll and take your crank with. I know what you mean, but I tried both and letting the crank go on it's own with the boat pulling seemed to be more effective that day.

edit- The water was very stained. I bet you couldn't see more than 2 or 3 feet without polarized glasses.

He just joined a BASS chapter, and fishing tournies it's absolutely against the rules to troll, in any way shape or form. If you are leaving the bait in the water, and moving it by the boat, then it's trolling. Not saying it won't work, but it won't help him in any tourney. Sorry I don't know much about MO, but obviously, with the temps, c-rigs, weightless plastics(slow presentation), and heavy cover would be my suggestion.

Lizards

[MinnesotaAngler]

I didn't realize he was talking about tourneys...Where did you see that?

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaAngler

I didn't realize he was talking about tourneys...Where did you see that?

I guess I could be wrong, but why would you join a local BASS association if you weren't fishing tourneys, that's what they are for

Lizards

[MinnesotaAngler]

Good point. I guess you could join just to be a part of the group? But I never thought of it that way. Touché.

[bassintom]

i'm pulling them out of the weeds in a small lake by me...7"pumpkinseed powerworm,t-rig,5/16 bullet weight pegged.water temp is 80.

[MinnesotaAngler]

Pumpkinseed is the hot color in the pond I'm fishing too. That and pure red.

[Fishie1]

I am in St. Louis MO....I have fished Tablerock, and Lake of the O......and a lot of the smaller lakes in the st. louis area.....I would suggest on Lake of the Ozarks to find deep brush in the Gravois Arm this time of the year....say 25 to 30 feet.....throw a big 12 or 10 inch black blue fleck worm during the day and a motor oil worm during the evening on sunken brush.....gonna take some time to find some decent ones...I am not going to tell you mine...lol... The bass in the Gravois move a lil slower it seems and you want to work your bait really slow......this is the best technique I know of for that lake this time of the year.......also flip some docks and dropshot some of the bluff banks in that arm......try this.............use 10 to 12 lb test line...........17 or 14 at least around the docks! Also try carolina rigging a senko...

For Tablerock you are going to want to fish the bridges with a dropshot rig.....find you a main lake bridge and shake the rig in 40 to 50 feet of water......they are always deep in the Dam area of that lake this time of the year.....also fish a watermellon football spider grub jig on deep deep points......6lb line works best......used 8 and nothing when I was down there and went to 6 and it was like majic..........in the stained creeks flip a jig or helicopter a spinnerbait to the standing wood.......sometimes cranks can work in the james arm.......find structure deep and hit it hard...be patient.

[Fishie1]

try the bluff banks especially the bluff points while on the lake...they can have lots of fish on them.........