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Old 03-11-12, 11:05 PM   #1
slounch_slayer
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Default Prespawn Reservoir Fishing

I fish a fairly deep, fairly clear reservoir. Average depth is about 75 feet and water temps are around 55 degrees as of present. Aquatic vegetation is nonexistent. I'm fairly new to lake fishing on my own since I just purchased my first boat and was wondering what the best approach would be for a successful day out on the water. I understand that in prespawn bass are looking to stage for the spawn on points, breaks, and whatever structure lies between their wintering hole and their spawning grounds, but there's lots of holes in my train of thought on just how exactly they do it. Do they travel a long distance from wintering holes to spawning grounds? Should I be focusing deep or shallow? How do they relate to channels if the main lake channel break ranges from 80-100 feet deep and the creek channel breaks range from 60-80 feet deep? Should I still focus on places where there is bends in the channel or points that drop into the channel if the breaks are that deep?

My plan is to start fishing the points on the creek mouths and work my way back fishing likely (to my knowledge anyways) prespawn staging areas until I find fish. Is there a more logical method? Will the fish be schooled up or scattered out for the most part?
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Old 03-11-12, 11:41 PM   #2
kennethdaysale
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Hey Slounch...Welcome to the site. Might help to put your city/state or region in your bio. We've got members here from all around the country and likely some of your neighbors. While a bass is a bass wherever you find them, there can be regional patterns.

If there is shallow water suitable for spawning along the shore or in coves of the Northwest corner of your res. I'd start there. At 55 deg. pre-spawn type activity should be well underway. Do you have a topo map? Look for sharp breaks close to the likely NW spawning flats. Fish will use both channels you mentioned and will travel as far as they have to..and no further. If there is an abundance of good shallow spawning habitat they could be quite scattered, if bedding areas are at a premium they can be stacked like cordwood waiting on the right time to move in.

This time of year on a lake I've never fished I'd start shallow first and then work out deeper. Chances are you'll find mostly bucks in the shallows and the bigger females still staging deep...but you never know!!
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Old 03-12-12, 12:22 AM   #3
slounch_slayer
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Thanks for the welcome and the info. This may seem like an awfully specific question but just how deep might I expect those females to be if the bucks have moved up and the females are sitting back? I have a topo map and breaks are few unless they are very deep. Pretty gradual just about everywhere but there are a few good breaks, but they are just really spread out. To help me understand prespawn better I need to understand how bass relate to structure during the winter. During the winter, do they stay deep relating to creek channels and the main lake channel and move shallow to feed? Do they relate to the main lake more or the creeks more during the winter?

Sorry for being such a noob but any help is much appreciated.
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Old 03-12-12, 06:54 AM   #4
lilmule
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Actually differences like you stated creek channels,turns in main and those creek channels are the basics for ledge fishing,species like spots would be suspended like needing a drop shot etc.But for 55F its typical prespawn,long points ,lead in lead out banks not 60 ft deep more like 10 that first drop,bay mouths starting to heat up on said points.
Clear water -jerkbaits run fast.As for how far they migrate in winter generally to nearest deep water no more generally downstream.
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Old 03-12-12, 07:02 AM   #5
kennethdaysale
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slounch_slayer View Post
Thanks for the welcome and the info. This may seem like an awfully specific question but just how deep might I expect those females to be if the bucks have moved up and the females are sitting back?
If your looking for an exact depth...........who knows? But they will not likely be hundreds of yards or even feet back regardless of the structure/cover or lack of it. Sometimes a "breakline" won't be a depth break, in this case it might be a water temperature break. Obviously the shallow water is the warmest, doubtful the female bass will sit out in 30' of 49 deg water just because there's a channel lip there. Remember that this time of year their main urge is to spawn....they've already overwintered.

I have a topo map and breaks are few unless they are very deep. Pretty gradual just about everywhere but there are a few good breaks, but they are just really spread out. To help me understand prespawn better I need to understand how bass relate to structure during the winter. During the winter, do they stay deep relating to creek channels and the main lake channel and move shallow to feed? Do they relate to the main lake more or the creeks more during the winter?

Without seeing your lake and the map it's hard to say. But again I think maybe your focusing on the wrong thing, or at least looking at it from the wrong direction. I would start my search and thought process from the target areas (spawning flats) and work outwards. When you find an area with good numbers of active buck bass, try zig zag ing out from there throwing crankbaits or rat-l-traps or carolina rigs, while looking at the depth finder. You'll probably find them, and when you do you can begin to pattern them.

Sometimes you just gotta get out there and fish, my suggestions are just what I'd probably do. There are very knowledgeable fisherman here that would take a whole different approach and do very well with it. You might find fish using your own unique plan. ....(try throwing pink frogs in the lily pads and under any bridges!!)

Sorry for being such a noob but any help is much appreciated.
Nothing to be sorry for.......there are lots of helpful people here. Plus it's nice to read a post from a new member that can spell his way out of a wet paper bag and complete a cogent thought as opposed to the dreaded......."duhhhh whaz a nise real cust?"
Ask as many questions as you like and keep us posted of your trips and results...............we like pictures.

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Last edited by kennethdaysale; 03-12-12 at 07:14 AM.
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Old 03-12-12, 12:42 PM   #6
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Thanks a lot for the info. I've learned a tremendous amount from just the previous couple of posts. Thanks again. I'll definitely take pictures and hopefully I can find my usb cable for my camera lol. Thanks again.
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Old 03-13-12, 03:15 AM   #7
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What lake you fishing? The first places I look for the females are on secondary points near the spawning flats. As far as Depth is concerned, that will probably vary through out the staging period. Use a white spinner bait to judge how far down you can see then add a foot extra for every three to four feet down you can see it. Choose a bait you can fish at that level. So if your sitting in 15 foot of water and can see the spinnerbait down to 6 feet, then throw a crank that dives down to 8 feet ( I would actually be throwing a suspended jerkbait first in that scenario), just as an example (and just as a starting point). I think the depth depends more on what cover is available because I believe they are starting to feel more vulnerable when they stage the closer to spawning they get and they tend to hold tighter to what ever cover is available. You said the water is clear but that term seems to be rather subjective. Some guys I know call 3 ft. vis. clear. and others don't think water is clear unless they can see at least 8 ft. down. The beds well be made based on how far down the light penetrates. So if visibility is ten feet, the majority of beds will be in the 8ft to 12 ft. zone, and females tend to stage at that same depth if not a little deeper. Although you will see beds in the 6ft or even possibly the 4ft. zone, the bulk of them will be deeper. None of this is written in stone, things can vary greatly from one body of water (or year) to another but these are more like guidelines on where to start your search.
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