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Old 04-22-09, 01:56 PM   #1
BassinID
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Default When to go up vs. down?

I am curious when it is best to fish the lower section of a reservoir (near the dam) as opposed to the upper(feeder creeks and inlet).
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Old 04-22-09, 02:04 PM   #2
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well you can have differnet situations and i will hit on one..... usually, well at least around here, it will be clearer around the dam and muddier around the creeks.... this lets the water warm up quicker after the winter months up the lake b/c of the muddier water.... so you can find more active fish..... but if you like to fish clear water or you want to sight fish you might have a easier time fishin down the lake by the dam
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Old 04-22-09, 02:13 PM   #3
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When their biting in the lower section is when I fish it, same for upper.

just kidding

Lots of variables, so ill just throw this out there. I personally dont think the majority of fish migrate the whole length of a given lake. Meaning the fish that are around the upper or lower section of a resivior, probably live close by all year. So one could probably catch fish at either location, or close by.

this holds true for everyplace i've ever fished, except belcoe. the south end is so muddy the water is thick, and I dont think there is a single bass in the south end of that place .
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Old 04-22-09, 04:30 PM   #4
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creeks this time of year, in a few weeks it will be main lake an then some of the dam, then in the fall the creeks again, I think Kevin has the migration video that explains it to a tee click here
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Old 04-22-09, 04:43 PM   #5
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Water temperature and water clarity considerations are the primary reasons to decide to fish one area of a reservoir versus the other, but I want to be clear that there is no flow chart that says

"is wind from south>

yes>

is it spawning season>

no>

has rainfall exceeded 3 inches in the past week>

yes>

Then the bass have to be in the lower portion of the reservoir."


This is bass fishing, not science. Mainly I go by the water clarity thing and use it to match me up to my preferred amount of moderate murkiness (also known on here as light but not dark plastic walmart bag with translucent green house)
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Old 04-22-09, 06:27 PM   #6
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here is my take
in the creeks or shallow from 48 degrees to about 75 degree water temp then focus on the deep bite..

the same with the water 50 and falls to the bottom out temp.. go deeper..

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Old 04-23-09, 04:27 AM   #7
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Bass are not nomads as far as studies have shown, they have a home range and size becomes more of a factor in that home range as they age. Fish at the north end of a lake don't suddenly swim to the south end of a lake for a season change. Rather each reacts to changes of the lake in the area that they live in, meaning clear, muddy, warm, cold ect. They will in fact follow the same patterns as far as seasonal position depending on the water they live.
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Old 04-27-09, 11:29 PM   #8
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I love this video. It gives a great detailed description on how bass will react during the changing of the season. I disagree with the people who say that most bass stay in the same general location on the lake (this is usually only true in small lakes and ponds). On decent size lakes and reservoirs the bass will make migrate and follow the baitfish in the fall.
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Old 04-29-09, 03:27 AM   #9
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I feel that bass will move a significant amount in my home reservoir, but its like 30 or 40 miles from the dam to the main inlets, I just don't see bass moving that far. I was more concerned with how to approach the reservoir in the spring when cold run off is entering the lake, as well stained water.
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Old 05-03-09, 06:58 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BassinID View Post
I feel that bass will move a significant amount in my home reservoir, but its like 30 or 40 miles from the dam to the main inlets, I just don't see bass moving that far. I was more concerned with how to approach the reservoir in the spring when cold run off is entering the lake, as well stained water.
I have never checked this out myself and maybe I'll do this today but,I would think usually the water coming in from the creek is warmer than the lake temp..Or maybe that's not the case all the time.Or maybe I'm talking out my butt here.
Somebody needs to bring the science to this dilemma.
JMO,I would think in a smaller lake or pond they would move around more,but I have also disproven(to myself) this part of the theory in 2 seasons.I caught the same bass in the same location summer and fall in the same almost exact location over a dozen times.
Or maybe I'm talking out my butt here again.I drank too much last night and I'm just getting ready to head to the reservoir(sounds french?).
I'm too lazy to check Kevin's stuff to see if there's an in depth study on this.
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Old 05-03-09, 12:43 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BassinID View Post
I feel that bass will move a significant amount in my home reservoir, but its like 30 or 40 miles from the dam to the main inlets, I just don't see bass moving that far. I was more concerned with how to approach the reservoir in the spring when cold run off is entering the lake, as well stained water.
I think it would help if you told us the reservoir or displayed a lake map so people can analyze what might be going on there in the spring.
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Old 04-29-09, 09:10 PM   #12
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if the water is high, get back as far as you can. or as zooker says "get skinny and stay skinny". the bass are way back i think.
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Old 05-03-09, 09:12 AM   #13
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ya need a two advil chaser there tommy...

nice ta see ya round old man..

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Old 05-03-09, 08:23 PM   #14
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Its Dworshak in Idaho, I don't have a map, but its on the northfork of the clearwater river. Its really a best kept secret around here, the local guides say the next world record smalley will come out of there, don't know bout that but it produces lots of 8+ lb ones and the last four or five state records have come from here. The average fish size is like 4 lbs.
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Old 05-03-09, 09:39 PM   #15
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8 pound SMALLY? man o man would i love to see one of them! go catch one and post a pic man. heck a 4 pounder is HUGE here,lol.
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Old 05-03-09, 09:47 PM   #16
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I usually don't fish with a camera anymore, I lost two last year, but the state record came from there. The biggest I have pulled out was 6 lb 11 oz.

Here is the state record, see if it comes up, its a 9.72

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Old 05-03-09, 09:53 PM   #17
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GOOD LAWD MAN! now that is a great fish right there. now i got's to get me a trip up there sometime fo sho! thanks pal. man is that a great smally.
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Old 05-03-09, 09:58 PM   #18
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come in late may, and send me an e-mail, i just has a little 14 foot aluminum with a 8 horse right now, being as I am a poor college kid, but when they are on you better be catchin one ever other cast or you should change bait. BTW that was caught last year I think, maby two ago, but the fish and game say they have shocked up 12's.
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