No cover, where to fish?

[stylgeo]

Hey everyone!

I am new to bass-fishing and I don't know if this is a stupid question or not, but if you guys can't help me then who can?

Anyway, my problem is that I've been doing a lot of reading about the subject and everywhere says that I should fish where there is cover, like fallen trees, branches and where there is shade for the fish to cover. What if there isn't any cover? The problem is that the lake I fish is now about half its water capacity! We are going through the drought season now and the rainy season will begin late this month. The water from the lakes is used for the agriculture so the water level has fallen dramatically, like every year, about 5 meters from it's actual level. So, there is now basically nothing on the shore, no vegetation, no trees, just rocks and gravel. I've looked into some old folders and found a photo from last year when i was fishing for trout with a friend at that lake. As you can see the actual water level is visible from the tree line. Now the level is even lower so there is no cover at all! What's the best way to fish this lake?

[otto]

Cover isn't just trees, stumps, and weeds. It's also rocks, ledges, and drop-offs; whatever the fish will use to their advantage to ambush their prey.

Your lake's condition could actually be pretty good for you if you take advantage of it. Falling water level concentrates the fish into a smaller area, you just got to find them. Look for them around inlets and main lake points where the fish can move up from deeper water (sanctuary) to shallow water (feeding grounds). Long stretches of shallows or deep water are probably not worth fishing, look for the places where the two meet.

[brushhog]

Otto is right about finding places where the depth changes, ledges etc. Also, when the water is that low here the fish get wary, it takes patience to find that bite... Welcome to the site and this crazy bass fishin' addiction!

[Rebbasser]

You have a pretty place to fish!

I fish a lake that looks a lot like yours-not a lot of trees and grass but lots of rock, so that is what the fish use. Try throwing parallel to the bank and then fancast in a semicircle.

Take advantage of the low water-the fish will concentrate more and so they will be easier to find. Also, while it is low take some pictures of the shoreline showing the rocks, bushes, whatever. That way when the water comes back up and that fisible cover is under water you will know where it is, and fish love newly flooded cover.

[1FASTLASER]

Many lakes in this country that are VERY similar to what you have described. Very little cover as folks call it. A bass is a predator so ANYTHING that he can use to his advantage will be considered as cover to him. A rock a small ledge even water depth. When your out fishing keep this in mind and the variables are unlimited.

[zooker]

ahh a lake after my own.. ok points these things are bass magnets. depth contur is your friend be it a ledge a rock or a creek channel. bass will hold in one certain depth-this can/will change daily-

zooker

[bassfisher02]

Sounds like everybody has pretty much covered it. Being a shore fisherman with no electronics, you'll have to do a hit and miss type search. Just use a versatile bait like a crankbait or spinnerbait, and fan cast until you get some action. also, go in the evenings and early mornings and watch for hits on the surface. Also, if you get so lucky to see a surface hit in the middle of the day keep that area in mind, that is most likely an area that holds fish. If you can find any type of underwater topo map of the lake that will deffinitely help.

[stylgeo]

Thanks everyone for your advice! It is really helpful! I've been experimenting a lot and since I am walking a lot I tend to cover every inch of the area I am walking! And I've also noticed that, for some reasons there are some spots in that lake where I always catch a fish on the first cast there!

Rebbasser's advice on mapping the area is very good actually! I haven't thought of that! As for an actual map of the lake, i don't know, I guess I'll have to pay a visit to the fisheries department!

I am actually intimidated by deep-fishing bait! I've actually only tried crankbaits and a popper. The trick now is not to feel safe in the security of tried-out bait and take the plunge of trying out new things! There are some very steep and deep spots there, I think I will try some worms there!

Again thanks everyone for the advice! I am keeping mental (and sometimes written) notes of everything you guys say!

[Rebbasser]

Stylgeo, many folks do not like deep water fishing-they are more comfortable banging the banks, but there ate good fish to be caught deep.

You definitely are on the right track-try new things. If you wonder if something will work there is only one way to find out.

[lizardsrule]

You need more tackle rotfl. Plenty of decent advice already given. All I can tell you is to fish as much as you can, and "PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE, HOW, DEPTH" where you are getting bites. You'll learn more with time on the water, if observant, than from anything else. Look at the area out of the water, is there a ravine, or point, steep or slow height change, sets of rocks, leading into the water, if so it may very well continue into the water. I would also note if you have a change in the size of rocks from one area to another or even the type of soil. Also get some trout swim baits. And what type of amphibians do you have there. Lizards, frogs, any crawfish? Try to find baits that may resemble some of the critters the bass will normally find along the shore, and possibly in the water(note trout swimbait). Not saying that something they have never seen won't work, but "matching the hatch" as the saying goes can help produce finicky bass.

Lizards

[1FASTLASER]

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! That was a low but good blow!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rebbasser]

Hang on a minute, Laser-had to redo it!

[Rebbasser]

Stylgeo, Lizards is a perfect example. When he first started coming here he was using one of these:



Now he has 3 10+pound largemouth to his credit, which is a pretty incredible feat.























Sorry, Lizards, I couldn't resist!

[bassfisher02]

I think a trout swimbait will produce HUGE bass! thats deffinitely a good bait to try, and fish them everywhere.

[stylgeo]

hahahahaha that's hilarious!! Where can I get one of those spongebob rods??

Anyway, I've come to learn the animal life of the lake so here it goes.

There are two frog species. One of those big bullfrogs and one smaller species. I was curious once to see if the bass would eat those so i chased one down to see what would happen when it jumped in the water. The problem was that it didn't. What ever i did it alwasy managed to stay on the waters edge. Which was promising actually, it meant that it was afraid of the water.

There are some lizards but now that the water level is down I haven't seen any. Maybe they come at night.

There are lots of snake holes in the surroundings and there are some water snakes as well, even though I haven't seen any personaly, I've been told about them. Lots of dragonflies, there are literally hundreds of thousands. I've seen a rat once, and I hear lot of cracks in the trees and bush above, which sounds like a fox chasing a rat, so there must be more there. Hmmm, what else? Well the usual suspects, lots of birds, ducks, some heron.

As for the fish living there, there aren't many species, there are three species of carp, the koi carp, the crussian carp and the "original" carp. There are two species of trout, the rainbow and the brown, some tilapia, some roach and the small mosquito fish. I haven't seen any small carp or small trout recently and I havent seen any roach at all! I think they might be extinct or eaten because they used to be everywhere! There used to be some crayfish too now that I remember but i haven't seen any in a long time!

Bassfisher and lizards, when you say swimbait, you mean a crankbait?

thanks!!

[bassfisher02]

No, not a crankbait... this is a Storm Wildeye Swimbait:



Two things may have happened with the trout: either when you saw them in force it was after the spawn and a fresh batch of little trout were all about, and they are larger and deeper now. Or else the bass have been doing some major munching and there are some HUMONGOUS bass in that lake. Since there is also a lack of crayfish, it may be the fact there are some biggggg bass in that lake. So that swimbait is deffinitely appropriate.

[Super Fluke]

If there is a dock on the lake, there will be a lot of fish on it.

[stylgeo]

Bassfisher, I've seen this swimbait at the shop, but it didn't have the tremble hook underneath, just the hook on it's back, and the tail was curly.

How do you fish this bait? I remember it had an internal weight in it's head which would make it sink fast!

No Super Fluke, no dock on the lake, unfortunatelly. Boats aren't allowed on that lake!

[islandbass]

Add the drop shot technique to your mix, and it ought to pay you dividends. I'll bet a floating rapala minnow, it is kick fanny on that body of water.

[bassfisher02]

Note that the swimbaits look small in the picture but are about 5inches long. There are other baits that look like the picture I posted with no trebles that are only around 2-3inches long. Go big! Can you even take a canoe or kayak on the lake? I think that will pay off big time.

[stylgeo]

I'll look into that technique islandbass! And yeah, it's a lot of fun using surface bait! Lots of surface strikes on the calm water! It's amazing!

I don't think canoeing or kayaking is prohibited! I guess that would be helpful! I have actually thought of float-tubing. In the UK, fly-fishermen use this all the time at lakes where fishing from the shore is difficult!

So, with swimbaits you fish deep with gentle strokes, like you would do with a worm or you retrieve maintaining a certain depth?

[bassfisher02]

Swimbaits are versitile, you can fish them at a constant retrieve, or you can stop and go. You can retrieve really fast and then just let it sink, retrieve really fast and stop, keep doing so until you get a fish or its back to the boat. You can fish them deep or shallow. fishing them slow will fish them deeper and faster with fish them shallower, you can fish them in 2 feet of water or as deep as the lake gets. Its all up to what the bass want. and dont get discouraged with the swimbait! They may not produce a lot of fish, but the fish you will get will be well worth the time you invest in it.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

Stylgeo, Lizards is a perfect example. When he first started coming here he was using one of these:



Now he has 3 10+pound largemouth to his credit, which is a pretty incredible feat.























Sorry, Lizards, I couldn't resist!

Um that's 6 10+lbers thank you rotflmao And I have never, ever owned a stinking spongebob, superman, or whater kids rod and reel. My dad started me off with a cane pole, then a spincaster(the old zebco's), then spinning rig Reb.

As for the swimbait, there are tons of styles to choose from. Trout are very high in Protein, and in the some lakes in Californication they stock them(trout)for food. See they are trying desperately to get the largest LM in the world there. They even stocked some lakes with the Florida strain of bass which are the best by the way LOL. Trout being in your lake are without a doubt a good food source for bass. Make no mistake about it, bass will eat anything that moves, fish, lizard, frog, anything they can get in their mouth. They'll even try to get stuff that won't fit in their mouths Using a articial LIZARD would also work, I guarantee it

Lizards

[Rebbasser]

That's right-it was a Snoopy rod and reel!

[zooker]

nah reb as old as lizzy is come on dude sponge bob was not even thought of back then. neither was the eletric starter on cars for that matter..

you might catch 10 pounders but can't drive a boat for nothing..


ok now you mentioned roach fish and skeeter fish. what do these lil beggers look like?? a bass will eat anything that he can get in his mouth..


zooker