Fish the Moment Blog
Dealing with High Water in the Spring - Blaukat Blog
Weather patterns play a major role in finding and catching bass. Most anglers are aware of seasonal patterns that are based upon “normal” lake and weather conditions, but temporary changes in this normalcy will require anglers to adjust their approaches. One of these changes thousands of anglers across the country are currently dealing with is high water conditions.
Author: Randy Blaukat
Weather patterns play a major role in finding and catching bass.
Most anglers are aware of seasonal patterns that are based upon “normal” lake and weather conditions, but temporary changes in this normalcy will require anglers to adjust their approaches.
One of these changes thousands of anglers across the country are currently dealing with is high water conditions.
Many lakes in the U.S. have experienced higher than normal water levels over the past 6-9 months, and this has created high water spring environments in those lakes as we head into April and May.
High water is a fact of life all serious anglers will have to deal with at some point. One should not be intimidated by this but see it as an opportunity to learn and develop new skills that will add up to more consistency on the water.
One of the things anglers should be aware of, is once the water temperature begins to rise into the 50’s the bass are wanting to move shallower, as the actual spawning times get closer.
The typical spring high water situation usually goes like this…
1. A system brings rain into the area and the ground becomes saturated.
2. Additional heavy rains on top of this saturation raise lake level rapidly (sometimes several feet a day), and the lake quickly rises above the normal elevation.
3. Water clarities become stained or muddy, and slowly begin clearing.
When this happens, major changes occur to the fish catching patterns and areas.
When many anglers get to the lake and see the flooded conditions and flooded cover, they presume that the fish have headed to this flooded cover, and they can begin throwing spinnerbaits and flipping to catch them.
While this might work to some extent, here are a few key points to remember when you first approach and newly flooded out lake…
1. By far, most of the bass will not move into the flooded cover quickly, especially if the water temperature is under 70 degrees. The warmer the water, the quicker they will move shallow.
2. For the first week or so, most of the bass will relate to the “old” shoreline. For example, if a lake rises 10 feet and floods lots of bushes and trees, most of those bass will stay at that old 10 foot shoreline or go deeper initially.
3. Two things will usually happen after a week or so of flooded conditions. The water will slowly begin receding, and the backs of the creeks will start pushing out clean water. Therefore, the backs of the smaller creeks will be the first areas to clear up.
4. Once sediment begins to settle, and the bass acclimate to the new conditions, even if the water level begins to fall, they will start to move into the flooded areas more after about a week.
5. If the water temperature is near or over 60 degrees first thing in the morning, the bass will begin to move behind much of the flooded cover to begin searching and building nesting areas.
It’s important to remember that all the bass will not do the same things in high water conditions.
Many bass will stay deeper and skip spawning, as they feel instinctively the odds of a successful spawn are low with the abnormal conditions. Those bass can continue to be caught with shaky heads, football heads and other bottom bouncing lures on the old shorelines.
Techniques for fishing flooded cover are varied, depending upon water clarity.
Normally, the clearer the water, the better the bite will be for wacky rigs, floating worms, soft jerkbaits and flipping if the cover has enough water on it.
In stained or muddy conditions, lures like spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and some flipping will be the key techniques.
Regardless of the clarity and level, the angler must figure out how the fish are positioned in the flooded cover.
Some bass will be edge orientated and not be in the cover, but on the edge. Some will be in the heart of the thickest part and some will be very shallow, behind the cover.
Once you determine this positioning, your efficiency success will take a big leap forward for the day.
So, if you have a lake in your area that is high, get out there and take advantage of the condition. It can provide some of the best and most exciting bass fishing of the entire year!
Author: Randy Blaukat
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