JRammit Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 I rarely (or should I say never) ask advice on catching fish... I'm a bit stubborn and set in my ways when it comes to fishing, if I try something new, it has to be because I thought of it But... I'm a bit out of my element this year with all the crazy weather we've had here in north Texas I have a small boat, so I fish small public lakes (20-40 acres)... Well... They WERE small, but now stretch beyond the parking areas and well back into the woods! I have a good friend coming down for vacation next weekend.. 2 years ago I introduced him to the world of fishing, now he is as hooked as I am!.. He still relies on my advice to better his fishing success, so the pressure is on me to find fish when he arrives! Has any one found success fishing flooded lakes?... If so, do you focus your time on your normally productive spots? Fish deeper? Slower? Run n gun? Or explore the new territory created by high waters? The spot I have in mind, water clarity is still "fair", slightly murky, but not a "mud hole", no fish carcasses along the shoreline (Unlike my old spot when it flooded), so I assume oxygen levels and temp are on par.... Fish are there, but now seem to have the odds in their favor! A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work... A 4 DAY WEEKEND of fishing beats about anything!!!.... But would be nice to get a little slime on our hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskat Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 When we have high water in Mississippi the fish just about always go shallow. Fish in the woods, roads and fields, pay special attention to the small ditches, even roadside ditches. High water is some of the best fishing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) Went out yesterday, started trolling Rapalas over flooded weeds... Nothing... Took to the woods w my ribontail worms.. Nothing... Tied on my 1/8 oz minnow jig and managed to catch a couple off a tree in 8' of water...... Roads you say?... I'll have to try the parking area next time! Edited June 6, 2015 by JRammit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted June 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 Man that's great info Bob!... I hadn't considered how the rules change with rising vs falling levels....... Unfortunately after driving around for almost 2 hours yesterday, I found ALL of my favorite spots closed along with the entirety of the LBJ Grasslands with no further notice of opening.. And most of the larger lakes in my region are closed to all watercraft..... Looks like I'll have plenty of tackle building time this summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted June 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 They just had barriers up with a letter of closure due to "flood damage"... I just fished one of the spots 2 days ago, the parking area was flooded, but water levels were dropping not rising... Its a national park area, so I doubt anyone local has the pull to let me in....... I do have one spot left, it's a flood prevention pond in my neighborhood.. Its not a great spot by any means, but I did manage to put my buddy on a 6lb cat last night.. So he's not going home empty handed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 As said, that was one awesome post, Bob! Being in central California, I'm sure you're all aware of our lack of water, but when we actually HAD water, flooded areas were some of our best fishing. LOL As Bob said, knowing how fast that water is rising is key. We've had times when we wondered if our truck would be under water when we were done. Put that sucker on high ground first! Also, I concur with grassy areas. There was an old horse ranch that had beautiful grass when not flooded, Once it was covered in water (usually 3 or 4 feet), we always found fish there. I just didn't know the reason. DOH! Now I do. Makes sense that worms and grubs would be readily available for fish. And of course, we always looked for backed up water that wasn't moving. We could pretty much forget fishing any part of the main river while it was high due to fast currents. I doubt there were fish there anyway. Think like good ol' Mr. lazy bass and you'll be okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 It's a generally accepted "rule" that bass tend to follow rising water. While that's true there are always exceptions to the rule. Right now Sam Rayburn is over 9' high and there are definitely fish up in the flooded brush. Some of them in places you'd need dynamite to get to. There are also fish out in the 9' to 12' range where there's a line of what we call hay grass that grew up when the lake was lower. I suppose what I'm trying to say is fish are where you find them. Even during the spawn you will find some fish that spawn deeper than others depending on the water clarity. One year we got on a high water pattern that worked all over the lake. Anywhere you could find live pine trees in seven feet of water there were fish there. Why the fish were there and why it had to be live pine trees I don't have a clue, but that pattern was so strong it worked everywhere I tried it. If you move shallow and are only catching small fish try backing out to a bit deeper water and watch your graph. You may find a grass line, or some other cover, that is holding fish. It doesn't take a big change in the lake bottom to hold fish as long as there is bait around. good luck, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Largemouth bass prefer to be beside cover and out of current, especially in very stained water. In the springtime here in the SE, prime habitat is grass, timber, and anything else that has recently been flooded by spring rains. That includes flooded docks, picnic tables, trees, you name it. If the cover has deeper water nearby, that's a plus. I'm not sure those conditions are inherently attractive to bass but I know bass will follow the forage fish anywhere they may go. And recently flooded areas are prime habitat for small fish feeding on insects, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishon-son Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 fish the wooded cover with a 1/2 oz. bass jig if bass is what your fishing ...i have found over many years that bass love wood...trees,docks.ect...i fish a lake that is drained 15%for winter exposing all the wooded stump fields...for the 50/60/70 s ..they cut these trees down then back flooed the lake with a dam...the bass are stacked in the timber......i use a football jig...blue/black color and just kill it...must people just pass me by and im right i the thick of it with the boat...i have even taken them from the shore lines in the same spot.....its a local park with a big lake ..no houses and boating is a no wake rule..so you just bump it in gear and go...a river runs in and out the out side has a dam and so dose the in..but you cant get to the iner part by boat........so fish the wood...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassrecord Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 OK if you want to take an experienced buddy high water fishing for a trip he'll never forget try this. Look for an old flooded cemetery near one of those 30-40 flooded ponds you were talking about. Contractors for the Corps of Engineers, BLM or other agency were probably contracted to exhume bodies and relocate the old cemetery to high ground. Over time grave sites tend to sink one to three feet lower than surrounding earth and Big Bass seem to lie there waiting for your cast. What makes this trip so memorable whether or not he catches and bass? 1. Wading in 5 foot water and stepping off into a 3 foot exhumed grave will float most hats. 2. The scary, macabre feeling most people get fishing there who feel they are being watched. Some people might even see something they couldn't explain. I didn't. But I'll never forget 1. and 2. Now go fish! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 OK if you want to take an experienced buddy high water fishing for a trip he'll never forget try this. Look for an old flooded cemetery near one of those 30-40 flooded ponds you were talking about. Contractors for the Corps of Engineers, BLM or other agency were probably contracted to exhume bodies and relocate the old cemetery to high ground. Over time grave sites tend to sink one to three feet lower than surrounding earth and Big Bass seem to lie there waiting for your cast. What makes this trip so memorable whether or not he catches and bass? 1. Wading in 5 foot water and stepping off into a 3 foot exhumed grave will float most hats. 2. The scary, macabre feeling most people get fishing there who feel they are being watched. Some people might even see something they couldn't explain. I didn't. But I'll never forget 1. and 2. Now go fish! John That's creepy. Interesting............but creepy. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassrecord Posted April 12, 2016 Report Share Posted April 12, 2016 Over the years I've seen several cemeteries get flooded because the engineers mis-figured high water marks. Locals are quite vocal in getting their loved ones relocated. I've only fished over one exhumed cemetery 3-4 times (annual high water was not always high enough) and it was ALWAYS scary. Question? Would you eat any bass you caught over an exhumed cemetery? The day I discovered this situation I was driving in to the lake and a Sheriff's Deputy stopped me and I asked what was going on. He described what was going on and pointed to the Corps of Engineers' contractors in Haz-Mat suits digging up graves and putting items in body bags. He said, "If I was you, I wouldn't fish there until they are finished. Everybody buried there died from something." He did have a way with words. Catch and quickly release for me. I never ate any bass I caught there, would you? Go fish. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted April 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2016 I don't eat bass anyway I think id like being burried under a lake... With a rod holder on my tombstone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bois d'Arc Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 I fish a lot of small lakes also. Some of the same ones JRammit mentioned. If there's a line of junk moss....the stuff that grows off the shoreline out into the water, usually only a few yards out into the water that can be a gold mine. It may be under water after a heavy rain but it grows to the surface very fast. You may have to cover a lot of it but when you find a spot it can hold a lot more good fish than you would imagine. Pay attention to pockets and points in the junk, particularly along wind swept shorelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted April 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 I fish a lot of small lakes also. Some of the same ones JRammit mentioned. If there's a line of junk moss....the stuff that grows off the shoreline out into the water, usually only a few yards out into the water that can be a gold mine. It may be under water after a heavy rain but it grows to the surface very fast. You may have to cover a lot of it but when you find a spot it can hold a lot more good fish than you would imagine. Pay attention to pockets and points in the junk, particularly along wind swept shorelines. I was just in your neighborhood last week... Delivered a load of gas to both the marinas out there..... Bluegill were heavy around the docks!.... People fishing all around me while im working, it was torture!!! So you come all the way up here to fish?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bois d'Arc Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Yep...mostly in the Bois 'd Arc unit of the Caddo-LBJ Grasslands. Lots of good fishing in two small lakes make it well worth the drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted April 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 Im at the other LBJ... North of Decatur... Cottonwood was the best lake up there until it went through a massive kill...... Since that ive been fishing Clear Lake Those Caddo lakes are a little bigger aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
