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"Changing Water Conditions"

By: Chad Morgenthaler

The spring rise and fall….how to combat changing conditions. 

 In most regions springtime can offer great opportunities to catch really large bass.  During this time of year Mother Nature pushes the fish shallow, which makes them more vulnerable and easier to catch.  However, combating rising and falling water levels brought on by spring rains can be very problematic for anglers and disastrous for a well planned tournament. Shallow water lakes such as my Southern Illinois home lakes of Crab Orchard, Rend Lake and the Ohio River System have very few high bank areas to retain a large water intake.   Receiving a large amount of water during the spring usually causes the lakes to flood way out of their boundaries into areas that are almost impossible to reach.  Bass will migrate into these areas looking for forage and safe waters.  On the flip side, the spring rain not only brings extra water, but it also causes the water to warm, which can be a good thing.  When fishing rising water conditions I look for clean freshwater run-ins. This could be as simple as a drain coming from a hilly location in a feeder creek cove, or even a small waterfall. On really clear lakes that have had a huge water influx, the fish will normally locate in the run-in water line where the clear water meets the dirty water.  The fish use the dirty waterline as an ambush site.  The Bass know they can hide within the dirty water and catch their prey.  The water at the run-in site is usually the warmest and the freshest and holds a lot of oxygen and nutrients.  Sticks and leaves collect in these areas from the water flow, which creates a great bass habitat.  All of this in turn attracts bluegill, bait fish, and crawdads.  This is what makes these areas great places for anglers to targets during the spring.As far a bait selection, I prefer to use spinner baits or crank baits if the run-in areas are not full of debris.  If there is lot of debris in and around the run-in I like to fish with jigs.  A jig such as a Lunker Lure Triple Rattleback is a good alternative to faster moving baits in debris conditions. I work the jig from the dirty water to the clean water.  Strikes normally occur at the run-in point, or at the dirty/clear waterline. When the water stabilizes and run-ins are no longer an option, I look for areas where the water is retained or high bank situations where I can fish the land waterline. Often times with high bank situations the banks will be undercut by wash-a-way, which causes a little void area just bellow the water surface.  This can be another great bass hangout.   I also try to target areas that were inaccessible prior to the rising water.  Normally these are protected areas that do not receive a lot of pressure because they are inaccessible during normal pool.  Bass located in this type of area are usually not stressed or pressured and easier to catch.  Flooded protected areas might be a challenge to reach, but they are usually well worth the effort.Trying to combat falling water can be just as problematic as rising water.  The first thing I try to find in a falling water situation is current.  It might be slight, but it will definitely exist during falling water conditions.   When water is falling it is important to use structure, points, and creek mouths to your advantage.  Determine which way the water is flowing and always fish into the current.  Bass are drawn to current like magnets so it is important to fish the front and backside of structure thoroughly making sure to target all areas.   When fishing shallow and the water level continues to fall, it’s important to work your way out with the fish.  The bass will migrate toward the deepest water in the area, so it’s important to know the topography of the body of water you’re fishing.  In addition, use a GPS/Sonar unit such as a Lowrance LCX 113-HD to scout the area very thoroughly.  When fishing in this type of situation I place a couple of waypoints of the deeper water areas.  As the water starts to recede I can easily locate structure such as long tapering points, creak channels, or ditches in the deeper water. As the water recedes the bass will relocate to these types of deep water structure areas and you’ll be prepared.During tournament time it is very critical to know the elevations of the water systems you’re fishing.  Take the time to learn normal pool elevation, current water level and a prediction of where the water level will be during the tournament.   Very often during the spring “management” will make a decision based upon conditions to raise or drawdown a lake.  It is never fun finding the winning fish during practice only to combat a drawdown and scattered fish during the tournament.  Keep these things in mind this spring and I’m sure it will increase your fishing success.        

A special “Thanks” to all of my sponsors: Jasper Engines and Transmissions, Yamaha Motors, Ranger Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Svanda GM Motor Group, Maxima Line, Kistler Rods, Minn Kota, Plano, Reaction Innovation, Nameoki Village Marine, Lunker Lure, and Solar Bat.

Make sure and log onto my web site www.chadmorgenthaler.com and signup for my fan club.  E-newsletters are forwarded monthly and one lucky winner each month receives a prize.  Tournament summaries are posted after each tournament and pro tips are updated often.  It’s a great source of bass fishing information.