When the calendar turns to July, anglers seeking bass on B. Everett Jordan Reservoir look to deep-water tactics to bag the big one. The bass have moved from their shallow post-spawn recovery areas to their deep summertime haunts. July is the time of year when anglers can find trophy bass in large concentrations on Jordan, for which the 14,000-acre lake has a reputation. It readily produces for anglers due to a combination of various deep-water structures along with an excellent bass population.
It is a well-known fact that some largemouth bass will stay shallow throughout the year. It can still be productive to flip and pitch baits to shallow cover, but those looking for good numbers of summertime bass on Jordan need to seek deeper water. The main problem many anglers face is narrowing down areas to fish out of Jordan’s vast amount of deep-water structures. One excellent technique to narrow the search is to locate the depth of the thermocline. Just like any other Piedmont lake this time of year, the most productive areas on Jordan are going to be in this depth range.
The thermocline can be affected by weather patterns, so it may vary from week to week. In order to find it consistently anglers need to study their electronics while on the water. It is easily recognized as a distinct band of interference on the sonar screen. The reason the thermocline is important is because baitfish and game fish congregate in the specific water column due to the stable temperature and oxygen level. Once an angler finds the depth of this productive water it becomes easier to narrow down the areas to start fishing.
It is a known fact that some of the most productive areas in Jordan Lake are the
submerged roadbeds. The ability to accommodate fish in any depth range is what makes these man-made structures so appealing. Anglers can typically find large concentrations of fish on the edges of the roadbeds by cruising them with their electronics. Once a large school is found, it can be some of the best action-packed fishing of the year. With the fish so concentrated, it’s not uncommon to catch 20 or more bass in one location.
The best baits to trigger bites on deep structure are large crankbaits, Carolina-rigged soft plastics, and football jigs. Many times the bass are staging and waiting for a school of baitfish. They stay in relatively stationary schools while they wait and often times seem inactive. The key to catching these fish is patience because once a fish from the school gets hooked it can send the whole school into a feeding frenzy. It is common to catch several fish on consecutive casts once the fish become active. A great technique to get the fish fired up is with a Carolina-rig or football jig worked slowly over the structure. Once a fish bites and gets the school active, a crankbait is hard to beat.
Jay Nyce
Outdoor Writer
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