By Preston Harden
Water temperature is in the upper 80s and water level is at full pool. As of mid-July, hybrids and stripers are heading towards the lower Lake. We have been catching lots of fish heading down the rivers towards the dam. They have been about 30 or 40 feet deep over the river channel . The thermocline forms up Lake and the fish ride on top of the thermocline heading towards the lower Lake. The thermocline settles out about mid-lake most years. The water quality gets better towards the lower Lake and the better fish will be concentrated in the deep water near the dam. Good electronics will show the fish, sometimes deeper than 100 feet. Last year, August was my best month with lots of big fish coming in the boat. Live Herring worked great. Power reeling with big spoons or a 1 ounce jig head and a 5 inch swim bait also catches lots of fish. The key is to locate a school on your sonar.
Bass have moved off the banks and are hanging around brush piles in 20 to 30 feet deep water. The spots school up like stripers and when you find a school, there may be a bunch of them. We have been catching them every day. After we catch a limit of hybrids and stripers, we throw top water’s around the schools of spots. If we have left over Herring, the spots will not refuse a Herring in their face. There are not as many largemouth Bass left in the Lake, as the spots are taking over. They out compete the largemouth and over time they will displace the largemouth. This is sad to those that like to catch largemouth. I don’t mind because spots are easier to catch. They fight better, and they taste better. They are prolific spawners and are here to stay.