Fishing for Scattered Bass

In the past few weeks we have had a lot of rain and it has caused the lakes to raise several feet above summer pool. But most of our area lakes are pretty well at or close to normal. From what I have seen the color of the water at Carr Creek lake has a very good color and should produce some good fishing. Some bass have been on the nest and some where moving up to stage up on the shallow cover to spawn. But after all this sudden rain and quick rising of water levels and then dropping again this has caused a lot of the bass and other fish to scatter in all different water levels and on all different types of cover.

The bass will not move far from the shallow areas but some bass will hold on areas that have deeper water close to shallow cover. Areas like main lake points that have a creek channel that hugs close to the bank is a prime type of bass cover. As I said all this changing of water depths will cause bass to scatter out. Look for shallow water areas that have a virarity of cover like brush piles, rocks, lay down trees, standing timber and flooded bushes. You can fish for scattered shallow water bass with a lot of different baits. But baits that cover a lot of water quickly will do best. Baits like a spinner bait and a crank bait will work well for this type of fishing.

The bass are in these shallow water areas for two main reasons. One is to spawn and also to feed on shad, minnows, crawdads and other baits. This is why a spinner bait and a crank bait works so well. Because there are no other baits that resemble or imitate a injured bait fish as well. Because the bass are up shallow they will be easily spooked by noise, so you will want to stay back off the area you are going to fish and make long cast to the area. Use light line like the new fluorocarbon lines this will be less visible and allow for longer cast than heavier line.

Using a longer rod will give you better casting control and allow for longer casing and will let you pick up slack line off the water faster on the hook set. A rod with a limber tip will bend under the pulling action of a hooked bass and keep pressure of the bass making it harder for the bass to throw the treble hooks of a crank bait during the fight. Once you have located a area of bass you can also use rigs like a Carolina rigged lizard or a fluke type bait.

Or if there is good heavy cover close to this area you can fish it with a worm or jig for a chance of catching a bigger bass. Just look for signs of bass breaking the surface feeding on bait fish this will give you a idea of areas of active feeding bass.

Give this type of bass fishing a try soon before the spawn is over and the bass move in to the deeper early summer patterns.