Mon. Report

[BolivarBasser]

Launched at Bolivar landing, spent most of my time fishing the flooded shoreline brush. Fished 7:00-noon. Got a hard bite on a blue/chart. spinnerbait but threw the hook. Other than that, got skunked. Tried spinnerbait, buzzbait, popper, brush hog, jig 'n pig, zoom fluke, nothing seemed to work and couldn't find a pattern. Had about a foot of visibility, water was ridiculously high and cloudy and there was debris and trash everywhere. Forgot to record a water temp, sorry guys. Hope y'all had a more productive day than I. On the bright side, it was a gorgeous day to be out on the water.

[Trav]

Launched at Bolivar landing, spent most of my time fishing the flooded shoreline brush. Fished 7:00-noon. Got a hard bite on a blue/chart. spinnerbait but threw the hook. Other than that, got skunked. Tried spinnerbait, buzzbait, popper, brush hog, jig 'n pig, zoom fluke, nothing seemed to work and couldn't find a pattern. Had about a foot of visibility, water was ridiculously high and cloudy and there was debris and trash everywhere. Forgot to record a water temp, sorry guys. Hope y'all had a more productive day than I. On the bright side, it was a gorgeous day to be out on the water.

You have to give the flooded shore time to season. Give it another wee or two then work it. Right now you have to fish deepeer....

[BolivarBasser]

Think it'll still be that high in a week or two? I don't know much at all about the COE and how they control the dam and such, but my simple mind is tempted to wonder why they don't just open the gates and return the lake to it's normal, happy level.

[Spearfisher]

well they dont open the dam because the water has no where to go. The rivers are full, Truman is full, lake of the ozarks is full, the water has no where to go. they are running water 27,500cfs at truman thats over 205,700 gallons per second. so when it gets to a better level they will start running pomme. The water at bolivar landing was 69 degrees on sunday.

[BolivarBasser]

That makes sense, thanks SF.

Question: This time of year, when the bass are in shallow water and we get massive rainfall like we got, do they tend to stay near the same location as they were, which is now 20 feet under the surface? From what trav was saying it sounds like they'll eventually move into the shallows to follow forage. I guess I'm just asking how bass respond to rapidly rising waters and how/if they adjust spawning patterns/locations.

[Trav]

That makes sense, thanks SF.

Question: This time of year, when the bass are in shallow water and we get massive rainfall like we got, do they tend to stay near the same location as they were, which is now 20 feet under the surface? From what trav was saying it sounds like they'll eventually move into the shallows to follow forage. I guess I'm just asking how bass respond to rapidly rising waters and how/if they adjust spawning patterns/locations.

Initially they might move up with the water but only while feeding. They for the most part will stay in their comfort zones. The area they are used to, even with twenty extra feet over their heads. Yet, the longer the water stays up the more comfortable they willl get with the new water level and will eventually reestablish new comfort zones.

As far as spawning, this time of year it is not an issue. I would say two thirds of the fish have finished with it. One good thing about high water, the young fry will have more cover and will have a greater chance of survival.