If you were to venture out...

[BearFisher10]

Thought this might make for a fun topic since high water isn't normally associated with the winter. 

How would you approach the lake right now with the high water this time of year?

I think for me, I would start out on pea gravel run off banks and start working from the old brush line on out dragging a jig. The other option would be to fish the bluff ends with your typical wintertime baits. And I love flipping a jig so I'd end up doing that too lol. Probably wouldn't be able to resist with all the brush in the water. 

[Champ188]

"I'm just not that mad at 'em."

---- Bill Babler

[Quillback]

I am not anticipating being on TR for a while.  Just as the jerk bait bite seemed to be getting good, this happens.

[Ham]

I'd really rather wait for a little bit of falling water to move the big stuff closer to the shore line. Motoring thru lots of woody debris isn't a lot of fun for me in the Bass Cat. It might get pretty tough to find an open ramp.

I'd go shallow into some flowing stuff and flip dark colored jigs or soft plastics. I might also try cranks or spinnerbaits. My bait selection gets a little limited. I don't think there is a whole lot of clean water to be found, but steeper banks and a Ned might be an option.

 

[Sore Thumbs]

I think I would find the clearest water possible with flow and concentrate on those. You could find the mother load. Finding clean water might be tuff. 

[skeeter]

You can forget windy banks. Hard to believe the amount of leaves, trash, driftwood, trees etc. that is floating up against a shoreline exposed to this NW wind.  Just looked outside and the "crap-line" extends out an easy 35 feet from the current high water line at the bank edge.  Seems to be mostly leaves and that is going to really hit the pH hard from all the Tannin in the leaf litter.

[dtrs5kprs]

...I'd venture out to BPS, Sportsman's, or better yet TW and fondle some tackle (or ogle, in the case of TW). Just saying.

Ned will work as soon as you can get a boat wet. It has worked through high water the last few years. You don't have to throw a big, noisy bait just because it is dirty. 

[Ham]

3 minutes ago, dtrs5kprs said:

Ned will work as soon as you can get a boat wet. It has worked through high water the last few years. You don't have to throw a big, noisy bait just because it is dirty.

Ohhhhh.....But I want to

[Sore Thumbs]

I would think it will take a few days for them to get up in the stuff. I would start where the bank was before the water came up and go from there. 

[Ham]

I think Largemouth move up quickly with rising water. I think smallies typically stick longer with the "old" bankline. Spotted Bass are freaking crazy and I have no idea what causes them to behave the way they do.

I'd be looking for LMB that had moved up.