Having spent a lot of time filming and photographing fish in dams and lakes, I think that some of my observations could well be of help to the fisherman that pursue these fish. In this case I will concentrate on a few observations relevant to largemouth bass.
First some general observations; most lakes and dame have a shallow fringe, rich in fish and plant life and a much deeper interior that is generally rather lifeless, cold and dark, except of course when shallower banks and islands are present. The shallower areas themselves do not always have an even spread of fish and often for no apparent reason, entire stretches and bays will be completely without fish, while other areas, usually with a little more cover available or with easy access to deeper water will have large congregations of bass, often also in close association with other local fish species. This uneven distribution pattern is inclined to be exaggerated during the colder non breeding months.
An important aside to this is that from year to year these areas of higher fish concentration tend to remain similar.
It would follow that for a bass fisherman, finding areas that harbour fish is probably the single most important factor when approaching a fishing destination.
Another thing that you might want to take note of is how often I have observed several bass lying lazily off a bank, watching without interest as lures pass them by. It seems that there are just times when bass are simply not feeding. This is more often during colder months or when bass have formed a social shoal in the shallows; usually in the vicinity of some easily accessible cover. But I have observed these disinterested fish on many occasions and throughout the year.
At these times, larger fish do however still tend to show aggression when first encountered and will often approach me with an open mouth in what amounts to their threat posture. Perhaps a large bright threatening lure would provoke an irritated strike from these fish. Or perhaps it is for the good that bass are not always on the hunt; it gives them a little rest from the fishermen and makes the sport a little more challenging.
Finally, on a similar note, I would like to point out that fishermen would be shocked to know just how often large fish are right at their feet without them realising it. Especially where there is a grass overhang or a heavily weeded fringe on a lake. And more so in water where the visibility is a little murky. I am not an expert on lure presentation but it would be a good idea to always look for tactics that can target the heavy cover along the dams edges. On many stretches of water this is in fact the only area that holds fish, while bank fisherman often tend to wade right through it and cast out into open water.
I hope that some of this is of interest to bass anglers. Please use the link if you would like to see some of my underwater photographs of largemouth bass.
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