Some Deep-Water Thoughts
The heat of the hot summer and effect of 90 plus water temperature is taking most anglers out to the deep water looking for the fish that have gone to the cooler water temperatures. When you get on your deep spot and wonder why those fish were there one day and appeared to be gone the next I think you need to examine the elements that being is there current moving or not, is the thermocline developed at the bottom and moved the fish.
In the current bass have a tendency to position themselves so they can take advantage of the current and feed easily, so an ambush spot is the key to finding those fish? The job you have is determining where they will be positioned on deep structure. So angles become a very important part of deep structure fishing, work the structure from several angles until you get a bite. Take mental note of the position of your boat, it will tell you how the bass have positioned and lead to the correct position on the structure and probably other structures you will fish while the current is moving. Boat position is the key; I can’t tell you the number of times I tell someone to work at an angle while I’m guiding, just don’t fish and edge or drop from one position work all the angles until you figure it out. The thermocline is also a big issue as we approach these 90-degree water temperatures; you see surface temperature is much warmer than the water down at 20 plus ft. What happens is the colder water or deeper water is much heavier than the warm water, it settles on the bottom and the weight of the water squeezes the oxygen out of the deep water moving the fish to areas where there is more oxygen.
This phenom is a result of the hot weather temperatures we get in the summer and adjusting your fishing areas, tactics, and depth will be the key to being successful in these hot summer days. Current, and structure create oxygen in the water so any combination of this can help you find areas that will allow you to be successful on your lake. Deep water is not always the key, but it is a summer pattern to be examined.
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Captain Mike Gerry