CHANGING WATER LEVELS AND BASS

Arizona lakes often experience water level changes. Especially S.R.P. connected waters such as Lake Pleasant. During these times fishermen often discover that the fish they have been on for weeks are suddenly gone. Don’t worry they are still there, they are just on the move. Understanding their behavior when water levels change will help you find the right patterns to continue to catch fish.

On rising water conditions, bass will quickly leave the deeper water and move to shallow water. They will leave their congregations and spread out in search of recently flooded rocks, trees, bushes, grass, and logs. While fishing at Lake Pleasant last week, I targeted fresh cover in the upper end of the lake and filled the boat. As most of you know the lake is on the rise. I also noticed a lot of baitfish in these areas and the bass were getting their fill.

Bass, during falling water levels can be a bit more difficult to catch. But you will find them leaving the shallows in route to deep water sanctuaries like a channel with access to even deeper water.

Whenever bass are on the move, it presents a challenge. But if was supposed to be easy, they would have named it "catching", instead of "fishing". KIP POLLAY (AZOD)