Summer Bass, Crappie and Hybrid Bass Patterns

With water temperatures around 91° and the lake sitting at 505 feet, early mornings and evenings continue to offer the best bite. Many fish move deeper as the day heats up.

Bass: Bass are holding on deep ledges, docks, and standing timber, but don’t overlook the flooded shoreline. With the high water, bass are pushing into newly flooded bushes and vegetation to feed. A weedless Texas-rigged worm, creature bait, or jig worked through the cover can produce some excellent bites.

Crappie: Crappie are sluggish and have moved into deeper water and are relating to submerged timber and brush piles in roughly 14–18 feet of water. Live minnows and small jigs continue to be productive, especially during low-light periods.

Hybrid Bass: Hybrids remain one of the more consistent summer bites. Watch for schools chasing baitfish over deeper water during the early morning or just before sunset, and keep a spoon or swimbait ready. Many anglers have mentioned that they have had luck trolling the deeper waters around the dam.