Yep, you heard me right. I'm not talkin' out my...ahh...well, you know where I mean...from spendin' too much time out there tryin' to find a bass or two...Scout's honor. No, sir. I'm givin' it to ya just like I read it.
Anyhow, seems there's this smaller lake...about 10 acres...in South Dakota, where the surface temp this time of year gets to be 92 degrees.
Said this one angler, "I generally don't fish it this time of year, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway. Usually, early spring, when the ice goes out, I have a heckuva time because this lake warms up faster than others in the area.
"There are cattails all the way around the lake, except for the make-shift ramp area. The water is based on an old valley damned at the other end. It goes from 3 feet to 32 feet...just like that. I know bass are in there, as I've caught quite a few the last several years.
"I've never seen the water this hot anywhere else in South Dakota. I'm wondering what I should do different cause the depthfinder doesn't help me see them. Structures are not working. Water clarity is pea-green soup.
"Temp today was 105, with high humidity. Tried drop-shotting, Senkos, wacky worms, and just about every other soft plastic in every format. Thought about trying some plugs and spinnerbaits, or should I just forget this lake? Looking for some advice."
All this came from a forum guy who said "there are no bad days...but better days spent fishing."
One of the first respondents was a fella in Michigan, who told the South Dakota angler he had what "we in Michigan call a lockjaw lake. If you figure it out, let me know. It might help me out here."
The more reasonable response came from pro angler Mike Cork, who offered the following suggestions to the South Dakota angler:
"A lake of this size, no matter how deep it gets, can be real tough!!! And with the water a pea-green soup, that says there is a large algae bloom going on. That algae bloom will prevent sunlight from getting to the plant life in the lake, which, in turn, will hurt oxygen levels in the water. Another thing you are combatting is the fact that you have steep banks that drop off quickly, which prevents plant life, as well, and without any shallow flats for wind and wave action to stir up the water, it's very hard for oxygen to mix into the water from the air.
"With lower oxygen levels and the extreme heat, these fish are going to be very sluggish, to say the least. As a result, when they do make an attempt to eat, they will want the most bang for their buck. So, larger baits are going to be worth more to their systems, but with that said, you're going to have to work them very slowly.
"Concentrate on areas that have any vegetation on them. The best kind is the nice thick green hydrilla, but any grass you have in the water will help. Lily pads and plants that grow out of the water are not as effective but are better than nothing. Also look for shade. If your banks are steep, though, shade will be hard to find.
"Try to stick with fishing early and late in the day, and use large, slow-moving topwater baits like a Zara Spook. With fish in these conditions, noise-makers sometimes are a turn off (not a solid rule but a personal observation).
"After the sun comes up, I would have thought the Senko would work, but maybe try a very light weighted 10-inch plastic worm in a dark color, like tequila sunrise, and work it very slowly through and over any vegetation you can find.
"Also, this lake sounds like a perfect candidate for a night-fishing trip. It's not for everyone, but night fishing can catch you the biggest bass in the lake if you are up for it. At night, try a 3/8-ounce all black spinnerbait with a Colorado blade. Vary the speed and depth 'til you find the strike zone."
The South Dakota angler took this and some of the other forum suggestions he received to heart and tried them, but his after-action report contained anything but glowing comments.
"After four daytime and two nighttime trips, I'm not getting even a nibble on this small lake," he said. "The water is a constant 85 to 90 degrees. I think I've thrown everything in my tacklebox at them...even tried some live bait. The black spinnerbaits at night didn't change anything.
"The lake down the road from here, where I also fish, has been tough, but I've been catching a few, so think maybe I'll just pass on this other lake 'til later in the fall. Thanks for all the inputs, though."
In conclusion, another forum member chimed in with the following: "I've seen this 'no bite' thing before when it gets really hot. Sometimes, they shut down for days on end, and no matter what you try, you can't seem to put it together. Then, however, all of a sudden, the entire lake/river goes into a mass-feeding frenzy. You gotta keep going, or you'll miss out on a day of fishing that's to die for."
As Winston Churchill once noted, "Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about."
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