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Rising water,where to fish?

1K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  knapperheadmatt 
#1 ·
we've been in a moderate drought here in texas and the lake i fish fell 20' . well now we've gad some good rain and it's come up 4-5' in the last couple of days. i tried last week two nights in a row using shrimp,spot tail shiners, blue gill both cut and live, i never got a bite. now with the water rising where should i try? the lake is a highland reservoir with steep rocky shorelines and hardly any cover.the water is clear to about 10 feet. last time i tried the back of a creek and some main lake drop offs. what do ya'll think? thanks,
matt
 
#3 ·
I agree with Ken, creek mouths are always a good bet.

I would try those first, and if that didn't work I would look for a smaller inlet of water coming from a source that is usually dry or moist. This will be pouring alot of nutrient rich food into the lake and should have fish stacked on top of each other.

Look for shallow flats that may have been exposed during the draught and are now submerged again for the first time in a long time. These should be holding alot of fish also.

I hope this helps. It has worked for me in times of flooding before.
 
#4 ·
Yes sir, Ken is definately pointing you to the fish. Even if it's only 3-4ft. deep where its comming in the lake. Any tributary, bringing fresh water and oxygen should show profits. If there is only one it should produce consistantly as the lake fills. I'd go right back and hit em again with my live bait(s) and a dew worm.
Don
 
#5 ·
When the water is on the rise it runs the cats back up into the feeder creeks, the feeder creeks, are the river or lakes main water supply.

If you can get up into the creeks that feed the river or lake you will find catfish.

To fish the feeder creeks look for bends that trun to your right or left. if the creek bends to your right fish the left side of that bend reason is as water flows in and out of the bend each time little by little is washes a deeper area there but washing away sand or mud.

Fish the bends from the back to the front making fan cast from one side to the other and work your way back to you. always give each spot you fish atleast 30mins time.

Area like this with large trees, large rocks, brush piles, and down logs, in them are the key areas you want to look for.

Baits that are good in the areas like this are cut shad, live whole or dead shad, creek chubs, along with chicken livers, always try to keep the bait up off bottom a fooot or more. why you ask. cayse from one catfish to another each catfish have a over bite. a over bite is where the top or bottom lip sticks out more then the other one.

With them like that and your bait all the way on bottom it makes it hard for the catfish to get your bait and really hold it. bringing it off bottom will help with them not having to stand on there head to get your bait all they will have to do is swim into it suck it in. this helps them hold the bait longer giving you a chance at a better hook set.

But when the bait is on bottom and catfish try to get it before they can get your bait they have a mouth full of whatever is on the bottom of the area you fish. this causes them to try to bump it up off bottom. but with whatever in there mouth they have to spit the bait out so that they can get the sand or whatever out there mouth. this is the cause of alot of pick up and drops. if you ever had that to happen and wonder why then now you know.

I hope this is to some help.
 
#6 ·
vacatfish said:
But when the bait is on bottom and catfish try to get it before they can get your bait they have a mouth full of whatever is on the bottom of the area you fish. this causes them to try to bump it up off bottom. but with whatever in there mouth they have to spit the bait out so that they can get the sand or whatever out there mouth. this is the cause of alot of pick up and drops. if you ever had that to happen and wonder why then now you know.
Thanks a million for this little tidbit. Probably most everyone else on here all ready knew this, but I sure didn't. I have been fishing since I could walk, but have only discovered cat-fishing about two years ago, and for the last couple of months, they have been all I've been aiming for. I have always known that they are bottom feeders, so that's where I put the bait. On the bottom. Thanks again. This explains a whole heckofa-lot.
 
#7 ·
Your welcome glad it helped. it's always fun to help the new. thats what we are here for anything els you need to know just ask.

What size hook are you using. think so or not that can play a roll in how a catfish takes your bait. depending on the size and type fish your targeting.
 
#10 ·
I think that I would try floating bait about a foot or so deep around the rip rap When the water rises like that there are a lot of critters in between the rocks, and the cats seem to know it. lol I would guess that liver or soft craws would work best.
 
#11 ·
But when the bait is on bottom and catfish try to get it before they can get your bait they have a mouth full of whatever is on the bottom of the area you fish. this causes them to try to bump it up off bottom. but with whatever in there mouth they have to spit the bait out so that they can get the sand or whatever out there mouth. this is the cause of alot of pick up and drops. if you ever had that to happen and wonder why then now you know.[/qote]

i would also like to thank you for that info...very helpful indeed. but what if i don't know the water's depth? how do i know how deep to set my bait to make it a foot off the bottom? its kinda hard for me to figure it out simply by casting a sinker in. guess i could always cast in and reset the depth if my float doesnt stand up.
 
#13 ·
Just as an example of how cats feed, the water started coming up in the creek a few days ago, and what was normally from ankle to about 1' deep was on up to about 3 or 4 feet. I caught some 2-4 lb channels there that were feeding far up into the creek.
 
#14 ·
Im sure this can be done on a boat also. i get a slip float put it on the line tie a small sinker to the end of it drop it down till i see slack come into the line, then i stop it from letting more line out.

I reel it back up run the line between my fingers till i get to where the wet part starts then i stop. then i look from where it starts to the end of my line where the weight is so i can get a idea of how deep the area is.

Samething for bank fishing i do.
 
#15 ·
when ya'll refer to creek mouths are you talking about the place where the creek widens but still relativey shallow or the place where the creek enters the main lake? the main lake creek junctures here can be 150' deep with severe slopes. some places you can be 10' from the bank sitting in 60' of water.how would you fish that?
matt
 
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