I've been struggling the past 2 years on my local lake. Water has been the lowest I've seen it in 10 years.

The owner of the store at the lake has posted on FB that the lake has risen 7 feet so far and water is still running in as we speak from the recent rains.

So my mind is screwed now. I've fished the lake the Same way for the past 2 years and now this opens up so many more opportunities. ..how would you all approach the sudden change in water level?

Last time this happened, I threw Baby Brush Hogs at the base of flooded trees and killed em...The Bass were puking up Crawfish. Think this latest influx of water will send the Bass into another feeding frenzy? Does a rise in water level usually trigger a feeding ftenzy?

It's gonna be a whole new lake and opportunities abound...I'm just really anxious to try these "new" spots..

Yes! Most certainly , positively ... I love when it happens..... Flip and pitch all newly flooded bushes, picnic tables, etc.... You did it before and I would have 4 rods rigged for flipping! Go get em and let us know!!!

I agree with Skippy, fish the flooded area hard. All kinds of bait in that newly flooded areas.

The peoblem as I see it is that a sudden water rise tends to scatter bass.

Some now have moved to new water in areas where they couldnt go.

Some are in the same area and don't move, while others are somewhere in between.

Its this scatter effect that I dont like. Granted a point can be made that at least you know some have moved to the flooded areas so you know now where they're at. Some of the seaching can be cut down.

Is it a perfect senario? some days maybe, some not so much.

Mike

It really depends on the lake. For example, in my everydayday which is quite "flat" 7 ft would mean that the lake would grow in size by many acres in surface, the fish will imediately scatter, which is not esssentialy bad, since after several years of drought new hábitat has been created, there will be a lot of new brush. In other cases, like the threesome of tiny lakes close to my hometown 7 ft in rise mean nothing, the lakes were created when the dam was built closing a small canyon, the fish do not scatter, they only thing they do is rise as the wáter level rises.

 

The problem is if you didn´t pay attention to what was on the area previously to being flooded when you deal with a "flat" lake.

I'd be looking for "funnel" like areas, where what was a shallow cove near deep water has flooded brush and ideally where water has been running in. Literally imagine a funnel - a place that will hold water coming in without washing out. Another type of place is where a point was exposed and now under water. Think of it this way: we spend a great deal of time and energy trying to describe the bottom structure in our minds, and you've been staring at what is now underwater for two years. It's an advantage, now use it.

The peoblem as I see it is that a sudden water rise tends to scatter bass.

Some now have moved to new water in areas where they couldnt go.

Some are in the same area and don't move, while others are somewhere in between.

Its this scatter effect that I dont like. Granted a point can be made that at least you know some have moved to the flooded areas so you know now where they're at. Some of the seaching can be cut down.

Is it a perfect senario? some days maybe, some not so much.

Mike

This. TVA messes with our water levels so much during summer and like Mike said, it scatters them. Rising water at least will bring the fish up a little shallower though. I'd much rather have rising lake levels than having them drop as it forces fish deeper when that happens. Here on Douglas anyway.