Fall of the previous year they lowered the dam lower than usual to do some repairs. Not that bad but we had noticeably more beach around the edges than for the usual water lowering each year for sure. Last summer (Maine here so seasonal boat fishing) the fishing was not great at all. I've been told by some that the lower than usual water for something like this can cause one or more years of poor fishing. I figure maybe it disrupts the spawn???

Does anyone else have any experience with this happening? Might things be better this spring or am I looking at a long recovery period. I live on the lake here so it's pretty much where I park my boat from spring to fall. My lake is really a flooded rive that was dammed up long ago for textile mills long defunct. It's 4 1/2 miles long and 1/4-1/2 mile wide with varying depths up to 90 ft.

I’m in Texas and it occasionally gets hot. We have several lakes that will be down 20-40ft during severe droughts. The low water disrupts everything, not just the heat. I mean life finds a way, but TPWD tends to close it off and let the ecosystem recover. Restock and such later. It has happened to our local lakes at least 4 times in my life. 
 

So the low water level will certainly make a difference. How much?  Who knows?

They repaired a dam on my favorite mountain lake, it got way better after being down 25 feet for a couple years . Then again it was off limits to fishing while drained so that’s probably why it got so much better. 

Draw downs usually improves the bite if enough shoreline    growth had time to emerge. Bass like the new flooded cover.

Tom 

What are we talking about for a draw down?  Couple of feet, or 10's of feet.  If minor, it's just a change in water level and you deal with it like any other.  If it's a significant draw down and has been down for a year or more,may be like fishing new lake that already had fish in it.
It'll be just like fishing a new lake.  You got to find them.

 

Sounds like fun.