I RECENTLY STARTED FISHING LAKES WHERE THERE IS A GREATER DEPTH VARIANCE(USUALLY DROP-OFFS TO 30-45FT).. THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN NEAR 100 FOR SEVERAL WEEKS HERE IN OKLAHOMA. IS THERE A CERTAIN DEPTH THAT BASS WILL NOT GO LOWER THAN, OR IS 20-25 FT IDEAL?

They can go to the bottom of your lake and then some.  Places like that are where a fishfinder really comes in handy.

they will search for the thermocline when surface temps. get really hot. That is an area you might call their comfort zone. It is an area that holds the most oxygen and this depth varies on different bodies of water.  You can find it these areas,  but you need a depth finder.

The thermo cline is where most of the bass will spend most of their time during the hot days of the year. They will seldom go much deeper because the very deep water has very little dissolved oxygen. The depths of a lake are where things settle and start to decay. The decomposition of plant and animal matter requires oxygen; therefore it uses up what oxygen is available down there. Many fish finders can locate the thermo cline it appears as a very light gray line and stays at a fairly consistent depth. If your fish finder can't pick it up then you will notice there is a particular depth that schools of baitfish are staying at. Find this depth and then concentrate on fishing structure and cover at that depth.

JCbass, don't know which lake your fishing, but I fish several lakes here in northeastern OK.

I've been catching bass anywhere from 2ft in the weeds to 25 ft in the rocks.

I talked to Paul Greenwood, (Grennwoods fishing center) Skiatook lake. He said that most of the guys fishing the T.A.G. tournaments have been

catching their biggest fish from 30 to 35' deep.

I fished Skiatook from 7:00pm last night to 9:00am this  morning. The surface temp ranged from 80deg to 85deg.

We caught bass from the surface to 25' deep.

nothing very big, about 1 1/2 lbs.