I was hoping for some of your guys opinion.  The body of water I fish on fluxuates water level 20' a lot of times in the spring.  Usually it is down 10' to 12'.  And the water temp this time of year is mid to high 40's.  here comes my quetion.  The water right now is 42' low and droppig.  The water temp is high thirties and low 40's.  This time of year the bass are starting to come up on the flats and you can be really productive on suspending Jerkbaits.  I just don't know if they are still going to be coming up or if they will still be in there winter pattern.  I know the temp says that its winter pattern, but I'm not sure that some won't be moving up.  What do you think and whats the best aproach to try and target these fish.  One more thing they are smallmouth.  I would like some help on this one.  Thanks.  

Some more info on the lake I fish.  Its a river that is backed up by a dam down at the dam its over a 150' deap in places.  Not many flats down there.  There is more steep drop offs and main river points.  The farther up you go you start getting into more flats.  once you go about 35-40 miles up river you get back into the main flowing river.  Where would you predict the fish to be at.

thanks for the help.

The question here is the extreme active draw down.  This may cause the fish to move to deeper water, no matter what time of year it happens.  If the water continues to drop I feel the fish will back off.  If it stabilizes and or starts to rise they will follow normal movements.  Try backing out to the first major break and use suspending or neutral buoyant baits.  A jig and trailer, quiet plastics, or slow rolled spinner bait are also a good bet in this scenario.  

A bass is a bass and will do the same things under the same conditions every time.   The change in the suns angle and the length of the days will start the activity and you will need to adjust to find the fish but they will be trying to "do what comes naturally.

If you know where the fish are and where they want to go, I would start looking between those two locations.  I don't think the fish have all left, just waiting for things to stabilize and the water to quit dropping.

I am partial to the suspending crank baits and slow falling quiet plastics for this type of application.  As soon as the water stops falling or raises some, I would switch to suspending twitch baits, spinner baits, and jig and trailers.  If you get 3 or 4 days of stable weather and little wind it is time for the rattle baits, floating worms, and faster moving crank baits.

This is what makes fishing fun.

JR

Master Hunter, JR hit it right on the nose!  Water draw down is key here.