I live in California and right now, it's hot, really hot.  We're getting consecutive  days of 100 plus degree temps and the lake I usually fish has a water temp of about 82 at the surface.  This lake has some steep drop offs and gets deep (260 feet) and during the summer, a thermocline develops down to 30 to 40 feet.  Does anyone fish in similar conditions, and if so, what tactics do you use to consistently catch bass?

Except for your own creature comfort that water temp is ideal for active bass in high gear. Our thermocline hit 28 feet last week, getting deeper, and already putting bass out of reach of most anglers. But ya'll should be used to fishing deep for bass. I'd focus on north facing slopes and fish right above the thermocline. They will prefer shade, not particularly for escaping sun, but for concealment while waiting for baitfish to come close.

Jim

I love fishing hot weather!!  I am from California also and it sounds like a lake like lake oroville or shasta.  Thermocline is key, or atleast that is what i would base a starting patern.  You have pinpointed where the Thermocline is........now understand what it means.  

A thermocline is the part of the water column sandwhiched between the bottom layer (hypolimnion) which is colder with less oxygen and the top layer (epilimnion) which is warmer with an abundance of oxygen.  Now the thermocline is an area which is a zone at which the temperature, light penetration and PH level falls drastically........about a deggree a foot for temp.  This is usually where baitfish stay at that level because the light conditions and temperature conditions are just perfect for them and also bass.

Now you have pinpointed the depth at which it exists..........now pinpoint mainlake structure like Mainlake points humps, rockpiles, dropoffs....creek channels........that intersect that depth.  Now find the cover which makes the structure even better.  Now look for baitfish.........and there you are.......go fishing.  Use lures that can effectively fish this area, like dropshot rigs, c-rigs, deep diving cranks, dart head worms (i use spot removers) or your favorite baits.

I feel that this may help..since i am in school summers are the best times for me to fish.  I wish i could be bass fishing now..........but right now i am guiding in Alaska.........to pay for bass fishing when i get back.  I hope you get em.

Hot weather tips

1. stay home

2. turn up AC

3. Open beer

4. Drink beer

5. Repeat #3 and 4 untill Autumn.

Hot weather tips

1. stay home

2. turn up AC

3. Open beer

4. Drink beer

5. Repeat #3 and 4 untill Autumn.

We have a winner! Also, get some swimming in there somewhere...so..wake up and then swim and then turn up AC and then yeah you get the point...

Anything over 95F, im fishing in the nude. this eliminates some of the heat factor and keeps MOST other anglers from encroaching on your spot. 8-)

Anything over 95F, im fishing in the nude. this eliminates some of the heat factor and keeps MOST other anglers from encroaching on your spot. 8-)

I notest you seid most that would scare me  

I fish and guide on Crooked Lake in Florida and it is 90 degrees 7 months of the year here. After the surface water temps. hits 80 degrees or so I focus on points near deep water that hold bait fish. I use a touch down weight c-rigged with a zoom trick worm usually in junebug color. I just set up the boat on the point and cast to deep water draging the weight on the bottom. The most important thing to do is to know when the fish are feeding , here it is from 5 pm till dark on the points. Early mornings and at night I can catch bass in weeds and shallow spots at times, but the fast action is the points where the bass run the bait fish up on to the points when the dinner bell rings.