Article & Images by Fran Myers
For discussion purposes look at the following diagram:
I bet all of us have fished something like this. The diagram is taken for the Lake Types volume of the “Spoonplugging Home Study Course”.
This diagram shows what all of us see in our heads and experience on the water today (book was first published back in the 1970’s). Bass in the weeds and around fallen trees.
Now not all bodies of water are the same. Some will have more weeds. Some will have no weeds. Some the weeds line stops at 4 feet, others stop past 25 feet.
If we look at the diagram but change a couple of things, where would the home of the fish be?
0000Situation 1 - Weed line stops at 8 feet and the deepest water is 15 feet
0000Situation 2 – Weed edge stops at 14 feet and the deepest water is 16 feet
0000Situation 3 – There are no weeds and the deepest water is 12
0000Situation 4 – There are no weeds, water is clear, and the water is 10 feet
Same body of water with a few changes. Reservoirs or dams can have all those scenarios in them at the same time. The answers…
Answer to situation 1 – The home of the fish is in the deepest water available. While fish like 30-35 feet, if the deepest water in the area is less they will use it.
Answer to situation 2 – The home of the fish is in the weeds. 14 foot weed line indicates clearer water conditions. Because the max depth is 16 feet it would not offer enough protection from the changing conditions for the fish to live in the deepest water.
Answer to situation 3 – with the information I have given you the home of the fish would be in the 12 foot water. However, water color is the issue.
Answer to situation 4 - If the water was clear and there was no cover in the area, it is unlikely you’ll ever find fish there.
Bass Digest/February, 2014