TAKEOFF
SCENARIOS
TARGETING TEMPORARY DRAINS
heavY Rains can open BRief patteRn WindoWs alonG the BanK
By Brent Frazee
A
Cody Meyer finds bass in major inflows following periods of heavy rainfall.
side from a severe cold front, not much can drastically
change a springtime fishing scenario like a sudden del-
uge – the type that creates the possibility of flash flood-
ing and causes streams of runoff to pour into reservoir creeks.
such scenarios create an instant new pattern, one that
can be enormously productive, especially in clear-water
reservoirs. that’s when flW tour pro cody Meyer heads for
the backs of creeks, coves and cuts to fish for bass foraging
in areas with inflowing water.
“that fresh water will attract shad, crawdads, all kinds of
food,” says Meyer. “it’s like a buffet line for the bass.
“they’re not at every one of those spots where runoff is
coming in. sometimes you have to hit several places before
you hit the right one. But when you do, they can be stacked
in there.”
Finding Fish in the Flows
28
While an extreme water-level change can also impact bass
behavior (see the Forest for the Trees feature that ran in the
previous issue for advice on dealing with high water) and
accompany a heavy rainfall, generally any temporary inflow –
particularly if the runoff is warmer than the surface water in
the lake during spring – can open a window of opportunity.
“i generally start by looking for the biggest main creek
flowing into the reservoir,” Meyer says of his approach to
finding bass. “those areas, especially when they are steep-
sided, generally have the most inflow.”
that scenario is especially productive on a deep, rocky
reservoir like Beaver lake, where the water is normally clear.
the inflow will add color to the water and make normally
wary bass less cautious. on stained reservoirs, the added
color might have less of an effect.
temporary drains can sometimes be obvious. at the 2017
Beaver lake flW tour event, for instance, Meyer fished
waterfalls so large that he could maneuver his Ranger under-
neath them.
in lighter rains or on lowland reservoirs where the terrain
is flatter, some drains are much more subtle. dirty water is an
obvious giveaway, but small “valleys” or hollows between hills
along the shore often create drains where runoff is concen-
trated and flows into the lake. Gravel bars and other bottom
substrate built up at the “mouths” of these drains are dead
giveaways, too.
Go with the Flow
Regardless of location, Meyer likes to try to get his baits to
look natural in the flowing runoff. he will use a variety of baits
such as light shaky heads, swimbaits, wacky-rigged soft-plas-
tic stick baits and spinnerbaits, and will either swim them
with the current or let them drift along in the flow.
on flatter banks, where the inflows might not be strong
enough to generate much of a flow, a shallow-running
crankbait and jig pitched into the area are good go-to lures.
depending on the conditions, temporary drains can pro-
duce some of the best early shallow fishing, when the water
is still cold, and all spring and summer long bass will seek out
the well oxygenated water and concentrated food chain cre-
ated by the runoff for feeding opportunities.
FLWFISHING.COM I MAY-JUNE 2018