When the calendar flips to October, fall is here. Even if you live in the deep South and the daytime temperatures are still pushing past the 90-degree mark, the days shorten, leaves begin to drop, and nighttime temps finally fall below 75 degrees. Out on the lakes, “fall” is
If you fish lakes with well-defined summer thermoclines, chances are, fall turnover is on the horizon. September through November is prime turnover time in the Southeast and Midwest. The catalyst for turnover happens when surface water temperatures drop lower than the lake-bottom water temperature – usually into the low
Back in the 90s, bass fishing was more of a spring and summer activity. Anglers rigged rods and rolled the boat out of the garage in February or March to begin the bass fishing season. The four seasons of bass fishing were prespawn, spawn, post-spawn, and summertime ledge fishing.
September is certainly a big transition month in bass fishing, but the first couple of weeks can seem like just a continuation of August. Sometimes the doldrums of summer set in through mid-to-late September, with extended hot, humid weather offering little relief, especially in the South. However, a
The scientific community has recognized the temperature stratification of water and the formation of thermoclines in lakes since the late 1800s. What has been a mystery up until the last few decades, however, is how bass relate to thermoclines. Given the current era of high-powered electronics, many of those
The brunt of summer is here, and the Southeast is experiencing major heat warnings, with heat indexes cresting past the 100-degree mark for multiple days in a row. Even night fishing is like being in a sweat lodge. Now is the perfect time to take a couple of days
Through the years, August has always been a mystery month in bass fishing. Most bass anglers can probably recall fishing lakes that were great in the spring, decent in the summer, but then in August, the bass just vanished. This begs the question: where did all the fish go? This
It’s that time of year: the dog days of summer. This is when you might become a tad bit envious of those who live in the Northeast and the upper Midwest. Bass in their part of the country are perfectly comfortable in 65- to 75-degree water, eating everything
Extensive pre-tournament research has become a standard practice in the modern era of competitive bass fishing. National tournament organizations BASS, MLF, NPFL, and regional trails like the Alabama Bass Trail and the Texas Team Trail, all provide great coverage of fishing action from their events, populating digital platforms with
Chris Zaldain relied heavily on his Western roots from the California Delta to capture a 7th-place finish at the Bassmaster Elite Series event at the Pasquotank River in mid-June. Zaldain led day one of the event with an opening limit weighing 25-8. From there, his scorecard included
July is a month of contradictions in the underwater world of bass fishing. The factors that help and hinder fish catching are going in opposite directions. For instance, the water temperature is rising to the warmest levels of the year. A bass’ metabolism is now much higher than it was
Just a little ripple. The tiniest bit of breeze. I’m talking about a hint of wind. These are the words bass anglers use to describe the amount of air needed to ruffle up a glassy calm water surface to help mask an artificial lure. Elite Series pro Jordan Lee