How To Catch Bass In A Flooded Lake - Oklahoma Edition

We're in Oklahoma to fish but the lakes are flooded! Instead of leaving we headed out on Tenkiller Lake to show you how to break down a lake with unstable water conditions and to hopefully catch a few bass along the way. The day ends with CC catching her new personal best! Come along for a fun day of bass fishing in the MidWest.

We started the day targeting fish offshore. In Summer most lakes have two groups of fish, those that stay shallow after they spawned and those that moved offshore. When lakes begin to rise the shallow fish are most impacted by the rising water. They will typically push up along the new shoreline and can be incredibly difficult to target. By staying offshore and targeting fish on structure (humps, ledges, and long tapering points) we're able to get on a much more consistent pattern without having to bury ourselves in cover.

High rising water is much more difficult in early Spring when bass are moving up in the prespawn. After the spawn its much easier to simply target the off shore bass. Whether the water stays clear or turns to mud, the fish will typically stay positioned the same way they were before the flooding began. Below is a breakdown of the baits and gear that we were using to catch fish on Tenkiller Lake.

Baits...

Jackall Gantarel: http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

Keitech 4.3" Swimbait (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Keitech 3.8" Swimbait (Crystal Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Heads...

Matt Allen Swimbait Head 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Stefan Guppy Head 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Matt's Keitech Combo...

Rod- G Loomis GLX 844C MBR: http://bit.ly/2gqziwT

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K HG: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Where Do Bass Go After They Spawn? (And How To Catch Them)

Its really easy once someone explains it! Post Spawn bass don't just disappear, they follow a very consistent pattern as they transition to Summer haunts. Today Matt walks us through each step as the fish shift from spawning to recuperating, and from traveling back to feeding. Post spawn is notoriously difficult because many anglers are unclear about how the fish move from April to June but its about to get a whole lot easier!

We've already discussed "Where Bass Go In Spring", post spawn is the exact same story run in reverse, but with a twist. After the fish spawn they'll move to the first ledge or point along their transition route. Here they will sit for a week or two to recuperate before feeding again. This is often the time when anglers feel lost and begin to panic about where the fish have gone. As soon as this period ends, the fish make a split. Half of the bass follow the remainder of the route out to deep outside or offshore structures and the other half push back in to the shallows.

The fish that turn shallow are the most fun because you're able to power fish them (flipping, punching, and frogging) but the fish that head offshore school up into mega schools and offer a whole different kind of excitement! It doesn't matter which direction you go, you're going to have a great time targeting either group of bass.

Below is a breakdown of the baits and tackle we're using to target these fish throughout the transition process and beyond.

Frog…

- Bully Wa 2 Frog: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

(Little Allen, Ghost, Snipe)

Punching/Flippin’…

-Sweet Beaver: http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

(Tramp Stamp, Delicious, Hematoma)

-1 oz Tungsten Weight: http://bit.ly/2bHj2pB

-Gamakatsu 4/0 Superline Hook: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

-Peg X Bobber Stopper: http://bit.ly/2bHjowk

Offshore or Ledge Fish...

-Norman DD-22 Crankbait: http://bit.ly/2LKB37w

(Glimmer Shad, Smokey Joe, Blue/Chart)

-Strike King 6XD Crankbait: http://bit.ly/2ery44M

(Clear water minnow, sexy shad, Sexy Ghost Minnow)

-Strike King 10XD: http://bit.ly/2gHT4F0

(Chartreuse Sexy Shad, Green Gizzard Shad)

-Dirty Jigs Pitchin' Jig: http://bit.ly/2amL3of

-Zoom Trick Worm: http://bit.ly/2aWkG7E

(Junebug, Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Magic)

-Strike King Fat Baby Finesse Worm: http://bit.ly/2aKei5y

(Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red, Blue Fleck)

Matt's Crankbait Combo...

Rod- Zodias 7'6" Med Heavy Glass: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Curado 150 DC: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

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How To Catch Your New PB Bass Before Summer

Its not too late! You've got one more shot at MONSTER bass before Summer arrives. Matt explains what the bass are doing as they transition, how to get ahead of them, and the best presentations to catch them. Whether you're already fishing the post spawn in the South or your lakes are just opening up in the North, this information will help you catch a bigger bass this Spring!

Catching a monster bass can happen at any time, but catching them consistently requires commitment. You have to start thinking differently when you're on the water, no longer focusing on "going fishing" and instead focusing on the fish's movements and feeding habits so you can predict their next move. If the bass in your area are still spawning, you have an awesome shot at a new Personal Best bass this Spring but if that door has already closed, all hope is not lost!

Matt explains that after the fish spawn there is one more shot to specifically target the biggest fish. They'll move off to recuperate but as soon as they're done (typically no more than 2 weeks) they'll feed aggressively one more time before heading into Summer. These fish can be targeted with a swimbait on virtually any fishery. Its not the way to catch numbers of bass but if you're ready to break your PB, the biggest bass of your life could be waiting for you on your next trip to the lake.

Below is a breakdown of the baits and tackle Matt recommends for this Style of Spring and post spawn fishing.

Spawning Bass Baits...

-Imakatsu Javallon Gill: http://bit.ly/2IvM1jj

-Mattlures Ultimate Bluegill: http://bit.ly/2FsZhA3

-Dirty Jigs Pitching Jig: http://bit.ly/2amL3of

(Canterbury Craw, Molting Craw, Go To)

-Sweet Beaver (Green Pumpkin Red Flake): http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

Glidebaits and Swimbaits...

-S-Waver 168 and 200: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

(Bluegill, Light Trout, Rainbow Trout)

-Keitech 6.8 Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Light Hitch, Copperfield, Sexy Shad)

-Osprey Inline Talon Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2laKeWD

(Bluegill, Light Hitch, TW Shad)

Wakebaits and Topwater...

-Megabass MegaDog: http://bit.ly/2VIYoMH

-Spro BBZ 8" Floater: http://bit.ly/2cU1x5P

-Bucca's Bull Shad Wakebait: http://bit.ly/2yceVRt

Matt's Favorite Swimbait Combo...

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: http://bit.ly/2x9kxuS

Reel-- Shimano Tranx 300 HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- 80 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 35 lb Sunline FC100 Shock Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

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How To Catch Bigger Spring Bass (The Easy Way)

Big bass are just as easy to catch as little bass when you know where to look! Matt explains exactly how these fish move, why they're transitioning, and how to take advantage of their feeding habits along the way. This is the culmination of our videos on early Spring bass fishing, you don't want to miss it!

We've already discussed early spring bass movements along secondary points and structures. We've also looked in depth at a variety of lures and presentations that are effective in Spring. Today we're focusing in on how and when to specifically target schools of bass. Using the tools you've learned you can trigger schools of bass into a feeding frenzy then cycle through a handful of baits (examples are below) to keep them feeding as you work through the numbers in search of that fish of a lifetime.

Below is a breakdown of our confidence baits for this style of fishing. Keep in mind that whether the bass school shallow or deep varies fishery to fishery, so we'll offer our favorite picks for both scenarios. We'll also include the exact equipment that was catching the bass in today's video.

Shallow Water/Heavy Cover Baits...

Jerkbait…

-Jackall Rerange 110: http://bit.ly/2ge0qED

(Ghost Wakasagi, Silver Shad)

UnderSpin…

-Hook- Flashy Swimmer 5/0: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

-Swimbait- Keitech Fat 4.8: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Pro Blue Red Pearl, Shad)

Swimbait…

-S-Waver 168 (Light Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Lipless Crankbait…

-Cordell Super Spot: http://bit.ly/2y3K210

(Foxy Momma, Foxy Shad, Royal Red)

Alabama Rig…

-Rig- Yum Flash Mob Jr: http://bit.ly/2bgDGNu

-Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait Head 1/8 oz (In stock next week): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Dummy Baits- Little Dipper: http://bit.ly/2brnU5I

-Main Swimbaits-Skinny Dipper (More rocking and wobble): http://bit.ly/2bf1uEn

-Keitech 4.8" Fat (Larger tail thumb): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Today's Color: Silver Flash Minnow)

Deep Water/Open Water Baits...

Jerkbait…

-Lucky Craft Staysee 90: http://bit.ly/2dBzMmz

(Crystal Pro Blue, Nishiki)

UnderSpin…

-Hook- BladeRunner 1/2 oz (Anchovy): http://bit.ly/2oocg0a

-Swimbait- Keitech 4.8" Fat (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Swimbait…

- Osprey Tournament Talon 6": http://bit.ly/2bqsLS0

(Reverse Hitch is Tim's Favorite Color)

Lipless Crankbait…

- Lucky Craft LV-500: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

(Ghost Minnow, BP Golden Shiner, Clear Water Shad)

Alabama Rig…

-Rig- Hog Farmer: http://bit.ly/2nuruR5

-Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait Head 1/4 oz (In Stock Next Week): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Dummy Baits- Little Dipper: http://bit.ly/2brnU5I

-Main Swimbaits- Keitech 4.8" Fat: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad, Gizzard Shad)

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Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com