By
Water Temp: 82-90 F 
Water temperature is at the summer peak with
sheltered coves registering over 90 degrees during afternoon heat. The main
lake is holding at 82 F which is pretty warm for fish. They adjust by going
deeper.
Some species can tolerate the warm surface water. Surprisingly largemouth bass
like the heat particularly when in the shade of a tree or bush. One interesting
report had largemouth bass in the shade of the tamarisk tree line on the
Juvenile stripers can stand the heat. They feed on tiny shad who are basking in
the plankton rich warm surface layers to avoid predators that need cooler
water. Every morning and evening stripers up to 20 inches round up shad and
drive them to the surface where feeding is intense for a brief moment. These
boils are happening at random times and places throughout the lake but the most
consistent boils are found from
Brody Gilbert caught this striper which made his Dad Keith very
proud.
Smallmouth are not put off by warm water. They just
drop down a few feet with rambunctious juveniles anxious to eat, residing at
10-15 feet and larger adults down at 20-30 feet. If snorkeling around camp,
smallmouth can be teased into visual range by simply tapping on a rock with
another rock. Curious fish come to see what the noise is about. My guess is
that tapping a big heavy lure would attract bass which could then be caught
with a trailing plastic grub. Try this and let me know how it works. If it
really works I will take credit - if not I disavow all knowledge for even
suggesting it.
Anchovy fishing for stripers continues to be beyond belief. Adult stripers have
gone deeper - some as deep as a 100 feet. Anchovy chum gets a school going and
they just keep feeding as long as the bait continues to fall.
Stripers are also shallow, particularly the very common yearlings from 14-20
inches. Find morning boils and then concentrate fishing in those areas through
the day and into the night. Bait looks good to hungry fish with a high
metabolic rate from living in warm water.
Green lights attract plankton, bait and predators in the cool night hours.
Night fishing near Hite and upper