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Article #9: Fishing in rivers

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Actually, many lakes we fish are not such innocuous "drip rocks" seem to have
lakes. They're impoundments. Originally, enhanced food chains on and about the
river drainage systems that have been drips - more terrestrials, insects, moss,
dammed by humanity. algae - and right on up the food chain
A golden concept that applies to that ultimately attracts bass.
impoundments year-round but especially SHINING SAND OR WET SPOTS. I'd hardly
each spring is this: Fish impoundments as call these any sort of serious water
if they still are the original rivers. inflow, but still bass have an uncanny
This means targeting the locations that affinity for such areas, especially in
were active flowing parts of the original the spring. Usually, they're a dimple or
river system before being dammed by depression in the back of a bowl or a
man. teacup-type sand flat. They may be the
Even though their banks may have been last spot of shoreline to dry after a
overflowed and flooded over decades ago, rain, or the last spot to stay wet as
the age-old creek channels and feeders lake water levels decline. A good way to
can still be important to the bass. The notice them is simply sun reflection
creeks and gulches and washes and shining off wet sand rimming the
trickles were the oases of life before shoreline - or a darker, damp tongue of
being flooded by the dam - and may still dirt impressed on an otherwise drying
be the meccas of motherlodes of fish. shore. Upon closer inspection, the spot
Although buried under water now, the may reveal an old channel cut either
riverine environment is still intact coming out of or bending in close to the
under the impoundment, and the bass still shoreline.
use the impoundment as if it still is a I may have lost many readers here with
river system. the drip rocks, shining sand and wet
A river system (and hence an impoundment) spots - but hopefully at least a few of
is a mesh of countless connecting feeder you are nodding wisely about these
veins and water flows of the following heretofore undocumented bass hotspots in
exemplary types which you should learn to every impoundment.
recognize and target. Some of these spots, the smaller ones,
Some of the larger constructs can be are only recognizable from a certain
recognized from far away, and may extend angle, and you really do get better at
down into the impoundment from far back spotting them with experience. Often
on the adjacent land. Some of the smaller times, on a steep shoreline, such spots
constructs often have an additional can be more easily seen far up the land
traipse of garnishy greenery on the way mass, and then traced down to where their
down to the shoreline, which is a journey descends into the impoundment
surefire cue to a few water veins that MORE ON MAPS
fish like gold veins. Maps can be extremely important and often
However, many original river features may are the only way to get a full picture
be far offshore underwater now, and of the rivers and creeks still flowing
spottable only on a map (more on maps under and into an impoundment.
later). Impoundments can range from several
Here are some of the key river constructs hundred acres to several hundred miles
underneath an impoundment: MAJOR long. On some of the smaller
CONFLUENCES. Where two rivers or streams impoundments, map availability may be
that rarely dry meet (or would have met limited.
if they were not flooded under water by On the larger impoundments, new and
man). Confluences can be great summer and different maps can be ferreted out
fall staging spots for bass. readily - and each new map has a habit of
PERENNIALS. These are more or less steady showing different creeks, different
creeks that never completely dry up or inflows than the other maps. Not just
only stop flowing during the very driest fishing, boating and topo maps, but
spells. These usually have silty flood shoreline camping/hiking maps/books often
plain deltas in the back, and may be note or describe water flows not
marshland or flooded brush basins in the documented elsewhere. I've come across
back. snow melt maps, rainy season drainage
NON-PERENNIALS. These are where an maps, water rights usage maps,
intermittent creek or wash, which may environmental impact statement maps, even
have been dry for most of the season, is forestation/vegetation density maps can
now underwater. The confluences where give clues to creeks and water seeps.
non-perennial or lesser side creek would Bottom line, most every map I come across
have met a stream or bigger creek - some on a large impoundment may reveal yet
of these MINOR CONFLUENCES can be great another feeder creek clue or riverine
winter or summer deepwater holding areas perspective not previously marked on
for bass. other maps.
SEASONAL INFLOWS. Places that don't flow Now, never go target any of these areas
year-round but bring water in while they are still gushing or spewing
predominantly during the snow-melt season water or even soggy rain-drenched - and
and/or only during the rainy or monsoon most of the time, most places, they
season. Snow-melt is more "systemic" and probably aren't like that. But I take
runs off from deeply-saturated grounds great caution to avoid any such areas
whereas rainy season inflows can often be while they are gushing or active or
but are not necessarily shallower rain-drenched or whenever inclement
surface ground run-offs. In other words, weather advisories are broadcast for an
snow versus rain water may not area, since the land around them (which
necessarily journey across the same may be above you) seems to have a higher
terrain nor enter the impoundment at the chance to be unstable when wet - as in
same places. landslides, rock slides, cliff walls
INCIDENTAL INFLOWS. Places that usually falling, and flash flood surges of
do not flow but only convey excess water uncontrollable dangerous water can enter
as a result of heavy downpour or flash an impoundment from rainstorms happening
flood incidents. These can come from high many miles away.
ground, and may result in temporary Always keep in mind, if your favorite
waterfalls or spills. The area may be lake was once a river, it probably still
highly dangerous to approach on rainstorm fishes like a river. Many anglers I've
forecast days or during the wet or flood met never realize this about
season, but during dry and stable impoundments. Much of the rest of an
conditions, you may find a sand or impoundment (which was formerly dry
sediment delta and washed-in debris ground) may be a poorer fishing prospect
deposits at the base. Sure spots for at times, although the original river and
bass. all its tributaries and veins still teem
SEEPS AND SPRINGS. Water squeezed out of with life. In a very real sense, even
rocks or coming out of the ground. though dammed by humanity, the original
Actually, I don't think such water gets rivers remain the oases of life, and the
wrung right out of the rocks, but connecting mesh of hidden underwater
squeezed between the thin space between creek channels are often the premier
two layers of rocks. Nevertheless, even places to be for bass.






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