I fished at Squaw Creek today just messin around and throwing a rattletrap talking trash. There were a lot of "real fishermen" fishing around us. I noticed after a while that there were a ton of bass floating around. Almost like a breadcrumb trail of them. The water was only 5-27' feet there. Most of the fish I caught were in 4' of water.

I mostly just mess around and usually catch fish on accident. This baffled me. My buddies said if its floating it may be for a reason so leave them. I poked at a few with my rod and they swam under and disappeared. What gives?

You mentioned 27'. If these "real fishermen" were catching fish that deep and just tossing them back then I'd assumed their air bladder expanded too quickly from coming out of that deep of water that quickly. And is squaw creek fishing good? Last time I fished it there was hydrilla everywhere but that was a few years ago and I read somewhere that it all died off. Maybe It was bad info I don't know.

Hot water and limited oxygen perhaps? I haven't fished squaw in a long time but I imagine that summers are the most difficult time of year for fish in that lake. Just a guess.

It should be cooler than past summers, what was water temps ?

Water temp was 95 on one end and 93 on the other. The fish were all in the creek end which was 93. It was also where most people were fishing. I know Granbury gets the Algea blooms when it gets hot that causes havoc.

The golden algea blooms happen when it is cold

when the water is that hot even a short fight will exhaust a fish and with lower 02 levels its hard to recover

Thoae fish were probably caught deeper & need to be fizzed. And another example of conservation resource education arises. Learn all you can about it. It not only benefits you but all others, including our children & grandchildren. Its not a knowlesge we are born with so no ones saying dummy. Only learning all you can when practicing catch & release.

^^^This

I bet they needed to be fizzed. I caught a 9# this morning in 25' of water. I took some pictures and measurements, put her back in the water and she was floating. I was sick bc I thought she was dying. But she seemed strong and healthy. I scooped her up, fizzed her and put her back in the water and she swam
Away just fine.

Slade.