I am headed to lake Cooper for the first time on Thursday. I am taking my girlfriend's dad out fishing and just wanna make sure he has a good time. I am not looking for any spots or anything like that. Just wanna make sure the trip goes smoothly without losing a lower unit lol

With that I have a couple of questions:

1. What are good boat launches on midlake to dam side of the lake?
I see a few parks, but not sure if any of the ramps are too steep or damaged/closed.

2. Are there any unsafe areas to run midlake to dam side?
I see there is an obvious treeline about 3/5 up the lake running from southwest to northeast, but is there any other issues? (just wanna make sure I dont run aground/hit a stump on midlake to dam side)

3. Are there still largemouth to be caught out there?
I am mostly going for white bass, but just curious if there is a halfway decent population of largemouth left on that lake. I understand that it did have a boom phase and has tapered off significantly since the late 90's -early 00's. Besides that I know nothing about it.

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

As far as the ramps go, any of the state park ramps should be good and are closest to the dam. I always put in at Johns Creek cause it’s the closest to my house but it’s the farthest from the dam.

The only other timber besides what you already mentioned is gonna be in the coves but if you are just going for sand bass that won’t be an issue because you should be concentrating on main lake humps.

I wouldn’t even bother trying to find bass on Cooper because they are like a needle in a haystack out there.

Best of luck to y’all

Thank you sir I greatly appreciate it!

Look around the 19ft level on any of the humps. The sandbass will be hanging out in that depth.

What happened to the bass. Haven't been to Cooper in years. It was decent on bass a long time ago. What happen.

Carter, the Hubbard Gang stayed and launched at the South Sulpher state park. very nice ramp. Head straight out and look on your map for the humps. Like Championfish said, 14 - 19 top of hump or just off the side would be the ticket. If you have side imaging. you will find them. We had the best luck finding them and staying about 50' away and casting slabs and mepps at them. Did not spook them like when we went on top of them.
Good luck!!!

As far as Bass fishing, I bet it is still pretty good. Not out in the open lake but up in the trees on the east end. There are creeks in there as well as road beds. If I was a bass fisherman, that is where I would be fishing.

We go out of the state park on the north side of the dam, $5 per person and there's a cleaning table and pretty clean restrooms.
As far as fish go, Sandbass will be easy peasy and there are a number of humps directly out from the ramp don't even get near the trees.
Run every hump until you find a school that blacks out your graph and it will happen.
If I had the gps chords off my graph i'd give them to you we stay more towards the west center of the lake with the pump house to our left and south west.

If you come out of Tira ramp there is a point on your left that has a 8' hump on the end of it and several between it and the treed cove to the left, just drive around and watch your graph.

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Welp I got out onto the lake and my trolling motor batteries went kaput about an hour hour into the trip. Batteries just got old I guess. I charged them all night, needless to say I was a little frustrated.. Thought that would make the trip go bust but found a mega school of whites on one of the many humps. Started trolling for them and found the school was just all over a very large portion of the hump. Then we went to 300 yard drifts throwing crankbaits catching a fish nearly every cast. Caught about 200 whites and 9 hybrids from 18"-23" without a trolling motor. I love that lake. Kinda reminds me a little of Lake Somerville.

Thanks for all the help!

good report! what size were the sandies? I may have to take my boat with me to my property near there.....

They range from the normal 11-12" up to an occasional 15, you just got to be careful as there are a number of small hybrids from the stockings 2 -3 years ago.

All were thrown back, but whites on average would be about 13". Just depends on the lure you present to them to determine the size range