Summer Pattern?

Posted By: AustinWader

Summer Pattern? - 07/15/21 08:46 PM

Hi y'all,
I'm a high school angler and pretty new to fishing for whites/stripers. I'm taking a trip to Lake Buchanan on my boat tomorrow and the day after and would really like a few pointers. I won't get there until around 9AM and will need to be back to the ramp by 8PM because I live pretty far from the lake.
1: What should my gameplan be? I do not have downriggers for trolling. I am thinking maybe the dam area the humps by the dam using slabs and Inline spinners(vertical fishing)? I will bring my thumper with me. I circled a few spots in the picture below, y'all think they looking promising?
2: Is it worth to fish in the middle of the day during Summer? Or are the fish active dawn/dusk but lethargic during the day?
3: If I were to target schooling topwater fish very early, where do I have the best chance of finding them? Are they at the same spots as they are during the day but just higher in the water column or at differents spots?
4 : Please let me know if y'all got any tips, or just a general area I should pay special attention to?
Thanks
Andy
[Linked Image]

Posted By: Dennis Christian

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 11:14 AM

Shallow flats near cattails is typical for early morning schooling. Fish will bite all day down on structure. Fifteen to 30 ft deep is where I would look. Good luck!

Posted By: gborg

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 01:03 PM

Thermocline has set in most west Texas lakes from 25 to 28 feet down. Fish flats that are 20 t0 25 feet deep and close to deeper water. Wind blown flats that meet that criteria are gold. Live bait one turn off the bottom will get you bit. Sand bass on same flat with pet spoon rigged up like a Carolina rig with one ounce egg sinker and pumped back to boat works great. The Mal lure or Mepps technique should be stellar .

Posted By: Holzer

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 01:47 PM

My thoughts to your questions, but what do I know?

Originally Posted by AustinWader

1: What should my gameplan be? I do not have downriggers for trolling. I am thinking maybe the dam area the humps by the dam using slabs and Inline spinners(vertical fishing)? I will bring my thumper with me. I circled a few spots in the picture below, y'all think they looking promising?

Possibly. I would look in those areas you have circled, but just deeper.

2: Is it worth to fish in the middle of the day during Summer? Yes!
Or are the fish active dawn/dusk but lethargic during the day? Someone is always hungry.

Me personally, I don't think fish are feeding heavily in the early morning/late afternoon based on time.
I feel it's a light issue. Without as much light penetrating the water, I think the larger predator fish are more comfortable at shallower depths.

3: If I were to target schooling topwater fish very early, where do I have the best chance of finding them?

Any areas that have baitfish showing have the potential for top water schooling. My experiences with fish boils on that lake have been they move fast and don't last long.
If you see one and you have something on that you can cast far, take a whack at them but don't get excited or spend much time trying to chase them.

Are they at the same spots as they are during the day but just higher in the water column or at differents spots?

They like roam.

4 : Please let me know if y'all got any tips, or just a general area I should pay special attention to?

Spend most of your time around rivers edge

Posted By: Notaguide

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 04:05 PM

reel fast

Posted By: RespectTheFish

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 10:34 PM

sounds like you are going to be looking in the right areas. Biggest thing is to go early. The bite is always best the first two to four hours after first light. The fish will often push shallow (10-20 foot deep, maybe shallower on some lakes) for a few hours of first light and feed and then by 10-11 o clock be out in deeper water turned off. So I get on the water by 6-6:30 and be off by 11 because after 11 you are just melting in the heat with often a much more difficult and slower bite, not always but very often this is true in summer. When they are up shallow feeding they often will hit anything moving about as fast as you want to reel it. Once they migrate towards deeper water (25-33 fow usually) by 10-11 o clock they are lethargic and only going to bite baits moving fairly slowly to match their lethargic attitude. This is something to be aware of and be prepared to fish fast up shallow early and slow your approach as you start fishing deeper water. IF the lake is a long drive I would consider fishing a lake closer that you can get to earlier if it were me...time of the day is a big part of being successful

Posted By: RespectTheFish

Re: Summer Pattern? - 07/16/21 10:38 PM

If you can ever go with a guide a time or two it would be money well spent since you are new to white/striper fishing. A great birthday or Christmas gift request! You'll learn so much and that on the water demonstration and conversation is well worth the money you will give to a guide. Youll learn in a few hours what took them years to learn for a $300-400 price tag.