SAMPLE GUIDE REPORT · FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
Hot water keeps bass deep and scattered, but overcast skies and pressure changes give you a shot at dawn and the high-sun lulls.
WATER 85°FAIR 79°FWIND 7 MPH SSEASON SUMMERPOOL -2.9 FT
Water is sitting at 85 degrees, right in the uncomfortable zone where bass are looking for deeper, cooler spots and shade. This is peak summer funk on Lewisville. The lake is stained like always, which actually works in your favor because clarity stays steady and fish won't scatter far from structure. The pool is down nearly 3 feet, so what was open water last month is now tighter to the drop-offs and creek channels. Overcast skies today are a gift because they'll keep the sun from drilling the shallows and let the shallow bite push a bit later into the day. Pressure is rising after dropping overnight, so don't expect the same aggressive feeding you'd get before a front rolls in, but overcast and some wind will hold fish a touch shallower than pure bright-sun summer. Bass are keyed on deep ledges and creek channel edges right now, pulling out to 18 to 25 feet by mid-morning when the sun gets overhead. Work the structure hard at first light and again late afternoon when they'll slide back up a bit.
The day's game plan
EARLY MORNING · 7:08 AM to 8:45 AM
Upper creek arms, timber edges on the 6 to 12-foot flats that have access to deeper 18 to 22-foot channels. Focus on the hard-bottom transitions where clay meets the channel.
5-inch green pumpkin finesse worm on a 1/8-ounce jig head, dragged slowly along the bottom with pauses. Work it through the timber laydowns tight to cover. Black and blue is also solid if the water looks darker under clouds.
At first light, bass are staging on the shallower transitions before pulling deep. They're not super aggressive in 85-degree water, so slow and precise beats fast. The overcast sky gives them cover to stay shallow a bit longer than they would under full sun. The solunar major happens around 1:38 AM (overnight) and again at 1:54 PM, so mid-morning isn't a solunar peak, but dawn bite is typically best regardless.
MORNING · 8:45 AM to 11:30 AM
Main lake points and creek channel bends, 15 to 22 feet deep. Fish the outside of the bends where the drop-off is steepest and the channel bottom is hardest.
1/2-ounce spinnerbait with a chartreuse Colorado blade and white skirt. Steady retrieve along the channel edge, let it tick the bottom once or twice, then wind it back up. Alternate between white and chartreuse as you work different zones.
Bass have pulled deep by mid-morning to get out of the heat and find cooler, more comfortable water. Spinnerbaits work well on deep structure in stained water because the blade thump cuts through the color and triggers a reaction strike. The rising pressure post-front means fish aren't as fired up as they'd be before a storm, but a blade's vibration will pull them out of lethargy. The overcast helps, but by 11 AM even the clouds won't stop the pull to depth.
MIDDAY · 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Deep humps and the channel bends where they drop off hardest. 20 to 28 feet. If you have electronics, look for tight timber or rock structure on the break itself.
2-ounce blade bait or a white/chartreuse swimbait (4 to 5 inches) worked on a 3/4-ounce jig head. Drag the blade bait along the bottom with a slow hop, or swim the bait just off the bottom with a steady medium retrieve.
At midday with full sun and warm water, bass are buried deep for comfort. Blade baits and swimbaits let you cover depth efficiently and stay in contact with the structure. The stained water means dark silhouettes and vibration outweigh color matching, so white or chartreuse blades create contrast the fish can track. The solunar minor around 8 PM is evening, not midday, so this window is just grind-it-out deep work. Pressure is rising, which means fish are less aggressive overall, so speed and covering water matters more than coaxing.
LATE AFTERNOON · 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Secondary points and creek channel shoulders, 12 to 18 feet. Look for any harder-bottom transition that breaks from 8 feet to 15 feet suddenly.
1/2-ounce lipless crankbait, green pumpkin or chrome. Cast and retrieve with a steady wind, letting it drop on the fall and rattle as it comes. Alternate short and long pauses every third cast.
As the afternoon progresses and sun angle drops slightly, bass begin migrating shallower off the deepest structure. They're not aggressive, but lipless cranks trigger the predatory reflex and the rattle cuts through stained water. The overcast keeps light from being knife-sharp, which helps extend the shallow bite later into the afternoon. The solunar minor at 8 PM is still a couple hours away, but pressure is still rising, so don't expect a spike. Fish the transitions deliberately.
EVENING · 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Shallow timber lines and flats adjacent to the main creek channel, 4 to 10 feet. Work any standing timber or log piles that connect to deep water.
3/8-ounce spinnerbait, white blade and skirt, worked steadily around the timber. Cast right up to the logs and rip it through. Swim it down the drop-off. Keep it moving.
As light fades into evening, bass are willing to creep shallower to feed on whatever's available on the flats. The overcast and approaching darkness make them bolder. White blades reflect light and are visible in low-light conditions better than other colors. The solunar minor window hits around 8 PM, so fish at 7 PM are climbing into a favorable solunar period that'll extend into dusk. This is a good window to pick up a couple bites before night.
DUSK · 7:00 PM to 7:39 PM
Shallow coves, upper creek backs, and around dock pilings if you have access. 2 to 8 feet. Low light means they'll tolerate shallower positions.
2/5-ounce black and blue jig with a crawfish trailer, pitched into cover and worked with a slow drag. Topwater frog on weed lines or open pockets if any grass is showing. Otherwise stick with the jig.
This is the final push of daylight and the solunar minor peaks around 8 PM, so feeding activity rises. Black and blue colors are silhouettes in low light and work best. Shallow cover holds the most aggressive fish at dusk in summer. If the overcast clears before sunset, even better. Bass are most aggressive in the last 20 minutes of light. This is your best chance for a solid bite of the day.
NIGHT · 7:39 PM to 12:00 AM
Main lake points and deeper timber in 12 to 20 feet. Lighted areas around docks and boat ramps if you have permission to fish them. Night feeding here is active in summer.
Black jig and craw, 1/2 ounce, worked slowly along the bottom. Cast, let it settle, drag it 3 feet, pause 2 seconds, repeat. Or a 4-inch black finesse worm on a shakey head with a slow bounce.
Summer nights are prime feeding time for largemouth on Lewisville, especially the deeper, cooler zones and structure. Low pressure fishing after the pressure rises often shows a brief evening uptick as fish acclimate to the new pressure. The lake is stained, so they hunt by feel and vibration more than sight. Black baits create maximum contrast in the darkness. Work it slow and deliberately. This is a legit bite if you're willing to stay out.
Where to fish
- Upper creek channel transitions — 6 to 22 feet · Hard-bottom flats with timber, transitioning into the main creek channel. Outside bends and channel shoulders.
These are the primary staging areas where bass migrate between shallow flats and deep channel sanctuaries. In summer, the flats hold fish at dawn and dusk; the channel edge holds them midday. The hard bottom concentrates forage and provides ambush positions. - Main lake points with deep water access — 8 to 28 feet · Secondary and primary points that drop hard into 20+ feet of basin. Any rocky or clay composition. Look for timber on the point or nearby.
Points are natural funnels for migration. In 85-degree summer, the fish holding on main lake points are the biggest ones, as they have priority access to the deepest, coolest water nearby. The structure itself and proximity to deep refuge make these spots consistent summer producers. - Creek channel bends and edges — 12 to 25 feet · Inside bends with softer transitions, outside bends with hard drop-offs. Any timber or rock ledging on the bend.
Bass use creek channels as highways. The inside bends create current breaks and concentration zones. The outside bends have the steepest drop-offs where bass hold during the heat of the day. Hard-bottom outside bends are premium summer real estate. - Shallow coves and docks adjacent to deep channels — 2 to 10 feet · Shallow flats with standing timber, dock pilings, log piles, and natural cover. Must have 15 to 20 feet of water within 50 to 100 feet.
These are the early-morning and dusk/night corridors where bass move to feed on shallow forage. The proximity to deep water gives them an escape route if spooked. Shallow timber and docks provide shade. Summer feeds here are opportunistic and aggressive.
What to throw
- Green pumpkin finesse worm — 5 in · green pumpkin · 1/8 oz (jig head) (Early morning, first light, and shallower transitions in 6 to 12 feet.)
Dragged on the bottom along timber and transitions, slow with pauses. Work it into cover tight. - Chartreuse Colorado spinnerbait — n/a · chartreuse blade, white skirt · 1/2 oz (Morning and late afternoon on deep structure (15 to 22 feet). Mid-morning and early evening on the transitions.)
Steady retrieve along channel edges and points, let it tick bottom, retrieve up. Tick-tick-wind rhythm. - White and chartreuse blade bait — n/a · white or chartreuse · 2 oz (Midday deep grind (20 to 28 feet) and after the pressure rise settles things down.)
Dragged on the bottom with a slow hopping motion, quarter-second pauses. Let it thump as it settles. - Chrome or green pumpkin lipless crankbait — 2.75 in · chrome or green pumpkin · 1/2 oz (Late afternoon (2:30 to 5:30 PM) on secondary points and channel shoulders at 12 to 18 feet.)
Cast and steady retrieve, letting it drop on pauses and rattle. Short and long pauses every few casts to trigger strikes. - Black and blue jig with crawfish trailer — n/a · black and blue · 3/8 oz (Dusk (7:00 to 7:39 PM) and night (7:39 PM onward) in shallow cover.)
Pitched into cover, slow drag along the bottom, occasional hops. Work it methodically around docks, logs, and shallow timber.
How to work it
- Bottom dragging — Morning through midday when bass are deep and lethargic. Works in 85-degree water when precision and slowness matter more than speed. · Deep channel edges, humps, and transitions (15 to 28 feet).
Cast to structure, let the jig or blade bait settle to the bottom, and drag it slowly with occasional 6-inch pulls. Pause 1 to 2 seconds between drags. Keep contact with bottom. - Reaction retrieve on blades — Early morning transition, late afternoon, and evening when bass are mobile between deep and shallow. · Points, channel bends, outside drop-offs in 12 to 22 feet.
Steady retrieve along structure, letting the blade thump rhythmically. Cast tight to timber and channel walls, wind it at a medium clip, then hesitate and let it drop 2 feet before resuming. Repeat the hesitation. - Skipping jigs under cover — Dusk and night (7:00 PM onward) when bass are most aggressive shallow and cover becomes a refuge. · Shallow docks, log piles, and timber in 2 to 8 feet, especially near deeper water access.
Use a 3/8 to 1/2-ounce jig. Cast underhand or sidearm so the jig skips along the water surface and tucks under docks, overhangs, and fallen timber. Let it settle on slack line and feel for bites on the drop. - Topwater frog on shallow targets — Dusk (7:00 to 7:39 PM) and early night (7:39 to 9:00 PM) if visibility and vegetation permit. Low light makes frogs viable. · Shallow coves, upper creek arms, any grass or pad lines in 2 to 6 feet.
Cast a topwater frog to weed lines, pockets, and open water near timber. Work it with a steady twitch-twitch-pause retrieve. Let it sit for 1 to 2 seconds after each pair of twitches.
Pro tips
- Watch the dock lights and boat ramps at night in summer. The lighted areas concentrate shad and attract feeding bass. If you have permission to fish near active boat ramps, small dark jigs and finesse worms around the pilings can produce quality bites after 9 PM when traffic dies down and bass settle in.
- The pool is down 2.9 feet. This matters more than people think. Every vertical foot of water lost pushes structure closer to the surface and concentrates bass tighter to the remaining depth breaks. Verify your favorite summertime depth on your electronics every trip. What was 18 feet last year might be 15 feet now.
- In 85-degree summer water, the first 30 minutes after sunrise is your most reliable window. Bass are shallow, solunar is usually favorable, and they haven't pulled deep yet. If you only have 3 hours, fish dawn and forget everything else.
If conditions change
If a cold front blows through and the pressure keeps rising, expect a 1 to 2-day slowdown. Tighten up to the thickest timber and rock, downsize everything to 4-inch worms and 1/8-ounce heads, and fish even slower. If the sky clears and sun dominates, bass will go deeper faster, so skip the shallow stuff and go straight to 18 to 25-foot channel structure with blade baits and swimbaits. If wind kicks up out of the south, the wind-blown banks and points will hold shallower fish than the protected areas, so prioritize the chop. If the stain increases from a rain event, switch to dark colors (black, black-blue, dark green pumpkin) and wider-blade spinnerbaits because visibility drops. If it clears up, shift to natural colors and downsize presentations.
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