WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026 · LAVON LAKE
Early bite on spinners and shallow cranks, then go deep and slow as the sun climbs and the heat cranks up.
WATER 92°FAIR 90°FWIND 8 MPHSEASON SUMMERPOOL -1.6 FT
Water is in the hot zone at 92 degrees, so this is a classic deep-summer pattern on Lavon. Bass aren't comfortable shallow during the day, and they'll be tucked tight to whatever shade and deep water they can find. The pressure is steady and there's full sun with a light breeze, so the morning window is everything. You'll want to be on the water before sunrise and work reaction baits hard while the light is low. Once the sun gets up past 8 a.m., the bite shuts down fast unless you transition to deeper structure and slow, finesse presentations. The pool is running a tick low at 1.6 feet down, which squeezes fish into predictable staging areas on the main-lake points and channel swings. Think of it this way: bass wake up hungry in the cool dark, but once that sun beats down they drop deep and get lazy. Your job is to catch them before they leave.
The day's game plan
EARLY MORNING · 6:47 AM to 8:00 AM
Boat ramps, riprap, and secondary points in 2-8 feet of water. Focus on hard bottom and any rocks or concrete structure.
White and chartreuse spinnerbait, 3/8 to 1/2 ounce, retrieved at a steady pace with a slight lift-and-drop cadence to create flash and thump. Throw tight to cover and work it back. If that slows, switch to a crawfish-colored squarebill crankbait running 3-6 feet, bouncing it off the riprap and rocks.
Bass are looking up and aggressive in low light. Reaction baits trigger strikes before the fish think too hard. The cooler early-morning water and lack of bright sun keeps them willing to chase. Boat ramps and riprap concentrate both forage and bass, and hard bottom is where they stage before pulling deep.
MORNING · 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Secondary points and main-lake structure in 10-15 feet of water. Work channel swings and the inside bends where current would naturally stack baitfish.
Shift to a KVD Series 5 squarebill in sexy shad or crawfish color, running 12 feet deep. Crank it steady and let it tick off the bottom in 12-15 feet. If the fish are sluggish, drop back to a Texas-rigged watermelon red soft plastic or a 4-inch Slugo on a light shakey head, working it slowly on structure.
By mid-morning the sun is climbing and bass are dropping away from the shallows. They're still willing to chase a crankbait but they're heading deeper to find comfort. The bass haven't fully shut down yet, but they're getting selective. Watermelon colors are working patterns, and dragging a worm slower keeps the presentation in their face longer as their appetite cools.
MIDDAY · 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM
Deep main-lake points and humps in 15-20 feet of water. Target the breaks where the bottom transitions from shallow to deep.
Downsize everything. Use a 1/16-ounce light shakey head with a 3-4 inch watermelon or motor oil worm, fished slowly and methodically right on the bottom. Work it with a soft dragging motion, pausing for 3-5 seconds between hops. If you find a brush pile or timber laydown, glide a small swimbait (3-4 inch, watermelon or natural) over the top.
The heat and bright sun have pushed bass deep where it's cooler and darker. They're not chasing anything at this point, they're just trying to stay comfortable. Finesse presentations and slow drags give them an easy meal without much energy expenditure. Deep structure with brush piles gives them shade and cover. This is grind time, not glamour time.
LATE AFTERNOON · 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Same deep main-lake points and channel structure in 15-20 feet, but start working the edges of brush piles and timber.
Continue the shakey head and worm routine, or switch to a light Carolina rig with a watermelon creature bait. Bounce it along the bottom in the 15-18 foot zone. If you mark baitfish on the graph tighter around structure, pitch a small Texas-rigged worm or creature into the thick cover.
The afternoon bite is toughest because the sun is still high and the water is at peak heat. Bass aren't feeding aggressively, but they are feeding. Slow, methodical presentations on deep cover are your only real play. The key is matching the exact depth where they're holding and not rushing. Stay patient and let the bait do the work.
EVENING · 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Start on the deep stuff but begin working progressively shallower. Secondary points in 8-12 feet, then near-shore structure like timber and ledges.
Transition back to reaction baits as the light drops. A dark jerkbait like a black Slugo worked weightless and twitched on the surface of 8-12 foot water can draw strikes. Pair this with a small squarebill in crawfish or dark colors running 6-10 feet. If the jerkbait is slow, go back to the shakey head in dark colors like junebug or black.
As the sun lowers, water temperature starts dropping slightly and bass regain some comfort in shallower water. They're feeding again as light intensity decreases. Jerkbaits and twitched soft plastics trigger strikes because the erratic motion mimics injured baitfish. Bass are moving shallower for the evening bite.
DUSK · 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Shallow secondary points, boat ramps, riprap, and anywhere hard structure meets shallow water (2-8 feet).
Switch to dark-colored baits. A black or junebug-colored jerkbait worked on the surface with aggressive twitches, or a topwater spook fished in short pulls. If topwater isn't producing, fall back to a dark Texas-rigged worm or a small creature bait in black or junebug dragged along the bottom in 4-6 feet.
The water has cooled enough and the light is low enough that bass are willing to hunt shallow again. This is the second-best window of the day. Dark silhouettes stand out against the fading light and trigger reaction bites. Shallow hard structure is where they feed before moving to deeper night quarters.
NIGHT · 8:30 PM to sunrise (6:47 AM next day)
Shallow timber, boat ramps, and riprap in 2-8 feet of water. Fish the near-bank stuff and anywhere you find hard bottom.
Black or junebug-colored baits fished slowly. A Texas-rigged worm in motor oil or black crawled along the bottom, or a small dark creature bait on a shakey head worked with patience. Skip baits under any docks or overhanging cover. Move slowly, feel your way with your electronics, and fish by touch.
At night, bass move shallow to feed. They hunt by lateral line and feel, not sight. Dark colors create the strongest silhouette, and slow presentations give them time to track and strike. Shallow structure, wood, and docks are prime spots because bass know the baitfish will be holding there too. Night fishing is steady if you slow down and fish deliberately.
Where to fish
- Boat Ramps and Riprap Zones — 2-8 feet · Hard bottom, rock, concrete, and riprap
Bass stage on hard structure in shallow water early morning. Riprap provides ambush points and concentrates forage. This is prime early-bite real estate before they pull deep. - Main-Lake Secondary Points — 10-15 feet · Points with hard bottom transitions, leading to deeper water
Secondary points funnel bass movement between shallow and deep. They're highway intersections. As sun climbs, bass stage here before committing to deep sanctuary. - Channel Swings and Inside Bends — 15-20 feet · Creek channel edges, hard bottom, occasional timber or brush
Bass use channel edges as highways. Inside bends create current breaks and concentrate baitfish. When water is hot, bass hold tight to these edges in deeper water where it's cooler. - Deep Main-Lake Humps and Brush Piles — 18-25 feet · Submerged humps, brush, timber laydowns, hard bottom
In peak heat, bass compress onto the deepest available structure with shade and food. Brush piles and timber provide cover and collect forage. These are midday and afternoon strongholds.
What to throw
- White and Chartreuse Spinnerbait — n/a · white/chartreuse · 3/8 to 1/2 oz (Early morning (before 8 a.m.) in shallow water when light is low and bass are aggressive)
Retrieve at a steady pace with a light lift-and-drop motion to create flash and vibration. Throw tight to boat ramps and riprap. Work it back with your rod tip slightly elevated. - KVD Series 5 Squarebill Crankbait — n/a · sexy shad or crawfish · n/a (Mid-morning (8-10:30 a.m.) on main-lake points and secondary structure when sun is climbing)
Crank steady and let it tick and deflect off bottom structure and rocks. Work it in 12-15 foot zones. Use a rhythmic retrieve with occasional pauses. - Shakey Head with Soft Plastic Worm — 3-4 in · watermelon red or motor oil · 1/16 oz (Midday through afternoon (10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) on deep main-lake points and brush piles when heat is peak)
Drag slowly along the bottom with a soft hopping motion. Pause 3-5 seconds between hops. Fish it methodically and let the bait sit. Work in 15-20 foot zones. - Black or Junebug Jerkbait (Slugo-style) — 4-5 in · black or junebug · n/a (Evening to dusk (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) in 8-12 feet of water when light is dropping)
Work weightless with aggressive twitches on the surface or subsurface during low-light periods. Skip under docks. Work it with an erratic, darting motion. - Texas-Rigged Creature Bait — 3-4 in · watermelon, motor oil, or black · 1/8 to 3/16 oz (Afternoon to night (2 p.m. onwards) on deep structure and under shallow cover when bass are selective)
Drag it slowly along the bottom or around timber and brush. Fish it with pauses. Skip it under docks and overhanging cover.
How to work it
- Drag-and-Pause Finesse — Midday to afternoon when water is hot and bass are lethargic · Deep main-lake points and brush piles in 15-20 feet
Use a light shakey head or light Texas rig. Drag the bait along the bottom with a slow lift, then pause for 3-5 seconds. Repeat. Let the bait sit more than it moves. - Reaction Bait Shallow Coverage — Early morning (before 8 a.m.) and evening (after 5:30 p.m.) when light is low · Boat ramps, riprap, and shallow secondary points in 2-8 feet
Fish spinnerbaits, squarebills, and jerkbaits with steady, confident retrieves. Work them fast enough to trigger a reflex strike but tight enough to stay in the strike zone around cover. - Deep Channel Edge Work — Throughout the day, especially mid-morning to late afternoon · Main-lake channel swings in 15-20 feet, secondary points leading to deep water
Graph the channel swings and inside bends. Position your boat to work the hard transitions from shallow flat to deep channel. Drop off points where bass stage are prime. - Dock and Cover Pitching — Evening and night when bass move shallow to feed · Any shallow cover near boat docks, fallen timber, or brush piles in 3-8 feet
Pitch a Texas-rigged worm or small creature bait under docks, overhanging trees, and thick timber. Let it fall on slack line and feel for the strike. Skip baits into tight spots.
Pro tips
- Graph your deep structure before sun-up. Mark the brush piles, timber, and hard transitions in the 15-20 foot zone. Spend your midday period rotating through marked spots instead of wandering. The bite is tight to precise depths, and knowing where the structure is lets you fish efficiently.
- Keep a backup dark-colored jerkbait and topwater rod rigged and ready during evening and dusk windows. When the light drops fast, bass often make a quick shallow push to feed. Being ready to cast immediately keeps you from fumbling and missing the window.
- On a dead-flat, full-sun day like this one, don't waste energy fishing shallow after 9 a.m. Move deep early and stay deep. The exception is the last 45 minutes before sunset. Bass don't come back shallow in significant numbers until late afternoon, so commit to deep water midday and don't second-guess it.
If conditions change
If a front moves in and pressure drops, the morning bite will extend and get more aggressive. Fish the shallow stuff longer and faster. If the opposite happens and pressure climbs and the sky clears even more, bass will pull deeper faster. Downsize baits immediately and stay in the 15-20 foot zone all day. If the wind picks up and pushes bait into a windblown bank, that bank becomes a secondary shallow staging area, especially if it faces north or northeast. If water clarity muddies after any spillway activity, go with darker baits like black and junebug across all periods, and use wider-thumping blades on spinnerbaits to give bass more to lock onto. If the lake clarifies unusually (unlikely in August), stick with natural shad patterns and lighten line to 8 lb fluorocarbon on shallow presentations.
FISH THIS REPORT ON LAVON LAKE
Find more fish. A fresh guide report like this for covered lakes every day · free account