MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026 · WELSH RESERVOIR
Keep it deep and slow in hot water. Early bite on the ledges before sun takes over.
WATER 86°FAIR 84°FWIND 9 MPH SSESEASON SUMMERPOOL -4.4 FT
Water's hot at 86 degrees, which means the bass pull out to deeper ledges to stay comfortable. The power plant keeps the lake a few degrees warmer year-round, so there's always feed-up fish, but when the surface gets this warm in summer, they tuck into deeper structure to find cooler, more oxygenated water. Pool's steady, water's stained, and with clear skies and zero cloud cover today, the bright sun will push them even deeper by mid-morning. You've got a short morning window before the heat locks them down. First light and the early solunar major at 4:06 AM are your prime time. After that, you're hunting them deep on the ledges until the sun backs off toward evening.
The day's game plan
EARLY MORNING · 6:48 AM to 8:30 AM
Main-lake ledges 18-25 feet deep, especially channel-edge drops and secondary points with hard bottom. Focus on the transition zones where shallow structure breaks to deep water.
Six-inch silver-shad soft swimbait on a 3/8-ounce jig head. Cast long, work it slowly off the ledge on a steady retrieve, letting it tick bottom on the drop. Keep contact and feel for strikes.
Bass are still staging shallow to feed early, but the sun's coming up fast and they're already thinking about pulling deep. The swimbait matches the baitfish they're chasing, and the slow retrieve works because the water's warm and they're not fired up yet. Get it done before 8:30 when the bright sun pushes them deeper for good.
MORNING · 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Deep main-lake ledges 20-28 feet. Fish the steeper drops and humps with good structure definition. Target areas where the ledge breaks from 20 feet to 25-plus feet.
Dragging a 3/4-ounce green-pumpkin Chatterbait with a matching trailer slowly across the ledge. Keep the blade thump subtle, work the bottom with a crawling pace, and stay tight to structure edges.
The sun is high and bright with no cloud cover, so the bass drop deep into structure to escape the light and find cooler water. The Chatterbait's vibration works even when they're tucked tight because it doesn't require an aggressive chase. The green-pumpkin color is subtle enough to not spook fish in stained water. Slow and deep is the play now.
MIDDAY · 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Deepest main-lake ledges and humps in 22-30 feet. Look for areas with brush or rock on the ledge, and fish directly on structure rather than off the edges.
Carolina rig: 1/2-ounce sinker, 18 inches of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a 4-inch green-pumpkin soft worm. Drag slowly and let it soak on the bottom. Short hops, long pauses.
Midday sun is brutal. Bass are locked onto the deepest structure available, and they're in a resting mode rather than feeding hard. A dragged Carolina rig gives them time to decide, and the pause lets them mouth it. Green pumpkin stays visible at depth without being flashy. This period is tough, but you'll pick off one or two if you're precise and patient.
LATE AFTERNOON · 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Upper-mid-range ledges 15-22 feet. Fish the secondary breaks and channel swings, especially where structure meets open water. Target bends in creek channels.
Five-inch green-pumpkin jerkbait worked suspending style. Short, sharp pulls with 3-second pauses. Let it hang and twitch on the pause. Fish it slowly enough to stay above the deepest drop-off.
The sun's still high but the angle's starting to change. Bass begin thinking about moving up slightly to feed before evening. The jerkbait mimics the shad they hunt, and the pause on a suspending bait triggers strikes from fish that are watching but not aggressive. You're not covering water fast; you're picking apart structure deliberately.
EVENING · 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Ledges and channel edges 12-20 feet. Fish the transitions between shallower structure and deep water access. Focus on areas with rock or wood.
Three-eighths-ounce white-chartreuse bladed jig with a white swimming worm trailer. Slow hop and drag across the ledge, hitting every piece of structure. Fish the strike zone tighter.
The pressure's rising and the sun's lower, so bass start feeding with more purpose. The bladed jig gets down quick and vibrates at a pace they'll chase. White-chartreuse is a solid combo in stained water, and it triggers reaction bites. The swimming worm trailer gives them a follow-up target if they miss.
DUSK · 7:00 PM to 7:54 PM (sunset)
Upper-end ledges 8-18 feet and shoreline breaks near deep water access. Target any shallow structure that connects to a drop-off. Second solunar major at 4:27 PM has passed, but late-day feeding can extend if there's still light.
One-half-ounce green-pumpkin Chatterbait fished steady with a light trailer. Work it across shallow ledges and over top of structure. Speed up the retrieve slightly compared to midday.
The sun's nearly down and the water cools just enough for bass to slide shallower to feed before dark. They're looking up and willing to chase. The Chatterbait's blade vibration cuts through stained water and triggers strikes from fish on the move. Dusk is always your second-best window of the day after early morning.
NIGHT · 7:54 PM to midnight and beyond
Shallow flats and shoreline structure 2-8 feet, especially areas with matted or sparse grass, laydowns, or rocky banks.
Three-eighths-ounce black buzzbait fished over shallow cover. Fast, rhythmic burn. Vary your retrieve from steady to twitched pulls to stay erratic.
Water's still warm, but the discharge keeps the lake fishable at night. Bass feed shallow when the sun goes down and they feel safe. Black buzzbait creates a silhouette that they track by feel and sight in low light. This lake's power plant gives you a winter-grade bite year-round, and that applies to night topwater too. Bass will chase a buzzbait over shallow grass and wood in August when most lakes lock up completely.
Where to fish
- Main-lake ledges and humps — 20-30 feet deep zone, transitions at 15-25 feet · Hard-bottom ledges, secondary drops, areas where structure breaks sharply, rock and occasional wood
Bass pull to deepest available structure in hot summer water. Proximity to deep water and cooler zones makes these the holding areas all day. - Channel edges and swings — 15-25 feet, shallower transitions 12-20 feet · Inside bends of creek channels, areas where bottom contour changes, rock or debris on the edge
Bass use channels as migration highways and stage on the breaks before moving shallow. Edges concentrate both structure and forage. - Shallow flats and grass beds — 2-8 feet, especially near deep water access · Matted or sparse vegetation, laydowns, rocky banks, dock structure
Night and early morning window when bass slide shallow to feed and feel safe. The heated water supports shallow feeding when other lakes shut down.
What to throw
- Silver-shad soft swimbait — 6 in · Silver-shad pattern · 3/8 oz jig head (Early morning before sun, first light periods)
Cast long, retrieve steady with occasional bottom contact, work the ledge edges - Green-pumpkin Chatterbait — n/a · Green-pumpkin · 3/4 oz midday, 1/2 oz evening (Midday heat and evening transition)
Drag slowly across structure, subtle blade thump, short hops with pauses - Carolina rig with soft worm — 4 in worm · Green-pumpkin worm · 1/2 oz sinker (Midday when bass are locked deep)
Drag slowly on bottom, short hops, long pauses, let it soak - Green-pumpkin suspending jerkbait — 5 in · Green-pumpkin · n/a (Late afternoon when bass start moving up)
Sharp short pulls with 3-second pauses, twitch on the hang, work slowly - Black buzzbait — n/a · Black · 3/8 oz (Night and early morning topwater windows)
Steady fast burn or twitched erratic pulls, cover shallow structure, vary rhythm
How to work it
- Ledge dragging — All day when bass are deep, intensify during bright sun and midday · Main-lake ledges 15-30 feet
Cast to structure, maintain bottom contact, work slowly with short hops and pauses, feel for resistance changes - Jerkbait suspension — Late afternoon and early evening when bass begin moving up to feed · Upper-mid ledges 12-20 feet, channel edges
Cast past target, retrieve with sharp pulls and deliberate pauses, let bait hang and twitch on the pause, vary pause length - Topwater cover work — Early morning before sun and night hours · Shallow flats and cover 2-8 feet, shoreline laydowns and grass
Retrieve at varying speeds, skip bait under structure, use erratic twitches, keep blade at surface creating disturbance
Pro tips
- Early morning is short in summer heat. Be on the ledges and fishing before sunrise. If you're not in position casting at first light, you'll waste the day's best window. Get there in the dark and dial in your cast to where the ledge breaks to deep water.
- Use a quality depth finder to identify the exact ledge contour. Main-lake humps and secondary structure with hard bottom produce better than featureless flats. The fish funnel into the structure that looks distinct on your screen.
- When the solunar major windows pass, you're fighting the heat. Use those windows to run and gun, covering more ground. Between windows, pick apart one good area deliberately rather than burning fuel chasing new ground.
If conditions change
If a front blows through and pressure rises, bass will tighten to the densest cover and go deeper than usual. Drop to a 4-inch finesse worm on a shaky head and fish the thickest wood or brush you find, right on top of it, slowly. If clouds roll in and the sun weakens, bass will pull up a few feet from the deepest ledges and bite more aggressively. Maintain your ledge focus but shift shallower by 5-8 feet and speed up your presentations slightly. If wind kicks out of the south and stirs the water, shallow-water feed-ups can stretch longer. Fish the ledge transitions and be ready to move shallow an hour earlier than normal. If the water clears unexpectedly from a strong south wind mixing the lake, go smaller with your baits and lengthen your fluorocarbon leader.
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