MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 · CEDAR CREEK LAKE
Early bite on deep ledges before the heat locks them down, then night feeding when water cools again.
WATER 88°FAIR 82°FWIND 8 MPH SSWSEASON SUMMERPOOL -5.5 FT
Water's 88 degrees and uncomfortable for bass in the shallows. This time of year they pull deep to find cooler, more oxygenated water during the day, then slide up to hunt at night when the surface cools. Pool is down 5.5 feet, so structure stands out sharper and bass tighten to it. Pressure is steady, which means the bass will stick to routine patterns. That 1% cloud cover with full sun is going to make them hunt deeper and tighter to cover during midday. Your best window is first light when they're still shallow hunting before the sun pushes them down, then again after dark when the water temp drops and they come back up to feed.
The day's game plan
EARLY MORNING · 7:07 AM to 8:30 AM
Main lake ledges and drop-offs in 16 to 22 feet, especially the humps and points where structure connects shallow flats to deep water.
5-inch green pumpkin or watermelon red flake soft plastic on a Texas rig, 1/4 ounce. Work it slow along the ledge, pause on the breaks, let it fall with slack line.
Bass have pulled up slightly from their deepest holding spots and are staged on the transition from shallow to deep. The low light gives them enough cover to move up and hunt. Green pumpkin and watermelon read well in slightly stained water, and a slow presentation matches their mood when water is hot and they're not chasing.
MORNING · 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Deep brush and timber in 18 to 26 feet, primarily mid-lake humps and sharp drop-offs near the main channel.
1/2 ounce jig with a dark craw trailer, black or junebug, worked vertically near the structure or dragged slowly along bottom.
As sun climbs and the water column heats up, bass retreat deeper. A jig soaked tight to brush lets you fish the strike zone without moving the bait far from cover. Dark colors stand out better against light penetrating from above in deep water.
MIDDAY · 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Deepest available structure: major humps, channel ledges, and main-lake flats in 22 to 32 feet, or thick timber in 20+ feet with shade.
Drop shot rig with a 4-inch green pumpkin or smoke minnow on a light 1/8 ounce drop shot weight. Fish it vertically or with a subtle bottom hop, keeping it off the bottom by 1 to 3 feet.
The sun is highest and the shallow water is cooking. Bass are locked in the deepest, most stable structure they can find. A drop shot keeps the bait in the strike zone longer with minimal movement. Light weight and finesse let them mouth the bait instead of committing hard, so watch the line carefully.
LATE AFTERNOON · 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Transition zones: ledges dropping from 15 to 20 feet, channel bends with shade, submerged timber in 16 to 22 feet.
3/8 ounce lipless crankbait, pearl white or chartreuse, ripped and paused along the break or burned steady 2 to 3 feet above bottom.
As the sun angle drops and the afternoon hour stretches on, bass stay deep but begin moving slightly shallower than midday. A lipless crankbait triggers reaction strikes and covers water faster than a finesse rig. The vibration helps them locate it in deeper water.
EVENING · 5:30 PM to 7:31 PM (sunset)
Shallower ledges and points in 12 to 18 feet, structure adjacent to the main creek channel. Look for any hard break or woody cover.
5-inch green pumpkin worm on a Texas rig, 3/8 ounce, slow and steady along the ledge or stalled on the point.
As the sun sets, the water surface cools and oxygen levels improve. Bass begin pulling up from the deepest summer holds and hunting the secondary structure. Slower presentation still matches the overall heat, but they're more willing to move than they were at noon.
DUSK · 7:31 PM to 8:45 PM
Shallow structure and creek mouths in 6 to 14 feet, any hard bottom with rocks or wood near deeper water access.
1/4 ounce jig with a 3-inch trailer, dark colors, flipped and soaked tight to cover. Or a small dark soft plastic on a wacky rig around brush.
Full dark is falling and water surface is cooling. Bass move shallower to hunt, and they're less cautious without daylight. Short pitch and flip presentations let you pick apart cover efficiently without spooking them. The major solunar peak at 4:04 PM is still in effect and pushes feeding activity.
NIGHT · 8:45 PM to 4:00 AM
Shallow flats, creek arms, and anywhere with depth transition near 8 to 14 feet. Work the inside corners of bends and the backs of pockets.
Small dark topwater, 2 to 3 inches, or a slow-sinking dark baitfish profile fished high in the water column. If using plastics, a 4-inch dark worm on a light Texas rig, worked very slowly.
Water surface has cooled another 2 to 3 degrees and oxygen is plentiful in the upper column. Bass feed aggressively shallow at night. Topwater creates noise and disturbance they can hone in on. If they're not loading on topwater, small dark profiles in slow water mimic their natural forage on night-feed patterns.
Where to fish
- Main Lake Humps and Points — 18 to 32 feet, with shallow approaches in 12 to 18 feet · Hard-bottom mounds with transition flats, often with some timber or rock.
Mid-lake structure is the summer holding zone. Bass use humps as staging areas and ambush points. The shallow approach and deep water nearby give them an escape route. Consistent depth and stable structure in hot water. - Creek Channel Ledges and Drop-offs — 16 to 26 feet on the ledge, with channels running deeper · Hard-bottom transitions, inside bends with shade, ledges dropping into main channel.
Channels funnel baitfish and allow bass to move between shallow and deep water without tiring. Ledges are ambush zones. Shade on inside bends keeps water cooler and more comfortable. - Submerged Timber and Brush in 20+ feet — 20 to 32 feet, occasionally shallower in creek arms · Dead timber, stick-ups, and dense brush piles.
Timber provides shade and cover in deep water. Bass hole up in thick wood during heat stress and use it to ambush prey. Deep timber holds bigger bass and allows precise vertical presentations.
What to throw
- 5-inch Green Pumpkin Soft Plastic Worm — 5 in · Green pumpkin · 1/4 to 3/8 oz Texas rig (Early morning and evening when bass are on transition zones.)
Slow drag along ledges and drops, pause on breaks, let it fall with slack line near cover. - 1/2 ounce Jig with Dark Craw Trailer — 3-inch trailer · Black or junebug jig with dark trailer · 1/2 oz (Morning and when bass have pulled deep to structure.)
Vertical drops near timber and brush, or slow drag along ledge edges. - 1/8 ounce Drop Shot with Green Pumpkin or Smoke Minnow — 4 in minnow · Green pumpkin or smoke · 1/8 oz weight 1 to 3 feet below bait (Midday and when bass are finicky in deep water.)
Vertical positioning or subtle hops, keeping bait suspended 1 to 3 feet off bottom. - 3/8 ounce Lipless Crankbait — 2.5 to 3 in · Pearl white or chartreuse · 3/8 oz (Late afternoon when bass stage on transitions.)
Rip and pause along breaks, or steady burn 2 to 3 feet above structure. - Dark Small Topwater 2 to 3 inches — 2 to 3 in · Black, junebug, or dark forage pattern · 1/4 oz (Night and dusk when water has cooled and bass feed shallow.)
Slow walk, pause, minimal popping. Work shallow structure and flats.
How to work it
- Ledge Dragging — Early morning and late afternoon when bass are staged on transitions between shallow and deep water. · Main lake humps, drop-offs from shallow to 20+ feet, channel bends.
Position over the drop-off, drop your rig to the target depth, then drag it slowly along the ledge edge with occasional pauses. Feel for the break and keep contact with structure. - Vertical Jigging — When bass are tight to deep structure during midday heat or when they're positioned on humps and ledges. · Thick timber in 20+ feet, dense brush piles, main lake structure with vertical relief.
Lower the jig directly below the boat to the target depth, then work it up and down with small hops and pauses. Maintain contact with bottom or structure. - Wacky Rig and Flip Presentation — Dusk and night when bass are feeding shallow. Also effective on deep brush if bass have pulled tight. · Shallow pockets, creek arms, areas with laydowns or dense wood in 8 to 14 feet.
Flip the worm high into the cover, let it fall under light tension, then work it slowly through the brush. Keep the rod up to manage drag on vegetation.
Pro tips
- Watch the solunar window at 4:04 PM. That's a minor peak and it typically fires up the late-afternoon bite on shallow transitions. If you're seeing bites spike right at that time, stay on the spot and milk it hard until 5:00 PM.
- Pool being down 5.5 feet is exaggerating the breaks and concentrating bass tightly. Structure in 18 to 22 feet is sharper and holds more fish than normal. Fish the main-lake humps hard early and don't skip them thinking they're too obvious.
- Night bite can be outstanding after a hot day. Even though the water is still warm, the surface cools and bass feed shallow. A small black topwater or dark worm fished slow can produce solid numbers and a chance at a bigger fish between 9 PM and 11 PM.
If conditions change
If clouds roll in or wind increases, the bite can extend up into midday because the sun won't cook the shallows as hard. Stay shallower and fish the 12 to 18 foot zone longer than you normally would. If the water gets muddier from wind or runoff, go brighter colors: switch to chartreuse lipless cranks and white jigs. If a front rolls through and pressure rises, expect a shutdown for 12 to 24 hours after it passes. Drop down to tiny finesse baits, 4-inch worms and drop shots, and fish the densest cover available. The night bite will still be better than the day bite.
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