Fishing Natural Lakes with Bob Downey

Bassmaster Elite Series angler, Bob Downey, is here to break down what to expect when fishing natural lakes for bass. The majority of natural lakes will have an abundance of vegetation and generally some presence of rock and hard bottom structures. Submerged grass, lilypads, cattails, and more provide ample cover for a non-shad forage base, including bluegills, perch, crappies, and other species of minnows and smaller baitfish. Unless a natural lake is connected to some form of river system, generally there will not be shad present. Varying water clarities can be expected when fishing natural lakes, where some lakes remain gin-clear year-round, while others follow cycles of algae blooms as the weather warms up in the summertime. Natural lakes also generally have many forms of deeper structures, such as points, humps, inside turns, and more, but typically have no current, unlike rivers and reservoirs.