How important is pattern depth on a small lake when bass fishing?
Bill: Just like anywhere else you fish, depth is the key. Sure, it’s possible to catch a fish or two at any depth, but you can bet your best lure that the majority will select and use a certain depth level for a multitude of reasons. It could be water temp, water clarity, oxygen, food location, pH or whatever. Regardless of the reason, you can be sure the majority will remain at a preferred depth level. Sometimes determining this depth can be difficult, but you should still attempt to work various depths with different lures at different presentation and speeds, and cover all depths from the surface to the middle to the bottom. Bass will sometimes choose the upper, shallower portions, early, late or on cloudy days. By mid-morning the concentration could be found in the middle sections of the pond and by early afternoon, the best fishing could occur on the lower sections where the deepest water exists. The bass could be five feet deep, suspended over 12 feet of water, or they co
