Menendez goes year round

Earlier this week the pros lamented that Ross Barnett would fish “small.” That made avoiding standout features prone to high fishing pressure a good place to avoid. Nothing stands out more on the lower lake than the very long riprap shoreline along a dam. 

This morning Mark Menendez told me he’s camped out along such a standout feature. The riprap along the dam. 
The longer he stayed the more Menendez learned about the area. That’s a nugget the average angler can use. 

“Those fish live around the dam year-round, and a quantity of fish is available that replenishes itself every day,” said Menendez. “I didn’t have to worry about running around the lake trying to find new fish.”

That is wise advice for the average angler. Focusing on a reliable area with a year-round population of bass. Fundamentally, that is an area that supports the bass population year round with habitat, depth and food. Examples are backwater sloughs, lakes, river systems and riprap shorelines. 

Earlier in the week Menendez also told me he cycled through lots of 14-inch borderline keepers to get the quality bite. 

He built confidence with every kicker fish that came along. And here he fishes. Alone at one of the most obvious features on the lake.