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I've fished Rayburn maybe a dozen times in my life, so am no guide on this. I do have an idea about it for this month. The pool level ought to be rising due to the rains, so find out where it is before the tournament. If the water gets into the brush they might be gathering there mid day. I wouldn't rule out shallow bass. It depends on where their food goes. If that next front brings more rain the lake might be stained by then.
I'd start with the mouth of longest coves with some deep water in the cove channels where they can escape to if it turns out clear. Ignore coves not near good spawning areas. A protected flat with points on the north side out to be good, even though the spawn is a ways off. Main lake and secondary points within view of the main lake ought to produce using jigs, slow cranks. I'd concentrate on the steeper sides that are close to deep water. Finding some outside weedlines near a sharp drop-off ought to be wise. Check out the inside weedlines too. With water rising those places ought to have plenty of open water down to the latest kill-back line.
Pay close attention to the standing timber areas where bass ought to be ganging up in branches. Keep in mind on that lake high water covers a lot of the snags normally a little above water. It's THE place to ruin a lower unit. The regular boat lanes are probably easy to follow, but there are lots of unmarked lanes that are not fished as heavily, worth scouting out. I wouldn't follow any boater that might not know where the stumps are any better than you.
One more thing. Remember that air temperature affects YOU. Water temp affects bass activity. The lake ought to be in the 50s and I doubt the latest fronts will drop temps below the 50s. If you can find some shallow water at 62 consider pre-spawn techniques you would expect just before regular spawning season. 62 degrees is not out of the question on that lake by the end of January. It normally doesn't have the weather happening in Texas this year. A suspending hard jerkbait should be good if the bass are still lethargic. I doubt the water would warm that much except in really shallow water, north side, in full sun all day, and a dark bottom. If it stays in the mid 50s then a slow crawled jig with craw trailer should be a good pick.
Jim
I'd start with the mouth of longest coves with some deep water in the cove channels where they can escape to if it turns out clear. Ignore coves not near good spawning areas. A protected flat with points on the north side out to be good, even though the spawn is a ways off. Main lake and secondary points within view of the main lake ought to produce using jigs, slow cranks. I'd concentrate on the steeper sides that are close to deep water. Finding some outside weedlines near a sharp drop-off ought to be wise. Check out the inside weedlines too. With water rising those places ought to have plenty of open water down to the latest kill-back line.
Pay close attention to the standing timber areas where bass ought to be ganging up in branches. Keep in mind on that lake high water covers a lot of the snags normally a little above water. It's THE place to ruin a lower unit. The regular boat lanes are probably easy to follow, but there are lots of unmarked lanes that are not fished as heavily, worth scouting out. I wouldn't follow any boater that might not know where the stumps are any better than you.
One more thing. Remember that air temperature affects YOU. Water temp affects bass activity. The lake ought to be in the 50s and I doubt the latest fronts will drop temps below the 50s. If you can find some shallow water at 62 consider pre-spawn techniques you would expect just before regular spawning season. 62 degrees is not out of the question on that lake by the end of January. It normally doesn't have the weather happening in Texas this year. A suspending hard jerkbait should be good if the bass are still lethargic. I doubt the water would warm that much except in really shallow water, north side, in full sun all day, and a dark bottom. If it stays in the mid 50s then a slow crawled jig with craw trailer should be a good pick.
Jim
