Although largemouth bass continue to be territorial critters in a riverine environment, the territory changes a little or a lot, depending on river stage. There is one area I fish frequently on Pool 13 that will always result in a stretched string regardless of river level. Like many dependable hotspots on the river, there is plenty of cover with transition areas of weeds, riprap, and wood with deeper water and a degree of current nearby. If the river is low, this and similar locations are good places to target largemouth bass. With more current, the bucketmouths retreat into sloughs, and smallmouth tend to dominate the catch. When the river is at flood stage, sheephead will save the day.

A quick glance at river stage on www.in-depthangling.com provides a pretty good indicator of what species is liable to be dominant here during warmer months. But if the river is at normal pool levels, this honeyhole is a great touchstone for probable fish location and attitude for the next few hours on the river.

Whether you fish the Mississippi River or a particular lake on a regular basis, it's a good idea to have one or two consistent producing spots to target first to enable quicker tweaking of the pattern to produce optimum results. Even if bass are very active on your "honeyholes," you won't learn anything by staying there. If the fish are active on developing weeds next to deeper water, go look for other areas with similar habitat parameters. You can always return to the "sure thing."

Wood and weeds next to deeper water of perhaps 8 feet is a great place to look for bass after flood waters recede.

When young-of-year baitfish start to appear in June and into the summer, look for bass busting this bait on the surface. Then move quickly to cash in on the pattern. Bird activity is a good way to find such a frenzy beyond the range of the naked eye.

The pattern of cover near deeper water and/or current is always worth checking on the Mississippi. This is especially true of woody structure that can be a bass magnet all summer long. A single stump on a point or inside bend of a river slough during higher current flow -- or main channel edge during the low water typical in late summer -- can hold 20 bass while water for a hundred yards on either side are not producing a single bite. With time on the water, such spots practically jump out at you.

The Web site www.in-depthangling.comis the shortest route to prevailing patterns, lodging opportunities and similar needs for all aspects of fishing the Mississippi River.

FOX CHAIN-O-LAKES
Chompers Tackle Company is coming out with a "super salty sinker" that I can hardly wait to throw at bass on Lake Marie, arguably the best largemouth lake on the heavily targeted Fox Chain in northeastern Illinois.

This bait looks like a ginseng root, or maybe a plastic stickman without a head. Bass swimming in The Chain haven't seen this lure yet, and that is one way to trigger a response. DNR biologists say any largemouth swimming here has been hooked "at least several times" before attaining legal dimensions. Research says that bass forget the sting of a plastic worm-type bait quicker than other presentations.

For the next month or so the population here will have cumulative amnesia until anglers get serious about educating them again -- one good excuse to try the lipless vibrating crankbait attack when the water is between 43 to 48 degrees.

Even though Marie has a reputation as the best bass water in The Chain, you may want to focus attention for the short haul on Channel and Catherine at the north end of these natural lakes, targeting dark-bottomed bays.

Savvy anglers know that anytime you find woody cover -- from stumps to docks and piers -- there is great potential for holding bass, especially for the next month or two until weed growth becomes a factor.