![]() ![]() “In a river with miles of shoreline lined by cypress trees, everything looks pretty,” Tietje said. Then, they can bypass many unproductive places. Anglers need to determine patterns through experimentation and observation. Some only hold bass in the spring or at other times. On a long river shoreline or a lake filled with cypress trees, not every tree produces good bass action. Many bass spawn in these placid, shallow pockets. Trees serve as barriers to protect those shallows from wave action. Many cypress trees grow well off the shorelines, creating protected pockets behind them. Trees can hold fish all year long, but anglers frequently find the best action in the spring. In addition, doughnut-shaped grass rings often grow around cypress trees standing in deeper water. They provide more food for lurking lunkers. In addition, lizards, snakes, birds and other small animals dwell above the water, but occasionally enter it. Little creatures attract larger predators like bass. Small fish find refuge among submerged nooks and crannies. During low water, the bottom of some trees looks like an octopus with all the things coming off them.”Īlgae and other small organisms grow on the trees, feeding insects, crustaceans and various other invertebrates. “Cypress trees can provide bass with abundant cover, much more than just a tree trunk or a stump,” said Dennis Tietje, a retired professional bass angler now working for Grosse Savanne Lodge ( in Lake Charles. Below the waterline, but above the bottom, root balls spread out to help anchor the big trees in the muck. Besides knees, root shoots split directly from the trunk to create a “root ball,” a feature unique to cypress. Knees help trees breathe in water or soggy soil. Standing like soldiers protecting a fort, hard “knees” protrude above the ground surrounding many trees. (Photo by Greg Hackney) More than the tree They provide great cover from surface to bottom for lunker bass. It has lots of stuff underneath the water that provide cover for fish and all other kinds of small animals.” A cypress tree can survive and grow in standing water for centuries. It’s not just a plain tree trunk coming out of the water. “To a bass, a cypress tree is essentially a big reef. Heimann, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist. “Cypress trees are great places for bass because they provide them with so much cover,” said Brian J. In contrast, dead or dying timber decays, eventually leaving little to interest bass or other species. Live trees continue to grow and make new cover that attracts a host of species, creating entire ecosystems above and below the waterline. Since the ancient trees impervious to rot can grow in standing water, these giants provide abundant living cover from surface to bottom. My best five weighed more than 30 pounds, but I caught a lot more than that.” The biggest bag of fish I ever caught in Louisiana came out of Lake Henderson, which is full of cypress trees. “On a good tree, I can often catch more fish in the first hour of the morning than I can the rest of the day. “If I only had one cover to fish for the rest of my life, it would be cypress trees,” said Greg Hackney, a bass pro from Gonzales. These massive trees provide excellent bass cover all year long and especially this time of the year. ![]()
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