Sept. 22 report from Jim Goughnour of Rim Country Custom Rods:

The bass fishing conditions for Roosevelt Lake are being reported as “very good” by local anglers. As ambient and water temperatures drop, fall fishing techniques are more commonly being used. It is not uncommon to see huge schools of baitfish being pursued by schools of bass.

If you're fishing one of these areas, remember to cast your bait to the edge of the school rather than into the middle. Bass are opportunistic feeders and will attack an injured looking bait on the edge of the school since it is an easier target.

Jerkbaits and crankbaits are very successful for these situations. Remember that a longer fishing rod in the 7-foot-6 to 8-foot range will allow longer casts to be made. The weather has remained fairly stable recently so dropshot, Texas rig and jig techniques are still very productive if you're looking for good numbers of fish.

The lake level set another new low record for the year and currently stands at 37% percent full. The Salt River is flowing at 40 percent of its normal rate for this time of year while the Tonto Creek has slowed to about 7 percent. The water temperatures are in the high 70s during the day, while the water clarity remains very clear. Even with the lake dropping a couple of percent recently, the level is consistent with recent prior year levels.

Have a great week of fishing and I hope to see you on the water.

(2,087 feet, 37-percent full).