So in Step 1 you stop chasing the shore with the rising water and pulling back to fish the original bank as the water recedes, and instead target obvious structure. "In river-connected oxbows that means willow trees, plain and simple," Ford said. "Bass relate to the willows trees in shallow water when the lake is low, and if the lake goes on a fast rise, they relate to the same willows. They don't necessarily move to shallower willows.

"I have found that most of the fish stay close to the same trees they were on, even if the trees they were on were in 5 feet of water and a week later they are in 15 or 20 feet or, two weeks later, 25 feet. They stay close to those same trees. They hang pretty tight to them, too, and when they are hungry and actively feeding -- which make them easier to catch -- they really get tight. You can catch them right on those trees."

Such behavior on the part of the fish could actually be an advantage for bass fishermen in this situation. "Here's the deal," Ford said. "When you find the fish that are biting, all of the fish that will be biting that day will be in similar water. Once you figure out two things, you will be able to stay in productive waters all day.

"First, you have to figure out the depth of water that they are in. I'm not talking about the depth the fish are suspended, but the actual depth of the water around the trees they are holding on: If it's 10 feet, then all of the fish will be in 10 feet; if it's 25 feet, then they will all be in 25 feet.

"Second, you have to figure out the depth that the fish are holding, and that's the level at which they are suspended. You need to know both of those, but once you establish them, you have put yourself in the best position to catch fish."

Fishing patterns vary. Some fishermen pull spinnerbaits right past the trees, while some others use buzzbaits adjacent to the trees' Ford uses a jig. Asked to give a list of five lures he'd want in his boat for fishing connected oxbows in April and May, he didn't hesitate.

"I'd want a jig first," he said, grinning. And then a jig, a jig, a jig -- and another jig Is that five? Well, how many ever it is, my point is I'm going to be using a jig. I rarely vary in the spring. It's dependable. Color is not important, as long as it's dark.

"But weight does matter. I use a 3/4-ounce jig because I want it to fall fast and I also want it heavy enough to crash through those thick limbs on the surface. The fast fall is probably the most important factor, because I'm fishing for the most aggressive fish. I want that lure to be falling fast, so that when it passes his face, he eats it before he knows he did it -- the classic reaction strike."