Outright Lies About Guns and Gun Owners

I came home Wednesday from a nice three-day trip to Lay Lake, where I saw no news at all, to turn on the TV to see a program showing a campaign to end civil rights of millions of United States citizens. I totally oppose the agenda this presentation pushed, full of false information and outright lies about guns and gun owners.

Rational folks know they should never believe anything any politician says. Their number one job description is to get re-elected no matter how many lies they have to tell. But when a president of the United States lies about the effect of gun bans, claims the 2nd Amendment is about deer hunting and thinks armed opposition does not work unless you have “F-16s and nuclear bombs,” I get disgusted.

You might want to check with the Russia and the Afghanistan Mujahideen or the US government and the Taliban and Viet Cong on that last idiotic claim.

Everyone has their own beliefs about guns but beliefs and feelings do not change facts. When you blame an inanimate object for the actions of people, there is no logic involved, especially when you blame the gun in most instances but blame the shooter when it is a cop doing the shooting.

When a politician says giving folks jobs will stop them from committing crime while, at the same time, also paying people to stay home and not work is about as senseless as anything said at the presentation.

Read any of the crime and arrest stories in the Griffin Daily News and you are likely to see, under charges filed, “possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.” That has been a law for years, criminals ignore it and prosecutors, for some strange reason, usually plea bargain it away. Maybe felons would pay attention to that law if it included mandatory capital punishment for violation.

When political district attorneys release criminals without bond, do not prosecute rioters and looters and ignore the law, more laws that affect only the law-abiding are stupid.

As long as politicians take actions based on false information and their feelings rather than facts, the problem will only get worse.

Boat Fuel Economy

Optimize Your Boat’s Fuel Economy and Range
Advice from the fuel experts at Chevron
from The Fishing Wire

If you’re an avid power boater or fisherman, what truly fuels your passion for time on the water is, well, fuel.

While they are unquestionably the most fun way of getting from Point A to Point B, boats are inherently un-economical conveyances when it comes to fuel consumption. Not only do boats consume a lot of fuel (measured in Gallons Per Hour rather than Miles Per Gallon), they operate in a dynamic environment where wind, waves and currents can cut “normal” fuel economy in half on any given day.

On land, the maximum fuel range of your car is rarely of critical concern — cars are generally fuel efficient and there are gas stations everywhere. Boats are different. Once you leave the harbor or launch ramp, you are generally limited to the fuel your boat carries onboard. On the water, fuel range is the limiting factor that dictates everything — from how far you can run to find fish to how long you can stay out looking for and/or catching them.

There are some simple steps all power boaters can take to squeeze every drop of fun out of their boat’s fuel tank, whether it’s an aluminum walleye rig, high-performance bass boat or multi-engine offshore fishing machine that holds 400 gallons.

1. Always start full. Well, duh…but you’d be surprised how many fishermen try to save a little time or money by not fueling up before each trip. You never know what a fishing day will bring, and you don’t want to have to stop short if the fish are farther away or the weather comes up. Also remember the rule of thirds when it comes to estimating your boat’s range – a third of a tank for the day’s fishing, a third of your fuel to get back, and a third to keep in reserve. Smart boaters who’ve learned from past mistakes know that “empty” can sneak up pretty fast when conditions change, so they keep a good amount in reserve just in case.

2. Lose some weight. Carrying unnecessary weight or having an unbalanced weight load can change the way a boat rides and drastically reduce fuel economy and range. Go through your boat and consider removing things you don’t really need, like extra fishing gear you never use, boxes of lead sinkers, extra anchors and chain, old expired fire extinguishers, and the like. Water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon, so it’s easy to see how filling live bait tanks and livewells when they’re not needed can really weigh you down and cut fuel economy.

3. Know your boat’s “sweet spot.” Every boat/motor combination has its own “sweet spot” where it’s operating most efficiently. In magazine boat tests, this is often referred to as Most Economical Cruising Speed. Depending on vessel style and hull type, it may be quite a bit faster than you imagine. Most modern boats/outboard engines come equipped with fuel computer systems, which allow you to track fuel consumption at various engine RPMs and boat speeds. You can compute your Most Economical Cruising Speed by looking at the Gallons Per Hour being burned and cross referencing it with the boat’s GPS speed. For example, if you’re burning 10 gallons per hour and traveling at 20 miles per hour, you’re netting 2 miles per gallon. You might find, however, that your boat burns 13 gallons per hour at 32 miles per hour, which works out to almost 2.5 miles per gallon. At this cruising speed, you’ll get where you’re going faster while ultimately burning less fuel. It’s important to figure this out with your boat loaded the way you normally use it, which might be loaded with a full tank, gear and fishing buddies.

4. Propellers matter. Your boat’s propeller(s) is responsible for efficiently translating the RPMs of the boat’s engine into forward movement of the vessel. There are a wide variety of propeller types and sizes, and finding the right one for your boat may require some trial and testing. One of the key propeller measurements is pitch, which refers to how much forward movement it provides. For example, a propeller with a pitch size of 21 will move forward 21 inches for each turn, while a “less aggressive” 18-pitch propeller will move three inches less. When you consider that high performance outboard engines can run at 5,000+ RPMs for sustained periods, this can make a huge difference. A propeller with too much pitch will make it hard for a boat to get “out of the hole” and accelerate from a standstill. A propeller with too little pitch might over-rev the engine and reduce top-end performance. Either one can negatively impact fuel range and economy. A well-matched propeller will allow the engine to fall within the manufacturer’s recommended maximum RPM range (say 5,000-5,500 RPM) when the boat is well trimmed and running at Wide Open Throttle (WOT).

5. Keep the engine and fuel system clean. Techron Marine Fuel Treatment provides boaters with the cleaning power they’ve long counted on in their automobiles and tow vehicles. The fuel experts at Chevron developed this specialized formula to clean gasoline engines used in the harshest marine environments. When used with every fill up, Techron Marine restores power and maximizes fuel efficiency by cleaning fuel injectors, throttle bodies, carburetors, intake valves and combustion chambers, preventing corrosion and removing gum, varnish and carbon deposits. It also keeps the entire fuel system clean, preventing gunk, corrosion and deposits in the tanks, fuel lines, filters and fuel pumps from interrupting fuel flow and compromising performance. A fuel system kept clean with Techron Marine will also deliver quick and easy starting in any weather, smoother idling and faster response when it’s time to hit the throttle. With a range of economical bottle sizes and a treat rate of just one ounce per 10 gallons of fuel, Techron Marine is a cost-effective way to stretch the fuel range of any gasoline-powered boat.
Doing these things will help maximize your range and time on the water between visits to the fuel pump. It’s also important to remember to treat your fuel when you won’t be using your boat for an extended time. In addition to cleaning your engine and fuel system and keeping everything running like a top, Techron Marine Fuel Treatment provides best-in-class corrosion protection and stabilizes fuel up to 24 months.

To learn more about optimizing your boat’s fuel efficiency and range, while protecting your boat’s fuel system and engine in the harshest marine environments, visit www.TechronClean.com.

Liberal Politicians Fear Guns and Law-Abiding Gun Owners

Answer: Rust and politicians. Question: What are the only two natural enemies of guns? I’m not sure who first said that, but it is a popular saying seen on shirts and posters. And it is all too true.

Liberal politicians naturally fear guns and gun owners. We are harder to control than those without guns. Another old saying is “people with guns are citizens, people without guns are slaves.” We won our freedom from Britain with guns. But slaves and even free blacks were not allowed to own or possess guns.

Biden compares the current Georgia voting law to Jim Crow laws. He should go back and actually read some Jim Crow laws and the Georgia voting law, especially the Jim Crow prohibition of gun ownership to keep black citizens in line. His gun laws apply to everyone, but they are designed to keep us in line.

Looking at some of the individual proposals from the democrats show how ineffective they are in dealing with crime. Biden wants to ban “assault weapons” which are described as semiautomatic rifles with certain “scary” characteristics.

Some sources say there are approximately 17,000,000 modern sporting rifles in the US – the guns some mistakenly call “assault weapons.” Others say up to 25 million. They are the most popular kind of gun in the
US. Most fire a .223 caliber bullet, legal for deer hunting in most states. Its ironic to see some gun banners call this a big dangerous bullet while also saying too small to use hunting deer.

According to the FBI there were 13,927 murder victims in 2019. Of those, 6778 were by handgun, 300 by rifles of all kinds. That includes every rifle made so only a part of them were by so-called “assault weapon” rifles.

There were 1562 deaths by knife or cutting instrument. The FBI does not say how many of those were assault knives. And hands, feet and fists killed 668 – more than twice the number killed with all rifles.

I know facts don’t matter when you are on a mission to play to your political base, but what sense does it make to concentrate on guns that are used in such a tiny part of murders. And what sense does it make to concentrate on the inanimate object when people using them are the problem.

If criminals were punished for crimes maybe there would be less crime. But the murders on the golf course in Kennesaw are a perfect example. Three people were shot, the kind of gun is not mentioned, but a little research on the killer is interesting.

Brian Rhoden, the accused murderer, was arrested in 2016 for trying to sell drugs to two teenagers then getting into a shoot out with them. He faced several felony charges after that but a Fulton County judge sealed his record in 2017 and the court spokesman could not say why.

In May 2020 he was arrested for having drugs for sale in his car. At that time he also had a warrant for his arrest in East Point, but was let go for some reason. In August 2020 he was arrested in Indiana after a high-speed chase going over 150 mph but was let go with a fine.

In April this year he threatened a Uber driver with a gun and Rhoden admitted having one, but he was let go. Now he is arrested for killing three people, including the golf pro who just happened to be in the way while Rhoden was killing two folks.

The above information is mostly from an article from CBS 45, but also other online sources like the FBI.

I am waiting on someone to say the gun he used should be banned.

Criminals do not follow laws. Law-abiding citizens do, until something legal for all their life is suddenly illegal.

GEORGIA BASS SLAM

CHALLENGE YOUR ANGLING SKILLS WITH A GEORGIA BASS SLAM

SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA (July 20, 2021) – Catch five different black bass species and you have a Georgia Bass Slam! This program recognizes anglers with the knowledge and skill to catch different species of bass in a variety of habitats across the state, while also stimulating interest in the conservation and management of black bass and their habitats, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

Georgia’s ten (10) recognized native black bass species are largemouth, smallmouth, shoal, Suwannee, spotted, redeye, Chattahoochee, Tallapoosa, Altamaha and Bartram’s. Anglers can find out more about these eligible bass species, including images, location maps and more at www.BassSlam.com.

How Can You Participate? To qualify for the Georgia Bass Slam, fish must be caught within a calendar year, must be legally caught on waters where you have permission to fish, and anglers must provide some basic information on the catch (length, weight-if available, county and waterbody where caught) accompanied by several photos of each fish. Anglers will submit information to Georgia.BassSlam@dnr.ga.gov for verification. Complete rules posted at www.BassSlam.com.

What is Your Reward? Well, besides bragging rights among all the anglers and non-anglers you know, you will receive a certificate worthy of framing, two Go Fish Education Center passes, and some fantastic and fun stickers (for vehicle windows/bumpers) to advertise your achievement. Anglers also will be recognized on the WRD website, at the Go Fish Education Center (www.GoFishEducationCenter.com), and possibly through a variety of social media platforms. In addition, all successful submissions will go into a drawing for an annual grand prize!

Don’t have time to dedicate to catch five species of bass, but maybe you have your eye on a lunker largemouth? We have a program for that, too! The Trophy Bass Angler Award program recognizes largemouth bass catches of 10 pounds or greater. These fish are rare, and the data from these catches helps to provide genetics and growth information that is valuable to fisheries managers. Those that successfully submit a qualified fish will receive a certificate, hat, t-shirt and an entry into a drawing for a reward package. Oh, and catch one larger than 13 pounds, and you may be eligible for a free mount of your bass! More info at https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/anglerawards.

For more information, visit www.BassSlam.com.

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry


Fishing Report, Lake Guntersville 7/24/2021 The rain and overcast skies have kept the heat down and the fish active, for the most part it was a good week on Guntersville. Typical summertime good fish reasonable number of bites but always a great time on the water. Baits didn’t change much over the week lots of soft plastic bites Missile Bait 48 stick baits, DBombs, and big worms. The Tight-Line jig also produced in a little deeper water around 12 ft. and the Picasso under spin helped when we ran into schooling fish. We are seeing more schooling, and this should continue through the summer and get stronger as we get into fall. Come fish with me I have days and guides available to fish with you, no one will treat you better or work harder to make sure you have a great time with us on the water. We fish with great sponsor products Mercury Motors, Lowrance Electronics, Ranger Boats, Boat Logix mounts, Vicious Fishing, Duckett Fishing, SPRO, Dawson Boat Center, Lews Fishing, Power Pole and more!


Fishing, Duckett Fishing, Power Pole, Lowrance Electronics and more.

Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
www.facebook.com/FishGuntersville
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Capt. Mike Gerry

Bass Are Always Biting Somewhere for Someone

Bass are always biting somewhere for someone on a big lake. The Flint River Bass Club July tournament on Lake Sinclair last Sunday proved this in a big way. In eight hours of fishing, 11 members and guests landed 29 12-inch keeper bass weighing about 61 pounds. There were two five bass limits and one person did not catch a keeper.

Niles Murray blew us all away with five bass weighing 17.08 pounds and his stringer included two identical 4.52 pounders. Lee Hancock placed second with three weighing 8.46 pounds and had big fish with a 4.76 pound largemouth. Doug Acree came in third with fiv weighing 8.39 pounds and Niles’s guest, Otis Budd, came in fourth with four weighing 7.32 pounds.

My day started and ended bad. On the way to the ramp I hit either a hole or something right on the side of the road with my trailer tire. When I got in the boat and Alex started backing me in, I heard the telltale sound of a flat tire. I had not noticed anything wrong until then.

I waited to put the spare on after weigh-in since it is much easier to put it on an empty trailer. Thanks to Doug Acree and Niles Murray for their help, it took only a few minutes. Then Chuck Croft stuck around and pulled me out after I loaded my boat.

In the tournament my start was not good. I missed two hits on a buzzbait, jerking one keeper out of the water all the way to the boat but it came off. Then I caught a keeper on the buzzbati between two docks. There seemed to be no reason for the fish to be where it was.

I noticed some mayflies and started fishing around them but caught only bream. I finally caught a second keeper at 9:00 on a shaky head worm near some brush, then with an hour left to fish caught my third one on a floating worm in grass. My three weighed 3.46 pounds and was good for sixth place, not the day I wanted.

ANGLING FOR CATFISH IN GEORGIA

SOUTHERN SUMMERTIME INCLUDES ANGLING FOR CATFISH

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (July 20, 2021) – If someone asks if you are coming to the local fish fry – your answers is always “yes.” Especially when that fish fry is serving up catfish. Want to contribute to the meal? Catfishing provides great opportunities for new and experienced anglers, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“Angling for catfish is an activity that requires relatively simple gear and is a great way to introduce someone new to fishing, especially kids, so it’s a perfect opportunity to get everyone outside during the summer,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Fisheries Management Chief. “Additionally, catfish are a species found throughout Georgia so angling opportunities are plentiful.”

Georgia’s public waterways are home to several species of catfish, including channel, white, blue, flathead and bullheads (consisting of several similar species – yellow, brown, snail, spotted and flat). While you may not catch them often, the larger species, like flathead catfish, can sometimes reach monster weights in excess of 100 pounds – and that’s no tall fish tale!

What to Use:

If targeting channel and white catfish, fisheries biologists recommend eight to 14-pound test line and medium-sized hooks (size 2 to 1/0) under a bobber or fished on the bottom. Best baits for channel, bullheads and white catfish are worms, liver, live minnows, shrimp, cut bait and stink bait.
For anglers trying to land a large blue or flathead catfish, heavy tackle is a must – large spinning or casting tackle with at least 20 to 50-pound test braid or monofilament line, large hooks (3/0 to 8/0), and heavy weights (1-5 oz) to keep bait on the bottom. Flatheads are ambush predators that prey heavily upon fish, so live or freshly killed fish used as bait will increase your chances. Similarly, freshly caught gizzard shad increases your chances of reeling in a giant blue catfish.
Other methods for catching catfish include trotlines, limb lines, and jug-lines. More info on the regulations relative to these methods can be found in the 2020 Georgia Sportfishing Regulations Book found at https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

Where to Look:

In general, anglers should target rocky shorelines, rip-rap areas, points and outside bends of rivers or the submerged river channel. Catfish will stay in deep areas or “holes” during the day before roaming the shallows at night for food. When fishing rivers during the day, anglers should look to deep holes containing rocky or woody cover. During dawn, dusk and at night, anglers should concentrate on shallow sandbars, flats, and shoals near the deep holes fished during the day. Catfish, especially flatheads, love holding near downed trees, so look for these on outside bends.

Georgia’s Public Fishing Areas (https://georgiawildlife.com/allpfas) are great places to target catfish, especially as most of them are open 24 hours a day year-round. Looking for additional locations? Check out the Fishing Forecasts webpage at https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

When to Go:

Though most species of catfish are active throughout the day, the best summer fishing is at dusk and during the night. Catfish can be caught year-round, with the best bite typically from early spring through the peak of summer. Be prepared to fish multiple areas and if you don’t get a bite within 30 minutes, just try another until you find some fish.

Need a license before you go? Visit www.GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to purchase a license online or to view a list of retail license vendors, or buy a license by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

For more information on fishing in Georgia, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

Fishing Lay Lake With Zeke Gossett

It was nice and peaceful on Lay Lake a few weeks ago on Tuesday and the bass were biting, if you knew where to go and what to throw. Zeke Gossett knows both. I met this young man about eight years ago when he was a sophomore in high school. I set up a trip with him for a magazine article not knowing his age and was shocked. His skills and knowledge of fishing were better than mine!

Zeke won many fishing awards in high school and college, including winning the College Classic on Lay Lake last year. This year he was third in the College Classic in Texas and he and his partner won the point standings College Team of the Year in 2020.

Now Zeke is trying to establish a professional fishing career while guiding on the Coosa River chain of lakes and Lake Martin. His father is one of the best bass fishermen in the area and coaches a high school team that has won high school team of the year two years in a row.

His knowledge of these lakes is exceptional from his own fishing as well as the teaching of his father. I have recommended him to some friends for guide trips and they were pleased. As many good fishermen as I get to fish with doing magazine articles, Zeke is the only one I have done three articles with!

Zeke showed me two good patterns for Lay Lake in August, and they are already working now. Lay is full of shallow grass beds and Zeke caught several nice bass casting frogs to the grass. Bream were bedding and Zeke knows there will usually be a big bass or several around a bream bed.

Another good pattern is fishing the many brush piles fishermen have put out on points and humps. These brush piles in 10 to 20 feet of water are magnets for summertime fish. They hold in them and feed around them day and night.

The night before we fished Zeke had placed second in a three-hour night tournament. He weighed in a three fish limit weighing almost ten pounds in that short time, missing first place by a couple of ounces!

While we fished Zeke caught about a dozen bass on humps and points with brush casting a topwater plug over the brush and working a jerk bait down deeper. I even caught a nice keeper spot while taking a casting break from my pen, pad and camera.

I get to fish with many amazing fishermen doing my magazine articles and Zeke is one of the best. There are a lot of young fishermen out there coming up into the pros and I get to watch as their careers develop. I am jealous!

While we fished many college fishermen were on Lay Lake practicing for a college wild card tournament that was held Thursday and Friday. I was amazed to see college age kids drive up in $50,000.00 trucks puling $80,000.00 boats.

When I was in college I ate 10 cents a can Showboat Spaghetti and loaf bread for dinner to save money. And I was one of the few lucky ones in my fraternity to have a car, an eight-year old hand me down Chevy Bel Air. There were students driving around Athens in new Vets and Mustangs, but they lived and revolved in a different world.

I know some college fishermen drive old vehicles and very well used boats and have done articles with some of them, but they seem to be the exception to the rule. I fear college fishing is developing into a sport for the rich.

Georgia Public Fishing Areas

LOOKING FOR A GREAT PLACE TO FISH? VISIT A GEORGIA PUBLIC FISHING AREA

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (July 20, 2021) – Searching for a new place to fish? Be sure to start with one of Georgia’s 11 Public Fishing Areas (PFA). PFAs are managed for fishing by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), and most offer additional experiences to entertain the whole family.

“Georgia Public Fishing Areas make a great place for both new and experienced anglers,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Fisheries Management Chief. “Even though fishing is the main attraction for most visitors, Georgia PFAs also offer other family-friendly activities such as hiking, bird watching, picnicking and camping.”

Waters on PFAs vary from lakes several hundred acres in size to ponds less than one acre with some designated as kids-only fishing ponds. Anglers can fish from a boat, along the shoreline, or from a pier at most locations.

Many PFAs have picnic tables, nature and wildlife observation trails, fish cleaning stations, archery ranges and restroom facilities. There are camping opportunities on some PFAs (from primitive camping to RV) for those wishing to stay overnight on the area. All PFAs are open seven days a week, and with the exception of Rocky Mountain PFA, also allow night fishing year-round.

Make plans to visit one of the following PFAs today:

Rocky Mountain PFA (Floyd County): Includes two lakes totaling 559 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish, channel catfish, crappie and walleye. Additional amenities: beach area, camping opportunities.

McDuffie County PFA (McDuffie County): Includes seven ponds ranging from five to 37 acres, a trophy bass catch and release pond, fish hatchery, and an education center. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish. Additional amenities: camping opportunities.

Big Lazer Creek PFA (Talbot County): Includes a 195-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities.

Marben Farms PFA (Jasper/Newton counties): Includes 20 ponds ranging from one to 95 acres, a wildlife management area and the Charlie Elliott Education Center. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie and channel catfish. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities.

Ocmulgee PFA (Bleckley County): Includes a 106-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish.

Dodge County PFA (Dodge County): Includes a 104-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities, group shelter facility.

Evans County PFA (Evans County): Includes three lakes ranging from eight to 84 acres. Species: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, brown bullhead and channel catfish. Additional amenities: camping (tent and RV) opportunities, event center.

Flat Creek PFA (Houston County): Includes a 108-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie and channel catfish.

Hugh M. Gillis PFA (Laurens County): Includes a 109-acre lake. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and crappie. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities.

Paradise PFA (Berrien County): Includes 60 lakes totaling 525 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, and channel catfish. Additional amenities: tent camping opportunities.

Silver Lake PFA (Decatur County): Includes more than 30 lakes and ponds totaling 537 acres. Species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish. Additional amenities: primitive camping opportunities.

Need a fishing license before you go? Visit www.GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to purchase a license online or to view a list of retail license vendors, or buy a license by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

For more information on PFAs in Georgia or for detailed PFA guides and maps, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/allpfas.

Captain Mack’ Lake Lanier Fishing Report

The lake is fishing well,
typical summer patterns for
the Stripers and Bass, with
Bass fishing seemingly
benefiting from the below
average surface temps. We
have a full moon coming up
on the 23rd, so perhaps
that will add a little energy
to the bite.

The weather
forecast looks pretty good
for fishing next week, with
cooler temps and an
elevated rain chance
Sunday thru Monday, then
a return to seasonal temps
through the end of the
week.

Don’t forget the Capt
Mack’s Customer
Appreciation Tournament on July 31st! Thanks to the support of many of our local tackle shop,
Jim Ellis Buick GMC Mall of Georgia, and other supporters, we will have some really nice prizes
for the event. More on that to follow.

The lake level as of Friday am was 1070.13, up .23 feet
from last week, .87 feet below full pool. The surface temps was 83 degrees.

Striper Fishing

Striper fishing has been good, and the patterns seem to be transitioning to what would be more
typical relative to the calendar. While there are still fish in the pockets and drains as shallow as
35 feet, more and more fish are showing up over open water areas over the creek and river
channels. Focusing on the fish in the pockets early, then moving out onto the channels later in
the day has been a solid strategy.

The water releases at the dam seem to have had a big
influence on the fish many days, so plan that into your game plan as well. The fish in the
pockets will respond to Herring on the down line, and to some extent power reeling. Typically, I
think power reeling works best when you can drop a bait below the fish, and then reel it past
them, and that’s hard to accomplish in 40 feet or if the fish are glued to the bottom. Jigging a
Flex-it or Super spoon may be more effective in this situation. Keep the pitch baits in the spread,
they are still producing well.

Once you move out to the channels, the techniques are no surprise. Down lines and Power
Reeling are both very effective. Chipmunk Jigs, Spoons, or a Herring on the drop shot are all
effective power reeling baits. Use the down lines in combination with the power reeling, the two
will often compliment one another.

Trolling is effective, with a couple of patterns that will produce. The umbrellas over the humps
are still producing well, but this pattern is changing with the warming water. The fish are a little
deeper, and will often be around the periphery of the high spot. Fish the rigs a little further
behind the bait, 110 to 140, and target humps that top out 30 to 40. This pattern is still best in
the afternoons and evenings, or when the Corp is releasing water. The open water lead core
trolling is getting stronger, and is a very good way to locate the fish over the channels.
Chipmunk Jigs, Fat and Jr Spoons, Mini Mack’s and Capt Mack’s Underspin Jigs are all
effective for the lead core trolling.

Bass Fishing

Bass fishing has been good, and the patterns really did not seem to change much over the last
few days. Fishing plastics on lead heads, drop shots has been very good. Targeting brush 20 to
30 feet is probably the number one pattern, but many of the fish will be on clean bottom on the
humps and points. This is especially the case when the dam is releasing water, or after dark.

FYI, the afternoon bite is very good, and night fishing is also producing some fish.

Some favorite
colors in the Roboworms are the Chartreuse Magic, Morning Dawn (and any of the Morning
Dawn variations) Prizm Kraw, and Bold Bluegill. In bright light, the Sxe Shad and Baby Bluegill
have been good producers. After sundown switch to the darker patterns, and the larger profile
Roboworm Fat worms may get a few extra bites. Flukes over the brush continue to produce
very well, and may be the best overall technique. I would certainly start out casting the fluke our
a topwater over the brush, then cast worms to the brush to maximize the bite.

The topwater bite is still on, with good activity in the early am, and another spike in the
afternoons and evening. This is really two patterns, either casting to schooling fish, or pulling a
fish off of brush up to the bait. There are many baits that are effective, so go with your
confidence bait. Smaller baits if there is light or no wind, bugger nosier baits in the breeze.

There are also plenty of fish hanging around the marina seawalls, often scholling in the am
hours. Topwaters, swim baits on a lead head, Steelshads and again the Fluke, all all good
choices for the schoolers. They are up and down quickly, so a good cast is important.

The Spot Tail Minnow bite is very good, so if you have a youngster you want to get on some
fish, this is a really good way to make that happen. The Spot tails are easy to catch right now on
beaches and boat ramps, just something to chum them up and 3/16” cast net and bait catching
should be over in a short time. What kind of chum? Thats a great question and a good way to
spark a great debate. My favorite, Fig Newtons, but they are not picky

Good Fishing!
Capt. Mack