Category Archives: Where To Fish

Where To Fish In Georgia Each Month of 2016

Georgia Fishing Calendar

January
Species: Hybrids
What To Expect
Two years ago over 500,000 hybrids were stocked at Hartwell. Those fish will weigh up to three pounds now and there are much bigger hybrids in Hartwell from previous years stocking.
How To
Feeding schools of hybrids can often be found by watching for gulls or terns diving on them. The lower lake is the best place to find them schooling, usually near humps and long points in sight of the dam. Cast white half-ounce bucktails or silver spoons to fish hitting on top.
If you don’t see surface activity, ride humps and points on the main lake watching for baitfish with bigger fish under them. Drop a live blueback herring to the depth the bigger fish are holding. Those fish will also hit a spoon or bucktail jigged at the depth they are holding. Also try crankbaits and bucktails trolled at the depth they are holding.
Big largemouth bass move to spawning areas on Seminole in January. Fish rattle baits on the flats just off the river channels around grass. Rainbow trout are stocked below the Lake Lanier dam in the Chattahoochee River and can be caught on small spinners and nymphs in eddies.

February
Species: Largemouth Bass
What To Expect
Jackson Lake produces some big largemouth every winter and February is one of the best months to catch a wall hanger there. You may not get many bites from largemouth but may land your biggest ever.
How To
On sunny days fish pockets on the north bank that get sun all day, and concentrate on seawalls, sandy bottoms and wood cover. A shad colored crankbait in clearer water or a chartreuse bait in stained water, fished slowly around structure and cover, is a good choice.
Also try a brown jig and pig in clear water or a black and blue bait in stained water around the same cover. Fish very slowly to interest the sluggish fish. Bump every limb in a blowdown or brush pile to excite big bass.
Large numbers of keeper size spotted bass can be caught on rocky points and humps at Lake Allatoona on jig head worms during February. To fill your freezer with yellow perch, fish a small minnow or jig below the Thurmond Dam, letting it drift with the current into eddies.

March
Species: Crappie
What To Expect
Big crappie move toward the spawning areas at Walter George this month. You can easily get you limit and fill your freezer with fileting size keepers.
How To
Tie up under a bridge on one of the lower lake creeks or drift over standing timber in the mouths of creeks like Bustahatchee Creek with live minnows or Hal Fly jigs suspended at different depths. Change depths and color of jigs until you start catching fish.
You can also troll small jigs in the creeks, following the channel, to find schools of fish. When you catch a crappie circle back over the same area since they are often moving in big schools.
White bass are running up the rivers at Lake Allatoona and can be caught on small spinners and jigs from a boat or the bank in the channels. Catfish on Lake Thurmond move shallow in March to feed and spawn and will hit live bream and shad on hard bottoms near channels.

April
Species: Largemouth Bass
What To Expect
Largemouths are up shallow spawning and feeding on the shad and herring spawn at Lake Thurmond this month. The herring spawn offers some of the fastest and best fishing for big bass of the year.
How To
Fish blowthroughs, shallow gaps between islands or between an island and the bank, in the Georgia Little River arm of Thurmond. Have a big topwater walking bait like a Zara Spook ready to cast to surface feeding fish. Also fish a big spinnerbait or crankbait over the gravel bottoms of these areas.
Fishing is best at first light when the herring spawn but you can catch fish in the deeper water off the sides of the blowthroughs on Carolina rigged lizards after the sun gets up. Drag the lizard in eight to ten feet of water.
You can choose from several ponds at McDuffie PFA to catch bluegills on earthworms or crickets this month, and fishing piers and clean banks offer the non-boat fishermen good places to catch fish. Sight fish for Trippletail holding on the surface off the Jekyll Island beaches with live shrimp.

May

Species: Flounder
What To Expect
Flounder are feeding in the sounds and inlets on the coast this month. These excellent tasting fish can be caught from the shore or from a boat.
How To
An outgoing tide pulls food from the marshes and flounder wait on it anywhere a small creek comes out of the grass. Anchor your boat off to the side of the current coming out of the creek and cast a small mud minnow or jig to the edges of the current.
You can get to some of these small creek and inlets from the bank on Jekyll Island. A good one is near the fishing pier on the north tip of the island and you can park and walk to it and fish from the shore.
Redbreast are plentiful in the Ogeechee River and have come back from the bad fish kill a few years ago. Catch them on earthworms or crickets in eddy areas out of the current. Lake Lanier is a quality spotted bass fishery and they are feeding on blueback herring on top in May. You can catch many three and four pound spots on topwater plugs this month.
June

Species: Catfish
What To Expect
The catfish population at Lake Oconee is excellent and you can catch blues, channel and flatheads, with some quality bragging size fish available.
How To
Anchor your boat on humps or shallow points and let the current take cut shad or bream out from the boat. Put out several rods to cover the area better. Current makes the catfish bite better but you can catch them when the current is not strong, too. The current will move both ways, depending on generation or pumpback at the dam.
During the summer stick with main lake points and humps or those in the bigger creeks. Shallow water near deep water is best, so a long shallow point with the channel bending off one side is an excellent place to set up.
Shark move into Georgia waters to spawn in the early summer and can be caught from piers on both Jekyll and St. Simons Islands. To beat the heat tie up under a bridge on West Point at night and catch crappie on minnows and jigs.

July

Species: Tarpon
What To Expect
Tarpon move into the coastal sounds and river mouths in the summer. These huge fish, some weighing 150 pounds, can be seen rolling and feeding on top in hot weather.
How To:
Cast a live menhaden to tarpon feeding on top in the Altamaha River Sound or drift near oyster beds with live menhaden free-lined in the current. An outgoing tide is usually best. You can also troll a big crankbait or cast a crankbait or spoon to the fish you see on top.
Anywhere the current breaks will attract feeding tarpon. Shell beds are good but so are ditch and creek mouths. Current coming out of the marsh grass pulls baitfish out where the tarpon feed on them.
Fish a spoon or spinner over grass in the lake at Hamburg State Park to catch Chain Pickerel, a cousin of the Northern Pike. Fish live bream in holes on outside bends of the Altamaha River for big Flathead Catfish.
August
Species: Blue Catfish
What To Expect
The state record blue cat, an 80 pound, 4 ounce monster, was caught in the upper end of Lake Andrews, below the Walter George dam, in the summer. There are many big catfish in the area.
How To
Fish live bream or cut shad in the current below the Walter George dam. When current is strong from power generation the bite will be better. Use a heavy sinker to get your bait to the bottom and keep it there in the current.
Fishing from a boat is best but you can catch fish from the fishing pier there, too. You need heavy tackle and line to land a big catfish. Smaller eating size cats are also common in these waters.
You can have a blast catching carp from a boat or the bank at Thurmond by baiting up a hole on a flat near deep water with sinking catfish food. The fishing pier at Amity Park is a good place to do this. Fish small shrimp from the Tybee island beeches in designated fishing areas to catch good eating whiting.

September

Species: Shoal Bass
What To Expect
Shoal bass fight hard and remind fishermen of smallmouth. Native to the Flint River, they inhabit the shoals all along the river from near Atlanta all the way to Lake Seminole.
How To
Access the river at any bridge and wade nearby shoals, fishing eddies and current with small crankbaits, spinners and Texas rigged worms. Fish your baits with the current, casting upstream as you wade.
You can also put a jon boat or canoe in and drift down to the next bridge to take out. Plan your trip for a section of the river that will match the time you have to fish. Stop and tie up at shoals and wade fish them, too.
Go up the river at Lake Harding and find gar in back-outs. Cast a spoon with a six inch frayed white nylon cord on the hook to them for fun and good eating. Cast a small topwater popper or spoon to surface feeding hybrids near the Highway 109 Causeway on West Point.
October

Species: Walleyes
What To Expect
Although walleyes are not abundant in Lake Raburn, you can catch decent numbers of two to four pound fish. The Walleye is claimed to be the best eating freshwater fish so catch some at Raburn in October to find out.
How To
At night, fish small minnows and earthworms on shallow points on the main lake. During the day fish nighcrawlers in 20 feet of water on channel edges near the points. Fish the nightcrawlers on the bottom with a small split shot
Light line is important to increase the number of bites you get as well as letting the walleyes fight more. Use six or eight pound line on a light to medium spinning outfit for the best action.
Bull Red Drum move into the shallows around St. Simons Island this month to feed and you can catch 30 pound fish on live shrimp from the beach. Fish earthworms ten feet deep around standing timber at Big Lazer PFA for big shellcracker.

November

Species: Rainbow Trout
What To Expect
The Toccoa River below Lake Blue Ridge dam produces consistent catches of eating size rainbow trout with the chance of a big fish. Several nine to ten pound rainbows have been collected during shocking sampling by the DNR.
How To
Wading the river in November can be cold but productive. Floating between access points in a canoe will keep you dry and give you access to less heavily fished spots.
You can use live bait like earthworms but no live minnows on the Toccoa River. Artificials for fly fishermen like nymphs, wet flies and streamers are best in November. Small spinners and minnow baits are good for spinning fishing.
Blue, channel and flathead catfish are common in the Coosa River, with blues up to 50 pounds caught each year. Fish wood cover with live bream. Good size crappie are caught at High Falls Lake by trolling minnows and small jigs in open water this month.

December

Species: Striped Bass
What To Expect
Ten to fifteen pound stripers are common on Lake Thurmond but 40 pounders are landed every December. The big fish will often be in very shallow water in the winter, chasing baitfish.
How To
Freeline live herring around main lake points and humps. Planer boards will help you get them up close to the bank, big stripers may be in very close and shallow. Also try going up the bigger creeks like Fishing and Soap Creek and Little River and fish the backs of the channels.
Baitfish are the key. Find the schools of bait and stripers will be nearby. Baitfish move up the creeks and back in coves in December and may be all the way in the back and the stripers, even very big ones, will be there, too. Big baits like an eight inch herring is usually best for big stripers, but if they are feeding on smaller herring or shad try smaller baits.
Lake Blue Ridge is the only lake in Georgia with a decent population of smallmouth bass. Fish main lake rocky points with small crankbaits and jig head worms to catch one. Good catches of big largemouth bass at Walter George are caught on the ledges on big crankbaits this time of year.

Farm Ponds and Small Lakes Offer Excellent Fishing

Farm ponds and small lakes offer excellent fishing earlier than other waters

Editor’s Note: Today’s feature comes to us from Lee McClellan of the Kentucky DFWR, but the advice applies to farm ponds and small lakes everywhere this spring.

Farm Pond Bass

Farm Pond Bass

FRANKFORT, Ky. – When air temperatures crest the 70-degree mark for the first time in March, anglers swarm reservoirs and state-owned lakes to fish. The warm weather stirs up high expectations, but these anglers often return home frustrated after a fishless day.

These big waters still retain their winter cold and a few days of shirt-sleeve weather doesn’t warm them up enough to get largemouth bass, bluegill or catfish active. They still feel the lethargy of winter.

Farm ponds and small lakes less than 10 acres are the perfect antidote for this situation. Their small size and relatively shallow waters warm up quicker in spring than large reservoirs sprawling over thousands of acres or state-owned lakes several hundred acres in size.

The extended warm front forecasted for this week is the ideal situation to catch the biggest largemouth bass of the year. “A lot of those largemouth bass are moving up into shallow water with these warm temperatures,” said Jeff Crosby, Central Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “If we get a nice warm rain coming up this week, the water temperatures will jump and it will be ‘katy bar the door’. The big gals are moving up right now. It is going to get hot.”

Three days or more of air temperatures warmer than 70 degrees bring largemouth bass into water two feet deep or less, especially after March rains color the water. They nudge their noses right up on the bank and hide in shoreline cover, small cuts in the bank or even among clumps of shoreline grass that extend out into the lake.

Largemouth bass use objects such as stumps, rocks, grass clumps or fallen tree tops as reference points in muddy water, much as humans use objects to navigate a dark room.

Parallel the bank with a brown and orange shallow-running, square-billed crankbait and retrieve it as slowly as the lure allows. A 4-inch green pumpkin-colored lizard rigged weightless with a 3/0-worm hook and crawled slowly along the bottom is deadly in this situation.

A 1/8- or 3/16-ounce black jig paired with a black and blue trailer also excels as does a 4-inch boot-tailed grub in the pumpkin pepper color. These lures work well in both murky and clear water.

Banks that fall off quickly into deeper water are best for fishing a parallel retrieve for largemouth, with the dam face being the paramount choice on small lakes.

March rains that cloud the water also pull largemouth into shallow waters in coves on small lakes and the upper end of farm ponds. Any isolated cover on the shallow flats should be probed with the jig and trailer combination, the lizard or the grub. Cast on the bank and gently pull the lure into the water to avoid spooking fish.

Stealth is vitally important to fooling largemouth bass in water a foot deep. Walk softly, keep low and wear drab colors, even if the water is muddy. Careless anglers who stomp around the shoreline may notice V-shaped wakes heading off toward deeper water formed by largemouth bass spooked from their shallow lairs. These fish won’t bite again for hours.

Bluegill anglers can find great sport in early spring on farm ponds or small lakes. Water clarity dictates how and where to fish.

Murky to muddy water means anglers should fish small in-line spinners or 1-inch white or yellow curly tailed grubs near any available cover. Many farm ponds are simply gouged out bowls in the ground and have little to no fish holding cover. Simply cover water with these lures until a bluegill strikes.

In clear water, fish redworms near cover either on the bottom or suspended under a bobber, threaded on a No. 6 Aberdeen hook. Bottom fishing works best on bright days.

The new soft baits designed for panfish that broadcast scent work extremely well fished on the bottom or to tip a 1/32-ounce yellow feather jig fished near cover and suspended under a bobber.

Prolific breeders, keeping and eating bluegill benefits the pond or small lake and provides a tasty, nutritious meal as well.

Channel catfish move toward the shallow flats of the upper end of a farm pond or small coves in the section farthest from the dam in a small lake during a March warm front. Rains that tint the water with runoff draw huge numbers of catfish into these spots, gorging on worms flushed into the pond or lake.

Nightcrawlers threaded onto a 4/0 circle hook and bottom fished in these areas can lead to some of the fastest catfish action of the year. Dead minnows, chicken livers or commercial prepared stink baits all work for channels in small lakes and farm ponds in murky water or clear.

The warm winds of March are here. Forgo the big lake and hit a small lake or farm pond instead. Remember, the new fishing license year began March 1 and you must now purchase a new one before fishing in 2016.

By Lee McClellan, Kentucky DFWR, www.fw.ky.gov.

Georgia and Alabama Lakes Fishing Reports

Check out these weekly updated reports for selected lakes in Georgia and Alabama Lakes Fishing Reports:

Lake Guntersville


Clarks Hill/Lake Thurmond

Lake Lanier

West Point

Allatoona

Russell

Hartwell

Seminole

Eufaula/Walter F George

Weiss

Sinclair

Oconee

Jackson

If any guides or fishermen do weekly reports and would like them published on my site please contact me: [email protected]

March Offers Peak Fishing

March offers peak fishing for many of Florida’s freshwater fishes!

Florida Fish Busters’ Bulletin March 2016

By Bob Wattendorf
from The Fishing Wire

Throughout the southeast, freshwater anglers await early spring fishing, not just because of the glorious weather but also because the majority of sportfish are beginning their spawning patterns. The TrophyCatch (TrophyCatchFlorida.com) program clearly shows that submissions of bass heavier than 8 pounds, which are caught in Florida, documented and released, peaks each March. This is similar to other sunfishes, which are in the same family of fish as bass and include bream and crappie.

Although February to April are prime spawning periods for these sunfishes, anglers and scientists both know the lunar cycle and weather also play key roles.

Credit for the Solunar Theory goes to John Alden Knight, the author of “Moon Up … Moon Down.” In 1926, he considered folk lore that he picked up while fishing in Florida and decided to evaluate 33 factors, which might influence behavior of fresh or saltwater fishes that caused them to be periodically more active. Of those, three were influential: sunrise/sunset, moon phase and tides. From that effort, this avid fly fisherman created the Solunar Theory (Sol = sun, and Lunar = moon), and published the first Solunar Tables in 1936. These tables are still widely published. In fact, numerous programs, apps and even digital watches use them.

To substantiate this theory, Knight considered the timing of 200 record catches, and found that more than 90 percent were made during a new moon (when no moon is visible). During a new moon, both bodies are in near-perfect rhythm, traveling the skies together with their forces combined. So you may want to consider being at your favorite fishing hole mid-morning on the 8th and 9th of March.

However, other factors can affect the predictive ability of solunar tables. For instance, you should consider local weather patterns. Barometric changes, especially a downward trend, can often ruin fishing. Fish and wildlife have an innate ability to predict weather and react accordingly. If the barometer is steady or rising and air temperature is approximately 15 degrees Fahrenheit higher than water temperature, a more active response to a solunar prediction can be anticipated.

Temperature is also associated with spawning times and can be a key factor in the seasonal patterns with which freshwater fish are sought. Black crappie, for instance tend to spawn when water temperatures are between 62 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and are the earliest sunfishes to spawn. Redbreast sunfish come in around 60 to 82 degrees, so although they start early, they have a longer spawning season than many. Most bass will bed when the water is between 62 and 75 degrees, and they can spawn multiple times per season. Redear like 70- to 80-degree water, and bluegill follow along between 75 and 85 degrees. Of course, none of these temperatures, moon phases or weather patterns can totally predict either spawning or feeding behaviors, but together they are good indicators that point to spring being a great time to be out fishing on Florida’s fresh waters.

By going to TrophyCatchFlorida.com anglers can register, submit bass over 8 pounds that they catch and release, along with a photo of the entire fish on the scale to earn great rewards, starting with $100 in Bass Pro Shops gift cards. Anglers can also examine trophy catches from around the state. Once registered, people can also submit any of 32 other species of freshwater fishes to the Big Catch program, by just exceeding the qualifying weight or length and earn a certificate.

The FWC encourages you to get outdoors and enjoy freshwater fishing this spring. Remember that if you are between 16 and 65 you most likely need a fishing license (to purchase one visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com), and even if you aren’t required you can join the many anglers who say “I DO” support fish and wildlife conservation by purchasing a license. All fishing license revenues go to the FWC to conserve the resource and enhance your fishing and boating opportunities. Moreover, every new license purchase helps recover more money from the federal government for Sport Fish Restoration projects in Florida (see FloridaFishingLicenseCampaign.com).

Instant licenses are available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by calling 888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356). Report violators by calling 888-404-3922, *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone, or texting to [email protected]. Visit MyFWC.com/ and select “News,” then “Monthly Columns,” or bit.ly/FishBusters for more Fish Busters’ Bulletins. To subscribe to FWC columns or to receive news releases, visit MyFWC.com/Contact.

Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc

Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc Scores as All-Around Fishery
from The Fishing Wire

Michigan's Little Bay de Noc

Michigan’s Little Bay de Noc

Little Bay de Noc’s fishery is gaining quite a reputation, even on a national scale. While initially thought of as strictly a walleye mecca, it’s hosting of the Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship in September 2014 has caused the conversation to start to change.

According to DNR fisheries research biologist Troy Zorn there are lots of different species to fish for on Little Bay de Noc, and he’s got data to back up that claim.

“We conduct an annual fish community survey,” he explained. “Perch are pretty good, walleye are pretty good, northern pike are pretty good, smallmouth bass are pretty good…you get the idea.”

Most news surrounding Little Bay de Noc has always been about walleye – in fact in 2012 the DNR released a walleye management plan for the water, and in 2013, the department shared information about a long-term study to determine the contributions of hatchery-reared walleyes versus naturally-reproducing fish.

But following those management directions and the stocking evaluation the dialogue has shifted to recognize the fishery’s diversity and what that means for anglers.

“We’re still involved with local clubs to stock walleye, but there’s so much more to Little Bay de Noc than that,” said Zorn.

One of those things – as evidenced by the previously mentioned Bassmaster tournament – is smallmouth bass. According to Darren Kramer, manager of the Northern Lake Michigan Unit for the DNR, gravel shoals off the mouth of various rivers that enter the north end of Little Bay de Noc (Days, Tacoosh, Rapid, Whitefish), allow anglers to concentrate on smallmouth bass, especially early in the fishing season. Meanwhile, deeper 12 to 18-foot flats (near Kipling, Hunter’s and Saunders points) attract fish later in the summer.

Greg Sanville, a DNR creel clerk who surveys Little Bay de Noc, knows first-hand how much bass anglers have enjoyed fishing the area.

“The Ford River area is highly fished and the hottest spot on the bay in spring and early summer,” he said. “Typically this is a spawning area and fish are being caught many miles up the river as well.”

Other opportunities are coming courtesy of stocking as the DNR started stocking muskellunge in Little Bay de Noc with 5,000 fish in October 2014 that average a little over eight inches each. Troy Zorn estimates those fish would be approaching 20 inches now – and well on their way to providing great angling opportunities.

Zorn also shares that, based on recent survey data, northern pike fishing was especially hot in 2015, and yellow perch populations were holding on pretty well also.

“Anglers are also starting to see lake sturgeon that are being stocked by the department,” Zorn said. “There were more than 1,000 lake sturgeon stocked in the Whitefish River, which empties directly into the northern end of Little Bay de Noc, in 2015.”

With all of these opportunities available anglers should consider planning a trip to the U.P. to experience yet another destination that provides access to Michigan’s world-class fisheries.

How Can I Catch Giant Winter Catfish?

Catch Giant Winter Catfish on the TVA Lake Chain

By Frank Sargeant
from The Fishing Wire

Big catfish from a TVA lake

Big catfish from a TVA lake

While a lot of folks were still recovering from their hangovers on New Year’s Day, 76 boats headed out on a chilly Lake Wheeler in pursuit of the giant blue catfish of the Tennessee River system in the annual “Winter Blues” catfish tournament put on by the Alabama Catfish Trail.

Fishing for these catfish is a whole different ballgame from going out to land a few pan-size cats for dinner. Blues reach enormous size–the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all-tackle record now stands at 143 pounds–and there are few places where the big ones are more abundant than in the lakes of North Alabama.

Big winter catfish

Big winter catfish

The current Alabama state record, 120 pounds, came from Holt Reservoir not far from Tuscaloosa, and the former record, 111 pounds, came from Wheeler. Blues reach lengths of almost 5 feet, and the largest have girths approaching 4 feet, according to the IGFA. Several blues over 200 pounds and one over 300 pounds were reported in newspapers of the 1800’s from the Missouri River, but whether these weights were anywhere near accurate is anybody’s guess.

Biggest catfish in the Winter Blues event was not record class, but Team Magness from Mississippi did manage a 72.58 pounder, the heaviest fish for the event. The team with the heaviest total weight for the event, Tammy Strouth and Brian Lawson, had a fish that went 68.69 pounder as part of their three-fish total bag of 168.9 pounds, while the second place team of Nick Diminio, Adam Long and Doug Jolly brought in a 69.58 pounder as part of a total bag of 151.9 pounds.

These fish can live at least 20 years, and don’t reach sexual maturity or spawning age until they’re 4 to 5 years old. Since they’re valued more as trophy fish than as food fish in the larger sizes, Alabama has placed a limit of one fish daily over 34 inches on the species. The idea is to allow more fish more time to grow into the lunker class. (All trophy-class fish caught in the Alabama Catfish Trail events are released.)

You can catch big cats

You can catch big cats

While the giants are most often found in the deepest holes in the river or directly below the dams in summer, in winter they spread out to feed on river points, shell beds and sandbars, and the big ones are evidently most active in the colder weather.

Blues eat just about any type of fish, but they seem to have a special preference for a herring-like baitfish called the skipjack, which is found naturally throughout the Tennessee River system. Most expert catfish anglers here prefer cut skipjack over gizzard shad or other bait. A chunk about 6 inches long is typically used to lure the larger fish.

The baits are usually fished on bottom, or just off bottom via a small float between a heavy egg sinker and the bait.

Most anglers use 40-pound tackle and up, with heavy spinning reels loaded with braid a favorite with some. Hooks are 8/0 or larger circle hooks, which are said to hook the fish without a hook set, and which make it easier to release the fish alive since they usually lodge in the front of the jaw.

Big cats are strong adversaries, and battles of 15 minutes and more are not uncommon with a lunker. However, the biggest problem most anglers face when the fish finally rolls at boatside is how to get it aboard–even the largest landing nets are likely to buckle under a 60-pounder.Gaffing would work, but since the fish are to be released alive, it’s not a good strategy. Some anglers who fish the giants regularly use two nets, placing one over the head, the other over the tail for a combined lift.

For more on catfish tournaments, visit www.alabamacatfishtrail.com.

When Is Trophy Bass Time In Florida?

Trophy Bass Time in Florida

Winter is prime time for a lunker Florida largemouth, based on statistics from the state’s TrophyCatch Program.

By Bob Wattendorf, FFWCC
from The Fishing Wire

Happy New Year! TrophyCatch Season 3 ended on a very positive note, and Season 4 is off to an even better start, with peak fishing time right around the corner. TrophyCatch is the citizen-science program that allows the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to collect data on largemouth bass heavier than 8 pounds. In return, corporate partners reward anglers for properly documenting the catch with a photo of the entire bass (head to tail) on a scale with the weight showing, and releasing it. Check out these trends to find your own trophy bass.

During Season 3, the FWC verified 1,744 TrophyCatch bass, with more than 70 percent of the submissions being approved. The previous season, 993 bass heavier than 8 pounds were verified, which was about 60 percent of submissions. The first season, 185 were verified, which was less than 40 percent of submissions.

“This reflects an increasing awareness by anglers of the TrophyCatch program and how to document their catches, but also shows how prolific the trophy bass fishery is in Florida,” said KP Clements, director of TrophyCatch.

By going to TrophyCatchFlorida.com anglers can register, submit fish, and examine other catches from around the state. Just registering makes you eligible to win a $40,000 boat package. Ed Prather was the lucky winner of the third Phoenix Bass Boat given away by TrophyCatch. The prize boats are powered by Mercury and equipped with a PowerPole shallow-water anchoring. To be eligible for the random drawing at the end of Season 4, simply ensure you are registered and your information is up-to-date.

Data has shown FWC biologists that while there are hot lakes, like Kingsley Lake in Clay County (which has limited access to the military and homeowners), numerous catches come from small urban or rural ponds or even golf course ponds. Large popular public lakes like Istokpoga, Tohopekaliga, Okeechobee and Kissimmee provide equal opportunity for all anglers and are popular tourist destinations. At TrophyCatchFlorida.com you can search for catches by county or water body to determine how your favorite area is doing or where to try next.

Another trend wasn’t unexpected but was interesting to see confirmed. Last season about 50 TrophyCatch bass were verified in December, which doubled to over 100 in January, then increased to about 150 in February and peaked in March with almost 400 approved submissions. Trophy bass catches then declined through November before picking up again, in a typical annual cycle. Of course, this is keyed to the bass’ spawning cycle and anglers’ enthusiasm for finding bass during early spring. TrophyCatch helps ensure these big bass get put right back to continue their activities and challenge other anglers.

March panned out very well for the 15 Hall of Fame winners from Season 3, who were honored in December at an event at Bass Pro Shops, Orlando. Those anglers caught, documented and released 17 bass over 13 pounds; five of which were caught last March. This included Seth Chapman, who earned the TrophyCatch championship ring, donated by the American Outdoors Fund, for a 15-pound, 11-ounce bass submitted from Kingsley Lake. The ring goes to the biggest verified bass of the season.

Each Hall-of-Fame angler earned a fiberglass replica of their first Hall-of-Fame catch prepared by New Wave Taxidermy, gift cards from Bass Pro Shops, a SpiderWire sweatshirt and sunglasses, a Fitzgerald rod and Glen Lau DVD. In addition, American Registry presented them with a customized plaque featuring a photo of their catch with all the details. These custom plaques will be available during Season 4 as a new incentive to Hall-of-Fame winners and at a special discount for Lunker Club (8 to 9.9 pounds) and Trophy Club (10 to 12.9 pounds) recipients.

Porschia Gabrielse was the first angler with three Hall-of-Fame bass — a 13-, 14-, and 15-pounder — all from small Polk County ponds. She has contributed a total of 41 TrophyCatches to the program. Other anglers with more than 30 include: Robert Burnett, Mark Lemieux and AJ Jackson —all dedicated trophy anglers. In addition, thousands of other anglers have submitted at least one catch, many of whom were just average anglers out for an enjoyable day on the water.

“TrophyCatch provides significant data to help manage our valuable fisheries ensuring that Florida remains the ‘Fishing Capital of the World’,” said Tom Champeau, director of the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management.

Clements added, “This program shows what can happen when government, the public, and the business community partner to improve fisheries conservation.”

“It’s great to see this program growing and amazing to see how many giant bass we have swimming in Florida. TrophyCatch anglers documented four fish over 15 pounds this year, and we know there are bigger fish out there” added Keith Alan, from the American Outdoors Fund.

Each Hall-of-Fame fish would be a state record in 28 states, and Florida has had 23 documented in three years. A 15-pounder exceeds the records in all but 12 other states.

To become a TrophyCatch winner yourself catch, document and release a largemouth bass legally that is eight pounds or heavier in Florida. To enter a trophy bass take a photo of the entire bass on a scale with the weight visible, and release it alive. Being legal includes having a Florida freshwater fishing license or approved exemption, so make sure you are covered. You can buy or renew a fishing license at License.MyFWC.com.

For more details and reminders, like us at Facebook.com/TrophyCatchFlorida, and check out the award winners, some great catches and promotional videos on YouTube.com/TrophyCatchFlorida.

So from all of us at the FWC, we hope you enjoyed the holiday season and encourage you to take the opportunity to participate in all the great outdoor experiences the new year has to offer here in the “Fishing Capital of the World.” Who knows, if you bring a scale and camera with you, you might be our next TrophyCatch champion. Good luck and good fishing this year.

Instant licenses are available at License.MyFWC.com or by calling 888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356). Report violators by calling 888-404-3922, *FWC or #FWC on your cell phone, or texting to [email protected]. Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and select “more news,” or bit.ly/FishBusters for more Fish Busters’ Bulletins. To subscribe to FWC columns or to receive news releases, visit MyFWC.com/Contact.

What Is Burbot Fishing at Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir?

Cold Weather Means Hot Burbot Fishing at Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir
from The Fishing Wire

November and December are great months to fish for burbot at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. These anglers caught 130 burbot in a single night.

Lots of burbot

Lots of burbot


Photo by Ryan Mosley

Interested in catching 25 to 50 fish in just a couple of hours? Believe it or not, those who fish for burbot at Flaming Gorge Reservoir often catch more than that.

Their secret? They fish from boats before the reservoir ices over in the winter. Even though fishing can be fast and furious before the reservoir freezes, few anglers take advantage of this great opportunity.

To catch burbot in open water, take a lesson from ice anglers, and then duplicate what you learn from the deck of a boat or from a good spot along the shore.

While the techniques are simple, timing is critical. The best burbot fishing of the year is starting now. The best time of day to fish starts at sunset.

“Anglers are already catching burbot as water temps drop into the low 50s,” says Ryan Mosley, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources project leader for Flaming Gorge and the Green River. “Fishing will get even better when temperatures drop into the 40s.”

Where to go

Mosley says anglers are catching burbot in both Utah and Wyoming right now. However, research has shown burbot generally move north, towards the area where water enters the reservoir, before the spawn.

“In our trend studies,” Mosley says, “the number of burbot usually increases in abundance in the Inflow Region, including the Green and Black’s Fork Rivers, in early November. We believe the burbot caught in these areas are moving north, towards the inflows, to spawn during November and December.”

Using tracking studies, researchers with Utah State University have substantiated this assumption. Researchers have tagged several burbot in November and then released the fish in the lower part of the reservoir. The researchers later found the fish, in December and January, in the Green River and Black’s Fork arms of Flaming Gorge.

“As November progresses,” Mosley says, “I suggest moving north. Try fishing between Lost Dog and Firehole on the Green River arm, or above Lost Dog on the Black’s Fork arm. During last fall’s netting, good numbers of burbot were found in both of these areas.”

To intercept the burbot as they move uplake, Mosley suggests fishing off rocky main channel points, in 20 to 40 feet of water.

Gear

Mosley says using the same type of fishing gear you use during the ice fishing season is the key to catching burbot in open water.

“Fishing for burbot in open water is the same as fishing through the ice,” he says, “you’re just fishing from a boat instead of on a bucket. Make sure you have equipment that’s stout enough to provide good hook penetration and that can handle fish that could weigh as much as eight pounds or more.”

Mosley says a good presentation to start with is a three-inch curly-tailed, glow-in-the-dark grub fished on a glow-in-the-dark 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jighead. Tip the jig with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat (make sure to leave some space in the hook gap, though). Some anglers also use Smelly-Jelly, in crayfish or another flavor, to add extra attraction to their offering.

After the presentation is ready, drop it within just a few inches of the bottom, and then jig it. When a burbot investigates the bait, hold still until the fish takes it, and then set the hook.

Nice catch of big Burbot

Nice catch of big Burbot

Timing and safety

Mosley says burbot fishing usually gets good right around sunset and then picks up and holds strong for the first few hours after dark. Before fishing at night, it’s a good idea to visit the area you’re going to fish during the day. That way, you can get familiar with it before the sun sets.

Mosley encourages you to watch the weather and to not take any unnecessary risks. “Wind and storms can come up quickly at the Gorge,” he says. “Take safety gear for everyone. And be sure they know how to use it.”

He says lights, both navigational and personal, are also essential.

“The lights you use should be bright enough to light up your boat while fishing and to spotlight the bank and boat ramps when returning after dark.”

Mosley says it’s also critical to wear warm, waterproof clothing in layers and to take some extra layers with you. “Also,” he says, “let someone know exactly where you’re going and when you’re coming back.

“Finally, if you’re not comfortable venturing out on your own, consider hiring a seasoned guide who is familiar with the lake and the fishery.”

Burbot contests

Right now is not only a good time to catch burbot, it’s also a great time to fish before the 2016 burbot contests start. The annual Burbot Bash will be held Jan. 22–24. That event will be followed by the Buckboard Burbot Classic on Feb. 4–6.

Both weekends will be similar to what the Burbot Bash has been in the past — each weekend, prizes will be awarded for the most, the biggest and the smallest burbot caught.

Tagged fish contests will also be held. All of the tagged fish will be worth a cash prize. The top prize is a fish worth $10,000.

For more details and other information, visit www.burbotbash.com or www.buckboardmarina.com.

How To Catch November Bass At Lake Juliette

We all yearn for a private lake where access is limited, the bass grow big and fat and there are no irritating pleasure boaters. That is a dream for almost all of us, but you can have most of those conditions at Lake Juliette. You can catch November bass at Lake Juliette.

Juliette is a 3000 acre Georgia Power Lake about 20 miles east of I-75 half-way between Atlanta and Macon. It is the cooling lake for Plant Scherer and built just for that purpose. It is on Rum Creek but the small flow from the creek does not keep it filled. Water is pumped from the Ocmulgee River to keep it full.

Fortunately, Georgia Power provides access to anglers and works with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to manage the lake. The water is very clear since there is little inflow and natural cover from standing timber to huge grass beds is abundant.

There is good access to the lake from two boat ramps but there is a 25 horsepower limit on motors. You can put your bass boat in and fish, but you can not crank your gas motor. The size of the lake makes it difficult to fish it with just a trolling motor but if you have access to a smaller boat the fishing can be fantastic. And the horsepower limit means no skiers, jet skis and other pleasure boats on the lake.

Jack “Zero” Ridgeway has lived in Griffin all his life and owns Zero’s Garage there. He fishes with two local bass clubs, but Juliette is one of his favorite lakes. He has a boat with a legal motor for Juliette and fishes it a lot. For several years he entered the monthly bass tournament on Juliette and did well in them.

“Bass at Juliette don’t have to move as far as they do on bigger lakes in the fall migration,” Jack said. They do follow the shad into the creeks and coves, but the lake’s smaller size means it is easier to fish many creeks without burning a lot of gas.

Most baits will catch November bass on Juliette, but Jack’s favorites all work well for him and keep the number of rods you need manageable. He will have a rattling bait like a half-ounce XCalibur One Knocker, a rattling, suspending Shad Rap, a DT 6 or Norman Middle N crankbait, and a Carolina rigged worm ready to cover where he fishes. He may also throw a spinnerbait a little.

The lake has a lot of four to six pound bass, with a good chance of a bigger fish, too. While Jack and I fished his November holes to check them out the last Sunday in September, the last monthly tournament was taking place. At weigh-in it took five bass weighing 19.97 pounds to win and that stringer included two over six pounds. The top six teams all had over 16.5 pounds and there were six bass over five pounds.

Jack’s best bass on Juliette weighed over seven pounds and he has landed over 40 six pound plus bass there since he started fishing the lake in 1988. In one pot tournament he had five weighing just over 20 pounds, and came in second that day. He often camps at Juliette and fishes it every month of the year. November is one of his best months.

We fished the following ten spots and fish were on most of them, even in late September. More and bigger fish are on them now and they will get better all month long.

1. N 33 01.940 – W 83 47.027 – Going up the lake from the Dames Ferry Ramp, Davis Cove is a big creek on the left, just downstream of the long shallow island where the lake narrows. Go back into the cove to the first small cove on the left bank and start on the upstream point.

This point has some clay and rocks on it and bass live back in here year round, but more move into it in the fall. Fish crankbaits, rattle baits and a Carolina rig as you go from this point and the next one toward the back of the creek. Then jump across to the rocky point on the other side and fish it. The cove channel runs down this bank.

The rocky point on the right going in is the upstream side of a small feeder creek and has a blue pole with the number 8 on the bank. Fish it and the point on the other side of the creek, too. Jack says he has caught four bass over six pounds off the rocky point, one of them the day after Thanksgiving. We caught several bass here.

2. N 33 02.637 – W 83 47.041 – Out on the main lake go to the upstream side out on the end of the long, shallow point coming off the island where the lake narrows. This point and the pocket upstream of the island is covered with hydrilla and there is a patch of standing timber out in the middle of the cove. All hold bass.

Jack says more eight pound plus bass have been caught in this area than anywhere else on the lake. Start out on the end of the point and work toward the bank on the upstream side of the island. Stay on the outside of the hydrilla and cast a rattling bait to the edge of the visible grass, ripping it free when it hits underwater grass.

The half ounce silver and black One Knocker is Zero’s favorite bait for this area. He will also cast a suspending natural shad Shad Rap to the grass, ripping it free when it hits grass, too. We caught several keepers here and saw the tournament winners fishing the same way while we were there.

When you get to the back of the cove ease out to the timber and cast your Carolina rig around it. There is an old grave yard near the timber and bass hold around the trees and the holes where the graves were dug up for removal when the lake was built.

3. N 33 03.025 – W 83 47.768 – Across the lake in the last pocket on the right before you get to the intake cove for the power plant holds bass. Go back into the pocket and you will see an old beaver lodge on the bank. Near the lodge the bank is steep and a ditch runs along the bank. Jack says he thinks it is an old silage trench.

Start just outside the beaver lodge with your boat out a fairly long cast from the bank. Cast a Carolina rigged worm to the bank. Jack likes a three quarters ounce sinker, three foot leader and a ruby red or red shad Old Monster or Mag 2 worm. Work the rig from the bank down the slope. Fish slowly and carefully. Jack says bass often just suck in the worm and hold it without moving, so it is hard to tell if you have hit grass or have a fish on.

4. N 33 02.873 – W 83 49.876 – Go upstream past the power plant and the cove with the dam in it for the settling pond on the right. As you enter the standing timber be careful to follow the marked channel. There is an open field on the right. Across from it you will see a clay point. It is the point that sticks out the most on that side upstream of Billy’s Island.
Go to this point, being careful as you idle through the timber when you leave the channel.

This is the downstream point of a small cove with an old pond in the middle of it. There is standing timber all around the cove but the middle is open where the old pond was located. Stop on the point and fish back into and around the cove.

Fish a crankbait and rattle bait around this cove. For crankbaits, a chartreuse splatter back or sexy shad color works well. Jack fishes both kinds of baits on eight pound test line and makes fairly long casts from the middle of the cove toward the bank as he fishes around it.

Jack says this is an excellent cold weather cove and there were schooling fish here the day we fished. We caught several keepers and Jack had a five pounder that hit his One Knocker, jumped twice then got his line around the trolling motor and broke off.

5. N 33 02.382 – W 83 49.909 – Go back downstream to the next big cove on the same side. It is behind Billy’s island and called Fletcher Cove on the map. Stay to the left going back into it. This arm splits into three fingers in the back.

Stop on the point between the finger to the right and the one straight ahead and fish it with all your baits. Fish from the point down the right bank into the middle finger. The bank is steep and the clay and scattered rocks hold bass. Down this bank in a small indention there is an old beaver lodge that holds bass. Fish around it carefully with your crankbait and Carolina rig.

6. N 33 02.747 – W 83 48.877 – Go back out to the main lake and head downstream. Past the next big creek on the right the main lake point is called Treasure Point and is across from the cove at the power plant. Stop on the downstream side of this big round point where it goes into the next big creek.

There is timber off this point. Keep your boat near it in about ten feet of water and cast to the bank. There is some clay bottom and scattered rock. Upstream of the end of the point a blowdown is in the water. Fish from the end of the point past the blowdown.

Jack fishes a crankbait here. Some wind blowing on the point helps make fish move onto it to feed. Since there is no current in Juliette Jack says it fishes like a big pond, with wind making a difference. Try to bump the bottom from two to ten feet deep.

7. N 33 01.936 – W 83 47.916 – Go downstream past the big creek and around the point. The next creek is Fleming Cove. Go into it and keep to the right arm all the way to the back where this side splits into two small arms.

Stop on the point between the two arms. There is an old bridge in the back of the right arm. The point has rocks on it so fish it with crankbait and Carolina rig. Sit out in deep water a moderate cast off the bank and fish water from the bank to at least ten feet deep.

Fish down the right bank past the point and you will see another beaver lodge. The bank and beaver lodge hold bass. Jack likes to fish around the lodges with a crankbait and Carolina rig, and can usually catch bass on them.

8. N 33 03.146 – W 83 46.542 – Go across the lake to the left bank going downstream. There is a big three arm bay, named Buzzard Bay on the map, just downstream of the power plant. Downstream of the bay two small islands sit off the bank back in the next big cove. There is lots of grass all around them.

The back island has a saddle between it and the point on the bank. There are rocks on the point and grass in the saddle. Start on the end of the island toward the bank and fish from it across the saddle to the bank point.

Jack fishes a crankbait and Carolina rig in this area, and will throw a spinnerbait around the grass in the saddle. He usually keeps his boat on the downstream side of the saddle and fishes across the points and saddle in that direction.

9. N 33 02.852 – W 83 46.413 – The next cove downstream of the islands splits into two arms and both them split, too. The downstream point of this cove is called Quail Head because of its shape. The point sticking out pointing toward the power plant is a good rocky point.

Fish your crankbaits around the rocks on the point, keeping your boat in 20 plus feet of water, not too far off the bank. Also cast a spinnerbait around the scattered grass on this point. Wind helps lot here.

10. N 33 02.542 – W 83 46.173 – Go around Quail Head point to the downstream side. There is a shallow hump off the bank on the downstream side and behind it a point sticks out toward the dam. Stop out in ten feet of water off this point.

Fish the point with crankbait and rattlebait then work into the pocket on the downstream side. The left bank going into the pocket is good. There is 30 feet of water not far off this point and bank and Jack says sometime during the day fish will move into the shallows to feed, so it is worth hitting several times during the day.

Give these spots a try, they are some of Jack’s favorites. There are many others in the lake and this is good time to fish there. Enjoy the peace and quiet and catch some quality bass.

Where Is Georgia’s Best Bassin’?

Georgia’s Best Bassin’

We are blessed in Georgia with some of the best bass fishing anywhere. Our lakes and rivers offer a wide diversity of structure and cover bass love, and you can catch several kinds of bass here. You can also choose to go for quality fish or large numbers of bass, depending on where you want to go.

The following fishing holes will give you those choices, and you can stay near home or make a short trip to try different things.

Lake Thurmond

Best known as Clarks Hill, Thurmond is the biggest lake in or on the border of our state. At 72,000 acres on the Savannah River just north of Augusta, it has everything a bass fisherman could want. Fluctuating water levels the past few years and the spread of hydrilla has resulted in good spawn survival and large numbers of bass, so many the Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, recommends keeping smaller bass. This will help produce even more three pound bass, which are already fairly common in the lake.

You can fish just about any kind of cover you like at Thurmond, from hydrilla covered flats and coves to deep rocky points. The water is generally clearer on the Savannah River arm of the lake, but Little River on the Georgia can offer more stained water, making some techniques better.

In February during pre-spawn before the water starts warming much look for bass holding on main lake rocky points on both arms of the lake. Some of the bigger bass will also be holding in brush piles back in ditches, old creek channels and run off channels in the coves.

Fish a Buckeye Mop Jig on the rocky points and around the brush piles. Also try a Zoom Fluke on both kinds of cover in clearer water. Fish both baits slowly in colder water, working the Fluke on a jig head in the ditches, swimming it over the brush. Work the Mop Jig through the brush, bumping every limb to tempt sluggish bass.

As the water warms the bass move to gravel banks and points in coves getting ready to spawn. Rumor has it the Carolina rig was developed here to cover these big flats. Try a Zoom Trick worm or Finesse worm behind a one ounce sinker and rake the bottom, moving your bait faster as the water worms.

Sight fishing for bedding bass can be good, too. After the spawn look for growing hydrilla and fish a spinnerbait or buzzbait over it. By late April there is also a good bite for bass chasing blueback herring. The herring spawn on blowthroughs, gravel shallows between islands or islands and the bank. Fish a big topwater like a Zara Spook or a weightless Fluke fast in these areas. This bite will hold up all summer long on the points on the main lake, too, especially on the Savannah River arm.

Lake Allatoona

Allatoona located just north of Atlanta has a bad reputation for bass yet it always ends up in the top few lakes for numbers of bass per man hour in the Georgia Bass Chapter Federation Creel Census Report. There are huge numbers of keeper size spotted bass in the lake but five pounders are hard to find.

Deep rocky bluffs and points abound in Allatoona and are perfect habitat for spotted bass. Since they make up at least 80 percent of the bass population, they are the species to target. The average weight will be just over a pound, but they are fun to catch.

Before the water starts warming stick with main lake rocky bluff banks. Fish a small jig and pig or jig head with a Finesse worm on it. Fish both slowly, staying in contact with the bottom from a couple of feet deep all the way down to 20 plus feet. Lighter line is best, and the spots will give you a great fight on a spinning outfit with eight pound line.

When the water starts to warm fish bluffs and points near the mouths of feeder creeks. Spots will stack up on these places pre spawn then move further in the coves to spawn. Spots will spawn deeper than largemouth and sight fishing can be tough, but a small lizard on a Texas rig or jig head crawled on gravel flats six to ten feet deep will catch them during the spawn.

Post spawn fish move back out toward the main lake and topwater works well for them. Fish a Sammy or small popper around rocky points and bluffs. Also run a crankbait like the Bandit in the same areas. You can fish fast while the bass are feeding post spawn and catch large numbers of fish.

Brush piles become one of the main places to catch bass when they settle down on their summer pattern. There are many man-made brush piles put out by fishermen on good structure on the lake, and the WRD has put out many more. You can find a map of the state brush piles at http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/208.

Go back to the small jig and pig or jig head worm and fish these brush piles in 20 feet of water. In some of the thicker brush piles a Texas rigged Finesse worm behind a three-sixteenths ounce weight will come through them better, so if you are getting hung up with the jigs try the Texas rig.

West Point Lake

West Point on the Chattahoochee River along the Georgia Alabama border near LaGrange is well known for its largemouth, but spots have become very common in the lake. It has many rocky points but flats and clay points also hold bass. Shallow coves offer good spawning areas for largemouth and gravel banks in deeper water give spots ideal places to bed.

Crankbaits are good on West Point year round but really shine in late winter. Fish a small crankbait on rock and clay points on the main lake and in bigger creeks while the water is still cold. Move into the creeks near spawning pockets with the same baits as the water warms.

Bass on West Point seem to love buzzbaits and will start hitting them as soon as the water warms to 50 degrees. It is hard to go wrong with a buzzbait fished on deeper banks early in the year and back in pockets later as the water warms.

Prespawn largemouth hold in the mouths of these spawning coves and you can catch some big bass by fishing a big crankbait like the Spro Little John on the first two points going into coves. Also make long casts down the middle of the coves to catch largemouth holding on the creek channel.

For both largemouth and spots drag a Carolina rig on the flats in the pockets in late March and April. Use a big worm like the Zoom Mag 2 for big largemouth and a Trick or Finesse Worm for spots and smaller largemouth.

After the bass spawn they hold on deeper structure like road beds, which abound on the lake. Work them from the shallows near the bank where they enter all the way to the channel in the middle where they cross the old ditch. A crankbait that will bump the bottom is a good choice but in deeper water use worms.

You can catch a lot of fish in April when the shad spawn, too. Fish a topwater bait or spinnerbait around riprap on the many bridge on the lake, and on gravel points and rock banks early in the morning where you see the shad spawning. As the sun gets higher back off and slow roll a spinnerbait or crankbait out from these banks in six to ten feet of water.

By early summer the bass are on their hot water pattern. You can still catch fish early in the morning on points on topwater baits. Then look for brush piles, drop offs and points that drop into channels on the main lake and lower parts of the bigger creeks. Work worms on your preferred rig on these types of structure.

Tobesofkee Lake

Lake Tobesofkee just outside of Macon on the west side is a surprise to most bass fishermen. It is a small lake but has everything from riprap and rocky points to flats and grass beds in its 1750 acres. It gets very crowded in warm weather but offers great cold weather fishing, and night fishing is excellent during the summer.

Owned and operated by Bibb County, the boat ramp access is more expensive than on most lakes. Tobesofkee is lined with nice houses and docks, with seawalls and brush piles on most banks. But there are extensive water willow beds, too, and bass love them.

The size of the largemouths is a pleasant surprise here, with about one third of the population from 15 to 25 inches long. Winter tournaments and summer night tournaments are often won with 20 pound plus stringers, and six pounders are weighed in often.

In late winter target rocky points, brush piles and blow down trees with a jig and pig. Work it slowly through the limbs of the trees and brush piles, and hop it in small movements down the rocky banks.

As the water warms run a crankbait or spinnerbait on seawalls that drop off into deeper water. Try to hit right beside the wall and fish the bait back out. Bass sometimes seem to have their noses against seawalls and won’t turn for a bait behind them.

In early spring try buzzbaits and spinnerbaits around the grass beds. Bass feed in them and spawn around them since they are usually on sandy bottoms. Fish slowly in colder water and faster as it gets warmer.

By post spawn the lake gets very crowded with pleasure boaters so night fishing is the way to go. After dark look for lighted boat docks and fish a small crankbait or weightless soft jerk bait all around the light, from the outside edges of the lighted water all the way directly under the light.

Also fish a Carolina rigged worm like the Big Bite straight worm around the docks and any brush piles or blowdowns you can hit. Work your bait slowly in the dark. Bass see much better in the dark than we do, and can pick up movement through their lateral lines, but slower moving baits make is easier for them to hone in on them.

Early in the morning before the lake gets crowded fish a weightless Trick worm around the grass beds, too. Try different speeds, working it back with constant twitches on some casts but letting is settle to the bottom for a few seconds on others. The bass will tell you what they want.

Seminole

At the top of its bass cycle right now, Seminole is producing some amazing catches of bass. It is in the corner of Georgia, Alabama and Florida and its shallows are covered with vegetation, from hydrilla to lily pads. It looks “fishy” anywhere you go, with grassbeds, stump fields and standing timber all over the lake.

Five pound largemouth are common right now at Seminole and it takes five fish weighing 20 plus pounds to place in most tournaments. Winning stringers of five bass weighing over 30 pounds are not unusual at Seminole. Right now it the time to be on this lake.

Bass spawn early this far south and are on the beds now in many areas. Fish a lipless rattle bait near sandy flats for these shallow fish. Watch for grass edges and fish them hard, ripping your bait through the grass when it hangs up. The big flat at Wingate’s Lunker Lodge is a classic type flat to fish a Rat-L-Trap through the hydrilla.

Bass will continue to spawn through April so this pattern holds up for a long time. Don’t hesitate to work your boat back into “ponds” off the main lake. Often lined by cattails and covered with hydrilla, bass move up small ditches to feed and spawn in these hidden waters. Carry a push pole to help you get back into and out of these areas. The main lake at the mouth of Spring Creek and between the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers have many such spots.

By early summer bigger bass are holding in hydrilla on the main lake. A big worm like a Zoom Old Monster on a Carolina rig fished along the deeper edges of the hydrilla on creek and river channels will catch big largemouth. Use a heavy weight, one ounce plus, and throw it into the hydrilla. Drag it back to open water, pause it, then work it a couple of more feet before making your next cast.

Savannah River

The lower Savannah River has a good population of bass and river fishing can offer you a different kind of fishing. Running along the border between Georgia and South Carolina, the area above the salt water line is good. From the brackish water near the mouth up many miles into the fresh water, you can find fish in beautiful natural surroundings.

Until the water gets very warm in the summer bass live in backouts and creeks where the current is not as strong as it is on the main river. These calmer waters are full of logs, stumps, cypress trees and vegetation. You can find the openings to them by riding the river and watching the bank.

Ease into any backouts you find, they are likely to be full of stumps and logs that can damage your boat. The best idea is to start fishing at the mouth of these sloughs and fish slowly around them. The cover is so heavy you need to fish slowly.

In colder water use a small spinnerbait fished slowly over and around all the wood cover. Also fish a Texas rigged worm or jig and pig in the same places. Try to hit every piece of wood you see, and probe for hidden wood in deeper water.

As the water warms fish a little faster. The bass will be more aggressive and chase a bait in the warmer water. Switch to a topwater like a buzzbait when the water is warmer than 55 degrees and cover the water.

In the summer, by May, bass move out to the main river. You can find them holding on points of the sloughs you have been fishing but they will also hold in the willow trees that line the river. Any tree trunk, log or cut in the bank that offers some break from the current will hold bass. Flip or pitch a jig and pig or Texas rigged worm into eddies and let the current move the bait in a natural way. Be ready to set the hook quickly, the current pull on the line will alert the bass that your bait is not real.

All of these places offer great fishing this year. Pick one and stick with it, following the bass as they change with the water conditions, or try them all for a nice variety.