Big Summertime Bass on Seminole

Lake Seminole is legendary when it comes to big bass. And LOTS of ‘em! My granddad has told me stories from back when they first built the lake. How they would fish the mouths of creeks with a Gollywhopper worm and tear up big bass all day long, any day you wanted. Though, it may not be quite like the days of ol’, Seminole still has some fire in her. She turns out heavy sacks of bass on a regular basis. I got to ask one of the local hot sticks on this lake, Clay Elliott, where and how he caught bass here in the sweltering heat. He started fishing Seminole 20+ years ago with his Dad and Granddaddy, so I’m sure he knows a thing or two that might help you out.

Clay is quick to point out is, “When the weather gets hot, the fish here don’t change a whole lot beacause there is so much shade. There may be some move out from 2-5 feet to 10-12 feet; some will stay shallow, some may move a little deeper.” That being said, he can pretty much catch fish the same way all year. He likes throwing Zara Spooks early then switches to a frog or a Choma swim jig around the grass once the sun gets high.

He also brings up the timber that Lake Seminole is known for. Although you stand a chance of knocking a lower unit off if you’re not careful, the trees could be the key to loading the boat.

“I like to throw a football jig around one of the thousands of trees in the lake, just pick one. I’ll throw a crankbait if I’m trying to cover a lot of water,” said Elliott.

So you’ve walked a spook, frogged, and cranked all day without nothing to show for? It’s all good, we got a backup plan.

Clay's wife with a Seminole monster!

“When all that fails, you can flip the topped out grass. The main thing out here is lily pads and hydrilla; it’s everywhere you look and the bass are tucked in tight.”

When asked his favorite areas of the lake to fish, it reminds me of how my granddad taught me to fish Seminole. Clay says, “I try to concentrate on the mouths of the Flint River, the Chattahoochee, and Spring Creek. All where they meet the main lake. Find a grass line and you will find fish!”

“The fish here eat year round and are very aggressive. You can catch a lot of two pounders and your next one may be a 10 pounder. They school up; if you can find the right school it can be 50 two pounders or 50 eight pounders. And, I have seen both!”

We got you wanting to hook up the boat yet?

As you can tell, even when the weathers scorching, the bass fishing on Lake Seminole can be just as hot! So, next time you want a good chance of tying into ol’ Hammerhead Fred, point your rig toward the Florida/Georgia line! But before you do, Clay has one last piece of advice for you.

“When you get there and see all the grass, don’t get discouraged. There are tons and tons of fish in the lake and they grow big because people don’t want to fight the grass and the stumps, so they never get caught. And, big baits for the bigger fish is the key to Lake Seminole.”