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.”

Drop Shot 101 with David Roland

Hey guys, David Roland here. Today I am going to giving you an overview of the drop shot rig. It is a technique most of us southern anglers cringe about when we hear it. I wanted to take the opportunity to shed some light on the great benefits of the rig and why you should always have one rigged up in your boat. I will go through the basic details of components needed, how to fish it, and lastly my personal set up for this technique. I hope you enjoy.

I‘ve heard it called several things in my years of fishing; the dropshot, down shot, or under shot and even power shot. Its effectiveness is proven in nearly every area of the world. Most commonly it is used as a finesse application with small weights, hooks, and soft plastic lures. When dropshotting first came to the United States most anglers used it as a deep water technique; fishing directly under the boat for lethargic or suspended fish, especially out west where tournament anglers won a lot of money catching tough winter bass in depths of up to 100 feet! Since then more and more people have used the dropshot the same way they would use any other finesse worm technique like split shotting or darter heading; cast it up on the bank and shake it back to the boat, working through structure and along ambush points. The components for drop shotting (hooks, weights and lures) have evolved immensely over time and every rod manufacturer produces a rod specifically for this technique (that should tell you something).

If you fish plastic lures on a texas or carolina rig, YOU CAN DROP SHOT. Pick you up some hooks and weights by your manufacturer of choice and you're in business, you just have to know the PalomarKnot http://youtu.be/Rxj55MXLg0w to rig it correctly. Or, you can buy dropshot rigs pre-tied from Gamakatsu, just tie a small barrel swivel to you line and tie on the Gamakatsu rig. Hook sizes range from 2/0 down to #6 with #1 and #2 being the most popular. Weights range from 1/8 up to 1/2 ounce, but the most popular weights are 3/16 and 1/4 ounce. This is a light line technique and 4-10 pound test is usually the range with most anglers using 6-8 pound. Fluorocarbon line has also gained in popularity with dropshot anglers and some people use fluorocarbon up to 12 pound test. Most anglers throw the rig on a light spinning rod but baitcasting outfits are being used more frequently, especially in Southern California where dropshotting is a part of just about every bass fisherman's game plan. If line twist becomes a factor after a long day of dropshotting, try tying a small barrel swivel 18 inches or so above the hook.

Drop shot baits have come along way, from thin finesse worms to leaches and shad style baits, the possibilities are endless, but most anglers choose a 3-5 inch straight tail or curl tail worm or one of the new dropshot minnows. Zoom makes a Tiny Brush Hog for dropshotting and many people opt for one of the Slim Senkos, but the key is to make sure there is plenty of action when you are working the rig. Generally the bait is 'nose hooked;' the tip of the worm is impaled on the hook and pushed down onto the bend which leaves an open hook, so often the bass hooks itself when they bite. Sometimes wacky rigging (hooking the middle section of the worm) is effective, especially with the Senkos. If you're fishing in an area where there is wood on the bottom, try a #1, #2, or #4 wide gap hook and 'Texas-rig' the worm to avoid sticking the hook into the brush. When you are not using an open hook you should opt for slightly heavier line since you have to set the hook with some power to push the point through the worm and into the fish's jaw.

The length of the 'leader,' or the line that extends below the hook that the weight is attached to, is also crucial. When fishing rock or mud banks, anywhere from 6 to 18 inches of leader is appropriate, depending on what the fish are doing; suspending or relating to the bottom, eating shad or crawdads. If you are fishing in a lake with lots of grass and weeds or other bottom clutter, make the leader long enough so the worm is above the weeds so the bass can see it. Chances are most bass have not seen a juicy-looking Green Weenie dancing along above the weeds and it will be irresistible!

Now that you’ve got your gear and components lets go FISH ! Cast the rig out to the spot you intend to fish. If you fish light worms or jigs, you know the 'feel' of the bottom. If you are not so familiar with those techniques, drop your rod tip from time to time and make sure there is slack in your line, which indicates the weight is resting on the bottom. If the line stays straight it means the weight is still dropping and you should let out enough line to reach bottom. Gently shake the worm and make it dance a few inches off the bottom while the weight stays on the bottom, and you'll get bit. Being subtle with this technique is key. Overworking is a big problem anglers have with this rig which causes them not go get bites. In my recap video I will show you some important tips on working the bait and giving a great presentation (be on the lookout for the video)!

Drop shotting is also a deadly technique on deep, suspended fish. If you locate a school of bass suspended on deep structure, position the boat over or near them and drop the bait right on top of them. Shake the worm keeping the weight on the bottom with some long pauses and work the area carefully, especially in the cold months and your patience may be rewarded with a livewell full of quality bass no one else can catch. This is the time that a long leader may be in order, try to make it long enough to put the worm at the level the fish are holding; 3, 4, 5 feet or more is sometimes necessary.

Often the take is virtually undetectable and you may just notice a little more weight on the line. In that case set the hook. In this game, swings don't count against you. Many experienced dropshotters will occasionally lift the rig a few feet just to see if there's a fish on the hook that they didn't feel. Work the bait through the area you think the fish are holding, crank up and repeat. One of the benefits of using the dropshot weights is that if they get hung up and you can't shake them loose, when you pull hard the clip will cut the line and all you need to do is clip on another weight and you're instantly back in the water.

Many anglers prefer the 'reel set' to set the hook rather than the traditional 'rip lips' hookset. The sharp, light wire dropshot hooks will penetrate easily with light pressure and you risk breaking the light line on a heavy fish with a hookset that is too hard. A 'reel set' just means you reel in line as you lift the rod, all in one motion creating a steadily increasing pressure on the point of the hook instead of quick, sharp, line snapping jerks.

Now is the time you hope you've invested in good equipment and that it is well maintained. A heavy bass will put up a pretty good fight on the light rig and you'll want the hook to be sharp and rust free and the drag on your reel to pull smoothly and not start up with a jerk. You'll also want your rod to be strong enough to move the fish away from line busting cover, but soft enough to protect the light line from a sudden run, especially at the boat. If all these components are perfect and you can keep your adrenaline under control, you'll be amazed at the quality of fish you can catch on this exciting light line technique.

Here is the rundown on my gear used for drop shotting.
Rod: St. Croix Mojo, 6’9” ML drop shot rod.
Reel: Abu Garcia Spinning Reel size 30.
Line: 10lb Berkley NanoFil with 8lb Trilene Monofilament leader.
Lures: Zoom Finesse worm, Ultravibe Speed Craw, Senkos.
Hooks: VMC SureSet Drop Shot Hooks in size #1 or #2
Weights: VMC Tungsten Drop Shop Weights Ball in 1/8 oz or 3/16 oz. In water over 20’ I will used a ¼ oz.

Well guys if you took the time to read all this I appreciate it and hope you have a better understanding of this rig and what its all about. Again be on the lookout for my video.

Tight Lines,
David Roland

Bassin' Lake Eufaula in the Heat of July

                It’s the heat of the summer, and in South Alabama, the word heat is an understatement. Yet, we all still head to the lake in search of bass, oftentimes leaving us sitting in the boat wondering “where the heck did they go”? Well, Lake Eufaula has a lot of good fishing to offer, but according to local anglers, Chad Wise and Jeremy Stevens, you need to head away from the bank in search of these summertime bass.

                These two guys have paid their dues on Lake Eufaula and know it all too well. They both say that they have fished this lake their whole life. Chad has chased the bass seriously in tournaments for 15 years, while Jeremy says he has fished competitively on Eufaula for about 10 years. In that time, they have put up their fair share of first place finishes and cashed a few paychecks.

                Chad mentions that the topwater bite is the way to go early in the morning. “In July I try to focus on points on the main lake……a spook or prop bait can be awesome!”

                But, once the sun gets up and the topwater bite dies off, it’s time to start looking toward the deeper stuff. Chad’s favorite area is out from Barbour and Chenneyhatchee where he says there is lot of ledges, timber, and brush piles. More importantly, look for the bass’ main bait source, which both angler say is shad. When asked, Jeremy states that “really, bait is the key. The more bait you can find, bass are not far off.”

                Chad backs this up by saying, “Look for shad on your graph that are suspended just off the bottom and you will find active fish.”

                “Good areas right now would be anything 10 foot or deeper that you can find bait and structure around. I know that’s a little vague, but really just back up to the first break and start looking at your electronics. They will show up,” Jeremy says about locating these areas mentioned. And once you find an area with the right ingredients, it can make for some hot action with the bass averaging between 1.5 to 3 pounds. But, Jeremy says the big fish have been a little more plentiful this year. “Finding that kicker is key to having a good tournament, but this year with the water staying up the bite has really stayed above average. Five pound fish are all over right now!”

                Chad reiterates this by saying, “You can expect to catch 1.5 to 3 pound fish mainly, but those big ones like to school and you can catch 20-plus pounds in a matter of minutes.”

                The go to lures when you’re after these deeper fish is a three way punch for Chad. His favorites include a Norman DD22 deep diving crankbait, a jig, and a shaky head.

                But, what if you’re somebody who is not very familiar with chasing fish offshore, or you don’t have the electronics to find this stuff? That’s alright, there is still some fun to be had if you know where to look.

                “The wildcard in July would be the grass and lily pads on the North end of the lake,” Chad says, “Eufaula is an awesome froggin’ lake when the water stays up. They will crush it!”

                If it’s too hot for you in the middle of the day, the best kept secret about Eufaula, is waiting for the sun to go down. Waiting until after dark could result in more fish, and more importantly, it could increase your odds of hooking into a BIG fish!                 

                Jeremy says they relate to the same deep structure as during the day, but it seems like the bait pulls up shallower onto the top of humps and up on points. Which means one thing, the bass are following right behind them. And also, look for areas where the creek or river channel gets close to the bank.

 “High bluff walls, deep points, deep dock lines, and bridge pilings can all shine at night,” Chad also mentions, “Big worms in dark colors and black spinnerbaits will catch fish all night long!”

When you head to Lake Eufaula, whether it’s for a tournament, a getaway from the stress of everyday life, or to spend time with your kids, follow these tips to help you put for fish in the livewell. But, before you go I asked these to guys to give you one last bit of advice,

Chad: “Remember time on the water is the best way to learn no matter what time of year it is.”

Jeremy: “Stay focused and don’t let a slow bite get you down. When you find a school, you will forget all about a slow day”

               

Bassin' the Wiregrass

The Wiregrass. Bass Fishing. The two seem to go hand in hand. It claims two lakes listed on Bassmasters' Top 100 bass lakes in the country. Not to mention, the Chattahoochee River between these two lakes ain't to shabby at turning out some good sacks every now and then. With waters this good to fish, there also comes a slough of anglers that are very serious about catching the bass swimming in 'em. I believe our area here in the corner of the Tri-States hosts some of the best anglers in the country, and don't nobody even know it!
So, I'm here to bring you Bassin' the Wiregrass (BTW)! I want to put the spotlight on our home waters and our local anglers. We will feature hot techniques, locations, and various tips to improve your fishing. We also hope to get some one on one with some of the local hot shots and see what secrets we might can squeeze out of em. BTW will also keep you updated on local tournament schedules and results.