T_boy
05-09-2008, 03:29 PM
MARTIN
Water conditions : Down 6 inches; high 60s to low 70s; clear. Bream and catfish seem to be the two hottest things going right now. Bluegill are bedding around points on the main lake -- and while most of the fish being caught are barely hand-size, some anglers have reported catching more than 100 in a day. Crickets have been the best baits for bluegill. If you're looking for shellcracker, try the backs of the pockets with redworms under a small float. Lots of daytime and nighttime fishermen are catching catfish with nightcrawlers fished on the bottom in 12-20 feet. Lots of good eating-size catfish are being caught. Bass fishing hasn't been red hot, but some anglers are having decent success using Carolina-rigged plastics around points and flats on the main lake.
WALTER F. GEORGE
Water conditions : Full pool; low 70s; clear. With most fish in post-spawn mode, bass fishing has been best early and late around flooded grass. Some anglers have been catching nice fish just after daylight using buzzbaits and Zara Spooks. As the sun gets up a little higher, many anglers are switching to soft-plastic jerk baits for a lower profile. Some are even using a small split-shot just above their jerk baits to make them go a little deeper. Crappie fishermen have been scarce during the usual May lull, but lots of panfish are still being caught. Shellcracker are bedding in the creeks and coves, and many anglers are catching nice strings of fish using redworms under a small float. Those who don't have the patience for live bait are using small black jigs to catch bedding shellcracker.
WEST POINT
Water conditions : Full pool; low 70s; clear. Lots of good spotted bass are taking Carolina-rigged plastics around points and flats on the main lake. Many anglers seem to agree that the spots are running larger this year than ever before. Most fishermen are using small baits on their Carolina rigs like a finesse worm, a Senko or a Strike King Zero. The crappie are making their way back out of the creeks now, and the fishing has slowed some. But the anglers who know how to follow them are still having good success. Good strings of post-spawn crappie are being caught around heavy cover throughout the day with minnows and hair jigs. The magic depth has been between 9 and 14 feet. Fishing for hybrids , stripers and white bass is still excellent on the upper end with live shad. Look for areas where the river's current is interrupted or for places where fresh water is flowing into the river. If you run into patches of stained water on the upper end, most fishermen agree it's best to switch from live b to cut shad.
HARDING
Water conditions : Slightly below full pool; low 70s; clear. Bass fishing is fair with dark-colored trick worms fished around sea walls and boat docks. But catfish are the main attraction right now. As they do every year, catfish have moved in around the shallow cover to feed on crappie eggs now that the crappie spawn is winding down. Catfish in the 3- to 5-pound range can be caught around docks and man-made brush piles with jigs or minnows. Nighttime crappie fishing is also starting to heat up around the lighted piers. Good numbers of eating-size crappie can be caught around the lights with dark-colored jigs or live minnows fished 2 feet deep beneath a float. When the dock fishing is at its best, you'll also catch spotted bass , largemouth bass , white bass , hybrids and bluegill .
SEMINOLE
Water conditions : A foot down; low 70s; clear in the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers, lightly stained in Spring Creek. Bluegill and shellcracker are bedding all over the shallow coves, and anglers have reported some huge catches using crickets and redworms either under a float or on the bottom. Some anglers targeting bluegill and shellcracker are also catching decent numbers of tilapia in the same areas. To increase your chances of catching a tilapia, try a small chunk of nightcrawler beneath a float on a No. 6 short-shank hook. For some reason, the tilapia seem to prefer the chunks instead of the whole worms.
CALLAWAY GARDENS
Water conditions : All lakes are full; 75 degrees; clear. After a slow week last week, bass fishing has improved dramatically this week. Many nice bass in the 3- to 6-pound range have been caught on guided trips and on Mountain Creek Lake. Senkos have been working especially well. No real giants have been caught, but anglers have been boating excellent numbers of medium-sized bass. Bream fishing has been hit or miss for the past couple of weeks. One day anglers will catch 80 big bream before lunch, and the next day they'll do well to catch one at all. Crappie fishing has really turned on at Mountain Creek Lake. On Wednesday two anglers caught 50 pounds of crappie, including some that weighed nearly 2 pounds. Special note: For more information on booking a guided trip at Callaway, call 706-663-5142. For boat rentals, call 800-CALLAWAY and follow the voice prompts.
GULF COAST
What's biting : Getaway Gulf Fishing Charters in Orange Beach, Ala., says red snapper are everywhere in federal waters just a few miles off the Alabama Gulf Coast. The federal red snapper season runs June 1-Aug. 5, so now is a good time to book a trip in advance. In the meantime, Getaway is catching lots of amberjack , big vermillion snapper , white snapper , scamp and triggerfish on 12-hour charters. Special note: For more information on Getaway Gulf Fishing Charters, call 251-981-8047.
Water conditions : Down 6 inches; high 60s to low 70s; clear. Bream and catfish seem to be the two hottest things going right now. Bluegill are bedding around points on the main lake -- and while most of the fish being caught are barely hand-size, some anglers have reported catching more than 100 in a day. Crickets have been the best baits for bluegill. If you're looking for shellcracker, try the backs of the pockets with redworms under a small float. Lots of daytime and nighttime fishermen are catching catfish with nightcrawlers fished on the bottom in 12-20 feet. Lots of good eating-size catfish are being caught. Bass fishing hasn't been red hot, but some anglers are having decent success using Carolina-rigged plastics around points and flats on the main lake.
WALTER F. GEORGE
Water conditions : Full pool; low 70s; clear. With most fish in post-spawn mode, bass fishing has been best early and late around flooded grass. Some anglers have been catching nice fish just after daylight using buzzbaits and Zara Spooks. As the sun gets up a little higher, many anglers are switching to soft-plastic jerk baits for a lower profile. Some are even using a small split-shot just above their jerk baits to make them go a little deeper. Crappie fishermen have been scarce during the usual May lull, but lots of panfish are still being caught. Shellcracker are bedding in the creeks and coves, and many anglers are catching nice strings of fish using redworms under a small float. Those who don't have the patience for live bait are using small black jigs to catch bedding shellcracker.
WEST POINT
Water conditions : Full pool; low 70s; clear. Lots of good spotted bass are taking Carolina-rigged plastics around points and flats on the main lake. Many anglers seem to agree that the spots are running larger this year than ever before. Most fishermen are using small baits on their Carolina rigs like a finesse worm, a Senko or a Strike King Zero. The crappie are making their way back out of the creeks now, and the fishing has slowed some. But the anglers who know how to follow them are still having good success. Good strings of post-spawn crappie are being caught around heavy cover throughout the day with minnows and hair jigs. The magic depth has been between 9 and 14 feet. Fishing for hybrids , stripers and white bass is still excellent on the upper end with live shad. Look for areas where the river's current is interrupted or for places where fresh water is flowing into the river. If you run into patches of stained water on the upper end, most fishermen agree it's best to switch from live b to cut shad.
HARDING
Water conditions : Slightly below full pool; low 70s; clear. Bass fishing is fair with dark-colored trick worms fished around sea walls and boat docks. But catfish are the main attraction right now. As they do every year, catfish have moved in around the shallow cover to feed on crappie eggs now that the crappie spawn is winding down. Catfish in the 3- to 5-pound range can be caught around docks and man-made brush piles with jigs or minnows. Nighttime crappie fishing is also starting to heat up around the lighted piers. Good numbers of eating-size crappie can be caught around the lights with dark-colored jigs or live minnows fished 2 feet deep beneath a float. When the dock fishing is at its best, you'll also catch spotted bass , largemouth bass , white bass , hybrids and bluegill .
SEMINOLE
Water conditions : A foot down; low 70s; clear in the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers, lightly stained in Spring Creek. Bluegill and shellcracker are bedding all over the shallow coves, and anglers have reported some huge catches using crickets and redworms either under a float or on the bottom. Some anglers targeting bluegill and shellcracker are also catching decent numbers of tilapia in the same areas. To increase your chances of catching a tilapia, try a small chunk of nightcrawler beneath a float on a No. 6 short-shank hook. For some reason, the tilapia seem to prefer the chunks instead of the whole worms.
CALLAWAY GARDENS
Water conditions : All lakes are full; 75 degrees; clear. After a slow week last week, bass fishing has improved dramatically this week. Many nice bass in the 3- to 6-pound range have been caught on guided trips and on Mountain Creek Lake. Senkos have been working especially well. No real giants have been caught, but anglers have been boating excellent numbers of medium-sized bass. Bream fishing has been hit or miss for the past couple of weeks. One day anglers will catch 80 big bream before lunch, and the next day they'll do well to catch one at all. Crappie fishing has really turned on at Mountain Creek Lake. On Wednesday two anglers caught 50 pounds of crappie, including some that weighed nearly 2 pounds. Special note: For more information on booking a guided trip at Callaway, call 706-663-5142. For boat rentals, call 800-CALLAWAY and follow the voice prompts.
GULF COAST
What's biting : Getaway Gulf Fishing Charters in Orange Beach, Ala., says red snapper are everywhere in federal waters just a few miles off the Alabama Gulf Coast. The federal red snapper season runs June 1-Aug. 5, so now is a good time to book a trip in advance. In the meantime, Getaway is catching lots of amberjack , big vermillion snapper , white snapper , scamp and triggerfish on 12-hour charters. Special note: For more information on Getaway Gulf Fishing Charters, call 251-981-8047.