Lake Seminole, GA Fishing Report

Bass fishing is good. The bass have moved up heavily on the beds now and there is also a lot of nice fish cruising around bedding areas in the shallows. One good technique to use right now is to keep your trolling motor in about 70 % and ride and look for bedding bass to catch. While you are looking there are several baits that you can fish around in the bedding areas that will catch nice fish. The first is a shallow running crank bait such as a Spro Fat John in Clear Chartreuse or a Stanford 1.5 Patriot in summer color. Use a heavy fluorocarbon when fishing these two baits to keep them running shallow such as 20 pound test Sunline FC Sniper. The other technique to use in these areas is to swim a Big Bite Baits 7 Sugar Cane worm. This bait can be Texas rigged with a 1/4 Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten and a FCF bobber stopper. It has a paddle tail action and when Texas rigged, you can swim it through grass and lily pads much like swim bait. Once you find a bedding fish, then it is time to drop the Power Poles which are great for shallow fishing and begin trying to entice the fish to bite. The best bait on the market right now for sight fishing is a Big Bite Baits Warmouth. This bait is extremely awesome for bedding bass. There are several great colors to use, but we like the Chartreuse Blue Gill color. It is a little tricky trying to rig this bait, but the Big Bite Baits website has an illustration of how to rig it on a 5/0 EWG Gamakatsu hook. Also when bed fishing use a co polymer line with a little stretch such as 16 to 22 pound Sunline Machinegun Cast. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing On the Water fishing schools.

LAKESEMINOLEIS FULL, CLEAR & 61 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is good. The bass are steady on the move right now. The weather keeps being unpredictable, but the bass are still very near their spawning grounds and some are even on the bed. The best way to find and catch bass on Seminole right now is to tie on a shallow running crank bait such as a Stanford Old School SSR in Summer or either a Spro Little John in clear chartreuse. Use 20 pound test Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon with these baits to keep them up shallow. These are good search baits to use on flats near sand on the main lake. While fishing these areas, keep your eyes open for bedding bass or sandbars. This type of fishing is extremely helpful with a set of dual Power Poles from JL marine. If you find bass on bed, the best bait for catching bedding fish is a Big Bite Baits Warmouth in Chartreuse Bluegill Color. In order to fish this bait, it must be rigged correctly. This bait was specifically designed to be rigged on the side with a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. You also need to use a 3/8 ounce Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten Weight along with a Fish Catchin Fool Bobber Stopper. This is the best weight/bobber stopper combination on the market right now. If you find sandbars in these areas, then you can back off and fish these with a Texas Rig or a Carolina Rig 8" Big Bite Baits Finesse Worm in Green Pumpkin. The Rat L Trap bite on the grass flats will work also, but can be hit or miss with the warmer water temperatures. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing On the Water fishing schools.

Bass fishing is good. The bass are steady on the move right now. With the warm weather, the bass are either on the beds or very near their spawning grounds. The best way to find and catch right now is to tie on a shallow running crank bait such as a Stanford Old School SSR in the summer color or a Spro Little John in clear chartreuse. Use 20 lb. Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon with these baits to keep them up shallow. These are good search baits to use on flats near sand on the main lake. While fishing these areas, keep your eyes open for bedding bass or sandbars. This type of fishing is extremely helpful with a set of dual Power Poles from JL Marine. If you find bass on bed, the best bait for catching bedding fish is a Big Bite Baits Warmouth in chartreuse bluegill color. This bait must be rigged correctly. This bait was specifically designed to be rigged on the side with a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. You also need to use a 3/8 ounce. Fish Catchin Fool tungsten weight along with a Fish Catchin Fool bobber stopper. This is the best weight/bobber stopper combination on the market right now. If you find sandbars in these areas, you can back off and fish these with a Texas rigged or a Carolina rigged 8 inch Big Bite Baits finesse worm in green pumpkin. The Rat L Trap bite on the grass flats will work also, but can be hit or miss with the warm water temperatures. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing On the Water fishing schools.

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .77 FEET, CLEAR & 58 DEGREES

Bass fishing is slow. The fish are on deep creek bends down lake. Mid day spinner baits down lake in the creeks may work but drag the baits slowly over the structure. Use the 1/2 ounce spinner baits with bright blades. With any sun warming look for the bass to move to the creek channels and points during the day. Use the all black or all brown Strike King 1/2 ounce jig and a Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the points. After a few days of warm weather look for the crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover and slowly worked to get small strikes. Watch the water temperatures all day and find the warmest water in the north west coves for any active fish. Any warm up next month should spark the fish to start to the shallows. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN 1.13 FEET, CLEAR & 58 DEGREES

Bass fishing is slow. The fish are on deep creek bends down lake. Mid day jigs and Carolina rigs down lake in the creeks can work but drag the baits slowly over the structure. Use the 1/2 ounce Stanley jigs and add the Zoom matching dark trailer. With any sun warming look for the bass to move to the creek channels and points during the day. After a few days of warm weather look for the crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover and slowly worked to get strikes. Watch the water temperatures all day and find the warmest water in the North West coves for any active fish. Any warm up next month should spark the fish to start to the shallows. Zoom Super flukes can also work just work them at different speeds and depths until the fish react. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKESEMINOLEIS DOWN .95 FEET, CLEAR & 58 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is good. The cooler water temperatures have really gotten the bass fired up on the main lake. Look for areas on the main lake on the Chattahoochee side. The grass is still very thick, so you have to fish grass edges instead of flats. Two really good patterns that are working extremely well are throwing a lip less crank bait and a square bill crank bait through the grass. A good lip less crank bait is a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Mudbug Red. This is a crawfish color and is notorious for catching big bass on Seminole. The best shallow running crank bait to throw is a Stanford 1.5 Patriot in Summer pattern. This crank bait is made of cedar, so it floats up out of the grass extremely well. Use 20 pound Sunline Fluorocarbon with both of these techniques. Another pattern that is emerging on the lake right now is flipping dead or dying water hyacinths on the Hooch. There is an abundant amount of dead hyacinths floating up and down the river right now. Any of them can hold good fish, so you just have to search until you find the right ones. When flippin use a 1 ounce Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten weight, along with a Fish Catchin Fool bobber stopper, a 3/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Hook, and a Big Bite Baits Yo Daddy in Black/Blue. Use at least 60lb. Sunline Froggin and Flippin Braid with this technique.

LAKESEMINOLEIS DOWN .5 FEET, CLEAR & 65 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is good. It's December and it feels more like springtime. The lake is still slam full of grass and the water temps have not yet even reached down into the 50's. The bass are still on a fall/summer pattern on the lake. There are a few fish to be caught on lipless crank baits and shallow running crank baits, but you have to fish grass edges, because the flats are covered with grass and are inaccessible. There are two good options for cranking. The first is to fish a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Mudbug Red or Old Glory and the 2nd option is to fish a Stanford 1.5 Patriot in Tennessee Color. The Stanford lure is made of Cedar and has tremendous buoyancy when fishing through the grass. We fish both of these set ups with 16 pound Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon line. Another pattern that is still working is flipping deep grass in Spring Creek. This is a technique that is usually only good through October, but with the warm weather and the abundant grass it is still a good way to catch big fish. For flipping, look for submerged grass points in about 10 to -12 foot of water. Use a 1 ounce Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten Weight, along with a Fish Catchin Fool Bobber Stopper, a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG Superline Hook, and a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma. Always use at least 50 lb. Sunline FX2 Froggin and Flippin Braid for this technique. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKESEMINOLEIS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is slow but should really start picking up with the cooler weather. There is still a bunch of grass all over the lake, and the best bite is fishing in the grass. To find fish, you can start by throwing lipless crank bait on the edge of grass lines. A Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory is a good bait for Seminole. The best grass lines are on the main lake where the Flint, Spring Creek and the Hooch all come together near the Indian Mounds. These areas can hold fish at all times of the year. If the lipless crank bait doesn’t work, then flipping is also still good on Seminole. The lower end of Spring Creek is a good place to flip. When flipping use 60 pound Sunline Froggin and Flippin Braid with a 1 ½ ounce tungsten sinker and a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. The best flipping bait on Seminole is a 4 inch Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma. As the cooler weather sinks in, the bite will pick up and fish will be a little easier to catch. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKESEMINOLEIS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is fair. The best bite right now is for shoal bass. If you prefer to stay on the lake, the flipping bite is starting to pick flipping the Zoom Ultra Vibe Craw. Also, the Texas rig bite is producing some fish. As you work down grass lines and be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Start by throwing lipless crank bait on the edge of grass lines. A Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory on the grass lines are on the main lake will work. If the lipless crank bait doesn’t work, then flipping is also still worth the time. The lower end of Spring Creek is a good place to flip. When flipping, use 60 pound test Sunline Froggin and Flippin Braid with a 1 and 1/2 ounce tungsten sinker and a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either red shad, watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing has been fair early but the afternoon bite is picking up. Floating worms, ghost frogs, French fly worms and buzz baits have been working. Larger u tail worms on a Texas rig with a light sinker will work mid lake. The river fish usually feet on crawfish early so stick with a jig and pig until noon. Pitch and flip these darker baits in greens and browns around any wood especially in the little creek and coves right at the river. Spinnerbait or small crank bait is still your best beat. Make sure that you cover a lot of water. Fishing a � ounce Rat L Trap in the

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is fair. The bass are still just really not biting. There was a 2 day tournament over the weekend with some very good anglers, and it only took about 12 to 13 pounds a day to be in the top. My hypothesis is that there is still way too much grass all over the lake. This cooler weather should start making the grass die back, but until then flipping is going to be your best bet. When flipping, you need to look for grass points that are near ditches where fish will start migrating chasing shad. There are numerous types of flipping baits, hooks, and tungsten weights on the market right now. It gets confusing when trying to pick the right combination of baits. With much experience flipping grass on Seminole I have narrowed my choices down to a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma, a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and a new Tungsten weight designed by a company call Fish Catchin Fool Bait Company. They make a Tungsten Weight that is EcoFriendly, it is inert free and has a narrow opening so that your bobber stoppers will not get stuck inside of the weight. They also have a black powder coat finish that is almost impossible to chip off. These are some really great weights that you need to check out at http://www.fishcatchinfool.com/. The emerging pattern to look for in the coming months is a lipless crank bait and a shallow running crank bait bite. A Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory or Mudbug Red is a good trap and a Stanford Raz-r Shad in a shad color is a good crank bait for the shallow grass. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN 6. FEET, CLEAR & 74 DEGREES

Bass fishing is slow. The bass are on the move chasing shad up and down the creek so they can be somewhat hard to find and catch. Once you find a school of fish, they can be caught swimming a 3.5 Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in reel shad on a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG weighed hook. My partner and I won the 2nd Annual $10,000 Bainbridge City Tournament swimming this bait over the tops of submerged grass points in Spring Creek. We used 20 lb. Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon with the setup. We also caught some fish flipping deep grass using a 4 Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma color. Power Poles come in real handy when you're flipping because when you catch a fish you can deploy them down to stay in place. We have found that you can even deploy them in deep water over thick grass and they will still hold you in place. Another thing that makes them unique is that they extend outward, so we have even used them to extend over the tops of stumps in Spring Creek to hold my boat in place. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN 6. FEET, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is slow. The bass are on the move chasing shad up and down the creek so they can be somewhat hard to find and catch. Once you find a school of fish, they can be caught swimming a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in reel shad on a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG weighed hook. My partner and I won the 2nd Annual $10,000 Bainbridge City Tournament swimming this bait over the tops of submerged grass points in Spring Creek. We used 20 lb. Sunline FC Sniper Fluorocarbon with the setup. We also caught some fish flipping deep grass using a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma color. Power Poles come in real handy when you're flipping because when you catch a fish you can deploy them down to stay in place. We have found that you can even deploy them in deep water over thick grass and they will still hold you in place. Another thing that makes them unique is that they extend outward, so we have even used them to extend over the tops of stumps in Spring Creek to hold my boat in place. We have the Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES

Bass fishing is still barely fair and look off the main lake for the fish. In the heavy grass, use the Rattle Back black and blue or all black 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh. Culprit red shad worms on a Texas rig is always a good lure on this lake. Use a larger Texas rigged worm on the grass beds. The faster moving baits will be best on the main river and Fat Free Shad in bright colors is the best bet. Fishing is better later each day as the water warms. After mid day, head to the river and use a spinner bait in the 1/2 ounce size and hit every stump in the shallow waters. Make a lot of short casts. We have the NEW! Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKESEMINOLEIS FULL, CLEAR & 82 DEGREE

Bass fishing is fair. Fish a Spro Dawg 125 walking bait on main lake grass beds. If fish are striking in the grass beds, throw a white Big Bite Baits 3.5" Top Toad up in the grass on braided line. This bite is short lived unless there is some cloud cover. With cloud cover present, keep fishing the Spro Dawg and the Top Toad because they will draw strikes from big ones. If the sun comes out, a good pattern that is working now is to find the old deeper grass lines at the lower end of Spring Creek that have not yet reached the surface. Once you find these grass lines, fish them slowly with 2 baits. Either a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kreit Tail worm, or a Spro McStick Suspending jerk bait. Fish the Kreit Tail worm in green pumpkin with a 4/0 offset shank Gamakatsu hook with a 5/16 ounce tungsten lead with Sunline Fluorocarbon. Fish the Spro McStick jerk bait with Sunline Fluorocarbon. We have the NEW! Lowrance GEN2 Touch machine on our boat. Call and set up an On the Water Schools, 770 889 2654

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 82 DEGREE

Bass fishing is fair and the fish are on the points and creeks bends. Look down lake on creek bends and up in creeks. Find the clearest water possible in the creeks. Use the Culprit green shad worms on the points as tight as possible. In the Spring Creek area use a floating Rapala�s later each day in gold and black back and work it slowly around grass beds. Try the Culprit worm in dark colors over the grass and wood cover. Fishing is better later each day as the water warms. Finesse worms floated over grass beds or a u tail worm in dark colors, can work after the sun is up. Use a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass.

LAKESEMINOLEIS FULL, CLEAR & 82 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair to good. Bass fishing can be great on Seminole if you find the right area and are throwing the right baits. Early in the morning, look for shad and bream present on main lake grass lines. Throw a white Spro Superstar Spinnerbait and a white buzz bait in these areas. This year, the lake is covered with hydrilla growing everywhere. The fish can be really hard to find, especially during the day after the morning bite. The best technique is flipping. Just choose a grass line and go down it flipping. The best setup for flipping is a 7 1/2 to 8 foot rod with 60 pound Sunline FX2 braid, a 1 1/2 ounce Tungsten, and a 5/0 Gamakatsu heavy cover flipping hook. The bait of choice is easy a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Green Pumpkin or Tilapia. This setup allows you to fish fast and cover a lot of water. When you get a bite, there is a good chance that there are some more fish in the area, so slow down and fish the area thoroughly. This pattern will hold up all fall or until the grass starts dying back. Then it will be time to start throwing some shallow running and lipless crank baits.

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 84 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good as the water starts to cool down .Bass are on the creek bends down lake and on the sides of the main lake points. Frogs and buzz baits will work and try the Super Fluke as well. The fish are biting but early use the slow presentation. Use the Zoom gourd green worm on a Texas rig in the tight bank cover. Up the creeks, use a dark jig and pig combination and fish tight in any cover from the bank as far out as 15 feet. The Stanley jigs in the 3/8 ounce size in dark reds and blacks with a matching #11 Uncle Josh trailer will be best. Add Real Craw scent and use it often casting to the same location. Anglers are also use the larger spoons and making long casts across the river points with shad patterns and are taking some good bass. If the spoon has silver hooks, change them over the Mustad Tripple Grip Hooks.

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 86 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good and the bass are biting on secondary creek points and creek ledges. Use a Texas rigged lizard in pumpkinseed or water melon and add some Real Craw scent. Crank baits that are working are Shad Raps, Rat L Traps and Sission lures in the brighter colors. Stay with smaller lures but in the river, go to the next larger size. Small all white buzz baits on the grassy points and a small Bang A Lure will work fro some smaller fish. A Texas rig worm can also be the best bet on some days. At times bass will hit a heavy weighted Texas rig, but a lightweight rig is more consistent. All these rigs normally work best with a very slow retrieve. Colors for these worms can be dictated by personal choice and confidence, but it�s hard to beat green pumpkin, June bug, and natural blue.

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 86 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair on worms and jigs up the rivers. In the lower lakes creeks, flip wood early and use a Texas rigged Culprit black shad worm. Use larger worms in red shad or greens. Up the rivers flip a large worm or spinner bait around the banks and drop them into the cuts under the big trees right on the bank. Try a Rattle Back jigs in black and blue or all black 1/2 jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh. Cast to the banks cover and work baits tight. Afternoons are better for faster moving baits with a small all white Fat Free Shad on main river points. Small floating Rapala�s in gold�s are fair in the creeks. Never overlook a small shallow crank bait in gold�s on this lake even up the river.