LAKE SEMINOLE FISHING REPORTS ARCHIVES
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July 16, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT,  87*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair. Top water in the early morning before the sun comes up is still working pretty good as long as you are in the right spot. Grass lines that run close to the river channel seem to be best. Fish a Spro Dawg 100 in any color that resembles a shad, such as Old Glory. Use braided line and a 7' Falcon Buco medium heavy action rod. The top water bite only lasts as long as the Sun is down and ends pretty much as soon as it rises over the tree tops. If the weather is cloudy, then you can pretty much catch them on the top water all day. When the Sun comes up, the fishing gets a little tough. One way to still manage some bites is to slow down with a Texas-rig worm on grass points on the main lake. Use a Big Bite Baits 10" Kreit Tail worm in Green Pumpkin or Watermelon Red. Use the BioBait formula because fish bite and won't let go. Use a 3/8 to 1/2 Tungsten weight and a 5/0 Gamakatsu off set shank hook. Fluorocarbon line is a must with this technique and the best out there is Sunline. Sunline FC Sniper in 20 pound test is hard to beat when teamed up with a 7'3" Falcon T7 Cara Amistad Micro Guide Rod. You can feel everything little piece of cover which is very important when worm fishing in Hydrilla.

July 9, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT,  86*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The frog bite is still one of the better techniques happening right now on Seminole. There are basically two different techniques for frog techniques that seem to be working well. Swimming a 3.5" Bite Baits Top Toad in Green Pumpkin Pearl over the tops of matted grass has been working real well when fish are in a chasing mood. You can usually tell when that fish are in this type of mood, because you will see the bass chasing minnows, bream, and shad up in the grass. When this type of action is present, use the swimming technique with the top toad. For this method, I like to use a heavy action Falcon 7'4" Cara T7 with 20 lb. Sunline Super Fluorocarbon. The best hook for this frog is simply a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG. If you are not seeing much action in the grass, then the bass are probably inactive and they may want a slower presentation. There is no better frog on the market right now than the Spro Bronzeye Popper. Working the popper can be a bit tricky, but really there is no right or wrong way, just experiment with the bait and make sure you get it to pop when retrieving. Color depends on how bright the sky is. On bright, sunny days use a Natural Green, Green Tree, or Toad. On dark, cloudy days use a darker color such as Natural Red or Rainforest Black. Look for holes in the grass and work the frog over the holes with a fast steady retrieve. When you fish over the tops of mats, slow the bait down. For this technique, you need a longer rod and heavy braid. Use 50 to 65 pound braid and a rod such as a Falcon 7'11" Bobby's Perfect Frog Rod.

July 2, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT,  88*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair and top water baits are the ticket at daylight and dusk. Buzz baits from 1/8 to 3/8 ounce have been the best along with Pop R’s, Chug Bugs and Torpedo’s. Most fish are coming from any type cover in the coves and creeks. Don’t waste much time in areas with little or no shad present. Grass can be the best cover on days when the lake is a foot or less below full pool. Make sure to use a trailer hook for a higher hook-up percentage. If fish are still missing the bait, down size the bait or find a comeback like spinner baits, Flukes, Rapala, weightless worms and other top water lures. Bass are being caught from docks and brush piles, mainly on soft plastics and jigs. On the docks, try a Zoom 6 inch Dead Ringer with a ¼ ounce weight for more active fish. If the fish are inactive, use a Zoom Finesse worm with a 1/8 ounce weight and fish slowly. Good colors for both are June bug, green pumpkin, and red bug in clearer water.

June 18, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT,  88*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and it’s taking way over 20 pounds to win most tournaments. There are several different patterns that are working right now on the lake, but the best seems to be fishing frogs over heavy cover. Frogs have been catching fish over any type of cover as long as it is thick and blocks out the sun. There are two types of frogs to fish and both will catch big bass. For a early morning bite, fish a Big Bite Baits Top Toad in green pumpkin pearl. We rig this bait on a 5/0 Superline Gamakatsu on 20 pound Sunline Super Fluorocarbon. You need a good frog rod that is long enough to make long casts such as a Falcon 7'3" Cara Amistad. The other frog pattern is using a Spro Bronzeye Popping Frog in natural green or green tree. This pattern works all day and catches big ones. Lily pads, hydrilla, scum, coontail and pepper grass are all good types of vegetation to fish both frogs in. For the popper be sure to use braid and a heavy action rod such as a Falcon 7'10" Bobby's Perfect Frog Rod. Be sure to use the Lowrance Structure Scan to scout out waters with the long range beams.

June 11, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  80*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing has been good early on double blades buzz baits with an all white skirt. Cast over the grass and hit the pockets. The all white trick worms and gold black back Rapalas on the grass lines in Spring Creek are good. Shad crank baits and jig and pigs in reds and blacks are good. Cast to the grass and work the stumps on the edges of the creeks. Crank baits should be in bone and orange bellies in the creeks on secondary points. Live bass shiners or live lizards on the creek bends and on the river ledges are fair. There is a major feeding period this week right in the middle of the day. The best bet for fishing is to head up the rivers to beat the heat. Be sure to use the Lowrance Structure Scan to scout out waters with the long range beams.

June 4, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  80*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is somewhat slow. The fishing has been a little up and down lately. The fish are some what scattered all over the lake. The best fishing has seemed to be shallow around sand and grass. The bass are cruising near bream beds and can be caught using several different techniques. The best techniques are to either fish with top water, frog, or Texas rig. For top water, use a Spro Bronzeye Popper in Natural Green. This bait can be fished several different ways. You may fish it with a steady retrieve with short pops, or a slower retrieve with long/harder pops. Just experiment with the bait until you find which works. Make sure to use braided line and a good frog rod like a 7'11" Falcon Bobby's Perfect Frog Rod. A Texas rig may also be used to catch these cruising bass around bream beds. Use a 6" Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in Tilapia color with a 1/4 oz tungsten weight and a 4/0 Gamakatsu Off set shank hook. Make sure to use good sensitive line with your Texas rig so that you can detect those "light bites". Sunline has a new fluorocarbon line called Super Fluorocarbon. It has a great price and is an awesome line for Texas rigs. We use 20 lb in stained water and 16 lb in clear water

May 21, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  78*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is great. The top water bite has really picked up all over the lake. Any topped out grass that can be found either on the lake or creek has the potential to produce nice fish. The grass lines with shad present are obviously much better. Once you find where the shad are spawning in the grass, then you can really catch some nice fish. A good top water bait to catch them in the grass is a Spro Dawg 100 in Old Glory color. I like to use braided line with this technique and a long rod such a 7'6" Falcon Lowrider flipping rod. The action to use just depends on what type of mood the fish are in. Sometimes they want you to walk the dog fast and sometimes they want it with wider sweeps in a slower motion. Just experiment with the technique until you find which works best for that particular day. When the top water bite is over with, then you can work the same areas with several different techniques. One good technique is fish a weightless Big Bite Jerk Minnow in Pearl color. I use this bait with a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and 15 lb. Sunline Super Fluorocarbon. Just throw the bait up in the grass and work it through the holes and cuts in the grass letting it fall slowly. This technique can produce fish all day, you just have to slow down the hotter it gets.

May 14, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  76*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is very good and the buzz baits, Spooks and Pop R's over Hydrilla is really producing some wonderful fishing. If you miss the top water bite use the Carolina rig with a Zoom 6 inch lizard in watermelon seed or green pumpkin on the sandbars and breaks in the 6 to 10 foot range. The big fish are still biting at Seminole so think big swim baits and larger plastics like the Sebile Swimmers and the larger Senko’s. The Shad Spawn is still going on but is slowing down. If you are in the right area, you can catch some good fish fast. Spinnerbaits and top waters are working best. The cranking bite is great and a Rapala DT10 in hot mustard is a great all day bait. There is also a decent flipping bite on the bluff banks in the River Bend area. Tie on a jig and flip any and all visible cover.

May 7, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  76*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. Right now, a spinnerbait is hard to beat on current breaks. You can find current breaks along islands of the main lake or in canals on the rivers. Fish a Spro Superstar spinnerbait with dual Colorado blades and we use the chartreuse and white with gold blades. Fish the spinnerbait with the current and not against it. Another good pattern with the high water is flipping. Flip any type of vegetation along the river banks and in the pockets off of the main river channel. Use a good flipping rod such as a 7'6" Falcon Expert and heavy braid. The best bait for flipping is a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Prime Rib. Use a 1 ounce tungsten weight and a 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook. The river fish are very shallow and active. On the river ledges close to the current, use a jig and plastic or pork trailer in black and blue. Watch for any activity on the shallow grass lines and cast to them quickly. Use a watermelon seed worm is fair on a Texas rig around the deeper wood and bank cover. Main lake bass are on the main lake and secondary creek points. Spring creek is your best bet when looking for grass, because the edges of the sandbars will always have some type of vegetation near them. The best way to catch fish once you find these areas is on a Spro McStick jerk bait in Blue Bandit color. You can either fish the bait on a bait caster or spinning outfit, but we prefer a spinning outfit because you can use lighter line which allows the bait to run a little deeper. Falcon's Cara T7 rod for jerk baits is a great choice when using this technique.

April 30, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  76*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is great and any top water bait you want to cast will work. Also the Mann’s shallow Minus One shad crank baits on 12 pound test line will work. On the top water baits shad and blue colors are best on points and stay close to the current. The river fish are very shallow and active. On the river ledges close to the current, use a jig and plastic or pork trailer in black and blue. Watch for any activity on the shallow grass lines and cast to them quickly. Use a watermelon seed worm is fair on a Texas rig around the deeper wood and bank cover. Main lake bass are on the main lake and secondary creek points. Shad Raps in the shad black back on points all day can be productive, just move a lot. If you want to catch a lot of shallow fish, use a small ¼ ounce all white buzz bait. Spring creek is your best bet when looking for grass, because the edges of the sandbars will always have some type of vegetation near them. The best way to catch fish once you find these areas is on a Spro McStick jerk bait in Blue Bandit color. You can either fish the bait on a bait caster or spinning outfit, but we prefer a spinning outfit because you can use lighter line which allows the bait to run a little deeper. Falcon's Cara T7 rod for jerk baits is a great choice when using this technique.

April 23, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  76*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The bass are nearing the end of the spawn and most fish are on their way back out to their post spawn areas. Some fish can still be caught near sand, but as the water continues to warm they will head for deeper water. Fish areas near sand with grass present, whether it is milfoil or hydrilla. Spring creek is your best bet when looking for grass, because the edges of the sandbars will always have some type of vegetation near them. The best way to catch fish once you find these areas is on a Spro McStick jerk bait in Blue Bandit color. You can either fish the bait on a bait caster or spinning outfit, but we prefer a spinning outfit because you can use lighter line which allows the bait to run a little deeper. Falcon's Cara T7 rod for jerk baits is a great choice when using this technique. Work the jerk bait on these grass lines with a fast jerking method to try and draw a reaction strike from these lethargic post spawners. If the jerk bait bite slows down, then you can work these same areas with a Carolina rig and a long leader. On the Carolina rig, make sure to use fluorocarbon line with a mono leader. A heavy 3/4 or 1 ounce bullet weight works best for this technique. For the bait to use, just keep it simple and go with a 6" Big Bite Baits Finesse worm in green pumpkin on a 3/0 Gamakatsu off-set shank hook. We use the BioBait formula because fish will bite and not let go.

April 16, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  75*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The bass are in all three stages of the spawn right now on the lake, but most of the bass have already finished spawning. The post-spawn fish can be a little tough to catch, but with the right techniques and lures you can still be successful. I went out on the lake yesterday and saw numerous fish guarding fry and cruising the flats. Look for places near sandbars that have grass or lily pads present. Fish these areas with either a top water lure, a jerk bait or a floating worm. For the top water use a Spro Dawg 100 in Baby Bass color. The Baby Bass color works real well at this time, because the big males that are guarding fry are in protective mode against other bass that are trying to eat the fry. If you find a bass guarding fry that would not fall for the top water, then you can opt for a Spro McStick in Blue Bandit color. Use a limber rod for the jerk bait because it is such a known bait for losing fish. We use a spinning reel with 10 pound fluorocarbon line and a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo in medium action. The last technique for catching these post-spawners is to use a weightless 6" Big Bite Baits Finesse Worm in any color of your choice. Color is not really that important; it is the action of the worm that draws the strikes. We use a spinning reel with 8 pound fluorocarbon. Rig the finesse worm on a 4/0 Offset Shank Gamakatsu hook. When you rig the worm, rig it fairly straight so that is does not twist your line. The action we like to use is simply twitching the worm from side to side and pausing in between every three to four twitches.

April 9, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET  67*
MAIN LAKE IS STAINED, CREEKS ARE CLEAR
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good.  The fish are heavily on the beds right now spawning.  The best thing to do to catch them is to sight fish.  The sandbars on the creek, the backwaters, the main lake, all have spawning fish.  Once you find a fish on the bed, you really just have to experiment on what lures work best to catch each fish.  We have good look on either a lizard or a finesse worm.  Use a Big Bite Baits 6" Pro Lizard in watermelon seed or green pumpkin.  If this doesn't work, take a 6" Big Bite Baits Biobait Finesse worm in watermelon and bite it off so it is only about 4 inches.  Either one of these baits will eventually catch a fish that is locked on a bed.  If sight fishing is really not your thing, then you can located post spawn fish.  Anywhere you find lily pads near spawning areas are good places right now to find post-spawners.  The best way to catch them is frog fishing.  Use a Spro Bronzeye Jr. in Leopard color.  Use braided line and a big, stiff rod such as a 7'10" Falcon Bobby's Perfect Frog Rod.  Work the frog with a quick popping action over the tops of the lily pads.  This is a way to catch some really nice fish this time of year.

Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, Grassy Flats, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

March 26, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 64* MAIN LAKE IS STAINED
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and rivers are muddy and creek is clear. The bass are either on the bed spawning or very near to these areas. The places where I have been catching the pre spawn bass are not producing anymore, because the fish have moved up near sand. Anywhere you find sand in the creek or Fish Pond Drain is a good place to fish. Use a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Pro lizard in green pumpkin or a Carolina rig 6" Big Bite Baits Finesse worm in green pumpkin. If you find it hard to catch the fish directly on the sand, then back off and fish the edges of the bars with the Texas or Carolina Rig. If this pattern isn't working, then sometimes the fish want an even slower presentation. If there is no wind, use a weightless 5" Big Bite Baits Cane Stick in green pumpkin. If you really enjoy sight fishing another option is to fish a little faster. Tie on a Spro Little John in Chrome Olive and crank with your trolling motor on 50 % looking for beds. This allows you to at least do some fishing while you are looking for beds, and every now and again you get lucky and catch a good one on the Little John. Make sure to use a good limber rod with the Little John, like a 7' Falcon Bucoo in medium action. As the fish come off of the beds, they get a little lethargic and don't move very much. The males and the females both will hang around some type of cover, deep or shallow and just suspend. The males will be guarding fry and the best way to catch these fish is with a jerk bait. A Spro McStick in Blue Bandit is a good way to catch these fish that are either guarding fry or just hanging around recovering from the spawn.

Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, Grassy Flats, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

March 19, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 58* STAINED
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and Rivers are muddy and creek is clear. The bass are either on the bed spawning or very near to these areas. The places where I have been catching the pre spawn bass are not producing anymore, because the fish have moved up near sand. Anywhere you find sand in the creek or Fish Pond Drain is a good place to fish. Use a Texas-Rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Pro lizard in green pumpkin or a Carolina rig 6" Big Bite Baits Finesse Worm in Green Pumpkin. If you find it hard to catch the fish directly on the sand, then back off and fish the edges of the bars with the Texas or Carolina Rig. If this pattern isn't working, then sometimes the fish want an even slower presentation. If there is no wind, use a weightless 5" Big Bite Baits Cane Stick in green pumpkin. If you really enjoy sight fishing like w do, then another option is to fish a little faster. Tie on a Spro Little John in Chrome Olive and crank the bars with your trolling motor on 50 % looking for beds. This allows you to at least do some fishing while you are looking for beds, and ever now and again you get lucky and catch a good one on the Little John. Make sure to use a good limber rod with the Little John, like a 7' Falcon Bucoo in medium action.

Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

March 12, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* STAINED
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is slow and there is a lot of water on the way. Fish are still being caught near their spawning areas, such as the sandbars in Spring Creek and Fish Pond Drain. Fish the ditches and deep water ponds that are near sand. Use a crank bait such as a Spro Little John DD in Cell Mate color on fluorocarbon line and a good cranking rod like a 7' Falcon Bucoo crank bait Rod. Use the crank bait to find a school of fish, and when they slow down on the crank bait bite, switch to a Carolina rig with a 6" Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature in Green Pumpkin Red. Make sure you use a big hook like a Gamakatsu 5/0 offset shank. This is a big bait. The bass are ready to spawn, as some reports of bedding bass have been seen on the lake this week. When the weather warms and gets more stable, expect to see a major spawn. When bass move up on the beds, there is no better bait to catch a bedding bass than a white 3" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog. Bass will absolutely inhale this bait almost every time it hits a bed.
The Fish and Game Forecaster has good feeding periods from 10am until 1pm Saturday and 11am until 2 pm Sunday. Get your own copy from our web site.

Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

March 5, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* STAINED
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair and will only get better as it warms up this week. Fish are still being caught near their spawning areas, such as the sandbars in Spring Creek and Fish Pond Drain. Fish the ditches and deep water ponds that are near sand. Use a crank bait such as a Spro Little John DD in Cell Mate color on fluorocarbon line and a good crank it rod like a 7' Falcon Bucoo crank bait rod. Use the crank bait to find a school of fish, and when they slow down on the crank bait bite, switch to a Carolina rigged with a 6" Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature in green pumpkin red. Make sure you use a big hook like a Gamakatsu 5/0 Offset Shank, because the Kriet Kreature has a big profile. The bass are ready to spawn, as some reports of bedding bass have been seen on the lake this week. When the weather warms and gets more stable, expect to see a major spawn on Lake Seminole. When bass move up on the beds, there is no better bait to catch a bedding bass than a white 3" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog. Bass will absolutely inhale this bait almost every time it hits a bed.

Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

February 26, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* STAINED
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing has slowed somewhat towards the end of the week with the cold weather. However, expect big bags to be brought in during the Backwoods Tournament this weekend. Fish are still being caught near their spawning areas such as the sandbars in Spring Creek and Fish Pond Drain. Fish the ditches and deep water ponds that are near sand. Use a crank bait such as a Spro Little John DD in Cell Mate color on fluorocarbon line and a good crank it rod like a 7 foot Falcon Bucoo crank bait rod. Use the crank bait to find a school of fish, and when they slow down on the crank bait bite switch to a Carolina rig with a 6" Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature in green pumpkin Red. Make sure you use a big hook like a Gamakatsu 5/0 offset shank, because the Kriet Kreature has a big profile. The bass are ready to spawn as some reports of bedding bass have come in from the lake this week. When the weather warms and gets more stable, expect to see a major spawn on Lake Seminole. When bass move up on the beds there is no better bait to catch a bedding bass than a white 3" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog. Bass will absolutely inhale this bait almost every time it hits a bed.
 
Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

February 19, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 52* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. Heavy stringers are being caught in many different areas on the lake. The deep water in Spring Creek and Fish Pond Drain has been producing some nice catches. The fish are staging in deep channel bends and pond bottoms that are very near to spawning areas. Use a Spro Little John DD in Cell Mate color to fish the deep water. You can fish the crank bait on the edges of the channel or in the middle of the pond bottoms next to stumps and grass. If you find an area that has fish and the crank bait bite slows, switch to a Texas rig Big Bite Baits 6" Trick Stick in black with blue flake. Use it on a light 3/16 ounce. unpainted Tru Tungsten weight with a 5/0 offset shank Gamakatsu hook. The Tru Tungsten has a shiny coated dura sealed finish that draws more strikes due to the flash resembling shad. Believe it or not, I have used other tungsten weights and have found that nothing works as well as Tru Tungsten. They are absolutely the most sensitive weights out because of their insert free technology. Fish the Texas rig next to stumps and let it fall slowly. If your line jumps or stops falling set the hook! Another good pattern that is working is to find clear water and throw a jerk bait. Clear water can be found in Fish Pond Drain and backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Use a Spro McStick jerk bait in Blue Bandit color for this technique. Use 14 pound fluorocarbon and a good limber jerk bait rod such as a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo in medium action. As the weather warms, look for the bass to move up on sandbars and in the backs of coves and pockets to get ready to spawn. 
 
Crappie fishing is excellent. Nice specks are being caught in backwater ponds on the Hooch and Spring Creek. Saunders Slough, the bowl in Big Jim's, and the run leading into Jack's has been producing some nice fish. Fish these areas with a 1/16 Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube in Blue White and Head Firecracker Tail. Use 6 lb. flour carbon and a spinning reel with a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo spinning rod. Fish the tube with a steady slow retrieve next to grass or stumps in these areas.

February 5, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is barely are fair but there are fish and small ones shallow all over the lake. Stay in the creeks as there are already reports of bass moving to shallows. The Texas rig or the Carolina rig with u tail worms worm’s in red shad or purple and use the brass and glass weight for extra sound will work later in the day. Work all slow lures patiently all the way back to the boat on the points and ledges. Up river in the creeks mouths slow roll a larger 1/2 ounce spinner bait with gold and silver willow leaf blades. Later each day the fish are moving to river points. Run a gold Rapala by any grass and let the bait sit dead still.

January 22, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 51* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The fast moving water from all the recent rains and the warming temperatures are moving the fish into the backwaters of the rivers. These fish can be caught with crankbaits such as a Spro Little John in Old Firetiger when it’s muddy and Nasty Shad when the water is clearer. Fish the crank bait near the bank where reeds, hyacinths, and dead lily pad stems are present, as the fish use this type of cover for warmth. Another way to catch fish in these same areas is flipping. The dead hyacinths are good for flipping. Use a Big Bite Baits 4" Yo Momma in Hematoma color. Rig this on a 1 1/2 ounce Tru-Tungsten weight in black, along with a 5/0 Gamakatsu straight shank hook. You definitely need a good flipping rod for this technique such as a 7'6" Falcon Expert. Another good area to catch a good stringer is in Spring Creek. The fish are still holding deep on grass points with timber that are located near the old creek channel. The best places are the grass points where the creek channel swings right up next to them. There are several of them out in front of Big Jim's and near Rattlesnake Point. A Carolina rig is about the best lure to fish these areas but a crank bait can also work. Use a finesse worm on a long leader for the Carolina rig. A 6" Big Bite Baits BioBait Finesse worm in Plum Apple works real well. Spro makes a Little John crank bait in a medium diver that runs down to about 9 feet. This bait is awesome for the creek because it has a tight wiggle similar to a shad rap. Chrome olive is the best color for the creek.

January 15, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is slow. Use a Culprit red shad worms in the grass as tight as possible can draw a strike. Look in the backs of the creeks for clearer water. Then use a light wire hook and light line and a Guido Bug in natural blue. In the Spring Creek area, use a small jig and pork trailer and fish them dead slow. Try a Culprit worm in dark colors on the grass and wood cover. Green finesse worms on a light weight on the grass beds or a u tail worm in dark colors might get a bite after mid day after the sun is up. Use greens and crawfish colors on a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass. Later each day use a larger 10 inch Mann’s grape or strawberry worm on a Texas rig on the old Chattahoochee river channel mid lake.

January 8, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 46* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is tough. Many fishermen have reported it being tough on Lake Seminole. Some reports of bass are being caught in Spring Creek on Texas rigs with a 5" Big Bite Baits Trick Stick in Black/Blue Flake. Use a 3/16 ounce black Tru-Tungsten sinker and a 5/0 offset shank Gamakatsu hook. Use this rig in the points and channel bends of the old creek channel. The old creek channel ranges from 20 to 26 feet in places and the edges of it range from 15 to 18 feet. Your electronics really come handy when finding these places because shad use this old channel to migrate during the winter time. See the new Lowrance Structure scan Down Scan on lowrance.com. Once you find the bait balls, the bass will be suspended near and around them in the timber. Another pattern that works pretty well is flipping dead hyacinths pretty much anywhere they are found in backwaters of the Flint River and Chattahoochee River. Use a 1 1/2 ounce Tru-Tungsten and a 5/0 Straight Shank Gamakatsu hook along with a 4" Big Bite Baits Yo Momma in Hematoma. If we get a little warm spell and the water temperatures start to climb, then break out the Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Mudbug Red and start cranking grass flats. The ones near spawning areas are best such as the Oil Well Flats and the Duck Refuge area.

January 1, 2010
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET 53* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair. The super muddy water has somewhat slowed fishing a little bit, but there are still some pretty nice bass being caught. Surprisingly, good fish are being caught in shallow water from 2-4 feet. Look for current breaks at the mouths of both rivers. The fish are grouping up in the slack water behind islands and points on the main part of the rivers and in the backwaters. Fish a Spro Little John in Old Firetiger or Chartreuse with Black Back. Use a slow retrieve, as the fish are a little finicky with the cold water. If the cranking bite slows down, switch to a Texas-rig in the same areas. Use 20 pound fluorocarbon a good stiff and sensitive rod such as a Falcon Amistad, 3/16 ounce black Tru Tungsten, a 4/0 offset shank Gamakatsu hook, and a 6" finesse worm from Big Bite Baits in black. Fish super slow in the areas where you find fish. With the cold weather dominating, look for the grass to start dying off and the shallow cranking bite will turn on better. At that time, use a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Red Crawfish over the tops of the milfoil and hydrilla. Another pattern that will soon be on fire is flipping dead hyacinths in the backwaters of the rivers. Use a 1 1/2 ounce Tru Tungsten weight, 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook, and a 4" Big Bite Baits Yo Mamma in Hematoma color.

December 11, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL 58* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair and it’s best to start mid day fishing. Cast the Zoom lizard in green pumpkin in the grass with a light weight and let it float into holes on the grass. In the creeks, use a Texas rigged Culprit worm in dark colors over the grass and wood cover will be 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 greens and crawfish colors on a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass. With a warm couple of days, run the 3/8 ounce all white Strike King spinnerbait or a Chatterbait over and around the grass in the backs of the creeks.

December 4, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL 58* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair. With the lake muddy, your best bet is to fish shallow grass flats on the lake such as the one's in front of Wingate's and Carl's Pass. A Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Mudbug Red is a good bait to use right now. Fish the Aruku Shad over the tops of milfoil and hydrilla ripping it free when it ticks the grass. For this technique, we use 20 pound Gamma fluorocarbon a 6:31 gear ratio reel, and a 7' Falcon Bucoo MH action rod. Another pattern that is emerging is to use a Carolina Rig on grass points in Spring Creek. The best places right now are above Rattlesnake Point because that is the only clear water. Use a 1 ounce Tru Tungsten weight not the Denny Brauer Flipping Weight, the regular one with a bead, a Spro swivel, a long 15 pound monofilament leader. Add the 4/0 Gamakatsu offset shank hook and use 20 pound fluorocarbon for my main line. You need a long, sensitive rod for grass fishing. Falcon makes a rod specialized for Carolina rig fishing. It's a 7'6" Heavy Action rod called a Carolina Cara. For baits, there are a number of baits that will work well on this rig. We either use a Big Bite Baits 4" Kriet Kreature in Watermelon Red, or a 6" BioBait Finesse Worm in Watermelon Seed. Make sure you check out the many assortments of plastic baits on and expect another awesome line of baits to be coming out in the near future from Big Bite I know I harp on these baits a lot, but they truly have helped me in many tournaments over the past year since I have started using them.

November 27, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL 62* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
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. Use a Texas rig worm and cast this bait right to the banks and grass beds and work them slowly.  A Zoom U tail worm in watermelon or watermelon candy in the clear water is the color of choice and a green pumpkin is best when used in the stained water.

November 20, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL 62* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. There are two productive patterns working at this time. Fish a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory or Purple Rain color on main lake flats with ditches nearby. The best flats are the ones closest to deep water such as the Oil Well Flats in between the Flint Rover and Spring Creek. Fish the Aruku Shad over the top of the hydrilla and rip the bait free when it snags the cover. The other pattern that works extremely well with both numbers and quality is drop shotting. Use the drop-shot in the old creek channel bends in Spring Creek. The best places are in between Big Jim's and Sealy's. Use a good sensitive spinning rod such as a Falcon 6'6" Buccoo and 8 pound fluorocarbon line. Use a Gamakatsu finesse wide gap hook in 1/0 with a 1/4 drop shot weight. Nose hook a Watermelon Seed Big Bite Baits 6" finesse worm in the BioBait formula. When fish grab this bait, they do not let go.

November 13, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL 62* MUDDY & FAST LAKE WIDE
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair. With the recent rains, the water is moving and is muddy. This actually helps turn on the bite on grass flats. The main lake grass flats have been doing pretty well, especially the ones near the Tractor Bank and Carl's pass. Fish a SPRO Aruku Shad75 in Gold/Black or Purple Rain color. The best flats have 5 to 6 feet of water with submerged milfoil and hydrilla. Flats with 10 to 12 foot ditches close by are magical spots. Fish the SPRO with a steady retrieve and rip it free from the grass when you feel it tick the hydrilla. If this bite slows, fish these same areas with a Big Bite Baits 6" Kreit Tail worm in Junebug. Texas rig the bait with a 5/16 ounce Tru-Tungsten sinker in unpainted color. The unpainted Tru Tungsten is very shiny because of the Dura-Seal finish that they use to coat their sinkers. Use a 5/0 Gamakatsu offset shank hook for this worm. The Big Bite Kriet Tail worm has a hook slot that is perfect for hook sets. The worm bite can feel super subtle, so make sure you use a good sensitive rod such as a Falcon 7'3" Cara T7 Amistad Special. Also reach for some Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon 20 lb. test.

November 6, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, 70*, THE FLINT IS STAINED, THE CHATTACHOOCHEE IS MUDDY AND SPRING CREEK IS CLEAR AND 80*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and the shad are starting find their way into shallow water on flats and backwater pockets off of the main river. The shallow cranking bite is starting to pick up. Fish a Spro Little John in the new nasty shad color over grass flats on the main lake. Ripping the bait through the grass draws more strikes. Another good pattern for this time of year is to flip shallow grass and hyacinths in the backwaters of both rivers. Use a 1 ounce Tru Tungsten lead pegged with a 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook. Make sure to use a heavy action flipping rod to pull the bass out of the thick cover such as a Falcon 7'6" Lowrider Heavy Action flipping stick. As the water temperatures continue to fall and the grass continues to die, expect the trap bite to pick up all over the lake.

October 23, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, 70*, THE FLINT IS STAINED, THE CHATTACHOOCHEE IS MUDDY AND SPRING CREEK IS CLEAR AND 80*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The shad are starting find their way into shallow water on flats and backwater pockets off of the main river. The shallow cranking bite is starting to pick up. Fish a Spro Little John in the new nasty shad color over grass flats on the main lake. Ripping the bait through the grass draws more strikes. Another good pattern for this time of year is to flip shallow grass and hyacinths in the backwaters of both rivers. Use a 1 ounce Tru-Tungsten lead pegged with a 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook. Make sure to use a heavy action flipping rod to pull the bass out of the thick cover such as a Falcon 7'6" Lowrider Heavy Action flipping stick. As the water temperatures continue to fall and the grass continues to die, expect the trap bite to pick up all over the lake.
 
Crappie fishing is fair and they are still being caught fairly shallow. Fish grass lines in 7-10 foot of water up above Jack's. Fish a Big Bite Baits 1.75" Slab-Tube in Lemon Meringue color. Fish the Slab-Tube on a Big Bite Bad Boy 1/16 Jig Head in white. Use a spinning reel and a good limber, but sensitive rod such as a Falcon 6'6" Bucoo Spinning Rod. Fish the tube parallel to the grass and work it slow.

October 16, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, 76*, THE FLINT IS STAINED, THE CHATTACHOOCHEE IS MUDDY AND SPRING CREEK IS CLEAR AND 80*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair and the bass are shallow. Use the Zoom Ol' Monster worm in red shad or June bug on the ends of deep brushed up docks. Some fish are moving on the grass mats in the creeks. Use a quarter ounce jigs with a Zoom twin tail grub as a trailer. This will slow the fall of the bait and get more strikes. An all white Zoom Super Fluke is working and it imitates the shad well in clearer water. Adding some Bang shad scent will help a lot. Be sure to have a Strike King crank bait in the Sexy Shad pattern in tow or three deep diving models and use them on the main lake ledges. It’s hard to beat a Zoom 6 inch pumpkinseed lizard on a Carolina rig for all day fishing.

October 9, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, 76*, THE FLINT IS STAINED, THE CHATTACHOOCHEE IS MUDDY AND SPRING CREEK IS CLEAR AND 80*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. A local bass tournament was won with 25 pounds and 5 fish. Fish are biting top water in the morning hours extremely well. 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 you have 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. The best worm rod I have found for fishing deep grass is a Falcon 7'3" Cara T7 Amistad Special. Fish the Spro McStick Jerk bait on a 6'6" Falcon Bucoo Spinning Rod with Sunline Fluorocarbon.

October 2, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, 78*, THE FLINT IS STAINED, THE CHATTACHOOCHEE IS MUDDY AND SPRING CREEK IS CLEAR AND 80*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair. With the changing conditions such as the varying water temperature, water levels, and water clarity the fishing has been somewhat tough. The bass are in the summer to fall transition phase and can be caught on many different techniques. Spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits such as a Spro Little John in Spooky Shad are a good choice for the main lake grass flats. Another good pattern is flipping grass mats in the Spring Creek area. Use a Big Bite Baits 4" Fighting Frog in Tilapia color. Rig it on a 1 ounce tungsten lead, 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and use a good flipping rod such as a 7'6" Falcon Expert rod for pulling the bass out of the deep mats. When the cooler weather settles in, expect the grass to start dying off on the flats which will ignite the Rat L Trap and shallow crank bait bite.

Setptember 17, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, STAINED AND 81*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. My brother and I won the "Hooked on Hope" bass tournament over the weekend with 25.40 pounds. It was a good day with overcast skies. Fish a Spro Dawg 100 in the early morning hours around grass beds at the mouth of the Flint. After the morning bite runs out, switch to a Big Bite Baits 6" Jerk Minnow in Silver or White and fish around the same areas as the top water. Fish this bait on 16 lb. Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon Line and a 5/0 EWG Gamakatsu Hook. We used a 6'9" Falcon Lowrider top water rod with the Spro Dawg. For the Jerk Minnow we use a 6'10" Falcon Cara T7 Grass Rod.

Crappie fishing is fair and these fish will spend the summer on the river and the lower lake creeks. Fish are on the bottom at 13 feet or more but can be tough to catch. Use live minnows after trolling bright Hal Flies and Deep South Jigs until the fish are found then use both live bait and jigs.

Setptember 11, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 78*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is fair and this is a good time to break out some top water baits. The gold and black Devil’s Horse and a huge grub fished on and around wood and grass beds can draw a big fish. Be sure to gear up for these fish in the heavy cover with a Power Pro or a strong fluorocarbon line. Fishing a Zoom watermelon candy or watermelon finesse worm on a drop shot rig with 8 pound line and a 1/0 Gamakatsu offset shank hook set about 12 inches above the weight using a worm will also bring a few bites. Fish this bait in the pockets off the main lake around docks and blow downs. A few fish are still being caught under docks on a Zoom green pumpkin Magnum worm. Look for shad in the back of coves off the main creeks and use a ½ or a ¼ ounce Rat T Trap and fish around and though the shad.

Crappie fishing is fair and these fish will spend the summer on the river and the lower lake creeks. Fish are on the bottom at 13 feet or more but can be tough to catch. Use live minnows after trolling bright Hal Flies and Deep South Jigs until the fish are found then use both live bait and jigs.

September 3, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .5', LIGHT STAIN AND 82*
Lake Seminole waters are 82 degrees and the rivers are muddy and the main lake is stained. Many creeks are clear. Bass fishing is still tough. Fishing has been somewhat slow, as it usually is about this time every year. However, bass can still be caught on main lake grass beds and grass flats early in the morning with top water plugs and buzz baits. A Spro Dawg 100 is a good walking top water bait that attracts big bass. After the sun comes up is when the bite gets tough. The same areas where the top water fishing is good can still be pretty good after the sun comes up. Back off to the edge of the grass lines and throw a Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Tail worm in Tilapia color. Rig the Kriet Tail worm on a 5/16 ounce. Tru Tungsten lead, and a 4/0 offset shank Gamakatsu hook and fish it slow on the grass lines. Another pattern that works is to fish a weightless 6" Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow in shad color or watermelon red. Throw the Jerk Minnow up in the grass and let it sink down in the grass and work it back to the boat with a slow twitching motion. Try different ways of working the bait to see how the fish will want it on that particular day. Once you find a pattern that works, stick with it all day and commit to an area. You really need a good sensitive rod and line when fishing the Kriet Tail worm and the Jerk Minnow because the bites are very light right now and the fish are not holding onto the baits very long. Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line in 16 pound and a 7'3" Falcon Cara T7 Amistad Special rod is an awesome combination for detecting the light strikes.

 Crappie fishing is fair and these fish will spend the summer on the river and the lower lake creeks. Fish are on the bottom at 13 feet or more but can be tough to catch. Use live minnows after trolling bright Hal Flies and Deep South Jigs until the fish are found then use both live bait and jigs.

August 28, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .1', LIGHT STAIN AND 86*
Bass fishing is good and the fish are still biting. Stick with the early morning and late evening top water bite with frogs in the grass. Swim the frog over the tops of the holes in the grass and wait for explosive strikes. Fish any topped out grass beds near deep water with a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Top Toad in any light color. Always have a 6" Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow rigged up for missed strikes. Later in the day when the sun heats the water up, move to either Spring Creek or main lake river ledges and look for deep grass. The best spots are near the bends and points of the creek or river ledges. Type of grass will either be milfoil or hydrilla. Fish these spots with either a Texas-rigged 6/10" Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in watermelon seed, or a Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6" finesse worm in watermelon seed. Fish the Texas rig on a 1/4 ounce Tru Tungsten sinker and the Carolina rig on a 1 ounce sinker.

Crappie fishing is fair and these fish will spend the summer on the river and the lower lake creeks. Fish are on the bottom at 13 feet or more but can be tough to catch. Use live minnows after trolling bright Hal Flies and Deep South Jigs until the fish are found.

August 21, 2009
"According to Steve"
Crappie caught in 8 to 12 feet of water about 150 yards offshore.  Fishing structures produces the best dividends.  Minnows being the bait of choice.

August 21, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .1', AND 86*
Bass fishing is good and the fish are being caught around shallow cover including lily pads and grass. The Chattahoochee and the main lake have been a good option for finding shallow cover. The best baits to use in the shallow cover are frogs and flipping baits. There are two frogs that work extremely well. For fishing sparse vegetation, use a Big Bite Baits 3.5" Top Toad in white. Rig it with a 5/0 Gamakatsu Superline hook and braided line. For the thicker vegetation, use a Spro Bronzeye 65 floating frog in Rainforest Black or Natural Red. Use a Falcon Cara T7 7'10" XH action frog rod for pulling the bass out of the thick cover. Flipping is also another good option for fishing the shallow cover. Use a Big Bite Baits 4" Fighting Frog in Vegas Sunset color. Rig the frog on a 5/0 Straight Shank Gamakatsu hook and a 1 ounce. Tungsten lead. Use a good flipping rod such as a Falcon Cara T7 7'6" H action flipping rod for hauling the big bass out of the heavy cover.

Crappie fishing is fair and these fish will spend the summer on the river and the lower lake creeks. Fish are on the bottom at 13 feet or more but can be tough to catch. Use live minnows after trolling bright Hal Flies and Deep South Jigs until the fish are found then use both live bait and jigs.

August 7, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN 1.1', CLEAR AND 87*
Bass fishing is fair. Early morning, fish grass beds on the main lake that are close to deep water. Throw buzz baits, prop baits, or a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Top Toad in white. When the morning bite ends, work these same areas with a floating jerk bait such as a Smithwick Rattlin Rogue, Rapala Minnow, or Bomber Long A. Just like the top water bite, this bite is pretty much short lived. After the Sun gets high in the sky, head up either river and look for cover to flip. The types of cover to flip can be grass, lily pads, or hyacinths. The closer you find these areas to the river channel, the better they are. For the best flipping set up made, I recommend a Dobyns Champion 805FLIP flipping rod for punching the mats. I team this with heavy braid, a 1 ounce tungsten sinker, a 5/0 Gamakatsu hook, and the best flipping bait on the planet which is a Big Bite Baits 4" Dean Rojas Signature Series Fighting Frog in black and blue. Stick with this pattern for the rest of the day as long as the Sun stays out. If it gets mostly cloudy, then go back to your top water grass beds and throw top water such as the frog.

Crappie fishing is fair and the fish are in the 6 to 10 foot grass beds near Carl's Pass and the Tractor Bank. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon and a spinning reel with a good sensitive rod such as a Dobyns Champion 681SF. For bait, use a Big Bite Baits 2" Triple Tip Grub in white. Put the grub on a Big Bite Baits Darter Head in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce. Swim the jig real slow parallel to the grass beds.

July 31, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', CLEAR AND 86*
Bass fishing is good and the grass beds above Jack's on the lower end of the Flint have been a good opt for early morning and late evening strikes. Fish a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Top Toad in white. Swim the frog over the grass and wait for explosive strikes. Always have a Big Bite Baits 6" Jerk Shad rigged up for missed strikes. Later in the day as the sun heats the water, move to either Spring Creek or the main lake river ledges. You want to find bends and points in the creek or river ledges that have grass present, either milfoil or hydrilla. Fish these bends with either a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits 6" or 10" Kriet tail worm in watermelon seed, or a Carolina rigged Big Bite baits 6" finesse worm in watermelon. Fish slow and use a 1/4 ounce Tungsten lead for the Texas rig and a 1 ounce bullet sinker for the Carolina rig. Don't forget to check out the new Dobyns Champion Extreme rods, especially the DX 704C split handle. Go to www.dobynsrods.com to see the lengths and actions they offer.

Crappie fishing is fair. Crappie can be caught on 6to10 ft. grass beds near Carl's Pass and the Tractor Bank. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon and a spinning reel with a good sensitive rod such as a Dobyns Champion 681SF. For bait, use a Big Bite Baits 2" Triple Tip Grub in white. Put the grub on a Big Bite Baits Darter Head in 1/16 and 1/8 ounce . Swim the jig real slow parallel to the grass beds.

July 24, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 88*
Bass fishing has been slow almost all day and it’s been hot. Early and late Lunker Lures buzz baits on the wood or grass lines can draw a fish but run and gun all day. Float a large dark Gilraker worms or lizards on Texas rig with no weight on around the grass beds. Add a Mann’s Rat in green frog then follow up with a big lizard in June bug on a large #5 Mustad hook. Zoom Swamp crawlers are working on a long Carolina rig with the Lindy No Snag rig in the ounce size. To get away from the heat, try after dark and a green pumpkin and June Bug will work. Use the all white Ledge Buster one ounce spinner bait and slow roll the bait but this will tax the arms if the fish do not bite. Try this large bait for 30 minutes each trip and use it on the feeding periods. You can see the feeding times daily with a Data Sport Fish and Game Forecaster at www.moontimes.com.

July 16, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 90*
Bass fishing is good and despite the heat, the fish are still biting. There is still a good early morning and late evening top water bite with frogs in the grass. Fish any topped-out grass beds near deep water with a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Top Toad in any light color. Swim the frog over the tops of the holes in the grass and wait for explosive strikes. Always have a 6" Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow rigged up for missed strikes. Later in the day when the sun heats the water up, move to either Spring Creek or main lake river ledges and look for deep grass. The best spots are near the bends and points of the creek or river ledges. Type of grass will either be milfoil or hydrilla. Fish these spots with either a Texas rigged 6/10" Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in watermelon seed, or a Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6" finesse worm in watermelon seed. Fish the Texas rig on a 1/4 ounce Tungsten sinker and the Carolina rig on a 1 ounce sinker.

July 10, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 90*
Bass fishing is fair and it is hot during the day on the water. There are some shallow fish on points right off the river after mid day. In the upper rivers, the water is clearing so use a 200 series Bandit crank baits in bright colors and Leverage gold bladed spinner baits. The flat side crank baits seem to get more strikes and warming weather has the fish active. The bass are on the stumps and points all day. Pitching and flipping a black Zoom u tail worm on a Texas rig is fair and hit every stump that you can see. For fishing the lower lake, go to the river ledges. Mid day go to the creek ledges that drop right into the river and use a 1/2 ounce Strike King buzz bait or a ½ ounce spinner bait with large silver willow leaf blades. Slow roll this lure on the structure and use a single #6 Colorado blade and a chartreuse and white skirt. There are some fish biting after dark on black buzz baits and black Jitterbugs.

June 26, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 88*
Bass fishing is good and there is a pretty good top water bite going on early in the morning. Fish any topped out grass beds that are visible on the main lake. Throw a Big Bite Baits 3.5 Top Toad in June bug with chartreuse Swirl. Swim the frog over the grass mats and in the holes.. If you miss a strike, have a back-up rod with a Big Bite Baits 6 Jerk Minnow in shad color. This is an awesome 1-2 punch for early morning bass on Seminole right now. Once the sun gets up, then head to deeper grass lines on the main lake or Spring Creek. Fish a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits 6 Kriet Tail worm in Tilapia color and use a ¼ or 5/16 Tungsten sinker and fluorocarbon line. This pattern works for quality and quantity. The best rod I've seen for this technique is a Dobyns Champion Extreme 744c. Be sure to go to www.dobynsrods.com to check it out.

June 19, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 88*
Bass fishing is good. There is a pretty good top water bite going on early in the morning. Fish any topped-out grass beds that are visible on the main lake. Throw a Big Bite Baits 3.5" Top Toad in June bug-Chartreuse Swirl. Swim the frog over the grass mats and in the holes. If you miss a strike, have a back up rod with a Big Bite Baits 6" Jerk Minnow in shad color. This is an awesome 1-2 punch for early morning bass on Seminole right now. Once the sun gets up, then head to deeper grass lines on the main lake or Spring Creek. Fish Texas-Rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Tail Worms in Tilapia color. Use a 1/4-5/16 Tungsten Lead and fluorocarbon line. This patterns works for both quality and quantity. The best rod I've seen for this technique is a Dobyns Champion Extreme 744c. Be sure to go to www.dobynsrods.com to check it out.

June 12, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 80*
Bass fishing is excellent. Over the weekend, my partner and I caught consecutive 20 pound + stringers on Saturday and Sunday. We placed 9th in the RSC tournament on Saturday with 20.97 and 3rd in the Media Bass tournament on Sunday with 21.54. All of our fish were caught on 3 different techniques. Early morning, throw a Big Bite Baits Top Toad in 3.5". We were throwing different colors the color didn't seem to matter. We were using the floating Top Toads. These frogs are absolutely awesome because you can swim them on top, then stop them and they float! Rig them on a 5/0 Superline hook. If you have a fish miss the frog, back it up with a Big Bite Bait 4" Dean Rojas Fighting Frog on the back of a swim jig. Choose color according to water clarity. Green or white for clear water and black/blue for stained water. This technique makes an awesome one two punch for bagging early morning bass on Seminole right now. Really don't like to give my technique away, buy hey - it's my job! Later in the day when the sun is high and the heat is nearly unbearable, switch to a 6" or 10" Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail Worm. Rig the worm Texas Style on a 5/16 ounce tungsten lead and fish it on 7 to 10 feet grass lines on the main lake. This pattern catches quality and quantity. My rod of choice for the frog, the jig, and especially the Texas rig is the new Dobyns Champion Extreme 744C. This is the strongest rod on the market right now with unbelievable sensitivity and low weight.

June 5, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 78*
Bass fishing is excellent. The backwoods tournament was held over the weekend with nearly 28 pounds winning first place and several boats having over 20 pounds. With the high muddy water on the rivers, the bass are still relatively shallow. An awesome pattern that I have found to be working extremely well is one that I really do not want to share, but it is my job so here we go! The banks of the Chattahoochee River and the Flint River are all lined with some type of vegetation whether it be hydrilla, milfoil, peanut grass, or lily pads. It really doesn't matter which type of cover you fish, some days the fish will be in the pads while there are other days that the fish will be holding in the grass. Whatever the case may be, get you a Big Bite Baits 3.5" Floatin Toad in Green Pumpkin Pearl with green pumpkin legs. Black with chartreuse legs also works. Rig the toad on a 5/0 Super line hook weightless. The Big Bite Toad is absolutely the best frog on the market for two reasons - it floats when you stop it and it makes a lot of noise. I use a 7'4" Dobyns Champion Extreme 744C bait cast rod teamed with Gamma braided line. This rod has plenty of backbone with a fast tip and is the lightest rod I have ever used. See www.dobynsrods.com. Throw the frog in the cover and swim it on top of the grass stopping it every so often.. Here's the kicker, you're going to have a lot of fish miss the frog. If that is the case, then as a follow up bait use a black and blue swim jig and a Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas 4" Fighting Frog as a trailer. This is the best bait I have ever used as a jig trailer. Throw the swim jig in behind the frog and I would say 9 times out of 10 the fish will eat the jig. This is an awesome one two 2 punch that I have been using to catch fish in tournaments. You know I really hate to give this type of information out, but it is my job and I enjoy helping people catch fish.

May 29, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 73*
Bass fishing has been good early and late on the shallow wood and grass. Most of the fish are taking jigs in dark greens and black u tail worms wit the sinker pegged. Flip and pitch the river areas for the beat action. A white buzz bait, white spinner bait, or a ¼ ounce Rat-T-Trap will work. Use a Bass Pro ¼ or 3/8 ounce Lazer Eye spinnerbait in the white with double willow leaf blades and fish the baits fast over the structure. Fish this spinnerbait around any shallow wood and even up the rivers. After the sun gets up, fish the drops on the river with a root beer Bandit crank bait in the 200 and the 300 sizes. Crappie fishing is fair and there is clear water in Spring Creek. There are shallow fish at less than 5 feet and use both live minnows and bright jigs. Dip a minnow into the grass holes mid day. Also fish in the creeks on ledges at 7 to 14 feet for the deep fish.

May 22, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 73*
Bass fishing is great. Over the weekend, the C & R tournament was won with over 30 pounds of bass and that is five fish averaging over 6 pounds apiece. This is the third tournament this season that ole Seminole has produced a 30 pound stringer. Fish are pretty much biting all over the lake. The main lake bite has seemed to be producing the heaviest stringers. Look for outside channel bends on the Flint River and Chattahoochee River where grass is present. When they pull water at the dam, these areas have the strongest current present. This is where big bass like to group up and feed on shad. War Eagle spinnerbaits in double willow with gold blades are a good opt for these areas. When the spinnerbait bite slows, use a Texas rigged or Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm. Use the 6" or the 10" in redbug color. The Biobait formula works real well because fish bite and don't let go due to the biodegradable material that the Big Bite Baits Company uses in their plastics. Also, make sure you go to www.dobynsrods.com and check out the brand new line of Dobyns Rods. The Champion Series 705C is an awesome worm rod with unbelievable sensitivity.

May 15, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 74*
Bass fishing is good. The shad are still spawning so the bite is still good. White and Chartreuse spinnerbaits have been the ticket with the water still slightly stained. The top water bite is picking up also. Frogs over the grass in the backwaters of the Chattahoochee and the Flint River are working well also. Use a Big Bite Bait 3.5" Top Toad in Black/Chartreuse Legs. Rig it on a 5/0 Super line hook and swim it over the tops of lily pads and grass. Look for vacuous strikes. Another good way to catch fish right now is in hydrilla and milfoil patches on the main lake. Use a Carolina-Rig with a 1 ounce. lead and a 3 to 4 foot leader. The best bait to use is either a Big Bite Baits 6" Finesse Worm or a 6" Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature. Darker colors such as June bug or green pumpkin are the go to colors with the stained water. A good place to start with the Carolina rigs is at the mouth of the Chattahoochee River in an area known as the S curve. Look for sweeping bends of the old river channels and fish the Carolina rig anywhere grass is present.


May 8, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 71*
Bass fishing is good. The shad are still spawning all over the lake, the creek, and both rivers. Look for the shad to be spawning in shallow grass near banks or islands. The shad can actually be spawning anywhere grass is present you just have to be lucky enough to find them. You will know when you see them, because they surface and churn the water like piranhas. Not all shad spawn on the surface, so you will have to find another way to locate them. Throw a spinnerbait with double willow leaf blades. You can actually feel the shad hitting the blades and if you look down in the water, you can see them following your spinnerbait. The hard part is finding the shad, but once you find them the bass catching is awesome. Use a Big Bite Baits Super Shad Swim bait in 5" Black Minnow or SS Shad colors. Rig it on a 6/0 Swim bait Hook with at least a 1/8 ounce belly weight. This bait works well, because it mimics the shad. Another good bait to use is a Big Bite 6" Jerk Minnow. This bait is similar to a fluke but has a bigger profile to attract larger bass. Any shad color will work, just fish the bait weightless on a 5/0 EWG hook.

May 1, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6', STAINED AND 70*
Bass fishing is great. My partner and brother Chris Blackmon and I finished 3rd place in the MediaBass tournament on Sunday. We had 23.30 lbs. We caught our fish on shallow grass points on the main lake with Texas rigged 8" Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail Lizards. We also caught a few fish on spinnerbaits. This particular lizard that we were fishing is sold exclusively at Academy Sports. It is an 8" Lizard with a big bulky profile. It is made of premium plastic (as all Big Bite Stuff is) and does not tear or rip like most plastics. You can actually catch 3 to 4 bass on one lizard at times. It has awesome action. They also make it in a 6" version called the Big Bite Baits Pro Lizard. The 6" lizard can be bought at www.bigbitebaits.com. We were rigging the lizard on 1/4 ounce Tungsten leads and fishing it threw and over the tops of the submerged milfoil and hydrilla. We were obviously fishing around shad because you could see them and feel them hitting the blades of your spinnerbait. That is the deal on Seminole this week. If you find shad, you will find big bass behind them.

April 24, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 68*
Bass fishing is excellent. With the recent rains and the full lakes and rivers, there is a lot of current because the dams are pulling water on a 24 hour basis. My partner and I won a tournament on Sunday with 22.45 pounds. We caught the majority of our fish flipping shallow grass and hyacinths where current was present on the main lake. We targeted post-spawn fish that had already spawned out and were feeding on shad and bluegill that were being washed in by current. We used a 4" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Black/Blue, 1 ounce . Tru-Tungsten weight, and a 4/0 BMF Flipping Hook by Reaction Innovations. Flipping is a good way to catch the fish right now with the high water, but you can also fish spinnerbaits on any current breaks. You can use the fighting frog on the back of the spinnerbait as a trailer. The 3.5" Big Bite Fighting Frog works best as a trailer. Another good pattern right now is to fish grass lines in Spring Creek with a Carolina-Rig. There are large numbers of post-spawn fish on 8 to 12 foot grass lines in Spring Creek. Use a 3/4 to 1 ounce bullet lead, long leader, and a light wire hook. Use a 6" Big Bite Baits Biobait Finesse worm in Tilapia color which is an awesome color. Lowrance announced April 24, 2009, a price drop on the HDS-5 Sonar GPS combo.

April 17, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .5 INCHES, MUDDY AND 67*
Bass fishing is good. With the muddy water, the spinnerbait is still your best bet. With a big profile so add a trailer on the spinnerbait. Use a 3/8 ounce double-Colorado bladed War Eagle with gold blades and chartreuse and white skirt. Put a white Big Bite Baits 3.5" Fighting Frog on the back of the spinnerbait as a trailer. Post spawn areas such as reed islands and grass points are starting to fill up with big bass. Use the spinnerbait in these areas. Another pattern to use right now is to fish frogs in shallow cover anywhere on the rivers. Lily pads and shallow grass are good. Use a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Floating Toad in green pumpkin with black Legs. Rig this on a 5/0 screw lock hook or a 5/0 super line braid. This frog is better than any other plastic frog on the market, because when you pause it this bait floats. Always have a Big Bite Baits 6" Jerk Minnow rigged up to cast for missed strikes.

April 10, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 INCHES, MUDDY AND 64*
Bass fishing is good. With all of the mud, high water, and current, the fish are biting pretty good. Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits are the baits to use now with the muddy water. The backwaters of the Chattahoochee river and the main lake flats are good right now. Fish the spinnerbait with a white 3.5" Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog as a trailer. The trailer adds a little bulk to the spinnerbait and slows it down to appeal more to big bass. As the water clears, look for the Senko bite on the main lake bars to pick up again. Be sure to grab some 6" Big Bite Trick Sticks in Tilapia color. You can fish it weightless or on a Carolina rig.

April 2, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 INCHES, SLIGHT STAIN AND 65*
Bass fishing is good and the fish are still up on the beds and cruising around on the main lake sandbars. The best way to catch bass right now is to sight fish, or fish real slow in bedding areas with a Texas rigged lizard. Big Bite Baits makes an 8" Kriet Tail Lizard that works extremely well. Use green pumpkin or June bug on a 5/16 ounce tungsten lead. Use a big 5/0 hook because the lizard is pretty big. Another excellent pattern to use on these sandbars is to throw a swim bait. Throw a Big Bite Baits 5" Super Shad in Tennessee Shad, perch, or bluegill color. Use a 5/0 swim bait hook that has a weighted belly. Just fish the swim bait over the shallow sandbars in search for a big cruising female. This patterns works well because it allows you to fish for a "Big Bite" while searching for a bedding bass to catch. This pattern will hold up until about mid April when the bass start to head back out to their post spawn areas.


March 19, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 INCHES, SLIGHT STAIN AND 65*
Bass fishing is good and the fish are still up on the beds and cruising around on the main lake sandbars. The best way to catch bass right now is to sight fish, or fish real slow in bedding areas with a Texas rigged lizard. Big Bite Baits makes an 8" Kriet Tail Lizard that works extremely well. Use green pumpkin or June bug on a 5/16 ounce tungsten lead. Use a big 5/0 hook because the lizard is pretty big. Another excellent pattern to use on these sandbars is to throw a swim bait. Throw a Big Bite Baits 5" Super Shad in Tennessee Shad, perch, or bluegill color. Use a 5/0 swim bait hook that has a weighted belly. Just fish the swim bait over the shallow sandbars in search for a big cruising female. This patterns works well because it allows you to fish for a "Big Bite" while searching for a bedding bass to catch. This pattern will hold up until about mid April when the bass start to head back out to their post spawn areas.

March 13, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, SLIGHT STAIN AND 63*
Bass fishing is great. The fish are really up on the beds at this time with the full moon this week. Now is the time to sight fish. Once the bedding bass have been located, throw a 4" Big Bite Baits Salt Tube in any green color. Use the 6" Big Bite Baits Disc Lizard or Pro Lizard in any green color. White is also a good color choice because of it's visibility to the fisherman. Another excellent pattern to catch bass right now is to find sandbars in 6 feet of water or less. Throw a weightless 6" Big Bite baits Trick Stick in Tilapia color. Just dead stick the bait and let it free fall until one grabs it. The bait has a large profile so use a 6/0 EWG hook.

March 5, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, SLIGHT STAIN AND 57*
Bass fishing is good. The recent cold front has somewhat slowed down the bed fishing, but it should pick up by the weekend as 80 degree temperatures are in the forecast. Look in the backwaters of the Flint River and the Chattahoochee River. Find areas with sand and look for the bass to be in about 3 feet of water or less. While looking, throw a 4" or 6" Big Bite Baits Kreat Kreature Texas rigged on a 1/4 lead. Swim the worm through grass and lily pads. Once a bass has been found on the bed, use a 4" Big Bite Baits BioTube in any green color. Let the tube sit in the bed and shake it to aggravate the bass into biting. If that doesn't work, try a 6" Big Bite Baits Pro lizard or Disc Lizard. Either bait will eventually work. The flipping bite is also going to start getting better as the big females stage under the hyacinths near spawning areas. Find water hyacinths along reed banks with at least 1 1/2 to 2 foot of water underneath the hyacinths.

February 27, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, SLIGHT STAIN AND 59*
Bass fishing is excellent and it will take 25 pounds to win most tournaments. The fish are now moving onto the beds. Bass can be found in the backwaters of both rivers, Spring Creek, and Fish Pond Drain. While searching for bedding fish, swim a Big Bite Baits 4" Kriet Kreature in watermelon red magnum or green pumpkin. Use a 4/0 hook with a 1/4 lead that is pegged to your line. This bait has an awesome swimming action and can also be used to catch bedding bass. Another pattern that works real well is to throw a weightless Big Bite Baits 5" Trick Stick Senko. Bama Bug is an excellent color on the lake right now. The best places to throw the Trick Stick is in bedding areas. Dead sticking and a slight jerking method is a good way to fish the Trick Stick. Towards the end of this month, expect the fish to move up and start spawning on the main lake sandbars.

Crappie fishing is good and the fish have moved back to deep water with the cold temperatures. Fish the channel bends on the lower Flint to catch crappie. Use a 1/16 ounce Hal-Fly made by Big Bite Baits in lemon meringue color. Use light fluorocarbon line and swim the jig extremely slow. I have found that the jig catches better quality crappie than minnows.

February 20, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 59*
Bass are moving up on the beds. Fish can be caught in less than 3 feet of water. The backwater of the Chattahoochee, fish pond drain, and the ponds in between the carp gates are the place to be right now. Fish lily pads and sandbars with a Big Bite Baits 4” or 6 “ Kriet Kreature. Rig this worm on a ¼ Tungsten Lead and peg the lead. Swim the worm through the pads and on top of the pads. If you find a bass on the bed, drop the bait in the bed and shake it. This pattern will work through April, until the fish move back into their summer like patterns.

Crappie fishing is good and the fish have moved back to deep water with the cold temperatures. Fish the channel bends on the lower Flint to catch crappie. Use a 1/16 ounce Hal-Fly made by Big Bite Baits in lemon meringue color. Use light fluorocarbon line and swim the jig extremely slow. I have found that the jig catches better quality crappie than minnows.

February 13, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 53*
Lake Seminole is great. Bass are biting traps and are around grass points and ditches on any part of the lake. The fish are staging and are ready to move up on the beds. Use 1/2 to 3/4 ounce sexy shad rattle traps to locate fish. Once you find an area that has fish slow down with a Texas rigged or Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Kreature. Use Bama Bug or Watermelon red magnum. This bait is absolutely awesome on Seminole because it has tremendous action when pulled through the grass. Concentrate on areas near spawning flats on the main lake. Make sure you are fishing around grass. Ditches, depressions, and grass points near these areas are what have been holding the most fish.

Crappie fishing is good and the fish have moved back to deep water with the cold temperatures. Fish the channel bends on the lower Flint to catch crappie. Use a 1/16 ounce Hal-Fly made by Big Bite Baits in lemon meringue color. Use light fluorocarbon line and swim the jig extremely slow. I have found that the jig catches better quality crappie than minnows.

February 6, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .5 inches, STAINED AND 53*
Lake Seminole is wide open right now. My brother and I had 18 pounds in the Fishermen for the Hungry tournament over the weekend and did not get a check. Terry Stevens and Mason Brock from Marianna, FL had the winning stringer of 25 pounds. There were 4 sacks over 20 pounds! Most fish were caught on traps and were caught around grass points and ditches on any part of the lake. The fish are staging and are ready to move up on the beds. Use 1/2 to 3/4 ounce sexy shad rattle traps to locate fish. Once you find an area that has fish slow down with a Texas rigged or Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Kreature. Use Bama Bug or Watermelon red magnum. This bait is absolutely awesome on Seminole because it has tremendous action when pulled through the grass. Concentrate on areas near spawning flats on the main lake. Make sure you are fishing around grass. Ditches, depressions, and grass points near these areas are what have been holding the most fish.

Crappie fishing is good and the fish have moved back to deep water with the cold temperatures. Fish the channel bends on the lower Flint to catch crappie. Use a 1/16 ounce Hal-Fly made by Big Bite Baits in lemon meringue color. Use light fluorocarbon line and swim the jig extremely slow. I have found that the jig catches better quality crappie than minnows.

January 30, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN FULL, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 53*
Bass fishing is good and there are some huge bass are beginning to stage all over the lake. A recent Media Bass tournament was won with 25 pounds. Fish were caught on a Carolina-rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Kreature. This bait is similar to a Zoom Brush Hog, but has legs and tentacles that have an awesome swimming action. Fish are located on 7 to 10 foot ditches and depressions that are adjacent to spawning flats. To locate fish, use rattle traps or spinnerbaits in order to cover water. Once fish have been found, slow down and use a Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6" Kriet Kreature or 10" Kriet Tail Worm. As the weather warms and the water temperature continues to climb, look for the fish to move further up onto the spawning flats. When this occurs use a weightless Big Bite Baits 6" trick stick in June bug or watermelon.

Crappie fishing is good and the fish have moved back to deep water with the cold temperatures. Fish the channel bends on the lower Flint to catch crappie. Use a 1/16 ounce . Hal-Fly made by Big Bite Baits in lemon meringue color. Use light fluorocarbon line and swim the jig extremely slow. I have found that the jig catches better quality crappie than minnows.

January 23, 2009
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 51*
Bass fishing has been relatively tough with the falling water temperatures. Some fish are being caught on main lake flats and the mouth of coves of the Chattahoochee River with spinnerbaits and rattle traps. The most productive method is finesse fishing in the Spring Creek area. Drop shotting has been the ticket. Target the bigger stumps in 20 foot of water or deeper in any area of Spring Creek and use 8 pound fluorocarbon line. Rig up the drop shot with a Gamakatsu Weedless finesse hook in size #2. Use a 3/8 ounce drop shot weight and rig the hook about 18 inches above the lead. Use a Big Bite Bait in the 4" or 6" finesse worm in green pumpkin purple or green pumpkin and June bug. Fish your bait slowly and fish it vertical beside the stumps using a shaking method. The bite will be very soft. Just lift your rod to set the hook.

Crappie fishing has been a little off and on. Some crappie are being caught in the fish pond drain area in deep water. Use a Big Bite Baits Ring Grub in pumpkin pepper green color. For a jig head, use a Big Bite Baits Bad Boy black jig head in 1/16 ounce. Swim the jig real slow besides standing timber in 20 feet of water for a good way to catch quality sized specks.

January 11, 2009  Swede
Got back out to lake Seminole yesterday. Launched from Seminole Lodge at day break. Monte had not even opened the store yet. Fished in Spring Creek the first half of the day - until 11am. Fished up the Chattahoochee the second half of the day. The day started out warm and humid and ended cold and humid. Cloud covered most of the day. Water temp in SC at 63 and Hooch at 61. Not much to report from Spring Creek - did not get the first bite there. Fished mostly deep water with a variety of baits. I believe with the extended warm weather - the fish went shallow and into the grass, but with the cold weather this week - the lower water temps ought to bring them back deep. Ran over to the Hooch and fish a few areas. Surprisingly found the fish in shallow water (2-4 ft) - but even then did not bite for long. All fish came on a V&M black grape finesse worm. The first and biggest was in the 5-6 pound class, then a 3 pound fish, and finished with a 1 pounder. Estimate 9-10 pounds with 3 fish. Half hour worth of action - the rest of the time the temps continued to drop after frontal passage and wind blew 10-20. Tried SBs, CBs, and Swimbait with no takers.

January 9, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 60*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is excellent and there are several different patterns that can be used to catch fish on Seminole right now. With the warm water temperatures, bass can be caught in the shallows. A recent ABA tournament was won with 5 fish at 32 lbs! Fish can be caught on main lake grass flats. Use a 5/8 ounce Spro Aruku Shad in Mud Bug red color. Flipping dying water hyacinths is also a good way to catch fish during the unstable weather patterns. Flip the shallow coves and backwaters up both rivers. Use a 1 1/2 ounce Tru-Tungsten Lead and a heavy wire flipping hook. Flip a 4" Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature in Redbug color.

Crappie fishing is also excellent! Specs can be caught on the Flint River where water hyacinths are present near deep water. Use a Big Bite Baits Hal-Fly in 1/16 ounce Lemon Meringue color. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon with a good sensitive, but limber rod. Cast the jig out, let is sink to the bottom, and then retrieve it painfully slow. The jig seems to catch bigger specs than the minnows. Expect to catch a fairly quick limit.

January 4, 2009  Swede
Went out to Lake Seminole yesterday - arrived at 7:30am. Spent 45 minutes talking to Monte (owner) before getting launched. My purpose for the day was to try a new and not yet released bait by V&M - the High Tail Shad. Received a few of them to try out and figured Seminole would be the best place to do just that. Arrived in Spring Creek at 8:30am. Fished for a short time before speaking with one gentleman who had caught 5 good keepers that morning. Fished through a lot of timber catching my first two keepers on the new bait. These two fish came where grass met timber in 20-22 ft of water. Bites were light. Rigged the new bait with a V&M weighted frog hook with keeper and tungsten bullet weight. The extra weight allowed the bait to sink faster and punch through a couple of small grass mats still out there. This bait is about the same size as flukes I fish regularly. Spoke to a couple other gentlemen about 11 am - they said they caught a couple 8 pound fish earlier that morning worming deep water but nothing since 8 am. The water had cleared a lot from previous week's water description. About 1pm, the gentleman I spoke with in the morning stopped back by and said the fish had completely shut down - no bites since seeing him earlier. He left to go watch football. Threw a couple CBs for a while thinking the fish may have suspended, but nothing happening there. Pitched a drop shot around for a while as well and nothing. Went back to the new High Tail Shad and picked up another keeper about 3pm. Headed back to Seminole Lodge about 4pm. The coots are out in force feeding on hydrilla. Duck hunters broke the relative silence a few times throughout the day. Blue Winged Teal have arrived even with the warm temps. A couple good flocks circled the creek intermittently during the day. Spent all day in Spring Creek. The new bait worked really really well. The tail puts out a good wag. I wish I would have made it out earlier when the bite was on. This bait produced when the bite was off though - something I was glad to see. Good luck out there!!

January 1, 2009
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 53*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and Spring Creek is the place to be now with the cold water. I have seen water temperatures as low as 51 degrees in places already. That is pretty cold considering we haven't even entered winter yet. Big bass are being caught in Spring Creek on big Texas-rigged worms. Use a Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail Worm in 10 inch. Watermelon Seed or Red Bug are good color choices. Use a big 5/0 wide gap hook, fluorocarbon line and a 1/4 Tru-Tungsten lead. This time of year, I have found it best to try and match the color of the worm with the lead. The bite can be slow, but big ones like to eat in Spring Creek. The channel bends that sweep across I-75 run are a good place to start looking for bass. If the bite is really slow, you can use a straight tail worm instead of a big curly tail. A Big Bite Baits 5" Trick Stick or 6" Finesse worm in watermelon seed works well on the same rig.

Crappie fishing is still excellent! Specs can be caught on river ledges of the Flint in any range of depth between 10-30 feet. Use a Big Bite Baits Hal-Fly in 1/16 ounce Lemon Meringue color. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon with a good sensitive, but limber rod. The fish can be caught trolling or casting. As always, the specs can be caught on minnows, but the jigs catch bigger ones.

December 19, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED & 53*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. Spring Creek is the place to be now with the cold water. I have seen water temperatures as low as 51 degrees in places already. That is pretty cold considering we haven't even entered winter yet. Big bass are being caught in Spring Creek on big Texas-rigged worms. Use a Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail Worm in 10 inch. Watermelon Seed or Red Bug are good color choices. Use a big 5/0 wide gap hook, fluorocarbon line and a 1/4 Tru-Tungsten lead. This time of year, I have found it best to try and match the color of the worm with the lead. The bite can be slow, but big ones like to eat in Spring Creek. The channel bends that sweep across I-75 run are a good place to start looking for bass. If the bite is really slow, you can use a straight tail worm instead of a big curly tail. A Big Bite Baits 5" Trick Stick or 6" Finesse worm in watermelon seed works well on the same rig.

Crappie fishing is still excellent! Specs can be caught on river ledges of the Flint in any range of depth between 10-30 feet. Use a Big Bite Baits Hal-Fly in 1/16 ounce Lemon Meringue color. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon with a good sensitive, but limber rod. The fish can be caught trolling or casting. As always, the specs can be caught on minnows, but the jigs catch bigger ones.

December 17, 2008 "Swede"
Fishing has been pretty good for the past 3 - 4 weeks in Spring Creek - deep cbs and plastics around timber. I've heard reports of 50+ fish days with half of those fish 3 pounds or better. All that good fishing turned sour as of late with heavy mud from recent rains. Now hearing reports from Wingates that logs are floating through the Flint arm - assuming similar in Spring Creek and Hooch arms as well. If anyone heads out there - be extremely careful - floaters can be hard to see and avoid at the speeds these bass boats can travel.

December 12, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED & 53*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. Spring Creek is the place to be now with the cold water. I have seen water temperatures as low as 51 degrees in places already. That is pretty cold considering we haven't even entered winter yet. Big bass are being caught in Spring Creek on big Texas-rigged worms. Use a Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail Worm in 10 inch. Watermelon Seed or Red Bug are good color choices. Use a big 5/0 wide gap hook, fluorocarbon line and a 1/4 Tru-Tungsten lead. This time of year, I have found it best to try and match the color of the worm with the lead. The bite can be slow, but big ones like to eat in Spring Creek. The channel bends that sweep across I-75 run are a good place to start looking for bass. If the bite is really slow, you can use a straight tail worm instead of a big curly tail. A Big Bite Baits 5" Trick Stick or 6" Finesse worm in watermelon seed works well on the same rig.

Crappie fishing is still excellent! Specs can be caught on river ledges of the Flint in any range of depth between 10-30 feet. Use a Big Bite Baits Hal-Fly in 1/16 ounce Lemon Meringue color. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon with a good sensitive, but limber rod. The fish can be caught trolling or casting. As always, the specs can be caught on minnows, but the jigs catch bigger ones.

December 5, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED & 56*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is excellent. A local club tournament was won with 21 pounds and second being 19 pounds. The fish were caught on rattle traps on grass flats out in front of Wingate’s. Throw a 5/8 ounce Spro Aruku Shad in Mudbug Red. As always, the bass bite better when the bait is allowed to bog up in the hydrilla and then ripped free. Another pattern that I have found to work well is to fish ledges up the Flint River with a 6" Texas rigged Big Bite Baits finesse worm. The BioBait formula works best, but the regular Big Bite finesse worm works also. Green pumpkin seemed to be the best color. This pattern was found while I was crappie fishing on the flint. I caught over 20 bass doing this while fishing for specs! Most of the fish were in the 1 to 2 pound range, but I did catch one over 6 pounds and one about 4 pounds. Just fish the outside bends of the river around the Faceville Landing area. Ledges with grass present seemed to work better, but fish were also caught on ledges with rock and wood.

Crappie fishing is also excellent! Specs can be caught on river ledges of the Flint in any range of depth between 8-25 feet. Use a drop shot rig with minnows to locate the fish. Once the fish have been found, then use a Big Bite Baits Hal-Fly in 1/16 ounce Lemon Meringue color. Use 4 pound test fluorocarbon with a good sensitive, but limber rod. Cast the jig out, let it sink to the bottom and then retrieve it painfully slow. The jig seems to catch bigger specs than minnows. Expect to catch a fairly quick limit.

November 27, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 62*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is slow. The water temperature is dropping fast with the freezing temperatures. Some days the bass can be caught on grass flats in the 4 to 5 foot range. Throw shallow running crank baits or rattle traps over the grass. The flats on the Florida side of the lake have seemed to be working better. A 1/2 Spro Little John works well in Bloody Craw or Spooky Shad colors. Also, a 5/8 Spro Aruku Shad in Mudbug Red or Clear Chartreuse colors are good to throw. Use a slow, steady retrieve and rip the baits free from the grass when they get bogged up. Also, some fish have been caught on lizards in the Indian Mounds area on 10 to 12 foot grass lines. Throw a 6" Big Bite Baits Pro Lizard in watermelon or green pumpkin. Use a 1/4 ounce Tru-Tungsten lead in watermelon or green pumpkin color to match the color of the worm. Throw the lizard up in the grass and bring it out to the edge and let if fall slow. This pattern works well with little wind and bright skies.

Crappie fishing has somewhat slowed. Specs are being caught in 6-8 feet of water near grass lines on the Flint River. Throw a Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube Tail in the Electric Chicken Head/Clear Sparkle Tail color in 1/16 oz. Use fluorocarbon line in 6 lb test and swim the jig real slow near the grass lines.

November 21, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 62*
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is relatively slow on Seminole. The water temperature is dropping fast with the freezing temperatures. Some days the bass can be caught on grass flats in the 4 - 5 foot range. Throw shallow running crank baits or rattle traps over the grass. The flats on the Florida side of the lake have seemed to be working better. A 1/2 Spro Little John works well in Bloody Craw or Spooky Shad colors. Also, a 5/8 Spro Aruku Shad in Mudbug Red or Clear Chartreuse colors are good to throw. Use a slow, steady retrieve and rip the baits free from the grass when they get bogged up. Also, some fish have been caught on lizards in the Indian Mounds area on 10-12 foot grass lines. Throw a 6" Big Bite Baits Pro Lizard in watermelon or green pumpkin. Use a 1/4 oz. Tru-Tungsten lead in watermelon or green pumpkin color to match the color of the worm. Throw the lizard up in the grass and bring it out to the edge and let if fall slow. This pattern works well with little wind and bright skies.

Crappie fishing is slow but some fish are being caught in 6 to 8 feet of water near grass lines on the Flint River. Throw a Big Bite Baits Bad Boy Tube Tail in the Electric Chicken Head/Clear Sparkle Tail color in 1/16 ounce. Use fluorocarbon line in 6 lb test and swim the jig real slow near the grass lines.

November 14, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & 66 DEGREES
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good and the cooler weather and shorter days is causing the grass to die off rapidly. This is making the shallow cranking bite turn on. Fish a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in magic or spooky shad over the top of submerged hydrilla and milfoil on flats near the Flint side of the lake. Allow the bait to bog up in the hydrilla and then rip it out. The strike will usually occur when the bait is ripped free of the hydrilla or milfoil. The flats on the Hooch are good also but dingy. A spinnerbait works well on all of the grass beds at the mouth of the Chattahoochee river. Use a 1/2 or 3/8 War Eagle spinner bait with double willow leaf blades in fire tiger color. Use an erratic action with the spinnerbait. Throw it up in the grass, use a fairly fast retrieve, and then shake it when it gets to the edge of the grass bed. The strike will be hard and fast, so be ready to set the hook. If skies are blue and there is no wind, the cranking and spinnerbait bite tends to be a little slow. If this is the case, go to these same areas and throw a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in 10 inch Tilapia color. Use a 1/4 Tru Tungsten lead and fluorocarbon line. Just work the worm real slow around the grass. This is a good big fish pattern.

Crappie fishing is excellent on the lake right now. Nice sized specs are being caught on the old river channel of the Chattahoochee river with minnows. Also, specs are being taken on jigs such as 1/12 and 1/16 ounce Hal-Flys along 8-10 ft grass lines on the Flint River area of the lake. Any color with a little white in it works well. Just cast the jig to the grass and swim it back to the boat slowly.

November 6, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & 68 DEGREES
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is still pretty good. The cooler weather and shorter days is causing the grass to die off rapidly. This is making the shallow cranking bite turn on. Fish a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in magic or spooky shad over the top of submerged hydrilla and milfoil on flats near the Flint side of the lake. Allow the bait to bog up in the hydrilla and then rip it out. The strike will usually occur when the bait is ripped free of the hydrilla or milfoil. The flats on the Hooch are good also but dingy. A spinnerbait works well on all of the grass beds at the mouth of the Chattahoochee river. Use a 1/2 or 3/8 War Eagle spinner bait with double willow leaf blades in fire tiger color. Use an erratic action with the spinnerbait. Throw it up in the grass, use a fairly fast retrieve, and then shake it when it gets to the edge of the grass bed. The strike will be hard and fast, so be ready to set the hook. If skies are blue and there is no wind, the cranking and spinnerbait bite tends to be a little slow. If this is the case, go to these same areas and throw a Texas rigged Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in 10 inch Tilapia color. Use a 1/4 Tru Tungsten lead and fluorocarbon line. Just work the worm real slow around the grass. This is a good big fish pattern.

Crappie fishing is excellent on the lake right now. Nice sized specs are being caught on the old river channel of the Chattahoochee river with minnows. Also, specs are being taken on jigs such as 1/12 and 1/16 ounce Hal-Flys along 8-10 ft grass lines on the Flint River area of the lake. Any color with a little white in it works well. Just cast the jig to the grass and swim it back to the boat slowly.

October 31, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & 68 DEGREES
BY Matt Baty 229 * 726 * 0513
Bass fishing is good. The BFL regional was here recently and was won with a 3 day total of 61 pounds. The tournament was won by flipping grass mats in the spring creek area. This is a good pattern to win tournaments as long as the grass is still matted. Fish the grass points in Spring Creek that have topped out hydrilla. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 ounce plain Tru-Tungsten lead. The unpainted Tru-Tungsten is very shiny and gives off a lot of flash to imitate a shad while busting down through the hydrilla. The best bait to use for flipping is a 6 inch Kriet Kreature made by Big Bite Baits. Any color that has green or watermelon in it works well. We have used many different baits for flipping deep grass and this bait is absolutely the best because of the action of the legs and tentacles. They also make it in a BioBait formula which is a biodegrable type plastic that fish hold on to longer. Flipping works all day, but works better in bright sun conditions with little wind. Another pattern for catching fall bass this month is fishing flats on the main lake with submerged hydrilla and milfoil. Watch for needle fish on the flats. Needle fish are a good indicator that shad are present. Bass will eat them too! Flats in the 4 to 5 foot range work best. If the wind is blowing, throw Rat L Traps over the grass and rip them. A Spro Aruku Shad 75 in magic or spooky shad works well. If there is no wind, take a Biodegradables Kriet worm in 6 inch watermelon seed on a 1/4 Tru-Tungsten lead and swim it over the grass. Use a steady, slow retrieve and this pattern will catch numbers of fish.

October 23, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & 80 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair mid day to dusk. Use a Culprit green or red shad worm in the grass with a light weight and let it float into holes on the grass. In the Spring Creek area use a Texas rigged Culprit worm in dark colors over the grass and wood cover will be 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 greens and crawfish colors on a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass. With the warm weather run an all white buzz bait over and around the grass in the backs of the creeks. Scum Frogs in white and green back are also working but be sure to use a braid to get these fish out of the slop.

October 16, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & 80 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair to good and the patterns have changed a little bit. There are bass on points and drops. There has been a good top water bite on Pop R’s on grass and river bends up lake. Shad Raps broken back in the perch pattern are working well. The bass were schooled up in shallow, shallow water. They are still reasonably shallow but they seem to be pulling back to the deeper water. Always have a white buzz bait and a large with Senko ready in case any fish blow up on a buzz bit or other top water lure and miss this bait.

October 3, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing has been fair and picking up. Some fish are moving on the grass mats in the creeks. Use a quarter ounce jigs with a Zoom twin tail grub as a trailer. This will slow the fall of the bait and get more strikes. An all white Zoom Super Fluke is working and it imitates the shad well in clearer water. Adding some Bang shad scent will help a lot. Keep a Pop R and a Zara Spook Jr ready as well as a Rooster Tail in line spinner. The Zoom Ol’Monster worm in red shad or June bug on the ends of the up lake points will get some bites. All white buzz baits can work all day in the small pockets right off the main river.

September 27, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair late in the day after some warm sunshine. The early bite is slow, but try frogs on and over grass beds with some 50 pound Sufix Braid. Cast the dark Zoom Bush Hog in green and pumpkin in and around the grass with a light weight and let it float into holes on the grass. In the Spring Creek area, use a Texas rigged red shad Zoom U tail worm over the grass and wood cover will be better later each day as the water warms. After the sun warms the shallows, get out the Chatterbaits and work the grass edges down lake and the river bends up lake. Finesse worms floated over grass beds or a u tail worm in dark colors can work after the sun is up. Use greens and crawfish colors on a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass. With the weather still warm, never overlook an all white buzz bait over and around the grass in the backs of the creeks.

September 19, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is barely fair as the water starts to cool. Rains dropped the water temperatures but try the early and late top water lures on the grass is hit or miss. Anglers have had some success throwing frogs in the grass, but buzz baits have not been as effective as they normally are this time of year. When the sun gets up, about the only bite going is on the grass lines in 8 to 12 feet of water. Throw a Texas to rigged 8 inch ribbon tail worm in blueberry, black or watermelon. Mike said not to expect more than four or five bites a day. However, early fall patterns should be right around the corner. Mike said if the water temp drops another 3 or 4 degrees it will be time to start cranking. Look for grass that is beginning to die back a little, and burn a Rat to L to Trap or shallow to running crank bait over the top of it and stick to shad patterns.

September 12, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair 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 Sisson lures in the brighter colors. Stay with smaller lures but in the river; go to the next larger size. All white buzz baits on the grassy points and a small Bang A Lure will work fro some smaller fish. The river fish are active and a dark jig on a stump ledge or across a creek pocket will attract a hungry bass.

September 5, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. Fishing top water baits around grass beds like buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop R. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. Try flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color.

August 29, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and the main lake creek points and creek bends have some good fish feeding on small baits. UP the Hooch, the river is clear for now but the storms may change this by next week. Work the points right next to the river bends or go into the creeks and look for clearing water. Down lake, use the bleeding shiner Rat L Traps, white spinner baits, Larew Craws with the bright pinchers, Zoom green lizards and #5 Shad Raps and cast anything on the shallow bank cover. Road beds and trees in the water are holding schools of fish. The crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover will get strikes. This is always a good idea, use a spinner bait. Work heavy bank cover. Enticer spinner baits with bright blades will draw shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points during the day.

August 22, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 84 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and the main lake creek points and creek bends have some good fish feeding on small baits. UP the Hooch, the river is clear for now but the storms may change this by next week. Work the points right next to the river bends or go into the creeks and look for clearing water. Down lake, use the bleeding shiner Rat L Traps, white spinner baits, Larew Craws with the bright pinchers, Zoom green lizards and #5 Shad Raps and cast anything on the shallow bank cover. Road beds and trees in the water are holding schools of fish. The crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover will get strikes. This is always a good idea, use a spinner bait. Work heavy bank cover. Enticer spinner baits with bright blades will draw shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points during the day.

August 15, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 89 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and the early mornings and in the evenings try a top water jerk bait. Work large spinner baits and buzz baits on the lower lake around the grass beds. The largemouth bass have moved to the river ledges at 12 to 18 feet of water. Large the diving baits and big plastic worms in dark colors on a Texas rig has been fair. It’s really hot during the day on the lake so be prepared to move around to try and keep cool. Try and slow roll a large white spinner bait in the beat of the day super deep. White buzz baits early around the grass beds has been very good. After dark, try black Jitterbugs and black or red buzz baits on the edges of the grass in the creeks. This can be a surprise tactic the fish do not usually see on this lake and can be very productive.

August 8, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 89 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and there are a few fish in the shallows early. With the surface temperatures running high, the fish are offshore. When there is current, the offshore bite can be absolutely fantastic both for numbers and quality and the crank bait is tough to beat. When the current is present, ledges that top out from 8 to 12 feet have worked the best. When there is no current the fishing can be tough. Use a Carolina rig and Texas rig on river ledges in about 16 to 25 feet. Green pumpkin and watermelon seed plastics are tough to beat. If the ledge has standing timber, really work the timber thoroughly as the fish will suspend in the trees. At this time of year, use of your electronics to find the fish is critical if you are going to fish structure. If you find the shad, you will find the bass. In the early mornings, shallow grass early in areas with deep water access can produce quality fish as well. If you are going to be throwing a shad colored crank bait.


August 1, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and the fish are on the creek points and creek bends mid lake and the river bass are a little more active with the current. The river is clear so work the point’s right nest to the river bends or go into the creeks. Down lake, use the bleeding shiner Rat L Traps, white spinner baits, Larew Craws with the bright pinchers, Zoom green lizards and #5 Shad Raps and cast anything on the shallow bank cover. The Sebile minnow is shad is also working. Road beds and trees in the water are holding schools of fish. The crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover will get strikes. This is always a good idea, use a spinner bait. Work heavy bank cover. Enticer spinner baits with bright blades will draw shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points during the day.


July 25, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair on worms and jigs. The grass lines mid lake are fair early and late but the better bite is 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 baits around the banks and drop them into the cuts under the big trees right on the bank. Try a Stanley jig in black and blue or all black 1/2 ounce 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 Mann’s Baby Minus One crank bait in gold’s and bream colors on this lake even up the river.

July 18, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing has been slow almost all day but the bright spot is any current during generation. With the slow day fishing, get out the large dark Senko’s, rig the wacky style with a large hook and cast them to points on grass lines and on main lake ledges. Early and late Lunker Lures buzz baits on the wood or grass lines can draw a fish but run and gun all day. Float a large dark Gilraker worms or lizards on Texas rig with no weight on around the grass beds. Add a Mann’s Rat in green frog then follow up with a big lizard in June bug on a large #5 Mustad hook. Zoom Swamp crawlers are working on a long Carolina rig with the Lindy No Snag rig in the ounce size. To get away from the heat, fish early and late and use a green pumpkin and June Bug Zoom U tail on a Texas rig. Use the all white one ounce spinner bait and slow roll the bait but this will tax the arms if the fish do not bite. Try this large bait for 30 minutes each trip and use it on the feeding periods.

July 11, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing has been fair. Fishing is good early on top water baits and buzz baits. Then use the darker red colors in worms and jigs and shad crank baits are good. The bass are shallow early each morning on grass and grass points mid lake. Down lake use a Shad Rap in #7 sizes in any color and bump the bait across the bottom and use light line. Then go to the points and flats at 10 feet. During the middle of the day head up the river and use big Enticer spinner baits and fish them right on the banks. The Zoom water melon seed lizard and a long 3 foot Carolina rig can draw a few strikes on river ledges but it’s very hot all day.

July 4, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair to good early on double blades buzz baits with an all white skirt. Cast over the grass and hit the pockets. The all white trick worms and gold black back Rapalas on the grass lines in Spring Creek are good. Shad crank baits and jig and pigs in reds and blacks are good. Cast to the grass and work the stumps on the edges of the creeks. Crank baits should be in bone and orange bellies in the creeks on secondary points. Live bass shiners or live lizards on the creek bends and on the river ledges are fair. There is a major feeding period this week right in the middle of the day. The best bet for fishing is to head up the rivers to beat the heat.

June 27, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing has been good and not much has changed since last week. Some anglers are on the lake after dark using black buzz baits and large 10 inch black Culprit worms in the creeks. The river fish have been fair as the current is moving daily with all the up river runoff. Bright large Mann’s crank baits on the sand bars mid river has been fair and dig the bottom with the baits. In the clear creeks, buzz baits and spinner baits along with rats still lures on and over the grass beds will work. June bug worms are fair on the creek sand bars with a light weight. Also, large Senko's in bright colors on a large worm hook with no weight will work as well.

June 20, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and it is best to fish the mid lake creeks early. Then head to the dam and work the lower lake creeks are best. Up the river bass relate to any wood on the river banks and flip a jig or a green shad Zoom u tail worm on a pegged 3/16th ounce sinker. Down lake, bass are in tight schools over the old structure on main lake points at 10 to 14 feet deep. The river is clear also. Later in the day use a large Berkley Power Worm on a Texas rig over the grass lines. Rat L Traps are getting a lot of strikes and the gold baits are the hot color along with red. Floating the Rat on and over the grass beds should work all day over the grass beds. Drop the bait into the grass holes and around wood in the back of the creeks. With warm rain and a few more days’ warm weather, get out the spinner baits and buzz baits.

June 13, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing had settled in for a typical summer pattern. Early go shallow to the grass with a frog or buzz bait and then the main lake ledges. Some bass will be holding right on the edge of the channel ledges. Fishing the deeper grass beds. As the air temperature continues to warm up, the bass will move to the deeper water ledges. Use the large crank baits and the suspending jerk baits with a slow presentation will work. Mid day heat means deep water and the slow moving Carolina rig and a lot of patience. Go to the Down Deep Husky Jerks, DD22 crank baits and Carolina Rigs.

June 6, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 86 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and there is still some top water action. Black buzz baits and black Jitterbugs and very large grubs are fair. Early in the mornings and at dusk in the evenings try a top water jerk bait. Work large spinner baits and buzz baits on the lower lake around the grass beds. Daytime fishing has moved to the river ledges at 12 to 18 feet of water. Large shad and Tennessee shad diving baits and big plastic worms in dark colors on a Texas rig has been fair. It’s really hot during the day on the lake so be prepared to move around to try and keep cool.

May 30, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 86 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is good and there is a great early top water bite. Use buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster. The early morning buzz bait bite is good. The fish seem to be grouping up in certain areas and finding these small concentrations of fish can help load the boat in a hurry. Mann's 20+ crank baits have been working pretty well for me along with Zoom Ol’monster worms. The fish seem to be feeding on and off throughout the day so timing is everything. We have been covering allot of ground lately during a trip, but hopefully with the warmer temps the fish will concentrate up a bite more.

Crappie fishing is fair as they are still shallow in the in the creeks. There are schools tight on brush and they are biting using live minnows. The fish are the next to the creek channels and use live bait.


May 23, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 76 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and the fish are up shallow early and late. Try everything from shallow grass to ledges with crank baits and Carolina rigs. Shad activity in the area can be a big factor for active bites. The water is warming and the fish are starting to migrate out to the main lake ledges. The early morning buzz bait bite is good. The fish seem to be grouping up in certain areas and finding these small concentrations of fish can help load the boat in a hurry. Mann's 20+ crank baits have been working pretty well for me along with Zoom Ol’monster worms. The fish seem to be feeding on and off throughout the day so timing is everything. We have been covering allot of ground lately during a trip, but hopefully with the warmer temps the fish will concentrate up a bite more.

Crappie fishing is fair as they are still shallow in the in the creeks. There are schools tight on brush and they are biting using live minnows. The fish are the next to the creek channels and use live bait.

May 16, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 76 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair on worms and jigs on the trees and docks. In the lower lakes creeks flip docks with a Texas rigged Culprit black shad worm. Use larger worms in dark colors and add the Real Craw scent. Cast to the same spot with several casts. Use a Zoom red shad u tail worm on a Texas rig and work the edges of the grass beds. Also a Lunker Lure gold bladed buzz bait will work all day. Also the 7A Bomber in crawfish or fire tiger colors right on the docks. Up the rivers flip a large worm or spinner baits around the banks and drop them into the cuts under the big trees right on the bank.

Crappie fishing is fair as they are still shallow in the in the creeks. There are schools tight on brush and they are biting using live minnows. The fish are the next to the creek channels and use live bait.

May 9, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 76 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair on worms and jigs on the trees and docks. In the lower lakes creeks flip docks with a Texas rigged Culprit black shad worm. Use larger worms in dark colors and add the Real Craw scent. Cast to the same spot with several casts. Use a Zoom red shad u tail worm on a Texas rig and work the edges of the grass beds. Also a Lunker Lure gold bladed buzz bait will work all day. Also the 7A Bomber in crawfish or fire tiger colors right on the docks. 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.

Crappie fishing is fair as they are still shallow in the creeks. There are schools tight on brush and they are biting using live minnows. The fish are next to the creek channels and use live bait.

April 25, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass are up early each morning and the grass bite is great. Be sure bait fish and deep water access are close by for the better fish. Use top water baits and Zoom lizards around the grass in several of the creeks on the upper end of the lake. After lunch, use Carolina rigs and slow rolling spinner baits around the secondary points. The fish are moving out to brush piles in 8 to 12 feet where crank baits and Texas rigs were working well. The grass beds mid lake in the creeks have lots of bass and bright Senko’s and trick worms will work. A few fish are still bedding in some of the creeks but mostly buck bass are left guarding the nest. Finding the grass with shad and deep water around will really improve your odds for bigger fish.

April 18, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is very good and the entire lake is producing some great fishing. Go in the creeks and flip worms and jigs with a plastic Zoom pork style trailer to the grass. Use the darker red colors in all worms and jigs and shad crank baits are fair later in the day. The bass bite better later in the day on the grass lines or the rip rap on bridges. On main lake points work a 3/8th ounce Stanley spinner bait and cast to any stumps. Mid and late day the river bass are biting and use a large black and red Gilraker worm and fish them right on the bank cover. The Zoom water melon seed lizard and a long 3 foot Carolina rig can draw a few strikes on ledges at 10 feet on the main river.

Crappie are shallow on wood and grass lines. There is clear water in the creeks. Use live minnows and jigs and fish the flats in the creeks at 3 to 6 feet.

April 11, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 72 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is good and the fish are shallow on the banks and grass lines. Spinner baits, worms and Culprit lizards are catching the fish. Look on points in the creeks and the grass lines where there is appoint close by as they are holding fish. Flipping worms or jigs around and in heavy brush can draw a strike. The gourd green Zoom u tail worms on a Texas rig is good and work any wood on the banks. Add scent using Jack’s Juice in the garlic flavor and work the lures in the same locations often. Work shallow bright 6A and 7A bombers in and around anything on the bank. In the river use the 3/8 ounce Leverage spinner bait with all gold Colorado blades and cast to the windy banks and around points. This is a run and gun pattern and then worm the same location once are found. On any of the wood on the river banks, use the Shad Raps in the #7 size in shad color right on the bank cover all day.

March 28, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 61 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is good and what can I say about Lake Seminole, it is March and the bass are on the bed all over the lake. Virtually every sandbar has fish on it. If you enjoy sight fishing for bedding bass, head to Lake Seminole and get ready to have a ball. If you don't like sight fishing, I would recommend throwing a Carolina rigged lizard around deeper sand bars (4-8 feet) or slowly fishing a Texas rigged lizard in the same areas. For some flipping action, go up the rivers and flip and pitch black or blue Stanley jigs with a matching plastic Zoom pork style trailer to the docks and heavy bank cover. Use the darker red colors in all worms and lizards and shad crank baits are good casting them right on the banks. Early and late each day, use a bubble gum Zoom trick worm on the wood and even rip rap on bridges. The bass bite better later in the day, on the grass lines or the rip rap on bridges. During the middle of the day, the river bass are fair on a larger Gilraker worm and fish them right on the bank cover. The Zoom Ole Monster water melon seed worm on a Texas rig is hot also.

Crappie fishing is great and all day minnows around wood will work. Live bait is best on main creek brush piles. The night fishing is fair on the bridges and around the lighted boat docks. Minnows will be best at 10 feet.


March 21, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 61 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM  HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is good and the fish are shallow lake wide. Grass beds in the creeks have spawning fish roaming around beds and pink trick worms; white Stick O’s or a Zoom lizard will work. For some flipping action, go up the rivers and flip and pitch black or blue Stanley jigs with a matching plastic Zoom pork style trailer to the docks and heavy bank cover. Use the darker red colors in all worms and lizards and shad crank baits are good casting them right on the banks. Early and late each day, use a bubble gum Zoom trick worm on the wood and even rip rap on bridges. The bass bite better later in the day, on the grass lines or the rip rap on bridges. During the middle of the day, the river bass are fair on a larger Gilraker worm and fish them right on the bank cover. The Zoom Ole Monster water melon seed worm on a Texas rig is hot also.

Crappie fishing is great and all day minnows around wood will work. Live bait is best on main creek brush piles. The night fishing is fair on the bridges and around the lighted boat docks. Minnows will be best at 10 feet.

March 15-16, 2008 Swede
Fished the second of 5 qualifiers at Lake Seminole this weekend - this is a two-day event. Found winds gusting to 30mph on Saturday which forced many of the 43 boats into protected areas of the lake. Water temps found to be mid-60s in back water areas - 66 in area I fished. I fished the Florida side of the lake much of the time and found fishing tougher than it has been. Caught just two keepers each day for about 9 pounds. Partners managed just one fish between them. Caught all my fish on a V&M Pork Shad in a color I have never used before - but seemed to be my ticket to getting bit this weekend - Huckleberry was the color. Winner had 37+ pounds, 2nd had 29+ pounds, and 3rd had 28+ pounds. Predominate winning patterns were bed fishing and flipping matted vegetation. Top daily weights were 19+ pounds each day.

March 14, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM  havefunfishing.com
Bass fishing is good and what can I say about Lake Seminole, it is March and the bass are on the bed all over the lake. Virtually every sandbar has fish on it. If you enjoy sight fishing for bedding bass, head to Lake Seminole and get ready to have a ball. If you don't like sight fishing, I would recommend swimming a paddle tail worm around sand bars or slowly fishing a Texas rigged lizard in the same areas.

March 9, 2008  Swede
Fished club tourney out of Seminole Lodge Sunday - water temps upper 50s at start warming to 60-62 in afternoon. Cold fronts changing the bite daily. Tough for most - 12.09 took first place with 7.58 kicker. 9+ pounds second and only limit of the day. Three of us with 5+ pounds - 12 participants. Much muddy water in the system right now. I fished the Flint and Fish Pond Drain arms for my only two keepers going 5.52. Slowed way down with a V&M black grape ringer to get bit. Water levels are at normal or just above normal pool. Muddy water in much of the system. Temps upper 50s to low 60s depending on time of day. First wave has already spawned out - and moved to deeper water.

March 7, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is barely fair and another cold front is on the way. The best bite is fishing 10 to 12 foot brush piles in the creeks. Use the Rapala DT 16 in fire tiger and chrome Rat-L-Traps just running the banks. These colder temperatures has slowed the migration for bass. Muddy conditions still hamper the deeper bite and the shoreline grass hasn't had a chance to get going yet. Spinner baits and jigs are going to be heavy favorites this week and with a stained lake. Use the chartreuse and white with a Colorado blade will be a good choice.

Crappie have been coming in off the bridges around Pataula & Sandy Creeks are producing some good fish. Shiners tight lined in 12 to 15 feet of should work if the weather cooperates.

February 29, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM  HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and there are some fish on wood and deep grass lines later in the day. Worms on a Texas or a short Carolina rig are fair in greens or smoke colors are fair but fish slowly in and around brush. The down lake fish are biting blue back Shad Raps crank baits on the points and humps. Try the white skirts and silver blades on a Leverage 1/2 ounce spinner baits up the rivers in coves and hit wood on the banks. Small Shad Raps and Bang A Lures in silver and black back on banks and wood has been fair. Cast to the steep banks in the creeks with a Rattlin’ Rouge in the shad or bream color. Spinner baits with willow leaf blades in silver and gold’s on the banks can draw strikes.

Crappie fishing is slow as the stained water and cold nights continue to dominate. A few are being caught while trolling and even a few on live minnows up in the middle of the creeks. The crappie bite has been real slow due to the muddy water but as soon as the water clears a little these fish will be jumping in the boat.

February 15, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM  HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is slow. Watch the water temperatures all day and find the warmest water in the north west coves for any active fish. Any warm up this month should spark the fish to start to the shallows. 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 Stanley 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 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.

Crappie fishing is fair and there is clear water in Spring Creek. There are shallow fish at less than 5 feet and use both live minnows and bright jigs. Dip a minnow into the grass holes mid day. Also fish in the creeks on ledges at 7 to 14 feet for the deep fish.

February 8, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is slow. The water is cold and the bass are biting later in the day with a warm up. Stay down lake and use worms and jigs. Fish the humps and points half way to the backs of the creeks. In the mouths of the main lake creeks blue pumpkin Zoom mini lizards. The backs of the lower lake creeks are clear and a use 1/2 ounce Stanley jig in black and blue Zoom pork imitation. The ledges right off the main lake are still good locations to find a schools of fish. But getting them to bite has been tough. Use a large jig with the Uncle Josh trailer and fish this bait just like a jigging spoon.

February 1, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is slow and Lake Seminole is full and surface temps are running 50-52. The fishing at Lake Seminole is sporadic-which is absolutely typical for this time of year. After 2-3 warm days, the bite really gets good. Only to be followed by a cold front which slows them down. To see just how sporadic the fishing is, you should take a look at the weights brought in during the recent Stren Series tournament. If you are heading to Lake Seminole, I would recommend that you either flip mats with a 1.5 ounce jig; rip a Rattle Trap through outside grass lines; or, Carolina Rig/Drop-Shot the creek channel in Spring creek. But do know this----If we get 5 days for warm weather-LOOK OUT because the fishing at Seminole will EXPLODE.

January 25, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 55 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing is slow with the cold temperatures and runoff. While there are some fish up on the flats, these fish are very unreliable. The most reliable bite is in deeper water staging areas. Grass points out from spawning flats in the 10'-15' depth range have been producing some really nice fish. These fish can be caught on crank baits, Texas rigs, or Carolina rigs. The best crank baits in the cold, clear water are those that have a very tight wiggle. The other good deep water pattern is fishing any of the numerous springs, depressions, or old ponds. These areas offer deeper water and the fish will really stack up in them. There are several ways to catch these fish. If the fish are holding deep out in these areas, a jigging spoon or drop shot is your best bet. A Carolina rig will also catch these fish. If the fish are relating to the grass lines along these edges, a crank bait, suspending jerk baits, lipless crank bait, or Texas rig will do the trick. Look for these areas on or near shallower flats, as they seem to concentrate fish better. There are some fish shallow in the creeks but they are stuck heavily under the grass beds. Zoom Bush Hogs on a pegged Texas rig may work on the grass beds but be sure to use a heavy weight to get though the grass. If there is a warm up this week, get the weights off the baits and look in the sandy areas for small bass to start roaming around. There is little fresh water coming down the rivers but this weekend, all that may change with fresh runoff. Stay down lake to the dam and fish any clearer water with a Zoom all black trick worm and no weight around wood in the creek mouths. Add some scent too.

January 18, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 55 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunFishing.com
Bass fishing has been slow. Expect only a warming trend to get them going. There are some fish shallow in the creeks but they are stuck heavily under the grass beds. Zoom Bush Hogs on a pegged Texas rig may work on the grass beds but be sure to use a heavy weight to get though the grass. When we get a warm up, get the weights off the baits and look in the sandy areas for small bass to start roaming around. Avoid any fresh muddy water and go down lake to the dam and fish any clearer water with a Zoom all black trick worm and no weight around wood in the creek mouths. Add some scent too.

January 11, 2008
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 55 DEGREES 
BY JOE DURHAM HaveFunfishing.com
Bass fishing is fair and a little warm weather will get them going. Spinnerbait’s and crank baits are locating them the best with cranks coming in at number one in production. Medium divers like the shad raps are working under all the toughest conditions this time of year and especially while cranking the ledges mid lake. Use both the suspending and floating models in a variety of colors. On the sunny days start off with the lighter colors and move to darker colors later on in the day or if clouds become present. A few fishermen are reporting larger but fewer bass are being caught while throwing a pig-n-jig in and around heavy cover along deep drops at 14 feet on the river.

December 29, 2007 Jim
I fished yesterday with a couple nice fellows from south Carolina. I started out with high hopes due to my last few trips out but you know how that works. We started on the flats with traps where I'd caught the big one the day before only this time nothing was stirring. I had one fish hung that felt decent but it came off. After a couple hours of that we moved over to the creek and fished what little grass we could find that had the look of holding some fish. We flipped most of the rest of the day with a little tx rigged worming and rattle trapping thrown in but all our fish were caught flipping. We caught nine or ten up to around 4lbs. I lost one more that felt pretty decent and missed a few. One of the other guys broke one off on 20lb mono (I warned him) and missed a couple. The bite was slow, soft and mushy and half the time you'd set the hook then come up with part of your bait or no bait at all on the hook, Unfortunately the other fisherman didn't catch a fish but then he wasn't feeling good and sat it out not fishing quite a bit. I only took two pics because it was wet part of the time and the fish weren't all that great anyway. Water temp was 60-65, the creek was clear and the Flint was slightly stained.

December 28, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 61 DEGREES  
BY JOE DURHAM 229-431-3036
Bass fishing has been off all week. The warm weather usually gets these fish active but this week it’s been off after a cold week of wind and runoff. Expect only a warming trend to get them going. There are some fish shallow in the creeks but they are stuck heavily under the grass beds. Zoom Baby Bush Hogs in green pumpkin on a pegged Texas rig may work on the grass beds but be sure to use a heavy weight to get though the grass. If there is a warm up this week, get the weights off the baits and look in the sandy areas for small bass to start roaming around. A Senko on a swivel rig and a small spilt shot will work on and over grass beds. Try both large bait and a small one.

December 28, 2007  Jim
I was nearly blown off the water today out there. The wind was 20 from the south and my fish were all on the north side of the Flint. I stayed with it till 1:00 before giving it up. Caught six fish and two were good ones.... a 4 and 7.4. The pics make them look small but it's all I could do with the wind howling and my boat bobbing like a cork, lol. Water temp was up to 57 today. I caught one on a tx rig worm, two flippin and three on traps. Stayed down stream today.

December 27, 2007  Jim
What a great day to be on seminole. It finally warmed up although I found the water surface temp had dropped to 54.9. I decided to try traps along the edge of the flats for a couple hours and caught three nice ones before going flippin. Would have thrown traps a little more but my wrist was sore from jerking grass and I wanted to flip . As you can see the quality was up today. I think i caught fourteen and my smallest fish was 2lbs. I mostly just missed fish all afternoon. The flippin bite was very soft and mushy.

December 15, 2007 Jim

I took this picture to try to show that it doesn't take a big bass to give you trouble pulling one up out of 16-18ft of hydrilla. In fact the bigger fish seem to bust through better than the 1-3lbers. What you see just under the fish is my rake covered in grass which I used to dig this one out. I could not pull this fish out with 65lb pound braid and an XH flipping stick. Well on second thought I might possibly have pulled it out but I've torn off so many lately that I thought it might be good for the fish and my ego if I started thinning the grass a bit once I get them close to the surface. With this one I just pulled grass and fish up in one ball. If you look closely you can see the hydrilla just below the surface. The grass is extremely tough and stringy this time of year on Seminole and a lot of fish have been buried in it. I never use a net but from now on I'll carry my rake. It'll be a lot easier on me and the fish that way

December 14, 2007 Jim
I was out yesterday trying to get in one more day of fishing before the storms and cold air blows in. I caught nothing to brag about on size but weighed four that went 3-31/2, three or four 2's and I touched a 5. I lost the 5 while holding my rod between my knees and my garden rake in one hand while trying to reach down in the mat and lip the fish with the other I had to slow down and downsize compared to the way I've been fishing to get bit. It was foggy all morning then overcast all day with no wind at all and quite a few gnats. A pretty good day to be out in my little skiff with all of it's five horsepower except that I couldn't blow the gnats off. I launched at Sealy and stayed below Sealy all day flippin down sized weights and creatures.

December 13, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN 2.5 FEET, CLEAR & 71  
BY JOE DURHAM
Largemouth bass fishing is slow. The fish are on deep creek bends down lake. 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. Mid day spinner baits down lake in the creeks may work but drag the baits slowly over the structure. Use the 1/2 ounce Stanley 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 Denny Brauer Rattle Back 1/2 ounce jig and a Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the points.

December 12, 2007  Jim
Our best five averaged over 3lbs. We caught a couple smaller ones. Look for heavy grass that has minnows working the surface and don't be afraid to pitch pretty far back in there because that's where they are.... better have 65lb braid because you'll break anything less tying to pull a fish through We had a lot of bites that were nowhere near the edge but they're tough to catch with the grass as thick and stringy as it is on top since the coots have been working it and the water level has dropped. A rake will be handy to have in the boat and I'll have one with me from now on. The fish seem to be schooled up when you find them so work the area thoroughly when you get a bite.

December 11, 2007  Jim
We had another beautiful winter day on Seminole today. It started out a little cool and foggy but ended up quite warm for December. The gnats ran us off from one area but we found another spot where they weren't bad. Ended up with 22 fish counting the little ones which were much fewer today them last time. I'd guess we had over 12 keepers with one just under 4 and one over then a couple 3's and several 2's if I remember correctly if not maybe Bruce will refresh my memory. Once again we caught them flipping creatures on Spring Creek between Sealy and the old powerhouse.

December 8, 2007  Jim
Speaking of big fish......I'm quite sure I lost a big fish late in the day. I pitched into the grass as I'd done a thousand times already, hit bottom and lifted my rod tip just enough to check for weight as I always do and felt solid dead weight as if hung on bottom or a big fish. I suspected it was a fish and called it to Bruce but I'm not one who swings at anything so I lifted again a little harder and nothing moved ,twitched or bumped. On my third try she nudged me just a little and I set the hook hard bowing my flippin rod pretty good. Had her on and felt like a real solid hookset but half way up through the mat she came off. In case you're wondering we've been getting a lot of those pressure bites so you really have to be careful or you'll pull it right out of their mouth. The good part of that is the fish buried in the mats usually hold on to your bait a long time.

December 5, 2007  Bruce
My two buddies from Indiana and I were out on the lake again today. This was their last day to fish before they head back north to the snow in Indiana. We caught 21 today mostly by flipping the grass. Big fish was 5.4 with a 4.0 and 3.9 behind it. Several in the 2-3# range. Probably 6 of the 21 were small fish. Jim put me on the pattern we used today so I thank him. He makes me look like I know what I am doing when my friends come to visit, lol.

December 5, 2007  Jim
Found some more good flippin grass further up the creek and caught five from it with baby brush hawgs on 65lb test . It was a little better day than last time even though I still caught nothing over 3lbs. At least I caught most of what bit with total of nine. Bruce has been out every day since Sunday fishing with a couple friends from Indiana. After he convinced them to flip they had a pretty good day yesterday although it sounded like they missed many because they had never flipped before. It's been a little cold here too but there's no snow on the mountains yet I'm fishing with Bruce again Friday and will take some Seminole pics for you.

November 28, 2007  Jim
Fishing was still pretty slow for me yesterday. I could have caught a few more but had to settle for four fish because I couldn't remember how to set the hook with a tx rig on 10lb test mono Caught one around 2lbs on a sb another around 3lbs on a cb, one smaller flipping and another 2lber on a tx rigged zoom speed craw. the ones I should have caught were in the wood around 18-22ft deep in the creek. It was just one of those days when I missed more than what I caught. My flippin bite was gone and the grass is going so I'm starting to learn how to fish all over again Water surface temp was 59-62 and it was cool and breezy all morning. The lake is full and the water clear.

November 23, 2007  Jim
Had another cold day on Seminole yesterday fishing with Jason . If the north wind hadn't blown all day it would have felt much warmer out there. It looked like the water level was dropping which may be the reason we couldn't catch them along the flats on the river or maybe it was just too cold for those shallow fish. We ended up fishing the creek most of the day caught 7 or 8 bass but our biggest not counting the big mudfish was only 3lbs. Hopefully we'll get back out again soon under better circumstances. All our fish were caught in the deeper grass lines between Sealy and Big Jim's on creatures.

November 19, 2007  Jim
I got on the lake as the sun was coming up this morning and found the weather much nicer than Friday. I quickly found out that my early morning shallow fish had duck hunters guarding them. They'd set up their blinds in two different areas I wanted to fish but I wasn't about to argue so I moved around here and there trying different spots and different lures and couldn't get a bite. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and went looking for some decent flippin grass that the coots hadn't tore up and that had no hunters on it I found a few clumps out on the river that I was sure held some fish and missed my first two in a row. Within the next thirty minutes I caught five from that same small area. It's already getting hard to find the good mats that aren't shredded but when you do and if there's bait present there's fish there also.  I ended the day at 3:30 having caught 16. I intentionally didn't weigh any and only took two pics so I could keep count this time Besides the big one and the one that I almost didn't get in the in the picture they were all in the 1.5-3lb range and all caught flippin and pitchin green creature baits . Big fish was caught on spring creek just above Rattlesnake pt.

November 16, 2007 Jim
After the blizzard that rolled through yesterday I had low expectations as I left the dock this morning but I guess I fooled myself. The cold front must have put a few more good fish in the grass. Never mind the attractive attire that would scare charles Manson to death I was trying to stay warm I tried weighing them and keeping track in my head for awhile but that was not a good idea. Big fish was 5/15 and was my first fish, caught on a rattle trap. Caught all the rest flippin. I had another one that was 5/8, one just under 4 and a 4/15 then a few 3-31/2's and some 2's. The smallest fish I caught today was an even 1lber. Lost tract of the numbers but 15- 20 would be in the ball park.

November 12, 2007 Ken & Jim
We did have a great time even though the gnats tried to choke us to death. I think that I am still finding them in my ears. Well my middle finger on my left hand is just starting to get feeling back after setting hooks all day with my flipping stick. We caught all but 3 of our fish flipping, with a total of around 14-15 fish caught from 1-6lbs. Jim and I each caught a 6lber and a 5lber, he had a 4 and we both had several 3s and some smaller ones mixed in for good measure. This was most likely my last trip before I head overseas for 6 months and I could not have asked for a better day of fishing with a better friend. I had a great time catching and talking and we did lots of both from sun up to sundown. Jim thanks for another great fishing trip. All our fish were relating to grass, the 3 we caught early 2 on a fluke and 1 on a SB were caught over the grass and the rest were deep in the grass from 4ft to 17ft. All the grass (hydrilla) we were fishing was topped out at the surface. Water temps started at 60 and were up to 65 by late in the day. It did get a little slow from around 1:00 to 3:00. Flipping rigs with 3/4-1oz tungston weights and creature baits. Mine was a Bitter Special in green pumkin.

November 5, 2007 Jim T
Got on the water around 6:30 with Bruce this morning and right away he landed a 41/2 on a sb near the Indian mounds . From there we moved out to the river and fished the main channel grass before we moved over toward Seminole lodge where we also caught nothing. At the bottom of the Hooch Bruce picked up another small one on a sb while I was flippin mats but that was all we could do. On our way back to the creek I noticed the water was moving around the buoys and suggested we check the old river channel grass. I'm glad I did because I caught a 3+ on sb on my third cast which made me feel just a little better. Once we decided no more bites were to be had there we moved back to the creek and hit a couple honey holes where we caught five more including another 3+ flippin craws. We sure did cover a lot more water than we normally do but the way fishing has been recently I felt we did ok. Our best five fish were in the 13-14lb range which is not huge but that was good enough compared to our last day out. In any case I always enjoy being on Seminole.

November 4, 2007 Talk Around the Lodge
Water temp 68.5 Some were catching keepers on plastic in 7'-12' Topwater bites have been good first thing in the morning and coming on again at dusk
Bream being caught on wigglers and Big Reds along the shoreline

November 2, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is difficult. FLW Outdoors had a recent BFL regional that was dominated by anglers fishing for shoal bass. For those of you who are going to the lake, top water baits around grass beds can produce some bites. Buzz Baits, Spooks, and Pop-Rs all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color.

October 24, 2007 Jim
Fishing was terrible today. It was cold and windy and there was nothing I could find that they wanted. I caught four but they were all small. Today was the last practice day for the BFL guys. I keep thinking it's Feb with all the tournament boats out lately.

October 18, 2007  Jim
It was a good day to be on Seminole but then any day is if you ask me. My only regret is that I was getting most of the bites and when Bruce got one his 30lb braid would break. It's guaranteed he won't have that light line when he returns in ten days. Most of our fish were caught before 1:00 but there was still a bite to be had at 3:00 when we left. Big fish was 6.4lbs, must be a bunch of 6's right now. Neither of us did any counting this time but we caught several (a few more than ten I'm sure) and the quality was up to Seminole standards again.  We forgot to mention that my first fish this morning was caught on a Ghostbait's Frogzilla. Thanks again Jim for making some great frogs. The second fish before the ten minute topwater bite ended was a 11/2 lb crappie caught on a Super Spook (not the little one) and I was walking it pretty darn fast too.

October 13, 2007 Jim
Saturday Bruce had a great morning catching eleven total with around 16lbs and another 6lb big fish on a sb. Today was quite a bit harder. We started off with one on a sb and one on topwater then they disappeared. We persisted on and caught three more by flipping the green stuff and another on a c-rig then we headed over to Wingate's to gas up Bruce's boat. While over there we decided what the heck might as well fish a little while we're here and we caught two more flippin and one on a sb. Only 9-10 pounds today but at least we caught nine fish with a couple fat 3's among them which is better than some days we've seen. I think fishing will pick up again later this week as the clouds continue to roll in. One more other tidbit I almost forgot that could affect fishing is I noticed the water level had dropped over the weekend. Couldn't tell if it was still dropping today or not.

October 11, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has started to change some. However, the primary things haven't changed. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-Rs all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color. If we could get some cooler weather, the fishing would improve substantially.

October 10, 2007 Jim
This morning we started with topwater and lost one fish then I picked up a small keeper on a worm. From then until lunch time it was awful slow and right when we thought we'd not get another bite we hit a good stretch or they just decided to eat and we boated nine more in an hour or so. Big fish was a 6.2 on the digital scales. We left around 3:00 because they'd knocked off again and we couldn't buy another bite. I reckon we had around 15lbs about the same as last trip only less bites and a couple more fish today. We stayed on the tm, fished slow and only cranked up the big motor for one short move. In other words we kept our baits wet.

October 8, 2007  Ken
Fished Seminole today and caught one about 4lbs on a frog in the grass. My partner caught 3 a 4lber and two about 2lbs each. We did a lot of running and looking today. 2 fish came off of flipping and I broke one off on 50lb braid.

October 5, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has started to change some. However, the primary things haven't changed. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-Rs all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color. If we could get some cooler weather, the fishing would improve substantially.

October 1, 2007
The early topwater bite wasn't there. Rex had only one good blow up on a frog and I got one around 3 1/2 on my spinning rod with a white fluke on our first stop. We wormed and flipped a bunch of grass off Sealy with no results then moved out to the lake. By now the wind was pretty strong making it tough to keep the boat in position and fish it the way we wanted. We caught three on worms before giving up and heading into cypress pond where we didn't get a bite so we headed back out to the creek. We flipped in and wormed around a bunch of grass outside Big Jim's but had no takers. We finally found two keepers flippin further down the creek just before loading up around 3:30. I'd guess we only had around 10- 11lbs but if not for the wind......well, you know they've been wanting it slow and with little weight lately which is kinda hard to do when the wind is blowing 18-20 out on the open water. Rich was back out with a buddy Thursday and caught a nice 9lber on a worm. They had around 19lbs and no wind with plenty of gnats.

September 27, 2007  Jim
Got back out with Rich today and found three hungry for frogs between 6.30-7.00 then things went dead until around 12.30 when we finally found a very slow worm bite and caught twelve more. No big ones but they were very fat and strong pullers. Our best five was 12-13lbs which isn't great fishing but it's a big improvement. The lake level is real good, the water is clear with surface temps 79-80 and the grass is bright green if you pull some off the bottom. All our fish were caught on the lower creek and the main lake from grass 5-7ft deep falling off to 12-16ft. Just one pic because I was busy working all day trying to get bit. My best advice on Seminole for now would be to fish hard and ride a whole lot less. I think they are starting to come around some, should get better once we lose this full moon. All the ones we caught in the 2-3lb range were very fat and healthy from eating around midnight. I'll be fishing some more before you.  Keep it wet.

September 22, 2007 Jim
Met up with a friend of mine at Wingate's this morning. Fishing was tough same as it has been last few trips out lately. We worked the river pretty hard around Wingate's area for one fish and one missed bite then we motored through the cut and fished a LOT of really nice deep grass edges along the creek channel for two more and another missed fish. Around 3:30 we saw the rain coming across the river and decided to call it a day. Once we got back to Wingate's flats it had cleared so after a short discussion we decided to give them 15 minutes more. We were both glad we did after Dick caught fish number four. The ONLY bites we had today were flipping baby brush hawgs in the grass and believe me when I say they were extremely tough. During a brief conversation inside Wingates we were told that no one was catching them and many weren't even getting a bite. I spoke up and declared that the fish must be biting at night. My answer was that so and so launched at dark the other night and caught around 27lbs. From what I've experienced lately I do believe it. The few we have have caught are nice and fat and it's no wonder with the amount of baitfish in the grass. They aren't lacking for chow. I'd guess we had around 9lbs today. It sure was a nice day out with a little extra wind and very little boat traffic for a Sat. The grass is mostly to the surface all the way out past the set of poles after the leaning pole or nearly out to the channel where the markers run close in on that side. We fished it today with frogs, sb, buzzbait and worms then flipped the edges. Only caught two and missed one flippin along there. The grasslines are perfect for flippin over on the creek imo but just two fish caught over there also. Fishin's been tough.

September 21, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color.

September 18, 2007 Jim
I was honored with an invitation to fish with Rich Mulder in his new Skeeter yesterday. Rich is an Air Force Ranger just a few weeks away from being back in Iraq. Once again fishing on Seminole was difficult. After I spoke briefly with Jack we left Wingate's canal in the dark and shut down just past the leaning pole where we started fishing. It wasn't long before I had the first fish (a two pounder) hit my sb then Rich caught a 3.5 soon after also on a sb. As you can see in the picture it wasn't even good daylight yet and we probably should have gone home then, lol. We missed a couple, caught one more and a big Jack in the area then tried a couple dry holes farther down river before heading down to the dam. I caught a small one and missed another with a green worm off the first hump and after trying two more with no bites we ran up toward Manmade and fished grass along the river channel. It's really looking good along there but we only managed one fish that got off while flipping mats so we ran back to the creek and fished around the Rattlesnake area before calling it a day around 4:30. While we were loading a couple locals were just launching. One of them made the remark that the only time they're catching anything is just before dark. Seems to me the fish may be feeding at night right now but then what do I know.

September 12, 2007 Jim
I made it out this morning hoping to find the fishing had picked up some. Well it hasn't. I should have known when I caught a 4lb catfish on my third cast with a sb. I fished all the way around Sealy flats at depths from four to twenty six feet and never got a bite. Started out with a buzz and sb, then crankbaits, then Tx rigged worms and grubs, then I flipped mats with BB brush hawgs & ended up with a C-rig and DD22 in the timber. Left at noon with not the first bite. Just one of those days I guess.

September 7-14, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color.

August 30, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 85 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color.

August 23, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 89 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color.

August 21, 2007 Swede
Launched out of Spring Creek Resort for this tourney. Monte and Becky had a family reunion gathering at their place (Seminole Lodge) and they had all the rooms taken. Fishing was slowwwwwww. My partner won the tourney with 5.77 pounds and 3 fish. Second had 2.79 pounds. Can't ever remember a tourney on Seminole taking so little to win. I got skunked there for the first time in many moons.  Big fish was 3.20 on a frog in slop. Them fish were in a definite no bite mood. The hydrilla gnats really were not too bad this trip. Water temps in the low 90s were found most places - I guess we should have looked for more current - but none to be found.

August 17, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 89 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color.

August 2, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has not changed much over the past few weeks. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, spooks, and Pop-R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color.

July 27, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is what I would call typical for Lake Seminole, with some unbelievable top water action. Buzz baits and Spooks on grass lines near ledges and channels are producing some wonderful fish. When the sun is up, Texas rigs, Jigs, and Carolina rigs on the edges of grass lines can produce some fish. I recommend at 10 inch worm fished slowly. A good friend of mine and I were able to catch several nice keepers last week. The best five weighed just over 23 pounds with most of the fish coming on top water and then a few being caught on grass lines after the sun was up. The Carolina rig on main lake ledges can be good, but that bite is somewhat sporadic. Soft plastics in the green pumpkin, green shad or red bug are working mid day till dark. Once the grass mats up a little more, a grass rat or frog will work during the middle of the day

July 19, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 89 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
 Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is what I would call typical for Lake Seminole, with some unbelievable top water action. Buzz baits and Spooks on grass lines near ledges and channels are producing some wonderful fish. When the sun is up, Texas rigs, Jigs, and Carolina rigs on the edges of grass lines can produce some fish. I recommend at 10 inch worm fished slowly. A good friend of mine and I were able to catch several nice keepers last week. The best five weighed just over 23 pounds with most of the fish coming on top water and then a few being caught on grass lines after the sun was up. The Carolina rig on main lake ledges can be good, but that bite is somewhat sporadic. Soft plastics in the green pumpkin, green shad or red bug are working mid day till dark. Once the grass mats up a little more, a grass rat or frog will work during the middle of the day.

July 13, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 90 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM  
 Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is what I would call typical for Lake Seminole , with some unbelievable top water action. Buzz baits and Spooks on grass lines near ledges and channels are producing some wonderful fish. When the sun is up, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs on the edges of grass lines can produce some fish. I recommend at 10 inch worm fished slowly. A good friend of mine and I were able to catch 9 nice keepers last week. The best five weighed just over 26 pounds with most of the fish coming on top water and then a few being caught on grass lines after the sun was up. The Carolina rig and main lake ledges are good. Almost all the fish are taking plastics but try a white buzz bait any time of the day. Soft plastics in the green pumpkin, green shad or red bug are working mid day till dark. A grass rat on the edges has been working when the sun is straight up. Work the bait just like a Zara Spook and walk the baits on the edges with an extra rattle in the bait.

July 8, 2007 Ken
I fished the Paradise Buddy team classic this weekend with my partner. It was very hot and the fishing was still tough. We managed to squeek out 12.05 lbs on Sat to win first place and a 5.05 lb'er to take big bass honors. The top 5 from Sat stayed and fished today for the big money. We only managed to get 5lbs total today with 3 fish for 4th place out of 5 but it was a great time none the less and we got some money to boot. We caught our big fish on Zara Spooks. After the sun got up we slowed down and went to throwing Senko's in my favorite color to the trees in 20+ feet of water . The water is very warm 80's. The water is up from what we saw last weekend and I spotted some water hyacinths along the bank but they are still surrounded by hydrilla hopefully they will continue to grow and we will have something to flip soon.

July 6, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is still strong and recent tournament winning weights are averaging 23+ pounds. In the mornings buzz baits and Pop R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

Information provided my MyFWC.com July 2007 - September 2007
As water temperatures continue to climb, good fishing opportunities will begin to decline. Larger striped bass and sunshine bass will seek refuge in springs (which are closed to fishing May 1 to November 1) and cool water creeks to survive the hot summer. Smaller hybrids and stripers will school in the lower lake, especially near the dam where there is some water flow. Watch for birds working schools of shad and cast spoons or diving plugs to gamefish feeding beneath the baitfish, or work poppers and surface plugs near the bait. If you are on the water early or late, fish the flats for largemouth bass. The Cornfield and the Man-Made-Island may be good areas to try on the Chattahoochee side, or try the flats near Fishpond Drain and Spring Creek on the Flint side. Many largemouth bass will be moving to deeper water during the summer, so fish vertically along the channels with spoons, jigs, or worms. Work the lure up and down along the edge, especially where there is a wall of hydrilla right up to the channel. Bream and shellcracker will continue to bed sporadically through the summer, particularly around the full moon each month. However, look for panfish to also move toward deeper water as the summer progresses. Beat the summertime heat by fly fishing for bream along deep banks after dark using glow bugs. The best action will be around the new moon or on overcast nights.

June 30, 2007 Jim
Got back out on the creek for half the day yesterday. I'm not sure what's going on with the creek but it's sure fishing different than I expect. Caught six keepers above Big Jim's from 1-3lbs and they were all pretty deep. Had to fish light and real slow with worms for a bite. Not exactly what I like to do but oh well. Saw quite a few boats come out of Big Jim's readying for weekend tourneys. I know it was hot out there on Friday. I figured conditions were about right for flippin but I had no takers. All the fish seem to be on the bottom in deep water even though the baitfish are up shallow. I'm pretty sure you could have caught a limit and fished 18- 20 feet deep with weightless Senkos.

June 29, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is still STRONG…Especially in the mornings. Buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

June 25, 2007 Jim
I got in half a day on the creek before a nasty thunderstorm scared me off the water around 1:00. From what I saw the fish appeared to be down pretty deep even though there were a lot of baitfish up in the grass. I fished about 50% in the grass and 50% along the creek ledges. Missed one fish flippin grass and one that felt large about 22 ft deep. Ended up catching four nothing special keepers totaling around 8-9lbs from deep water.

June 22, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 80 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is still STRONG…Especially in the mornings. Buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. Meet When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

June 15, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 81 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is still STRONG…Especially in the mornings. Buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. Meet When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

June 08, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is still STRONG…Especially in the mornings. Buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. Meet When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek. I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

June 2-3, 2007 Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Florida Federation Nation 2-day out of Seminole Lodge Sat/Sun. Got paired with two very good boaters - enjoyed fishing with both very much. Wind and mist were with us all day Saturday as the tropical storm passed to the east. Everyone found places to fish out of the wind. Fished spring creek most of the day getting 5 keepers going 9.67 to lead co-anglers. Boater leading day 1 had 10+ pounds. Fished spring creek again today and got another 5 going 9.70 pounds to collect the win on the co-angler side with 19.37 pounds for the two days. Boater winner was my first day partner - weighed largest sack of the tourney today going 14.16 pounds and had a total weight of 23+ pounds. Fished watermelon and black grape plastics and a Bandit CB both days. The CB was more effective and the morning bite better than afternoon. Water had slight stain in spring creek.

June 1, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
 Fishing on Lake Seminole is still STRONG…Especially in the mornings. Buzz baits and Pop-R’s around hydrilla are producing lots of quality fish. When you get in the right area, the fishing can be fast and furious. When the sun gets up, get ready to slow down and head to the ledges and grass lines in the mouth of Spring Creek.
I recommend a Carolina rig with a zoom watermelon seed lizard or a Zoom Ol’ Monster.

May 25, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing is great. As I have mentioned over the past few reports, the topwater action at Seminole is FANTASTIC. Buzz baits, spooks and Pop R's over hydrilla is really producing some wonderful fishing. In addition I was surprised to learn that there are still some quality fish spawning on the main lake sand bars. If you miss the topwater bite I would tie on a Carolina rig with a Zoom lizard watermelon seed or green pumpkin and I would Carolina Rig sandbars and breaks in the 6 to 10 foot range.

May 19, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM 
Bass fishing is great. As I have mentioned over the past few reports, the topwater action at Seminole is FANTASTIC. Buzz baits, spooks and Pop R's over hydrilla is really producing some wonderful fishing. In addition I was surprised to learn that there are still some quality fish spawning on the main lake sand bars. If you miss the topwater bite I would tie on a Carolina rig with a Zoom lizard watermelon seed or green pumpkin and I would Carolina Rig sandbars and breaks in the 6 to 10 foot range. The big fish are still biting at Seminole, as it took a five fish limit weighing over 24 lbs to win a local tournament on Saturday.
Crappie are trying to bite as the lake settles and live bait under the lights is the best bet.

May 10, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is really hit or miss but the top water bite is fantastic. If you enjoy top water fishing buzz baits, Pop-R's and Zara Spooks can get you lots of action on Seminole. However, once the sun gets up, fishing gets quite a bit tougher. I am having some luck throwing crank baits and Carolina rigs on shallow humps and ledges. I have found that if you work your bait right down the grass line, you can catch quite a few fish. However, the fish seem to be moving quite a bit and aren't consistently on any particular ledge for more than a day.

May 4, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole is really hit or miss but the top water bite is fantastic. If you enjoy top water fishing buzz baits, Pop-R's and Zara Spooks can get you lots of action on Seminole. However, once the sun gets up, fishing gets quite a bit tougher. I am having some luck throwing crank baits and Carolina rigs on shallow humps and ledges. I have found that if you work your bait right down the grass line, you can catch quite a few fish. However, the fish seem to be moving quite a bit and aren't consistently on any particular ledge for more than a day.

May 3, 2007 Jim
Met up with a new fishing friend at River Junction on the lower Flint side and shot straight across the river in his great little 25 Mariner powered fishing boat to our first stop at the end off Sealy boat run. After an hour or so in that area with no bites I suggested we look at the lower end of the creek to see how the grass has developed. I hadn't been out for about a month and was a little out of touch. Anyway I didn't think the grass was ready for flipping yet so we ran up the creek just past Sealy and fished the left hand side off the boat run. I think we caught two or three keepers there before we headed up toward the rattlesnake area. We were in fact just off Rattlesnake pt when Morgan pointed out a huge school of something busting on the top across the creek. We both debated if it was worth trying to get there in time and finally we gave in when they kept it going. Naturally we got there just in time for the action to be over but Morgan managed to get two nice hybrids to come back up and eat his buzzbait. They wouldn't touch the #5 Shad Rap I was throwing which I thought a little odd. We fished in that area awhile without a bump from anything then moved up to Big Jim's area where we caught a few more keepers all on worms off the deeper grass edges near wood. Next we made a small move further up and fished the creek channel edge in about 18ft trying for a bigger fish but only got two or three of the same size keepers we'd been catching. So...from there we tried running up the creek above the Reynoldsville landing where I knew of some floating mats we could try flippin only to discover they'd been sprayed heavily and everything up that way looked yucky. We didn't stay and we ended up back down on the creek channel just out from the cut still hitting the deep stuff trying for a big fish but that was not to be. We ended the day with 15 keepers in the 11/2 - 21/2lb range, a couple hybrids and a couple dinks. We missed a few bites which I figured were just dinks since they all pulled the worm down or nipped the tail off. All our fish were in the 12-18ft zone and all were caught on worms, mostly green ones. The water is down again, actually closer to where I like it to be. The lower water level makes fishing the wood so much easier but running through the fire break.......well let me just say don't do it right now in a big boat. We rubbed bottom in Morgans small boat going through. Even though we couldn't catch the quality fish it was great getting out, catching a few and meeting another good bass fisher. I look forward to doing it again sometime.

April 27, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing is good and much like last weeks report, the dominant pattern on Lake Seminole is sight fishing, worming, and top water fishing. Lots of people are catching fish swimming worms and jigs in grass close to the sandbars. If you like to throw a Carolina rig, now is a good time to fish making lake sandbars with a Carolina rig, as the fish are now starting to spawn on the main lake bars. A 6 inch Zoom lizard in Watermelon Seed and Green Pumpkin are tough to colors to beat. For sight fishing, white tubes and white lizards are always good choices. Expect these patterns to hold steady for about another month or so. If you are looking for a place to catch an 8lb+ fish, SEMINOLE IS THE PLACE TO BE.

April 24, 2007 Ronnie
I had a short fishing day yesterday but had some success. There was no current on the river so I moved to protected water. I was surprised at how fast the hydrilla has grown. The place was packed full of 2 to 3 lb bass in very shallow water and they were feeding like mad. Water was very clear and quite a bit of sandy bottom really brightened the shallows up. I caught fish on trick worms, frogs, spinnerbaits, and swimm senko.

April 17, 2007 Ronnie
The Hooch was terribly muddy so I left the river and moved south to the Lake. Lake wasn't as bad. I hear the Ga side looks very good. After today, my new favorite shallow water plastic bait is a Swimming Senko. I caught 5 really nice fish today. Lost 3. Water temp was 65 and up about a foot.

April 13, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing is good and much like last weeks report, the dominant pattern on Lake Seminole is sight fishing, worming and top water fishing. Lots of people are catching fish swimming worms and jigs in grass close to the sandbars. If you like to throw a Carolina rig, now is a good time to fish main lake sandbars with a Carolina rig, as the fish are now starting to spawn on the main lake bars. 6inch lizard in Watermelon Seed and Green Pumpkin are tough to colors to beat. For sight fishing, white tubes and white lizards are always good choices. Expect these patterns to hold steady for about another month or so. If you are looking for a place to catch an 8lb+ fish, SEMINOLE IS THE PLACE TO BE.

April 6, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 73 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Much like last weeks report, the dominant pattern on Lake Seminole is sight fishing. However. the top water is ALIVE. If you have ever been on Seminole when the top water bite is on, you know how much fun it can be. At this time, I think the majority of fish have finished spawning. With that being said, there are still plenty of fish left to spawn. If you like to throw a Carolina rig, now is a good time to fish making lake sandbars with a Carolina rig, as the fish are now starting to spawn on the main lake bars. Although you can't see these fish, they are spawning on these bars. 6inch lizard in Watermelon Seed and Green Pumpkin are tough to colors to beat. For sight fishing, white tubes and white lizards are always good choices. Expect these patterns to hold steady for about another month or so. If you are looking for a place to catch an 8lb+ fish, SEMINOLE IS THE PLACE TO BE.

March 30, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 63 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing is very good and much like last weeks report, the dominant pattern on Lake Seminole is sight fishing. However, over the past weekend, the top water bite begin to come alive. If you have ever been on Seminole when the top water bite is on, you know how much fun it can be. Lots of people are catching fish swimming worms and jigs in grass close to the sandbars. If you like to throw a Carolina rig, now is a good time to fish making lake sand bars with a Carolina rig, as the fish are now starting to spawn on the main lake bars and a 6 inch lizard in Watermelon Seed and Green Pumpkin are tough to colors to beat. For sight fishing, white tubes and white lizards are always good choices. Expect these patterns to hold steady for about another month or so. If you are looking for a place to catch an 8 pound+ fish, SEMINOLE IS THE PLACE TO BE.

March 27, 2007 Jim T
I spent a beautiful Tuesday on the lake with my buddy Bruce today. We fished a bunch of unproductive water from 2-15ft with a little bit of everything and could not get a bite. Around noon I decided it was time to sit down and break out the watermelon Senkos. I ended up catching five, unforunately Bruce never got a bite even though he was fishing the same bait, same rig I was. Anyway I caught my fish out on the Flint side of the flats with the boat sitting on 12ft fishing into shallow grass around 3-5ft with weightless Watermelon Senko on 14lb flourocarbon. Total around 12lbs +. Big fish was also the skinniest fish. The rest of them were stuffed full of shad.

March 25, 2007  Keven "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Florida Federation Nation NW Regional Qualifier out of Seminole Lodge Saturday. My draw partner just happened to be the same guy I rode over with. Rolled in on our first spot - I through a weightless V&M Chopstik - and on cast four or five I hooked up with my first keeper of the day. An hour later I hooked up with keeper number two. That was it for the day. Partner got two that went 4.70, I got two that went 4.60. Fish were in 2-3 feet of water around grass and pads on Florida side of Seminole. 20 pounds took the angler title and 8+ took coangler title. Winning stringer came from the Flint side off beds.

March 24, 2007 Ronnie
Found the bass in a protected area that had some extremely shallow water. If no one caught fish this weekend it's probably because you didn't fish shallow enough. We saw numerous bass (decent size bass) in water less than 1 foot deep. Many of the largest fish totally ignored our bait, and us. We caught 6 bass. I fished the front of the boat with fluorocarbon, my wife fished the back with braided 20# with trickworm and split shot.

March 23, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 63 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
Bass fishing is fair to good and much like last weeks report, the dominant pattern on Lake Seminole is sight fishing. The cold front this past weekend knocked the fish back somewhat. However, I was on the lake yesterday and saw plenty of fish. Over the past weekend, despite the tough conditions (cold front and high winds) it still took five fish weighing in at over 20 pounds to win. I was able to catch several fish swimming worms and jigs in grass close to the sandbars. If you like to throw a Carolina rig, now is a good time to fish main lake sandbars with a Carolina rig, as the fish are still holding in approximately 6ft, right where the grass meets the sand 6 inch lizard in watermelon seed and green pumpkin are tough to colors to beat. For sight fishing, white tubes and white lizards are always good choices. Expect these patterns to hold steady for about another month or so.

March 22, 2007  Ronnie
Fish have moved shallow but they are small.  Most fish I caught were small bucks.  Largest fish was about 5 lb.  Best 5 would be around 15 lbs.  Lizard was the bait.  All the tails were in perfect condition.  River was 62 degrees.  It was a beautiful day to be out.  The southerly wind was a bit stronger than the weather man said.  I switched from braided to florocarbon for some unknown reason.  I broke my largest fish off. 
I was thankful for the day of fishing.

March 22, 2007 Jim T
Back out on the creek with my friend Bruce today. The water is looking much better but the fish still seem a bit lock jawed from all the lures they've seen lately. We hit a lot of areas up and down the creek but it seemed to be one of those days where every time we made a move we'd catch one fish then nothing until we moved again. We ended up with seven fish...... one on a sb, three on traps, one on C-rig and two flipping. Best five today were guestimated at 11lbs. I'm pretty sure I won the weirdness award by catching three shad then one of those slippery silver toothy mouthed snakes on my LC pointer. Forgot the proper name for those things that resemble a needle fish but are bigger. Maybe I never knew to begin with but I've always called them snakes

March 18, 2007 Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Lake Seminole's first wave of spawners has come and gone. The second wave has not yet went shallow. Fished two tourneys out of Seminole Lodge Sat/Sun - Panhandle Tourney Trail on Saturday and Miracle Strip Bass Club tourney on Sunday. My partner and I only weighed three fish (4lbs 8ozs) Saturday. Fished up the Chattahoochee - water temps around 60 - warmer in pockets and coves. Wind howled most of the day (25mph) - bite suffered through cold front pushing through. 18 pounds weighed by winning team. Worms were the only thing we were able to get a bite on. Same partner for our club tourney today. Fished in Fish Pond Drain most of the day. I put five in the boat today weighing 7.27 pounds for second place. Winner had about a pound more. Fish came out of shallow water (3 ft or less) as the wind had died and the sun came out and started warming the water. In the afternoon - we saw many bass cruising around. flukes were the ticket today - partner got his 2 fish on a worm.

March 17, 2007 Jim T
The wind was really bad. We caught a 4 and 5 1/2 out on the flats before giving up and heading up into Decatur lake where we got a couple more 3's and a couple 1 1/2's. Our fish came on sb, jerk bait and flipping baby brush hawgs.

March 16, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 60 DEGREES
BY JOE DURHAM
www.havefunfishing.com
Lake Seminole is clear and the fishing is HOT. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole in March, you know what that means, fish the sandbars. At this time, fish can be found spawning all over the lake. Tube Jigs and Texas rigged lizards are good choices The sandbars in Spring Creek are loaded with nice fish. If sight fishing isn't your specialty, use both the Texas rigged and or Carolina rigged plastics on the deeper sandbars. Ideally these bars will be in 4 to 6 feet. Both the Flint and Spring Creek are loaded with this type of sandbar. As always, you can always catch some nice fish on the edge of the hydrilla. Although the cranking' bite has slowed down some, you can still catch some nice fish. To demonstrate the strength of Lake Seminole, recent tournament winning weights have been in excess of 25 lbs (5 fish).

March 11, 2007 Ken S
I fished Fri Sat and Sun, I was practicing on Fri for our club tournament, and fishing the TX on Sat and Sun. Sat was really good for me I caught a limit and was able to cull by 1:00. My big fish was 8.03 and I had 16.04 for my total weight. The big one was in 10ft of water. I got 3 on a Seminole Green Senko including the 8lber, and the others I pulled off of beds with a white tube. There were lots of buck bass on the beds getting ready for the ladies. I didn't see any big ones up yet but I did hear of some from the other guys fishing. Spring Creek is very muddy, and it is starting to muddy up the flats. I found fish on the beds on Fri that I couldn't see on Sat because it had muddied up so badly. I did make it over to the Flint and it is not bad just a little dirty. Today I was only able to catch 3 all were on the Senko and holding close to wood on the sand. Had a total weight today of 5.11 total tournament weight of 22.13 if my math is correct. There were some good fish taken out of the Hooch by other members. It seems that the fish are biting on that side of the lake as well.

March 9, 2007 Ken Sturdivant, Have Fun Fishing
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 60 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair to good and the bass are now on the move. Try working spinnerbait’s in the shallows along with crank baits. Shad Raps is a favorite this time of the year and the Glass Shad Raps will also work. Be sure to try the Senko with a 4/0 Mustad hook in Jun Bug and let it sink and hop it slowly around grass beds and grass lines. With the water showing a little color, the black glass color is really working. Fish the coves and secondary points up in the creeks and rivers and make several casts to each location. Crawdad and perch colors in the DT6's is another good choice while throwing cranks. The cold front that is passing through the area will probably move the bass back off the banks a little but they can still be caught with Husky Jerks and DT10's along with number seven and eight Shad Raps. A gold black back #9 Rapala will also be a good choice this week and let it die on the surface with only an occasional twitch of the rod.

March 7, 2007 Jim T
Got out today to test my boat and do a little fishing. The creek is a muddy mess above Rattlesnake and the Flint looks the same along the flats. Caught one on a paddle tail and one flipping then lost one on a trap in the morning and then I couldn't catch anything. I was down to fishing my desperation rig (#5 shad rap on 8lb test) when I finally gave up and went looking to see if any are bedding. I saw several small ones on beds. It was a nice day to be out even if the water was muddy every where I wanted to fish. Water temperature was 64-66

March 3, 2007 Ken from Georgia
Fished a buddy tournament Sat. The water looks alot better than it did 3 weeks ago. I stayed in Spring Creek all day. It is clearing up some, the north end is pretty dirty still and there was some muddy water coming out of Decatur lake. The south end is pretty clear especially on the flats. We caught 5 fish nothing big, 9.9lbs total. I think that it took around 13lbs to win. We caught 4 fish on reaction baits on the flats early and then ran up Spring Creek to catch our fifth flipping mats. Just couldn't get any big ones. There were numerous reports at the weigh in of bass on the beds. We didn't see any but we were not looking for those fish anyway. Water temps on the creek were 51-56 degrees. We have another tournament next weekend hopefully the weather will not mess up the fishing this week. Good Luck and have fun.

March 2, 2007, Ken Sturdivant, Have Fun Fishing  
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 60 DEGREES
Bass fishing is picking up as the full moon starts making it way in this week. The bass are trying to move shallow. The fish are ready to bed fish and pre spawn fish are best in the pockets off the Flint River in the clear water. Look in Spring Creek above the gates. All the fish will react to floating worms and lizards and pink has been very good. The tubes will work for the bigger fish. In a week the fishing should get even better with trick worms and top water. Trick worms and Zoom frogs over shallow grass and sand areas will get strikes Some top water will get started this week and Pop R’s and Zara Spooks will work.
Shad and bream colors are best.
Crappie fishing is good and the fish are relating to the creek bends and wood close to the creek mouths. Fish in the creeks on ledges at 4 to 7 feet and minnows are hard to beat.

March 3, 2007 Fishin Chat at Seminole Lodge
Report from the local guys out fishing today. With the full moon and warmer temps this week, fish are definitely on the beds, finding them up the Hooch in the weedy areas and the shallow flats on the Flint. Will be curious to see if the cold front coming in will cool temps down enough to make them move off again. Water level is up and muddy from the rain a couple of days ago.

February 23, 2007  Ronnie
I managed to get in a few hours at Lake Seminole Friday afternoon. It was beautiful out there. Crappie fishermen everywhere. Bass fishermen running up and down the river. Had a pretty strong northerly wind most of the time I was there. I was fortunate to catch 4 bass, all in water less than 3 feet, on the windy bank. Normally, I would expect the fish to be out of the North wind but today that north wind was almost 70 degrees and the windy bank was at least 3 degrees warmer than the north bank. It was great to finally be back out there.

February 23, 2007 Ken Sturdivant, Have Fun Fishing
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 55 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair. The fish are starting to head to sand flats and gravel areas as well as on some wood. There are still some fish on deep grass lines all day. Small #5 Shad Raps and 7 inch Bang A Lures both in silver and black back on banks and wood has been fair. Cast to the steep banks in the creeks with a Rattlin’ Rouge in the shad or bream color. Spinner baits with willow leaf blades in silver and gold’s on the banks can draw strikes. Zoom u tail worms on a Texas or a short Carolina rig are fair in greens or smoke colors are fair but fish slowly in and around brush. The down lake fish are biting blue back Shad Raps crank baits on the points and humps. Try the white skirts and silver blades on a Leverage 1/2 ounce spinner baits up the rivers in coves and hit wood on the banks.
Crappie fishing is slow as the muddy water and cold nights continue to dominate Georgia . A few are being caught while trolling and even a few on live minnows up in the bigger creeks off of docks. The crappie bite has been real slow due to the muddy water but as soon as the water clears a little these fish will be jumping in the boat.

February 20, 2007 Lake Seminole Fishing Report
By Jim, Georgia
Got out the creek today with Bruce to see if we could break in his new flippin rod. We started out around 10:00 and fished reaction baits on the flats for two hours without a reaction so we tried flipping in the afternoon. I missed the first fish then hung one that felt decent but it got off. Thank goodness Bruce came through with this nice 5lber or we would have been skunked. The water is still very high but at least the creek is clearing. Surface temp was 52 early and 55 when we left. We still need a few warm days and nights to get them right again.

February 16, 2007 Lake Seminole Fishing Report
By Jim, Georgia
Got out on the lake yesterday afternoon for what turned out to be a cold boat ride. The water level is still up with surface temps running 50-51 on the Hooch, 51-54 on the creek and lower Flint river side. The water is still stained in the creek, the Flint and lake but surprisingly clear on the lower end of the Hooch in comparison. The fish are NOT biting but that's no surprise. In four hours of flippin and throwing cranks and rattle traps I managed one bite on a trap and it got off.

January 29, 2007  Jim
The water temp continues to fall. Was it ever COOOOLD out there this morning. We both had ice forming on our lines and plugging up the first guide early. We saw water temp as low as 51 and barely 55 later in the day. Only a couple dinks this morning then mid day I missed one that felt heavy then caught a 5+. We moved out of the area to another similar spot where my partner missed a good thump then I set the hook on a 6.14. We spent the rest of the afternoon moving around and never caught another fish.

January 15, 2007  Jim
Couldn't get them to bite much today. Water temp 59-62 and stained. Fished the same areas along the flats where I caught fish Fri plus a few more. Ended up with six fish on sb, fluke and crankbait and only three were keepers in the 2-2.5 range. Left the lake at 2:30.

January 12, 2007  Jim
Had another great day on Seminole today. I was able to get out on the flats. The water is stained and surface temp has dropped a few degrees but still holding at 57-59. I caught fish today on sb, jerkbait and traps in 4-10 feet. Ended up with thirteen with best five around 19lbs.

January 8, 2007  Jim
Got on the creek around 8:30 this morning and found a cold wind blowing out of the north so I decided to go with reaction baits. When I lifted my seat I found I'd left all my crankbaits and all my spinner baits at home, lol. After digging around a bit I found a #8 Risto rap and a 1/2 oz Rattle trap so that's what I fished with. Ended up with fourteen keepers from 2 to 5 3/4lbs. Had one over five and two over five and a half with best five @ 23-24lbs. Most were caught on the Risto Rap in the 10-14ft range. Surface temp was 59-61 degrees.

January 4, 2007  Jim
What a strange day it was today. It started out kind of misty then the fog set in early and I was in it all day. I don't think the fish cared for it too much because fishing was very slow. Started on the flats hoping to catch a couple big ones off the sand but didn't get a bite so I figured the weather kept them deep. After a couple hours I moved back into the creek and caught four keepers on tx and c-rig worms. Best fish was just under four pounds caught on watermelon Yamamoto worm c-rigged 22 ft deep. Caught the other three by fishing light and slow with the texas rig just off the grass. Surface temp was 58 and the water is high and rising.

December 1, 2006  Ronnie
Fished the northern lake for a few hours Thursday. Caught 6 fish with the largest only being maybe 2.5. Had strong current all day. River was down close to 6 inches but is now on its way back up. River was 58 degrees. Protected water 63 degrees. Caught fish on white spinnerbait.

December 31, 2006  Jim
We had a pretty good day catching around ten or eleven keepers in the 1.5 - 4lb range. Our Big fish was caught along the flat's on the Flint river side and weighed 4lb 12 oz . We caught the rest off a ledge in the creek above Rattlesnake on crankbaits and Carolina rigged worms. Our best five weighed 14lbs in my estimation. The water temp was running 57-58 degrees a foot high and the fish were biting a little better than yesterday. It was another really nice day to share with good company on beautiful lake Seminole.

December 18, 2006  Jim
Got back out on the creek today and found the flipping bite is mostly gone and so is the best grass. Caught four between 1.5 and 2lbs dragging a worm on mostly clean bottom around 18-20 ft deep outside the grass and three flipping in the grass. Big fish today was caught flipping and was just under 4lbs. Water temp was 58 so I figured they'd be biting better than they were.

December 13, 2006  Jim
Got a late start Sat because it was so cold. The water surface temp stayed below 55 all day and the fishing was tough. I got my two predicted bites and missed both of them. Monday was a LOT warmer. Water temp started out 54.6 but reached 57 in the afternoon. Fishing was still slow but at least I wasn't skunked. Caught one around 11/2 and two 2 lbers and missed one more. I tried c-rig and deep cranks out in the wood with no bites so I stayed on the grass. The coots are tearing up the grass at alarming speed. I guess it's about time to dig out the jerk baits, spinnerbaits and rattletraps.

December 6, 2006  Ken & Jim
The water in Spring Creek is clear and around 60 degrees. The Flint is stained and 58 degrees. We didn't fish the Hooch. Only one fish we caught came over on the Flint side it was on a crankbait. All the other fish came off grass in Spring Creek, pitching soft plastics. The fish today had to hold the bait for a long time, if you set the hook right away you would just pull it out. It was like they had to taste it before they would take it good. All the fish were very healthy and couple were very fat like they were holding eggs.

November 29, 2006  Jim
Well three days of warm weather did make a difference. Only problem was the little fish were biting. I caught 14  and a couple over 3lbs. It was slow in the morning but once the grass warmed up the minnows started moving and the little guys were biting. The water level has dropped since Sat which could have run the quality fish out into open water. I tried dragging a c-rig and threw a DD22 through deep timber awhile today but no takers so I went back to flippin. It was a nice day to be on the water.

November 25, 2006  Ken & Jim
We flipped most all day with very few bites. Jim went from a 1oz sinker all the way down to a 3/4 oz and he was even throwing 30 instead of 50 lb test with a 6in ring worm. I think that you could call that finesse for Seminole. We fished Spring Creek and then went up the Hooch. They have sprayed most of the water hyacinths and lily pads it looks pretty bare up the Hooch. We didn't get any bites on the Hooch so we went back into Spring Creek. We finally got on a solid pattern of fishing rocks in the shade and put one fish in the boat. Tough day on Seminole today, I think that we went through every color soft plastic that we had. Hooch is pretty stained, Spring Creek is still clear and we had current most of the day on both.

November 23, 2006  Jim
Fishing was slow as I expected after two days of wind and cold. I had to resort to my finesse rig today which consisted of a 3/4 oz weight instead of the usual 1oz.  Caught seven and all but these three were just a pound something. I missed four because they were just so dadgum hard to hook and keep hooked. It was a beautiful day to be on the lake and there were a few other die hard fishermen out there besides me.

October 13, 2006  Ronnie
Started the day shallow, off the river. My only company on the river was the airboat that was spraying vegetation. That always makes for a good fishing day. The only fish I caught was a 7.5 lber out in the river in 16 feet of water on a trickworm with 3/16 weight.

September 27, 2006  Ronnie
I fished Lake Seminole Tuesday afternoon. I fished the upper part of the lake. Water was a little lower than recent but there was current all afternoon. Water temp in river was 80. I caught 6 fish, 5 were keepers. All were small. No real pattern at all. I tried other things but only caught with trickworn and 3/16 weight.

August 8, 2006  Ronnie
Fished Monday afternoon till dark. Caught a lot of bass, for me, but fish were mostly small. 2.5 lb was probably the largest. I caught 9 or 10. There was good current and that's where I found the fish; on the river bank in the current. It sure was hot. The lake is about one foot low.

August 2, 2006  Ronnie
When I say hot I'm referring to the temperature, not the fishing. I fished for 4 hours yesterday and caught nothing. There was no current. Current was suppose to begin at 1200 but it didn't. Probably wasn't enough water coming down the river to tell. Water temp was 84 when I arrived.......... 88 when I left. No fish.

July 16, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Ole Sem has entered the dog days of summer. Even the presence of Waldo - the official Ultimate Bass flag -couldn't get them bass biting real good today. Only 6 boats showed today for our club tournament which was moved from Wewahitchka due to low water conditions. Hot - hot - hot. Afternoon thunderstorms cooled down the area a little in the afternoon. I'm still sucking down water here that was lost in my shirt and shorts. Our club winner had just two fish in his sack at weigh-in. Them two fish weighed in at over 10 pounds. Spinnerbait and chatterbait were used. Second place had 7 + pounds. Big fish belonged to the first place finisher and topped the scales at 6.49 pounds. Other fish came on jigs, soft plastics, and crankbait. I weighed in two fish for just 2+ pounds, and was glad to have something to weigh in. Mine came on a black grape V&M finesse worm. I caught some shorts and a mudfish too, but couldn't get the size this month.

Information provided my MyFWC.com July 2006 - September 2006
If you are on the water early or late, fish the flats for largemouth bass. The Cornfield and the Man-Made-Island may be good areas to try on the Chattahoochee side, or try the flats near Fishpond Drain and Spring Creek on the Flint side. Many largemouth bass will be moving to deeper water during the summer, so fish vertically along the channels with spoons, jigs, or worms. Work the lure up and down along the edge, especially where there is a wall of hydrilla right up to the channel.

June 23, 2006  Ronnie
I launched at Parramore's at 10:30 AM this morning. The river is so low I thought I was going to get my feet wet backing the trailer down the ramp. Hydrilla was everywhere. My trailer looked like a high school homecoming float on the way home with all the hydrilla hanging from it. I fished until 3:30 and never had any river flow at all. The slight southerly wind placed the river in reverse gear. Fishing was terrible. I caught two fish 3-4 lbs in the river about 300 feet deep. It was a hot one today.

May 25, 2006  Ronnie
I fished the hooch side of the lake this morning. Fished from 5:30 am until 10:30 am. Fishing was great until 8:30 then it totally shut down. Caught several and missed just about as many on SBait. I fished some with a zoom frog. I forget what it's called. It has two wiggly tails that tap the water constantly while being retrieved. I had several blowups on it but just couldn't make myself hesitate long enough for bass to suck it deep enough to get a hook set.

May 22, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Caught all the fish from the back of the boat. Fishing was actually pretty tough for us.  I only got the 5 bites that I caught. Good thing they were quality bites and they stayed on long enough to land. Got 3 of 5 in south end (corn field and south) of the Hooch around or close to the various cuts. Deep water close by was key - nothing found if the fish had to travel very far to go deep. Never did throw a jig, but thought about it. I guess that would be one thing I would try if I had it to do over again.

May 21, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished my monthly bass club tourney today out of Seminole Lodge in Sneads. Started on main lake grass beds - my partner and I both caught a good one and a small keeper. Spinnerbait and V&M Pork Shad were used. Moved to the Hooch fishing main river shoreline - I caught 2 more solid fish on V&M black grape finesse worms. Moved to another Hooch area and nailed my biggest - 5.84lbs on V&M pork shad. Weighed 17.33 and won the tourney. Second place had 9.60 - they locked through to the Apalachicola River. Big fish for the tourney was a 6.11 caught on a buzzbait at 1:15pm. Morning bite definitely better now with the heat in the 90s in afternoon. I was using V&M's new weighted shad hooks - outstanding action for the prok shad - and definitely key for my big fish bite. The summer Seminole patterns have arrived - topwater bite starting to turn on.

April 15, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Redneck Trail Tournament today with my brother. Two 20 pound bags weighed and a 19 pound bag took top three places. We fished areas of Spring Creek to catch our 4 fish weighing 10.26 pounds. Fish caught on C-Rigged V&M Pork Shad, V&M Chopstik rigged weightless, and Luckycraft Jerkbait worked slow. Nice fish - no dinks today. Just didn't have enough of them big ones. Water vis good in Spring Creek, aout 1-2 feet on the Flint. Sorry - did not get the temp. Fish we caught had spawned and were in 6-10 feet of water.

April 2, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Relay for Life tournament yesterday out of Seminole Lodge. 25 teams decided to enjoy the close to 80 degree temps and participate. Nice ot be wearing shorts for launch again. 19+ took top honors, with an 18+ bag close behind. Big fish was 6-14. My brother and I caught 3 fish going 11 or so pounds out of an area on Friday very quickly and left. We went back there and beat it up pretty good. Caught 5, but only went 9-13. Well run tournament - recommended to those looking for a good team tourney to participate in next year.

March 26, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Southern Anglers Challenge tournament Saturday. About 15 teams participated. Decided to try areas up the Hooch. Pulled into my first area and started throwing V&M Bayou Bullfrog - nothing. Switched to a black n blue jig, partner throwing fluke. Caught 4 out of this area - 2 by partner, 2 by me. Jig fish bigger (about 3 lbs each). Fluke fish smaller (2 lbs each). This all before 8am in morning. Moved to another area - nothing. Wind picked up and bites hard to come by. Went back to first area - lost a 4 pound fish next to the net. Went up the Hooch to Paramore area - found a small area out of the wind - caught 2 pound fish on the frog. That was it the rest of the day - went into Fairchilds and fished a couple areas in afternoon with no results. Weighed 12-02 for 4th place. 15-06, 15-03, and 14-04 took 1st thru 3rd. 6+ pounds for big fish. Our fish came from shallow water around bullrushes.

March 15, 2006  Ronnie
On Tuesday I fished from 10:30 until 6 pm. Wind and catching was terrible until 3 pm. Caught several bass in 4 feet of water on Junebug trickworm with small bb shot for weight. Also caught plenty of Pickerel. Water temp was 69.

March 13, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the ABA tourney this weekend. Didn't fair too well. Only weighed one fish, but had the opportunity for more - just didn't get it done. Had one real nice sow on - she wrapped me around a stump - I got her out of that mess, but on the way to the boat she broke me off and came out of the water once, twice, three times to thumb her nose at me. She went 6-8 pounds. Others did the same - was getting the bites including a couple nice slab crappie and numerous jacks. A majority of the bass aren't on bed yet, but real close to going there. I caught my loan keeper (1.72lbs) on a V&M Bayou Bullfrog. The others hit the V&M 4 inch black grape ringer. Water 60-62 degrees. Heading to MIllers Ferry Reservoir in Alabama next weekend for a club two-day tourney. Should be exciting and that V&M 4inch ringer above will be getting a workout. Spotted bass just eat that thing up.

March 1, 2006  Ronnie
I fished 5 hours on Tuesday. Fished manmade; fished a river ledge; fished shallow grass near the river; and fish a shallow spawning bay. I caught 3 small fish in the very back side of the spawning area. Water temp was 58. River temp was 56 and moving very fast. That's all the fish I caught. I caught a 7 lber last Friday in 59 degree water but she was the only fish I caught in about 6 hours fishing. This post-spawn fishing sure drives me crazy.

February 12, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the American Bass Anglers Tournament held at Seminole Lodge yesterday. Actually took Friday off from work to prefish - I knew just as much after Fridays day on the water that I knew before starting. One bite all day. Rain then wind and 53-54 degree water greeted all participants Saturday. Started out in the lake up by the state park - caught one in short order in 10-11 feet of water that weighed 2lbs. Ahhh - the pressure is off. Only got one more alll day. 2.5 lbs in the lake as well. Weighed in 4.47lbs - both fish coming on the V&M 5 inch Chopstik in black and black/blue flake. Must have been rough for all because I placed 3rd of 24 with that little sack. Winner had 13+ that included a beautiful 9.93 pound monster. That is the largest bass I have personally seen weighed in at a tournament. 2nd had 2 fish going 7+ pounds. Some decided not to fish as it was a miserable day out there. Alll glad to be warm again - if you are fishing Seminole anytime soon - good luck and bring your dynamite.

February 8, 2006  Jim
Spring Creek is 54 degrees and fairly clear below Rattlesnake and just a little bit high on the water level. The water temp at the lower end of the Chattahoochee near manmade island is 50 degrees with a slight stain or about normal for that area. The Flint looked like it was a little high and muddy when I crossed the bridge. The fishing was real tough for me today. I caught two dinks on a C-rig and one small keeper flipping and that was all. The water temp is falling and will be going down some more by this weekend if the weather man is telling the truth this time. It was 32 this morning and cold most of the day.

January 27, 2006  Ronnie
I stuck to the river bank today and I really enjoyed it. I caught 6 bass. No giants but who cares. Only one was to short to have weighed. A couple of the fish were over 3.  I had a good fish on and he wrapped a small submerged tree. The bass obviously moved with it but would not surface. I was fishing with PowerPro so I knew the fish wasn't going to break off. Finally, he unhooked himself, I tossed the tree trunk back in the water, and went on my way. My fish came came mostly off stumps in 10 feet of water. Stumps were better than treetops and trash. Caught all fish on Pumpkin Seed even though I tried other colors. River was 55 degrees.

January 15, 2006  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished Miracle Strip's first tournament of the year out of Seminole Lodge today on beautiful Lake Seminole. Monte and Becky were great as always catering to your every need. We launched at safe light - 6:20am. My partner and I fished 30 minutes on main lake shoreline before locking through to the river. One other boat went with us - the remainder stayed in the lake and connecting rivers. It can be described as a Crankbait day - fished many different brands and colors - but the Bandit Brown Craw produced best. Finished the day with a limit weighing 10.77lbs and second place. My partner also had a limit weighing 10.64lbs. The fisherman of the day was Stan Chandler - weighing in a real nice sack at 15.03lbs taking home the coveted first place title. He was fishing a black/blue worm in the Chatahoochee. Big fish of the day was a 5.27lber taken by Mr Joe Brooks. Water temp is about 55-56 degrees in the lake.

January 5, 2006  Ronnie
Fished yesterday from 10 am until about 3pm. The river was 6 inches above full pool and really ripping. It looked like a dirt road, except not dusty. I caught no fish at all. I looked everywhere. I found some clear water a long way off the river but there were no fish there. I even found some 60 degree water, but it won't last long.Hooch temp was 53.

December 30, 2005  Ronnie
Had a good day of fishing yesterday. Caught several bass off wood up in the river. Things started slow with my black trickworm. I switched to a pumkinseed and things immediately turned on. Caught fish from 8 feet to probably 15 feet. Caught them all using powerpro braided line.

December 27, 2005  Ronnie
Launched out of Parramores, water temp around 51 this afternoon. Water is down and no current this afternoon. I caught fish very shallow (flipping) and I caught fish out on the river with worm. I caught 4 fish. It was a beautiful day.

October 9, 2005  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished the Bassmaster Weekend Series Panhandle Division tourney on Seminole today. 41 boats participated. 16+ lbs took 1st and 2nd on boater side. Winner got his flipping on something black and blue - not sure what it was though. I found some biting fish in Fairchilds on Saturday prior to a front pushing through. The front changed the bite - as I weighed 4.7lbs with 3 fish. 3 of my pounds got nullified for being late by 3 minutes. Stopped to help a fellow competitor whose motor broke down and gave a lift in. That's the rules folks - come in with your fish and then go back out to help. Plastics and topwater were the ticket today. Find some thick vegetation and either flip or run frogs or flukes across the top. I got two on flukes and one on a V&M black grape 4 inch ring worm. Overall - a great day to be out on the water.

May 11, 2005  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished our Okaloosa County Top 6 tourney weekend before last. Top 6 guys from every club in the county have a little bragging rights tourney annually. Caught my 5 fish in Spring Creek with the new V&M Bayou Bullfrog around isolated grass clumps - non-stop retrieve across tops worked best. Rigged with Gamagatzu 4/0 widegap hook and braided line. Weighed in at 10.51lbs. Storm front moved in right after limiting and messed everything up - including getting soaked. V&M currently have the frogs in white/black/watermelon red. I used white this day and found they hold up a lot better than others on market. First time I had used and they made good impression.  13.75 took first, my sack took 4th.

March 13, 2005  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Tough weekend on Seminole for me. Weighed just two keepers (3.57lbs) in two days of fishing. One came on watermelon seed lizard in 7 ft of water and the other came on Wave Bamboo Stick (watermelon Red) in 6 ft. Winning stringers (37+ lbs won) taken from beds and flipping and from staging areas. Prespawn/Spawn patterns. My deep fish were still there but wanted T-Rigged baits in green just sitting on bottom. Found this out after the fact from someone who accidently found this out himself while setting his rod down to take bite of sandwich and fish picked the bait up while he was eating. He had a limit by 7:45 this morning. Always learn something from failure - I learned a thing or two today and that is what really matters.

March 6, 2005  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Prefished Saturday 3/5/05 for Miracle Strip Bass Club monthly tournament. Tried a few places I have not tried before. Kind of nice just being out and exploring new water. Did catch one 3 lb fish up on the Hooch on a steep bank on a Norman Deep Little N Red Craw CB. Caught another pound and half fish on drop shot in Spring Creek. That was it for the day. Tried a couple new spots today (3/6/05) and the areas I caught fish yesterday. Had one fish in the boat at 11am which came on Carolina Rig in 6-7 ft of water in grass (2 lbs on Zoom 6 in. watermelon seed lizard/chart. tail). Tried a couple of spots with nothing biting before running to Spring Creek. Pulled the drop shot from the rod box and did not put it down until I had my limit about 2pm. Fish came out of 18-25 feet of water. Fished black finesse worm with chart. tail made by V&M Baits. A couple good fish in the bunch and weighed 12.54 lbs for the win today. Second place was 9+ lbs and also included Big Fish. These fish came from main lake throwing Rat-L Trap over the grass. BF was a 7.43 lb monster. Third and Fourth place fish caught from same boat and these came from 1 foot of water - assume spawning fish. Not sure what their baits of choice were. Flipping bite on today from reports. 14+ lbs won the Bay County bass tourney. Good Fishin' Y'all!
Water temp ranged from 55 in main lake in morning - 58 in back water coves - 60-63 in Spring Creek in afternoon. From weather reports - we have a couple of cold days ahead of us and deep bite should continue to be a player. Shallow fish can be found, but the ones not under the hyacinth are spooked easily. Will be fishing deep to shallow this Saturday/Sunday if winds allow. Looks good according to forecast. Temps above are surface temps. I'll be looking for air temp of 70s in day and 50s at night to get the lake where it needs to be for spawn time.

February 20, 2005  Kevin "Swede" Oleen
Fished Bassmaster Weekend Series Panhandle Division tourney 20 Feb. Launched out of Wingates, but fished mainly Florida side of lake. Carolina rigged lizards and senkos were the ticket to 6 keepers, however size dropped off from practice day. Weighed in 7lbs8ozs for 29th of 60 boaters. Fish located in 5-8 foot of water getting ready to make the move to the shallows. 21 lbs won the tourney. To tell you the truth I think deeper water would have worked better. Fish spread out through the water column right now though and recommend fishing depth you are comfortable fishing. Confidence is a big factor to everyone's success.

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