The warm weather has arrived and early
and late fishing is the most comfortable for fishermen. The mid day heat is the
best time to work on the bass that are transitioning to the first drop to find
cooler water. Slow moving swim jigs, white with white trailer has been a good
bait to present. Where you can find pads or grass, Frogs, and blade baits are
working. As this action slows, use the jig or a Texas rig with red shad, green
pumpkin or watermelon candy. These need to be worked slow as well. These have been
so many tournaments lately, these fish must be coerced
Into a strike. Square billed crank baits
in shad colors and lipless crank baits are the trick if you find shad or feeding fish.
Crappie are beginning to hold better of
the ledges where you find natural or man-made trash piles. Minnows and
minnow tipped jigs are the bait to use. We have even taken a few crappie on
crickets while bream fishing.
Blue gills are hot right now on crickets.
Work the bank cover in the creeks. The great thing about fishing these areas,
you can keep your boat in the shade as the day heats up. Use a #8 long shank
cricket hook and you will get more fish in the live well. These little rascals
have all been schooled in how to steal your cricket before the bobber sets up
straight.
The shell crackers are on the flats
eating wigglers. Bottom fishing for these is a lot of fun, they can put up
quite a fight. You will also get some squealer cat fish that are the best
eating fish on the river. Take an old syringe and inject some air in the red
wigglers, the go on the hook better and the fish find it harder to strip the
worm off your hook.
Catfish are always wanting to eat.
Crawlers and cut bait on the bottom are working on the ledges. Jugs, baited
with shad, cut bate and chicken livers are doing great. Jug fishing is a great
way to keep kid’s focused as they watch the jugs begin to move. Take an old
telescoping bream buster and wrap a hook on the end and use it to pick up the
jugs when a fish is on. You will not lose as many of the big cat’s as you do by
hand lining them.
This is the perfect time of the year to
get some quality family time while fishing from the bank or a boat. These
memories will be talked about at your family gatherings for generations to
come.
Remember the October 15th,
2022 Alabama Classic Bass Tournament that supports Niemann-Pic Disease research
to help find a cure for these precious terminally ill children and Darby;s
Warrior Support where we take post 9/11 combat wounded and PTSD heroes hunting
and fishing. Registration is now open at www.alclassic.com
or call 334 355 5057 for details. Your entry fee is a tax donation and the
purse is $15,000.00.
The Parks and recreation is bringing back
the Kid’s Fishing Rodeo at Creektown Park July 22. Register your child by
calling the Community Center at 334 687 1213.
Remember to wear your life jackets when
under way to your fishing spot. Keep plenty of water and sunscreen with you.
There is a lot of boat traffic this time of year, be aware of other boats
running near you, the smaller boats ALWAYS have the right of way, that’s the
law. We do not need ant tragedies on the lake this year.
Pray for one another and our law
enforcement officers, military and their families. We serve a living
God who teaches us to love one another.
God Bless & Good Fishn’
Capt. Sam Williams
Hawk’s Fishing Guide Service
334 355 5057