LOGAN MARTIN JUNE 2005

Summer Bass Fishing on Logan Martin Lake

Daytime Fishing Tips
Although Logan Martin Lake is traditionally known as a very recreational lake during the summer season, there are still many ways to avoid the crowds and catch some quality spotted bass and largemouth bass during the daylight hours. Or you can resort to night fishing (following these daytime tips) to beat the heat and avoid the daytime crowds.

For many anglers fishing during the hot, daylight hours is the only time they can fish. Weekend bass tournaments have many anglers competing on the Lake Saturday and Sunday's. Others work schedules only allow them to fish during the day.

One sure fire remedy to this overcrowded situation is getting on the water early and fishing at dawn. This means launching your boat way before 5 a.m. and being on your favorite spot at first light. Many anglers and other water bound vessels will arrive at the lake later. Often, you can have a good spot (and feeding fish) all to yourself for a few hours, before the crowds arrive.

Another ticket to finding quality bass bites in the shallows is fishing with topwater lures. If you are not fishing topwater lures at dawn such as buzzbaits, zara spooks or Sammie's, popping type lures or various types of prop baits, you could be missing out on the big bass bite for the day.

Coupled with spinnerbaits, shallow to deep diving crankbaits, rattling lipless lures, suspending and floating jerkbaits, topwaters are great for attracting bass. Often anglers use these and other lures as follow ups for missed topwater strikes. Casting a floating worm, Senko or soft jerkbait to the immediate area where a topwater blowup just occurred, can often entice finicky bass to return for the kill, with a different looking, slow falling lure, right in their face...they can't resist.

After sunup, its time for a change of lures and often, a new location. Although with cooling trends or cloudy days many bass will continue to hit topwaters, some bass are more susceptible to shallow to deep diving crankbaits, fished along main lake flats, points and the mouths of creeks and small pockets. Places near the vicinity of deep water retreats.

But boat traffic, jet skies, water skiers, pontoon parties and other disturbances on the surface of the water can turn these bass off real fast. Again, it may be time for another move, that is for shallow feeding bass.

Bass on Logan Martin Lake in deep water hangouts are not as affected as bass in the shallows, when boats stir up the water and create a lot of disturbance. Simply moving your boat far off the main lake banks can show underwater hotspots where bass bunch up, usually catchable in water 10-20 feet deep.

These deep water bass can be schools of spotted bass, largemouth bass or often mixed bass of these two species, found together around planted brush piles, rocks or boulders, ledges, drop-offs, submerged ridges and humps, or old road beds and house foundations, all left here during impoundment. That is, with a little searching and map study.

I suggest some new waterproof, tear proof, GPS marked maps for Alabama's Lakes found at: www.fishinghotspots.com I had the pleasure of providing the original fishing tips for this map company for Logan Martin Lake and other Alabama Lakes a few years back. Every angler should have one of these quality maps for every lake he / she fishes.

Night Fishing Tips
Although there many bass tournaments held during the weekends, there are now just as many bass tournaments that take place at night on Logan Martin Lake. Even if you are not a bass tournament angler, fishing during the nocturnal hours can show some very needed relief from the midday heat, now reaching the mid to upper 90's.

Less boat traffic and even cooperating bass can make for a much more comfortable and very pleasant evening (or all night excursion) when fishing Logan Martin Lake this summer. Many anglers simply fish the same places they fish during the day. Others target places they know bass of the night are attracted to.

Well lighted piers and boathouses are great places to find active bass all night. The later it gets, the more bugs and insects are attracted to these lights, then in comes the small bream and baitfish, and then the bass gather to feast on these easy to catch meals. Keep in mind some of the lakes most active bass of the night, feed from midnight to dawn.

Marinas where bass tournaments are held weekly, show hundreds of bass released and hanging nearby and they are excellent places to begin your search when the sun goes down. Places such as main lake flats and major creek flats, out of the wind and main lake current, are always loaded with baitfish and feeding fish.

Points, just like during the day, hold bass relating to the current at night, especially spotted bass. This goes for block or concrete walls, rip-rap or rocky banks, the upper and lower ends of islands and especially deep river bends or any cover filled drop-off very close to deep water.

Lures for tackling these bass at night can vary. Spinnerbaits, especially 1/2 ounce or heavier models with single Colorado blades work on all of these spots. Fished shallow, slow rolled in mid depths, or dropped to the bottom and slowly crawled or wormed, they can be deadly on bass at night.

Worms, from 4 inch sizes for finicky bass, to 10 inch models for the bigger bass bite are always good, try most worms in darker colors. Tube baits with a slow enticing spiraling fall, are deadly around piers and boat houses. Senkos and slow falling Zoom trick worms are also good choices. Jig combos are big bass meals. An old favorite topwater lure, "the jitterbug" has fooled many big bass of the night for over 50 years and it still works great today.

Sharpen all hooks, use heavier line in the 14-20 pound test category, check your reels drag and be prepared for the big one, with a good net and netman. Lights are a must and its the law you must keep them on all night, whether your fishing or traveling in the boat. Life jackets and outboard motor kill switches must be used to avoid any mishaps as well.

So be safe and have a nice fishing trip this summer on Logan Martin Lake, whether you day or night fish. Or call Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133. Logan Martin Lake's oldest, freshwater guide service, guiding on this and other Alabama Lakes for over 30 years.

This report provided by:
This Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"6 Years on the Radio / Jan 2005"
Birmingham, Alabama
Call Reeds Guide Service...First! (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com