By Reed Montgomery
By As temperatures soar, the bass of Logan Martin Lake have a change in lifestyle. Alabama anglers have to make a few changes as well. Knowledge of the summer season (and these wily green fish whereabouts), and the lures it takes to fool them, can increase your catch.

Thousands of anglers will visit Logan Martin Lake this summer. For those that can tolerate the heat, there are many lures and techniques for fooling these summer bass into biting, no matter how hot it gets. For other anglers, looking to beat the heat, nocturnal bassin' may be the answer.

Daytime Bass Fishing Logan Martin Lake
Finding refuge from the bright, burning rays of the midday summer sun, means shade. For bass and bass anglers alike. On Logan Martin Lake (impounded in 1964), this can mean targeting weeds, piers, boat houses, marinas, bridges, culverts, ledges, drop-offs, or overhanging trees and bushes.

These shady areas, harbor both large mouth bass and the Coosa River spotted bass, throughout the summer months. This is not entirely in relation to the shade and cooler water comforts found here. These are excellent ambush spots to provide these bass the "element of surprise" on unsuspecting prey.

Many of these bass, relating to these various types cover situations, can be found in water from 1-20 feet deep. Finding the right ones (that hold bass) can mean a lot of fishing and searching, along the lakes 275 miles of shoreline. Navigating Logan Martin's 48 nautical miles, in search of these summer bass, calls for many lure choices and targeting various shallow-to-deep water habitat.

Any summer outing involves the use of soft plastics or jigs adorned with pork or plastic trailers. Sizmic Lure Company can help fill that need. Made in the Birmingham area, these soft plastic lures have swept the state, as the ultimate lure choice of anglers seeking bass on bottom.

Sizmic's worm choices come in sizes of 6 to 10 inches. Anglers can choose the small, 6 inch "Shaker Series," offered in over 30 various colors. During the summer, rather clear water, found from mid lake to the lower lake region, may call for downsizing tackle outfits and smaller lures. This also means the use of lighter shades of worm colors. Try pumpkinseed, green pumpkin, junebug, watermelon, root beer or motor oil with chartreuse glitter.

Sizmic Lure Company, also makes the 6 inch "Shaker Lizard" good either Texas or Carolina-rigged. These lizards come in an array of leg and tail wagging colors, and color choices can vary when faced with fishing clear to stained water. Popular color choices for clear water are watermelonseed, tomato, smokin' blue, natural green, mossy pumpkin, camouflage and chartreuse pepper. Darker colors may be needed in stained water situations.

Downsizing your offerings or fishing "finesse style" may be the choice for lazy largemouth's or those often finicky, spotted bass found in Logan Martin Lake. Sizmic's "Bitsy Craw" and their 3 inch, "Shocker Series" Spider Grub, are made for fooling these picky feeders.

If jigs are part of your summertime arsenal, then Davis Jig Company of Alabama, should be your lure choice. Made of quality hardware, these jigs can either be adorned with plastic trailers or fished with a pork trailer. Color choices vary, but proven favorites of Logan Martin's bass are, black and blue, brown-black and pumpkinseed, watermelon, brown and orange, pearl or white. Sizes of 1/8 ounce to 3/4 ounce are good for shallow to deep water applications.

Sizmic Lure Company's "Big Dill and Little Dill' plastic chunk trailers in colors of sapphire blue, green pumpkin, junebug, chartreuse pumpkin, black-blue glitter, black cherry and pearl, all make excellent jig trailers, without the mess of pork. Spinnerbaits should always be included, for bass will hit these flashing, vibrating lures anytime day or night. Davis Lure Company's "Pro Vibe Series" spinnerbaits, come in sizes of 1/4 to 3/4 ounce sizes. These may be needed for fishing shallow to deep water on Logan Martin Lake. Colors of white, shad, or chartreuse and white, are always productive.

Another popular spinnerbait, that debuted in Alabama this year is called, "The Deuce" spinnerbait, made by B&G Lure Company of Calera, Alabama. What makes this totally new design so unique, is the duel arm design of this lure. Sporting two arms and four flashing blades (two on each arm) anglers can choose either painted, gold or silver-hued blades. Willow leaf, Colorado blade models, or Indiana blade choices are offered. They come in sizes of 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce. As with most spinnerbaits, colors of white, chartreuse or a shad color, are best in clear to lightly stained water situations during the day.

Night Fishing Logan Martin Lake
Nocturnal bassin' Logan Martin Lake, after the sun goes down, can show a tremendous relief from the summer heat. Air temperatures are often 20 degrees cooler at night. Water temperatures can drop 5-10 degrees after a few hours of darkness. Also gone are all the jet skis, pontoon parties and other daytime recreational water vehicles. This all means much more active bass. The same lures mentioned for daytime use can be applied for night fishing. Worms can be fished, utilizing all sizes.

Small worms, lizards and crayfish imitations, in darker colors are better seen at night. Try black/blue glitter, red shad, grape, purple, junebug, brown, green or blue emerald. Bigger worms, entice the bigger bass bite at night and can be better detected, with more water displacement. Sizmic"s 10 inch "Shaker Series" worms are good choices. Lighted piers, marinas, bridges, causeways and boathouses, are all good places to start your search for these nighttime bass.

Spinnerbaits in sizes of 1/4 to 3/4 ounce are needed for slow rolling or dropping these vibrating lures around lighted areas or thick cover. Colorado blades emit more vibration for night fishing and a better "feel" when fishing deep water. Worms, jigs, lizards, grubs, tube baits and other bottom lures, should have rattles, to aid the bass in detecting your lures after dark. Unlike daytime fishing on Logan Martin Lake, anglers can find light tackle outfits and fishing with light line, are not necessarily needed. Heavier line and stout tackle outfits should be used after dark. Try these lures and techniques, whether you day or night fish, Logan Martin Lake this summer season.

This article provided by Reed Montgomery /Reeds Guide Service Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Sunday Mornings 9-10 A.M.Central Time Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama. Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133. "Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers" E-mail: ALABASSGYD @aol.com Website: www. FISHINGALABAMA .com