By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com
Impounded
1963
Lake Level: Full Pool - June (could be down
by mid-to-late summer due to drought like last year)
Water Temperature: Mid to upper 80's
Summer on Lake Eufaula
Lake
levels have remained " at or near full pool " on
Lake Eufaula, situated on the lower Chatahoochee River System
along the southern Alabama / Georgia state lines. Lake Eufaula
(all 70 miles of it), was actually one foot over full pool
in late June. This created an unusual situation in Lake Eufaula...flooded,
weedy waters and shallow bass!
Traditionally, most anglers head for deeper water when fishing
Lake Eufaula during the hot days of summer - just like the
bass do - when the mercury soars. And it has been near 100
degrees recently, with that being hot enough! But when lake
levels rise aquatic weeds like milfoil and hydrilla (that
have recently invaded the mid to lower lake region in the
past 5 years) become flooded and suddenly the bass move right
in.
Even Lilly pads, of which the lake has plenty of, are thriving
very well. Last year around mid summer, these shady homes
for both prey and predator alike were high and dry. Protruding
high up out of the water supported by only a dying stem...like
some dried up umbrella. When lake levels were low during
the summer drought, the deep water bite was the only bite
to be had unless you were fishing at dawn, late evenings
or at night!
So for now bass can be found in both shallow water and in
deep water, both during the day and at night. Still like
any time of the year during certain seasons, it still takes
certain lures, various retrieves and techniques and lots
of tactics other anglers fail to try, to still fool these
highly pressured bass.
After this past spring, when dozens of bass tournaments were
held weekly on Lake Eufaula, a lot of bass got re-located.
Bass tournaments, some featuring from 100-200 anglers, especially
took its toll. This moved over 1000 bass every tournament.
Relocation from all over the lake these 5 bass limits were
culled down and then hauled off to the nearest boat launch
to be released. Places like Lakepoint resort in Cowikee Creek
soon held a lot of bass. Now night tournaments are held 3
- 4 times a week.
So keep it in mind, no matter where you fish. When you find
yourself around any boat launch know that there are always
plenty of re-located bass nearby. Bass that were given a
new home by some fortunate angler that caught them and later
released them, to live and fight another day and perhaps
be caught again...by someone like you!
* Here's some tips for targeting bass this summer on Lake
Eufaula in its shallow weedy waters. Along Eufaula's deep
water drop-offs, ledges and offshore humps. Well, that's
another fishing report all together. (Maybe next time)
FISHING SHALLOW WATER ON LAKE EUFAULA THIS SUMMER
If I had my choice - like most anglers - I would rather be
throwing some type of topwater lure, a spinnerbait or some
type of weedless lure in and among Eufaula's varied weed
fishery. This means fishing in water generally less than
5 feet deep, targeting bass living among many types of weeds
and a lot of various types of wood cover. But on Lake Eufaula
when the lake is
" at or near full pool " this can mean having to
eliminate a lot of shallow water, to even find the most pleasing
bunch of weeds for these often picky bass to inhibit.
* Aquatic weeds that look very green are healthy weeds. These
weeds come in all shades of green and are highly visible,
clearly standing out among other "dead or dying weeds".
Dead or dying weeds, usually display a brownish hue and display
a dying or withered look. This is usually the result of low
oxygen content, exposure to bright sunshine during low water
periods, or these brown-looking weeds could have recently
been sprayed with poisons for weed control. Avoid these weeds,
the bass usually do.
Also very green weeds have loads of oxygen produced by these
aquatic weeds. Shade found in and around these weeds means
ambush areas for big bass and always cooler water in the
summer months. Baitfish of all kinds live in and among these
weeds. They also provide homes for crayfish, minnows, insects,
frogs, small mice, worms, eels and snakes. These are just
a few of the prey these big, Eufaula largemouth bass dine
on daily. Bass that often live out there lives sheltered
in these weeds...until caught and re-located.
Lures can vary, for each and every type of weed deserves
giving the bass several lure choices, especially when targeting
these weedy homes in highly pressured areas. Places where
many anglers fish the same types of lures. So mix it up and
give them choices they normally do not see. Or lures that
look and act so real they just cannot refuse them!
TOPWATER LURES
Anytime you target big bass living in and among various types
of aquatic weeds a topwater lure or two comes to mind. As
with any lure type, there are many topwater lure choices
on today's lure market to choose from. At times certain lure
styles, lure colors and even professional lure promotion,
can aid an angler in his / her choice even with so many types
of topwater lures to choose from.
There are literally over a thousand well known topwater lures
to choose from. So each and every angler, after some experimentation
with the most popular lure choices, soon discovers his /
her favorite topwater lures. But suggestions - by someone
who knows from years of topwater fishing experience - always
helps!
FROGS
By now, of all the anglers that fish Lake Eufaula's weedy
waters on a regular basis, most have tried fishing with some
sort of plastic frog or a rubber frog imitation. For those
that know, these bass have been eating frogs for a long time
and imitation frogs have fooled some of Lake Eufaula's bigger
bass, since just after it first opened in 1963.
While practicing for an old Redman bass tournament on Lake
Eufaula in the spring many years ago, I caught and released
a 10 pound 4 ounce largemouth bass, caught in 2 feet of water
on a chartreuse colored Scum Frog. During the tournament
I had a smaller one, a 7 pounder, that nailed the frog on
the 3rd cast of the day. That bass and 4 other nice "frog
caught" bass totaled a little over 24 pounds, giving
me fourth place in the tournament.
Choosing a frog imitation to fish among Lake Eufaula's tough-stemmed
Lilly pads, thick stringy milfoil and hydrilla weeds and
its miles and miles of scummy looking backwaters, means choosing
a real looking frog, a durable frog, and a frog these bass
must strike out of instinct. Simply because it looks and
acts so real. Despite the lure choice, the lure color or
how much the lure costs, these factors are what gets the
strikes. Then its up to you to put the bass in the boat.
That is, If you do not miss the bass when it attacks your
frog imitation. Frogs are notorious for missed strikes. But
that problem can be remedied with a little practice. Always
wait until you see the frog lure disappear or when you actually
feel the pull of the bass, then set the hook hard. Long rods,
like a flipping rod, help for a better hook set and you can
more easily horse a big bass out of Eufaula's thick, weedy
cover. These rod types also aid an angler in very long casts,
getting their frogs far back in places other anglers fail
to try.
* Short steady hops, retrieving the frog in a manner where
the bass can easily track it down, results in more hook ups,
than when fishing frogs too fast or with erratic actions.
Popular colors for frogs vary. Some of today's frogs are
such a work of art, you really hate to fish with them knowing
the bass will eventually destroy them! So have plenty of
frogs on hand. But stick with easy to see colors like white,
lime, chartreuse, yellow, pumpkinseed, red, green and even
gaudy colors like orange or bubblegum, during bright, sunny
conditions.
Darker colored frogs like black, brown, dark green or even
purple can be seen better by the bass, as they look up at
these frogs during low light conditions. Times like early
light at dawn, late evenings, or often a rainy day are all
good days. On a very cloudy or rainy day bass in the weeds
will hit frog imitations all day.
* Long casts, utilizing stought rods, strong line, good reels
and sharp hooks are a must when fishing with any frog imitation.
Always pay very close attention on every cast. Distractions
can cause you to lose fast striking bass. A wandering mind
can leave the bass, wandering off with your frog!
BUZZBAITS
Why bass hit these lures, I don't know. They do see a lot
of buzzbaits on Lake Eufaula. Maybe buzzbaits look like a
fleeing shad or a minnow skipping across the waters surface.
Or maybe a buzzbait even looks like a frog hopping as fast
as it can go, in fear of its life, after carelessly falling
in the water. These bass do eat a lot of frogs! Or could
it be that irritating sound, clattering right through the
basses living quarters time after time, until it eventually
explodes on the lure in sheer anger?
Whatever buzzbaits imitate or whatever is they simulate,
just like frog imitations, they always generate some vicious
strikes. But you have got to throw them to get bit!
Often, when most anglers have laid down their topwater lures,
like during the hot midday period, is when these bass will
explode on a buzzbait or frog. So occasionally pick it up
and fish it in midday shady spots, places where you see fish
activity or shad fleeing for their lives. Always make it
a point to throw the buzzbait at least a dozen times to likely
looking cover nearby.
* As always, include a trailer hook...before you encounter
short strikes and miss a few good bass.
* Colors on buzzbaits can be mixed up for a variety of choices.
You can have colored blades, various choices of skirt colors
and even trailers in all colors, to mix or match your buzzbaits.
FLOATING WORMS AND LIZARDS, SOFT JERKBAITS AND SENKOS
All of these types of lures come in so many shapes, colors
and configurations that its very possible Eufaula's bass
could not have possibly seen them all. These are all good
lures for times when other lures fail to entice a strike.
Often you can slow it down and catch bass on these lures
while fishing right behind other anglers fishing conventional
lures.
* Floating Worms - come in all colors, lengths and actions.
Some floating worms are air injected to slow their fall when
fished weightless in the shallows. Or they can be very enticing
when used on a Carolina rig setup in deep water applications.
Either way, slow is the key. The slower you can stand to
fish them, the more strikes you will get.
Brighter colors of bubblegum, red, methiolate, lime, yellow
or white can be seen better when worked on 10 -15 pound test
line and a 3/0 hook. Fished weightless in and around aquatic
weeds and wood cover like stumps, brush, lay down trees,
logs and piers these are deadly lures.
* Lizards - Most anglers fish these lures either Texas rigged,
Carolina rigged or on a jig head. Fishing lizards weightless
on a 4/0 hook, retrieved slowly just like a buzzbait, is
also a deadly tactic on Eufaula's lure conditioned bass.
A tactic most anglers do not employ. Insert rattles and use
14-17 pound line and sharp hooks on weightless lizards.
* Soft jerkbaits - look like injured shad. There are long
ones, short ones, fat ones and flat ones and loads of colors
to choose from. When fished in and around aquatic weeds utilize
soft erratic jerks of the lure. This dipping and darting
action looks a dying shad and it triggers vicious strikes
from even the most weariest of bass.
Oversized hooks of sizes 4/0 to 5/0 will help you get better
hook sets and big, sharp hooks penetrate the thick bodies
of most soft plastic lures like soft jerkbaits. Use 14-17
pound test line and always pay close attention when fishing
these lures.
* Senkos - these lures are made by Gary Yamamoto. Senkos
have fooled lot of big bass and Senkos have helped a lot
of professional anglers win a lot of money in major bass
tournaments held on Lake Eufaula. Appropriately named, they
sink very slow.
You should fish them as slow as you can stand it, simply
cast along weed lines and around the edge of wood cover and
allowed to sink on a slack line. Senkos (or one of the many
lures that simulate a Senko) can be fished weightless, Texas
rigged or wacky rigged on 3/0 to 4/0 hooks. Line of 14-17
lb. tests are suggested.
Senkos can have a added bullet weight and be fished Texas
style. They can fished on a jig head, just cast them around
cover or flipped or pitched into thick cover with a heavy
weight.
* Senkos can also be painstakingly fished slowly along shallow
to deep water drop-offs, where big, lazy bass hold along
these shallow weed lines, fished Carolina rigged.
These are just a few suggestions for going after Eufaula's
big bass in the shallows this summer. Develop a few of your
own. Or call on Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133 for fishing
Eufaula year round. " Over 40 years fishing, guiding
and exploring Lake Eufaula and other Alabama Lakes. "
* See my website www.fishingalabama.com for more info, fishing
links, fishing tips, lake reports and seasonal articles.
* Looking for a new or used boat ? See www.airportmarine.com
* Looking for a great bass tournament trail? See www.airportmarineteamtrail.com
* Looking for the worlds best bass boat? See www.rangerboats.com
* Looking for fishing rods, reels, fishing tackle and hunting
items? See www.marksoutdoors.com
Be safe on our very crowded lakes this summer!
Practice catch and release year-round especially
this Spring. You won't regret it!
Good Fishin'...
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
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