Fishing Secrets

Question
Jack, My wife and I love to fish for bass. We are strictly catch and release. We do not know the Seminole fishery. I have talked with endless loal bass fisherman about where to fish, what to use, etc. It seems that every one of them give very vague and sometimes fictitious info as if we were going to catch all their fish and ruin it for them! I am getting sick of it. Even fishing in blind draw tournaments as a non-boater...it seems that the great fisherman lose all memory of how to fish and catch fish if you are not their regular fishing buddy. My wife will not fish  clubs anymore, so I don't. Whatever happened to the "teach someone to fish" philosophy or creed of Bassmasters? Sorry...Got carried away. We just want to be able to learn and it has become so competitive, you don't have a chance! We do not have Georgia permits. Can you give me some ideas for catching a few fish this weekend on the Florida side of Seminole? Thanks, LeRoy D.

Answer
LeRoy; I am in complete agreement with your sentiments concerning teaching someone to fish or sharing your knowledge.  I am not a guide nor do I think that I know all there is about bass fishing.  If anyone tells you that they do they are either fools or liars or both.  However, I have been fishing for bass ever since I discovered there were bass in the little pond near the old mine in my hometown.  The pond had been made by digging clay to make bricks for the mine.  The mine had been closed for many years after a disaster killed most of the fathers of the children that I started school with.  I wonder from my theme.

Over the years I have fished with several different people.  Some have been helpful in sharing their methods while others tried to keep me in the dark.  I used to fish in a bass club not associated with B.A.S.S.  It got to the point that I finally quit because everyone was trying to keep all their secrets.  I had one guy tell me that he liked to fish the eddies in the river.  When I asked him how he did that he told me he hoped I would never learn.

Back to you and your question. I am sorry I am too late to help you find places to fish on the Florida side in Lake Seminole.  I probably wouldn't have been of much help anyway because i have not fished that part of the lake much. As a matter of fact I am not exactly sure where the line between Florida and Georgia goes.  As far as I know there are no signs to indicate the line.
About all I can tell you is that most of the Chattahoochee River is open to both licenses but I am not sure about the east shoreline.  The river was cut to make the run for the tugboats more straight.  The old channel on the west side of the island should be good.  There is lots of cover in the form of downed trees and sunken logs.  I do know that people catch a lot of crappie in the river.  The west side of the river above the island is a long narrow island.  There are two or three cuts in the island where you can get to the west area.  This area is shallow mostly about 4-6 feet with lots of cover.  It looks good.  I only fished it one time and the wind was very high and difficult to hold a boat so I didn't do well.  I would like to try it again but it is about a 15 mile run from my house to that area so I don't go there often.

Again I am sorry I am so late answering your question. If I knew more I would tell you more.  I have often gone out with people here in my area an showed them the places that I have caught bass If I knew more about the area you are interested in I would certainly give it to you.  If you ever decide to buy a Georgia License and want some information about the Spring Creek area I will be glad to give you everything I can about this area.  Should you decide to do this please give me another question and a little more time before you intend going.

Thank you for calling on me to answer your question even though I didn't do a very good job of it.  

Jack L. Gaither      (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Georgia