BASS FISHING AT LAKE SEMINOLE

Question
Hey Jack, this will be my first time to fish this lake. I am staying at Lake Seminole state park in Donalsonville. I really don't want to travel too far because I am not familiar with the lake. I grew up fishing in Florida and have heard great things about this lake. Can you give me some places to fish w/i a mile or 2 of the park. Some tips on lures and techniques would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. Brian

Answer
Brian; If you are staying at the state park you will be on the Fish Pond Drain arm of the lake.  From there there are only two ways to go, up or down.  If you go up under the bridge on highway 253 you will be in the fish pond area.  I have not fished the lower pond but if you run on up about a mile, go under the bridge on 273 you will be in Ray's Lake.  The upper end of the lake has produced some fair bass fishing and I am sure there are some good ones up there but I just haven't fished it that much to be sure. I have caught fish in the 2-3 lb range on worms but those pad beds up there sure look good.

If you go left out of the State Park basin go on down toward the mouth.  The mouth of this drain has been good in the past but I haven't fished it lately.  I had one guy report that he had caught some 3lb bass there.  Heading out of the drain go to the end of the boat road pilings and turn right at the Day marker for the barges.  Be sure you pass it as there are underwater stumps on both sides of the boat road.

Maybe I better digress a moment since you have never fished here before.  This lake is basically a flooded timber plus two rivers and a main creek that feeds the lake. Much of the timber has broken off either just above or just below the surface. Right now the lake is low so it is easy to see most of the stumps.  There are marked trails or boat roads throughout the lake plus marked channels in the two rivers for barges on the ICW.  DO NOT TRY TO CUT CORNERS OR RUN OUTSIDE THE MARKED CHANNELS. Unless you like losing lower units.  The river barge channels are marked by day markers of large sets of pilings while the smaller boat roads are marked with pairs of single pilings with red and green reflectors.

About a mile or so west of the turn there is a set of unmarked pilings in a quadrangle.  These mark Indian Mounds and this may be an island at this low water in any case it isn't ever more than about 2' deep so don't try going between the pilings on plane. ha.  At times this area around this island has some good bass.  The water around it is about 15-17' deep and drops sharply.  Also at times the hybrids are around here.  If no bass there head on west to the channel of the Chatahoochee (markers).  Here you can run ok on the east side of the markers so long as you stay out a fair ways (100 yards) at least.  Follow the shoreline until you can see some pilings leading in behind the islands.  As you enter the boat channel leading in you will find acres and acres of lilly pads.  I love lilly pads. During low light I like a popper in and around the pads.  I have caught some pretty nice bass in this area early in the morning.  Later in the day a large worm worked through and over the pads may pull a lunker out of the pads.  Also I like a Johnson's Silver minnow with a pork frog (not plastic) pulled over the pads and letting it drop in any openings.  The water isn't deep here but there should be some big bass there.  A little further up the river is the island.  At one time the channel went to the west of the island but the Corps dug a new channel on the east side.  That west side has lots of structure and cover and good bass are caught there every year.  To be honest however, I have not fished this area that much because of the distance from my home.

As you come out of the Fishpond Drain and go out to the end of the boat road turn left instead of right.  Head for the next marker on the left looking for the mouth of Spring Creek.  You will see some stumps and if it is still there one large tree.  I think it is still there even though it has been some time since I was out there.  I used to fish out there quite a lot for both bass and hybrids.  I got old and can't make it that far as much as I used to.  The river is about 25' and the flat to the left of the creek channel varies from about 12' to 5-6'. This means a a very sharp drop at the edge of the river channel.  I like to fish this drop.  Out a short ways from the last stumps on the east side of the creek channel is a hump.  The water around is 25' or so and the hump comes up to 16-18'.  Both bass and hybrids hang out on the hump at times although it is easy to find and heavily fished.
Just to the east of that big tree I mentioned before are some stumps and brush piles.  I had a ten plus pounder on there one time but she got off.  She may be 15 by now.

Actually I do most of my fishing in the Spring Creek arm since that is where I live.  It is a long run from the state park.  I recommend you pull your boat and drive about 6 miles east (toward Bainbridge) past Parkside Market on 273 and 253 to Reynold's Landing Rd. (if you pass a church with a big sign on the left you have gone half mile too far east.  There is a good landing in the park there.  Go out the canal leading from the landing pond.  As you get out on the right is an area with only one little bunch of stumps near the shore.  Out a ways is solid stumps.  Back in here I have caught some good bass both outside and in the stumps.  Up toward the far end of the stump field I caught two 8 lb bass on two casts using a 10 inch junebug worm.  I have caught several over five lbs in this area.  My best technique has been to throw the worm to the largest stumps, hitting the stump and letting the worm drop on a semi free line.  Watch your line carefully as often it is just a line jump determines a strike.

If you wish to go elsewhere work yourself back through the stumps using trolling motor only to the line of pilings coming out of the landing pond.  Fish your way along here using worms, crank baits, spinnerbaits and you may pick up a big bass anywhere in here.  When you reach the boat channel fish it carefully on both sides.  If the lake is as low as it now is you can see the creek channel heading to the east in the trees.  When the lake is high it is hard to see.   Working both sides of this channel is good.
As you move up the creek channel toward the point you will reach a place where the stumps thin out to just a few is a good place.  I caught three six pounders here one evening using a chrome/blue rattletrap casting into the open water to the left of the channel.  If you then leave the creek channel to your right and head back into the cove you will find trees surrounded by shallow water.  In the evening or low light times this is great topwater area.  Don't get too close to the shoreline west of the trees as it is very shallow.  These areas are probably choked with hydrilla at this time of year though.  Always work the edges of hydrilla with a worm or maybe a senko as well as a topwater.

If you can get to the docks in this cove they may pay off but the hydrilla is probably too thick.  From just off the point the creek channel runs east and then turns south.  You can see the channel and follow it.  A depth sounder will define the channel because it is about 20' deep while the area outside the channel runs about 12'.  Do not try to run this channel with your gas motor as there are sharp turns with stumps in strange places.  I lost a prop in here and learned my lesson.  Still it is worth fishing this area although I haven't fished it much.  If you follow the channel as it twists and turns to the south it will lead you out to the boat road running up Spring Creek.
Turn left and follow this boat road to the next set of pilings and turn right following the channel.  all along this channel is some good bass areas.  I have caught bass in here on almost any type of lure I have.  The channel eventually turns to the left.  Work the stumps on the right as you head toward a small number of trees that are still standing.  Work in around them and out into the channel as it comes back from the south.  Water is 25' here in the bend.  Continue east to the boat road running off to the right into the islands. (this comes out on the Flint River side across from Lunker Lodge. But don't follow it.  Cross the boat road following the creek channel. On the east side is a piling with a small compact group of stumps on the left and a big stump field on the right.  Fish this small group of stumps as well as the trees to the right.  Following the creek channel (avg. 18-20' deep with scattered tree stumps on left and many stumps on the right.  A few trees are still standing as of now but a storm may change all that.  Fish the right side down until on the left is a small group of tree tops with an arm pointing toward the right side.  This pointer points to the opening to a small slough but which is about 20' deep.  It runs 300-400 yards back then stops.  I have caught many nice bass in here.

Now having fished the slough come back out to the channel and turn right (now north as the creek has slowly taken you more toward the north than east.) Follow the creek channel fishing the right side until the creek bends sharply left and then crosses the boat road.  There are markers right there and I have caught some nice fish around this intersection of the creek and the boat road and also along the right of the channel until the creek takes another sharp turn this time to the right up into the stumps.  Just at this turn, right in the middle of the creek is a small group of tree tops.  They are in 20' of water.  The area all around here should be fished carefully.  I have caught more big fish here than anyplace in the lake.  One spring I found them staging here and for two weeks I went out and limited on fish from 5-8lbs.  I released most of them to spawn.  I doubt they are there like that now but there are always a few around there and on up the creek.  Again follow the channel or go ahead and work back into the trees.  Worms, crank baits, spinnerbaits fished at the edges of the hydrilla should produce.  

There are some other places that I have caught fish but if you fish these spots and don't catch fish I will be very surprised, unless a cold front moves through.  I can't promise anything then.

When you get here you may give me a call if you wish and I can maybe show you on the map what I am talking about.
My home is right on the lake just next door to the biggest house on this part of the lake.  I am retired so am home a lot.  If you want to call my phone number is 229-861-2366.
My e-mail is [email protected]

I hope this has been  some help.  Thank you for asking me to answer your question.  I hope you have a good trip to "MY" lake.

I am
Jack L. Gaither (JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Ga.