QuestionI will be fishing Lake Seminole this week end and would like to know what I need to use, and where to fish for the best chance at a)getting a limit, and b) for finding a trophy?
AnswerMark; I wish I knew where you were planning on putting in on Seminole. As you probably know it is a fairly big lake.
I will give you as much information as I can on the areas that I am familiar with.
I do most of my fishing in the Spring creek arm although I have caught fish on other parts of the lower lake. I have done no fishing upstream of Wingates Lunker Lodge and only a couple of miles up the Chatahoochee. So here it is.
Spring creek arm connects with the Flint river arm about mile marker 3.6 on the Flint arm. I hooked one of my biggest bass ever near the one big tree that sticks up on the east side of the creek channel. Of course she got away. On either side of the channel area is a good place for the lunker. Fishing the edges of the hydrilla west of the channel produces some fish. To the west of the mouth of the creek is the mouth of the fishpond drain. This is often a good spot for some good fish fishing around the standing timber looking for changes in bottom contour and fishing the breaks. On up the drain is a bit tough because the water is so clear, however I have caught bass in there on a couple of occasions. Above the bridge where hwy.253 crosses is another area that a lot of people fish. I haven't fished it that much but above the next bridge in Rays Lake near the north end are some good pad beds and a few stickups where I have taken several reasonably good bass. I am sure there are a few lunkers in Rays lake.
Here putting your boat in at the Rays Lake landing instead of running up the drain will save both time and gas. There is a very good landing off highway 273 a couple miles north of 253.
If you put in at Wingates try the flats just upstream and on the same side as the lodge. How this is depends on how heavy the hydrilla is. Good fish come off those flats every year. Across from Wingates is a marked channel that leads to the cut through to Sprin Creek. After going through this cut continue to the set of markers with standing tree stumps. I have caught a good many bass in the 5-9lb range both to the left and right of this marker.
If you notice your depthsounder will show the channel runs perpendicular to the boat trail marked by the pilings. Along the creek channel the water drops from about 12ft to about 18ft. The channel runs 18-20'. Following the channel to the right from those pilings it goes straight almost true north for several hundred yards and then bends to the left. The boat trail marked by the pilings cuts through the tree stumps going north but the creek is now about true east-west. You will be heading west. The intersection of the boat trail and the channel has produced some good fish. Back about 200 yards from this intersection you will see on the left (west) side is a stickup tree with one branch pointing toward the center of the creek channel. On the right is an opening in the trees where a short channel runs about northeast for a ways and then is lost in the trees. This channel has produced a lot of fish for me. Use worms along the channel ledge and back in the trees. Then try crankbaits or spinnerbaits. This is one of the best places for someone to limit out and sometimes some pretty nice 4-5pounders have come from here.
The area just at the entrance to this channel is the deepest water I have found above rattlesnake point. 25-27ft.
Going back up the creek toward a point with a large dock on it fish all along the right side casting back into the trees and along the channels edge. Just in front of that dock and to the right is a junction of the creek which is bending again to the north and a small channel that the people living in the cabins along that shore have opened so they can get their boats in and out. I have caught more bass from this hole and upstream in the trees than anyplace in the lake or any lake for that matter. Some went 8lb.
On up the channel which twists and turns through the stumps is all good fishing area for at least a mile. The docks along the shore are often good too. Above the last docks hasn't shown me much.
My house is next door to the great big house with lots of concrete. I often work from my dock to the west and south from my dock along the edge of the trees and the docks and around the point. The creek channel comes in close to the point and then bends west and twists and turns through the tree stumps. Here the channel is from 20' down to 15 with 12' around. I have caught bass all through this area but can't name a particular spot that is a honey hole like the one upstream.
I don't know if you know anything about the lake or not. If not I suggest you get one of those maps you can buy at most bait shops. It shows the marked channels. DO NOT RUN YOUR OUTBOARD OUTSIDE THE MARKED CHANNELS unless you know the lake. Many a lower unit lies at the bottom of the lake and it didn't hurt the underwater stump much at all.
From Rattlesnake point on down to the Flint arm you will find many areas of stump fields that were at the time the lake was filled trees. Most have broken off at or below the waterline or slightly above. The area from just across from Rattlesnake point on down that side goes from 20' to 2' with a couple of sunken islands. Fishing along here is much like the stump fields upstream I mentioned. It is hit aand miss but with some good fish coming out of there. The docks on the north shore back in the coves have some good places for pitching a senko or a lizard or maybe a tube&jig.
Going back to the mouth of the creek as a starting point if you go west toward the Chatahoochee River arm fishing along the hydrilla beds can be productive at times. Heading on west you will see several pilings in a quadrangle seemingly awaay from everything. This marks Indian Mounds and is only a foot or so deep. At times bass collect around this island but I haven't done too well there. The Chatahoochee comes down from the north and joins the Flint about a mile above the dam. Up the 'hooch are some places around the islands is good bass fishing. If you happen to see a bunch of boats in the middle of the channel they are probably on crappie.
Running up the river when you come to mile marker 3.6 look to your right up against the shore and look for two pilings.
These mark the entrance to a boat trail. Just as you enter you will find yourself in a relatively shallow area filled with lilly pads. I have caught some nice fat river bass on topwaters in there early in the morning or on an overcast day. Didn't do much on bright sunny days though. Watch where you go in here you can get lost.
The area just above the dam is often one of the places where the tourneyment fishermen hit. On either side of the river channel there are humps or sunken islands. Some of the maps have GPS co ordinates for them. The one that I am looking at does not but if you want I will look for the one that does and give them to you if you want. You can either e-mail me or call. I will give you my e-mail and phone number at the end of this.
Back to the mouth of Spring Creek but this time heading upstream in the Flint arm. On the left side are several islands. The water is pretty shallow in there but I have found some good bass in close to the shore as the hydrilla allows. If you see some open water in the hydrilla it is probably a small spring. Fish around it carefully because some times big bass hang out near these and nab baitfish as they seek the cooler water. Sometimes you will need a push pole to get through the hydrilla but a couple of 8pounders would make it worthwhile, at least to me.
I know little of the other side of the lake except about directly across from the mouth of the creek where I fished for hybrids and caught a largemouth or two. I am sure there are good places there too. I am sure there are many good places up lake in both directions but for me to run from my place down to the mouth of the creek and then run very far up either arm of the lake takes too much gas. I would like to fish up around the Ten Mile Still or some of the other places up there or up the Chatahoochee but since I have had good luck near home I haven't gone that far.
Thanks for calling on me to answer your questions. I hope you can catch a limit of lunkers. They are in here but don't always bite just like bass anyplace else.
I might mention that if you are out on the main body of the lake and come upon a thrashing on the surface cast a shiney lure in there and you may be into some really fast and furious fishing for a few minutes catching hybrids from a pound to maybe 6-7llbs. Or maybe even a big striper but there aren't many of them. Below the dam is a better chance for them.
If I can be of further help either send me an e-mail at
[email protected] or phone 229-861-2366 and I will try to be more specific about some certain areas. I wouldn't mind knowing how you did after you get home.
Sincerely
Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole, GA.
