QuestionSir: I will be in Valdosta area quail hunting first week of Nov. I have always heard about bass fishing on Lake Seminole & would like to do alittle bit while I am in area. Any suggestions as to guides & places to stay & eat would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much!-Tom griffin
AnswerHi Tom! I am Jack Gaither and I have lived on Lake Seminole for the past 13 years and love the bass fishing on this lake. This is the best long term bass fishing that I have ever had. I have had days of fishing here and there that were better than most of my fishing here but in the 13 years I have been here I have caught more BIG bass than anywhere.
However, I have been away from fishing for several months because of my wife and mself having some health problems. We are both in our 70s so that is to be expected.
I am much better now and hope to get my boat back in the water this week. By the time the first week in November rolls around I will have had a chance to find out if my ole holes are still producing.
Let me tell you a little about the lake and our area. The lake is about 37,500 acres. It was built by the Corps of Enginners in the 1950s. The dam was built approximately one mile south of the confluence of the Flint River from the northeast and the Chatahoochee river from the north north west. Also feeding the lake is Spring creek forming an arm on the north side of the lake and Fish Pond drain to the west of Spring Creek and east of the Chatahoochee arm. It is basically a shallow lake with a maximum depth of about 30 ft. in the river channels near their confluience. The rest of the lake is either flats or standing timber. Most of the standing timber has broken off just above or just below water level and is treacheros to the unknowing. Clear channels are marked with pilings showing the river or creek channels and places where the Corps knocked down the trees to form a channel. Unless one knows the lake well it is smart to run fast only in the marked channels. The map shows these channels indicating how to get from one place to another on the lake safely.
From the junction of the Flint and the Chatahoochee the river becomes the Apalachicola River running across the Florida Panhandle to the Gulf. This river is also good fishing. Both bigger river arms are usually somewhat discolored but normallly not muddy water. Both Spring Creek and the Fish Pond Drain are clear but not christal most of the time. The entire lake except the deeper channels has a lush growth of hydrilla. While the hydrilla is somewhat of a nuescence to boats it is good for the fishing.
While I said much of the lake is shallow I meant that it runs from a foot or so in some of the flats to about 20 feet in the creek channels. The standing timber is mostly aroung 10-12 feet. I have caught most of my fish along the creek channels or at the edge of the standing timber.
While largemouth bass are the major game fish in the lake the upper part of the Flint arm also has the Shoal bass which is more like a smallmouth in its habits.
Crppie and brim (bluegill), shellcrackers (redear sunfish) are also greatly sought fish. In season more people fish for brim or shellcracker than there are bass fishermen. Of course catfish are also plentyful. The Apalachicola below the dam has striped bass which come up the river. Some pretty large. The lake has a few but has more hybrids which at times can be some exciting fishing. Good size Crappie in season becomes a major target of fishermen. The crappie are not the largest in the country but they often run over a pound. Good eating.
I, however, am first and foremost a bass fisherman except when I want some fish for the table then I turn to the panfish.
The lake has, in the past, been listed in the top ten bass lakes in the country. However, over the years it has declined from that level but is still a very good lake. My largest bass (I only use artificials) is a little over 9lbs. I haven't been able to land that ten plus pounder yet although I have had a couple of them on. I have caught many more five to eight pounders than any other place that I have fished. I think the lake record is somewhere around 16-17lbs. but those are scarce. A lot of 10 lb bass are caught each year.
You asked about accomodations. Here are the ones that I know.
Wingate Marina has cabins, a restaurant and guide service. The phone number is (229) 246-0658. I called there a few moments ago and she told me that a call could provide all the info you might need.
There are several motels located along U.S.27 just south of Bainbridge. Most of the B.A.S.S. and other tourneyments make headquarters at either Wingates or at the Charter House Inn.(229)246-8550. There is a pretty decent restaurant in the Charter House. The Decatur House just south about a mile on 27 is considered pretty good.
Actually good restaurants are not plentyfull in Bainbridge. There are a couple of fair to good Chineese places and one pretty good Mexican reataurant. Of course, there are the usual fast food places and a Golden Corral in town.
Bainbridge is a Southern town of 10-15,000 located at the upper end of the Flint River arm of the lake. It is a fairly easy drive to the many boat ramps on the lake and probably 10-15 miles to Wingate's. I would urge the purchase of one of the Lake Maps available in virtually every tackle shop as well as Kmart and Wallmart.
I hope this has been of some help to you.
If you would contact me just before you intend coming I may be able to give you more of an update on the fishing. Hopefully I will have caught a few between now and the first of Nov.
Should you want to contact me again you can use the All Experts again or direct by ed-mail or even phone.
My e-mail is
[email protected] and my phone is (229) 861-2366
If you would like I would be glad to have you go fishing with me. I live about 20 miles from Bainbridge and right on the Lake and have a boat rigged for two. If you would like to fish with me give me a shout.
Thanks for using me as your Expert on All Experts.
P.S. I wish you luck on your quail hunt. I could never hit the little rascals.
Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole GA.
