LOGAN MARTIN LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Impounded 1964
Lake Level: Full Pool
Water Temperature: Upper 80's
Summer / Current and Shade
Hot Summer's, mean searching for cool water. Logan Martin is currently showing water temperatures approaching 90 degrees. Finding bass in shallow water during the hot, mid 90 degree heat, is unheard of with most daytime anglers. But they do exist.
Some bass cruise the shallows during early morning light. To the angler wanting to get in on some topwater shallow water action, getting there early has its rewards. This means launching the boat, 30 minutes prior to sunup, and being on your favorite spot at the first light of day.
Topwater lures are first on my list and the first cast I would make each day. These bass are very active at dawn and can be enticed to explode on a well maneuvered topwater lure. This is also the time when the shallows are the coolest and when the bigger bass species feed heavily.
Choosing the correct spot to start your day includes looking for many variables. First on your list of priorities is look for an abundance of baitfish in places where bass can bunch up and feed. This is essential to schools of fish being in any particular spot.
During the summer, schools of bass bunch up on key locations or they follow schools of baitfish, often for weeks at a time, in their never ending search for something to eat. If there is evidence of baitfish, or you see bass busting shad schools, then your fishing the right location. The next issue is where? On Logan Martin Lake this question is pondered by many anglers each and every week.
First of all, find some dependable spots and they can produce all summer. This can be main lake flats, points, islands, creeks, small cuts and pockets or even around piers, boat houses and marinas. Fishing in or very near deep water is the key.
The reason being, schools of baitfish are forced out of the main lake current and seek refuge in these spots, usually holding out of the main lake current, in eddy areas. These are the shallows that you target at first light.
Water generation, cloudy days or the obvious appearance of several schools of baitfish, can extend this feeding period in the shallows on into late morning feeding sprees. Often inducing huge schools of bass to erupt on hapless prey in open water or in the shallows, near deep water.
Cooler water can be found and this will always have bass in much more active mood. Feeder creeks on Logan Martin can have water temperatures as much as 10 degrees cooler than other locations. Many creeks are spring fed and make ideal spots to fish throughout the summer.
Piers and boat houses display a lot of shade. Not only is it cooler beneath these man made structures, but they also make great ambush areas for largemouth and spotted bass.
Several bridges span the creeks and main lake. Fishing beneath these concrete structures is popular for crappie. Unknown to many anglers there are schools of bass that visit these spots regularly.
These bridge bass can be holding along pilings or found cruising the rip-rap rocks found lining the banks. When water is used to generate electricity at the dam, these spots are very good. The current created is funneled down to a smaller area where these bridges span the lake. Here the baitfish are sucked through the small passage and the bass are there feeding heavily on the passer-bys.
More shade can be found lakewide by choosing either the East side of the lake from dawn until about midday. Or an angler can fish the Western banks, that produce more shade as the day lingers on.
Checking water generation schedules can put an angler on the right place at the right time. Call 1-800-lakes-11. When the recording comes on, choose the number four on your phone. This takes you to the Coosa River Chain of Lakes.
You then have the option of getting lake levels (by choosing the number one) or water generation schedules. Press number two, to get the water generation schedule for upriver Neely Henry Lake Dam. It is also important to know what the schedule is for downriver Logan Martin Lake dam. Whether the water is on at either of these dams, creates current in the lake and creeks and this forces baitfish and bass to choose new locations.
This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery
Sunday Mornings 9-10 A.M.Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
"Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
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