The past two weeks I have spent some time on Butler Chain and Starke Lake. Most of this time has been spent working a wide range of lures, from High Roller Lures, Gitem Baits, and swim baits from Storm. Butler Chain working Storm swim baits, using the Wildeye Curl Tail Minnow working it more in the deeper waters and the drop offs has produced some very good catches early on in the day. As the heat of the day approached, the bite has slowed, which dictates hitting those deeper waters to continue to catch bass.
Early morning bite has been good with top water baits, High Roller ChugRoller and PopRoller have been catching the most bass, working the lures slow has been key, letting them rest at times for up to 10 seconds to trigger strikes, Starke Lake has been good for top water bite working the outside edges of coontail grass in deeper waters. Swimming Gitem Curly 10's over the grass beds have produced several good blow ups, with a few good hookups, once the top water bite has stopped, adding a ½ ounce bullet weight and working it slowly thru the grass beds has been the ticket
Pitching T-rigged and wacky rigged Gitem KO's into the potholes in the grass beds has been a good tactic to picking off bass during the day when the heat is has really turned on by mid noon as well as slowly swimming the Storm swim baits. Mid lake on Starke lake has seen constant schooling action, and these swim baits have caught a bunch of good bass between 2 and 3 pounds to keep the action going. Several trips for the next 2 weeks will be done on Butler Chain with a good combination of live and artificial baits being used, with the heat of summer, the best pattern has been shallow waters early with some good top water baits, and as the day heats up, hitting deeper waters, 12-20 feet with swim baits and live baits to keep the action steady for the day. Drink lots of water and keep those lines tight!!
