We have some “hot” news about a) a record bass and b) a new survey for you. There are also some tips and trip reports on hot summer fishing opportunities across north Georgia, so read on.
The summer fishing pattern continues, and it is dominated by warm water effects on our respective target species. For trout, anglers oughta tuck in behind the two big dams holding back winter water (Blue Ridge, Buford) or hike way up the mountain until their stream thermometer reads 66 degrees.
For lake bass, hit the deep humps and brush piles with the drop shot rig, after giving them a few first casts with a topwater plug.
For reservoir stripers and hybrids, the summer squeeze is on. As the warm surface layer thickens and as the dissolved oxygen dies from the lake bottom upward, these coolwater species will start getting squeezed. They’ll squeeze into that middle layer of water, downlake toward the dam, where the combination of cooler water and high dissolved oxygen is found. The squeeze means that they’re no longer scattered lakewide and are now easier to find, if you know where to look. Some river and reservoir fish will also “squeeze” upstream to coldwater refuges in tributaries, so aim for Morgan Falls and the Etowah, too.
Warmwater river anglers are approaching prime time, as river flows dwindle and bass and bream get squeezed into fewer prime habitats –slower, deeper water in the shade. Terrestrial food sources are abundant, so many of your favorite river targets will be spending more time along the banks, looking up at the tree limbs and wishing for a stiff breeze.
or toss a wacky worm rig under the tree limbs or into the shoal pockets, too.
Take some shots at carp, if you’re a patient trophy hunter.