Trenton’s Brent Smith (pictured), a weekly contributor to the Outdoors Notebook, played catch-and-release, after he reeled in an 11.12 pound bass (previously reported 12.12) at Gibson County Lake dragging a 20-foot deep-diving crankbait in 15-feet of water.

Fishing Report
Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: upper 70s; water color, cloudy

Bass: “They are starting to school up in deep water,” Trenton’s Brent Smith said. “They were hitting deep cranks … but with the pressure, they are hitting quiet swim baits and plastics better, now.”

Catfish: Brent said catfish are hitting shallow on tight lines along the edges of the creeks.

Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: 75 degrees. Elevation 414 feet

Bass: “After fishing most mornings on guide last week, I have found that bass are as productive as any other species in the area for the first few hours of daylight,” Clagett Talley said. “Usually, if I am going to get up early enough to fish the morning hours, I like to be out when the sun is coming up, but the last few trips I did not start catching fish until around 6:30 (a.m.), which is at least an hour after daylight.”
Clagett, a tour guide from Savannah, said he has caught a few fish on top-water baits on his last few trips, but he is doing a lot better on small crankbaits.
“The Strike King Series 3 and Series 5 have been very productive on main lake points,” Clagett said. “They have covered a lot of points on the lake, with a lot of luck on most of them. But the key seems to be the time of day and the bait, and the combination is 6:30-7:30 (a.m.), with the Strike King Crankbait on main lake points.”
Clagett said Splatter back and Sexy Shad have been his most productive colors.
“The Sexy Shad in the Series 5 appears to be the right color and size of the bait fish that are visible on these main lake points,” Clagett said. “I have never used a color that matched the baitfish in the Pickwick area so well as this new Sexy Shad by Strike King.
“Later in the day try a Carolina rig with a green pumpkin lizard or crawfish.”

White Bass: “White bass have been running strong for a while now with no sign of slowing down any time soon,” Clagett said. “Fishing for them is easy and fun. You can catch white bass on a number of baits – in-line spinnerbaits are popular and white grubs are very common and easy to use.”

Clagett said on most of his guide trips he likes using the smaller crankbaits because they are easy for a novice fisherman and he seems to catch the bigger sized white bass.

“The most productive crankbait over the last week has been the Series 3 Strike King crankbait in the Sexy Shad color because of its similarities to the baitfish – as far as size and color,” Clagett said.

Stripers: “Stripers are biting really well when the Dam is generating,” Clagett said. “Yellow tail minnows are running strong right now, and accounting for a large number of fish. Fish these yellow tail minnows close to the bottom and drift down stream.”

Clagett said if you fish during the morning hours or late afternoon. you can catch a lot of fish on a King Shad by Strike King – a bait that runs below the surface and is big and strong enough to hold up to big stripers.

“It is best to fish the King Shad in the new Sexy Shad color on 12-pound test line and throw it where there is a lot of current, because it is jointed its action attracts fish when you simply reel it back slowly with a tight line,” Clagett said. “Just make a long cast and keep your line tight. Fishing for stripers is exciting and a lot of fun, but it is getting more and more crowded in the area below the Dam where we fish for them – and that – along with the swift water makes it a little tricky.”

Clagett said he has a 21-foot Bumble Bee bass boat that comes in handy.

“It makes it a little more comfortable for the people fishing with me to feel stable in the swift water,” Clagett said. “Usually two people can fish while I control the bass boat and although it might look easy, I am constantly fighting the current to try to keep us in a good area.”

Catfish: “I have caught a few catfish while striper fishing,” Clagett said. “I see a lot of catfish caught below the Dam in 20-to-25-feet of water. Most people I see are using bait they are catching in the water such as yellow tail minnows and skip jack.”
Want more from the “Mayor of Pickwick Lake?” Give Clagett Talley a call (731) 607-5266 or visit him online – www.pickwickareaguide.com.

David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalk1015/