From Guntersville, Captain Mike Gerry reports the Spro Frog bite has already turned on, one of the earliest he has seen in this topwater action, which usually doesn’t gear up until October. Gerry says the moss beds have lots of potholes in them this month, giving the bass good ambush points to attack the weedless frogs. Other than that, he said finding bass was a challenge, with a lot of spots not producing, but some turning out good fish on Tight-Line swimjigs and Picasso Under-spins. He suggests moving rapidly through your favorite spots until you find active fish so long as water temperature remains warm; www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com.
From Weiss Lake, crappie specialist Mark Collins says most of the fish are still deep on brushy channel edges at 12 to 20 feet, where they can be caught drifting live minnows. He said some fish are also hanging around the docks and can be caught by “shooting” jigs under the walkways. Bass fishing is still a deep-water deal here, with most fish on the main lake points and humps, taking jigs and crankbaits for those who find them on sonar. The striper bite has tapered off, but catfish are still dependable on cut skipjack or shad at 12 to 15 feet, Collins says; www.markcollinsguideservice.com.
From Pickwick, Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks reports some bass are starting to head to shallow bays and coves to chase schooling shad now approaching eating size, and these fish can be caught on soft plastic flukes, Rat-L-Traps, blade baits, topwater walkers and various other shad imitating baits. Crappie fishing is slow but some are being caught in Yellow and Bear creeks drifting minnows on the channels at 20 feet and more—find the fish or bait with sonar first. Catfishing remains good for those drifting cut skipjack on the channel edges.
At Lewis Smith, the action is mostly in deep water and will be until late October for spotted bass and stripers, but some surface schooling activity is breaking out on bait schools at dawn and again at sundown. For the deep water spots fish shaky heads and small jigs at 15 to 35 feet on points, as well as around the herring schools located on sonar. Stripers are taking large shad drifted at 65 feet on the channel edges, with some fish over 20 pounds. Below the dam, trout bite in the first mile of flow anytime there’s moderate current running. Drift Berkley Powerbait or live worms under a bubble float to get them; www.riversideflyshop.com.
From the coast, the heavy rains and wind have slowed inshore fishing, pushing reds and trout down Mobile Bay, but the bite should pick up quickly as soon as the flush of freshwater passes. Both species start working their way up the bay late this month and are in the Mobile Delta by the end of October or early November. Look for bait schools in Mississippi Sound for trout, and catch them with a live shrimp or a DOA or Vudu Shrimp under a slip cork. For keeper reds, fish the creekmouths on falling tide, and also around docks that are near the passes—live shrimp or GULP Crabs get them. For trophy reds (remember, they have to be released) fish Dixey Bar at the mouth of the bay, or Sand Island Light, just offshore with live croakers. Kings are still abundant from 1 to 10 miles off the beach—troll Drone spoons to get the schoolies, or drift live mullet or ladyfish for the smokers of 20 pounds and up; www.ateamfishing.com
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