Fall Fishing on Logan Martin Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Oh, if only the 2006 FLW Outdoors Championship had been held during the Fall season on Logan Martin Lake. The 48 qualifying contenders may have walked away praising the lake (as it being touted as such a good lake for bass fishing), rather than a tough lake for bass fishing like most of these anglers experienced this past Summer season. Here’s a month by month report on what to expect this Fall season, when fishing for spotted bass and largemouth bass on Logan Martin Lake.
September
Sure its still hot and fishing is rather slow for some anglers around the first week or two of September, but things can cool down quickly with Falls inevitable incoming cold fronts. Like every fishing trip its all according to the weather. In addition to the cold fronts are heavy Fall rains that can actually bring the lake back up temporarily and muddy up or heavily stain the lakes waters. Places like incoming major feeder creeks and the lakes headwaters, below upper Neely Henry Lake dam, can become stained to muddy following several days of rain. But this is more likely in October.
Fishing Logan Martin Lake this Fall season involves targeting two different bass species. Largemouth bass and spotted bass can both be found throughout the entire lake. Each species has its own specific locations they prefer. But often both bass species can be found mingling together in some of the most unlikely places. Learning to fish for both bass species, especially when they are confronted hanging around the same places together, calls for the use of a variety of lures and techniques.
September is still considered late summer in Alabama. Anglers that have fished this lake frequently during the late summer period always have success fishing the mid to lower lake region. This is the clearest water available on a consistent basis. Mostly fishing for spotted bass that feed and group near deep water drop-offs, ledges and bottom irregularities. Finesse fishing (like what it took to win the last two FLW Outdoors Championship events held here in summer) with small worms and plastics fished on jig heads and light tackle outfits seem to be the ticket to consistently getting bites.
You may catch lots of small bass in the 10-12 inch lengths when finesse fishing, but there is always some bigger bass nearby just waiting for their chance to beat these smaller bass to your lures. So thoroughly fishing out any deep water spot will show bigger bass, that is, after you seine through the smaller bass bites. You either stick a bunch of smaller bass (that won’t bite again for a while) and hope the bigger bass are still interested in your lures. Anglers have learned there is better way. If they are legal bass (12 inches or bigger), you might throw every legal bass you catch in the livewell and cull them out when you leave that spot. I thoroughly believe this is the best tactic. After all, a cut or bleeding bass (that always goes back to the school), can show other bass that its time for a move or they can completely quit biting.
Some bass can be found in shallow water early, late in the day and at night. But fishing during the late morning to early evening period is still the time of day when most anglers struggle to even get a bite. Fishing shallow on the lakes lower end calls for either targeting piers, boat houses or areas around tournament release sites like Marinas. Until the Fall rains cause the lower lake to stain this will be your best bet throughout the day.
October
The heavy rains continue and become more frequently in October, so time your trip to Logan Martin Lake accordingly. If fishing a bass tournament you cannot be so choosy, you just have to check out the previous weeks conditions and adjust. Cold fronts become more frequent and knowing if a severe front hit prior to your trip can be a tremendous factor. Most fronts in October are followed by cool mornings and bright bluebird days. If this is the conditions when you arrive (after the morning bite) expect a slow day of fishing. Moving around a lot and hitting a lot of likely looking spots can be the ticket to finding few bass in each spot. Or you can find several good piers and boathouses and good drop-offs nearby and jump back and forth from shallow piers to deep drop-offs and ledges.
November
By November there are a lot of variables to consider prior to your trip to Logan Martin Lake. Lake Levels will be down for winter pool. This lake has been as low as 6 feet down in years past. So extreme caution is advised (whether or not you are experienced) in navigating this lake. Many boats and motors have been damaged during the late Fall to Spring period in years past due to low water.
Cold fronts will not be as much of a factor as they become average and by November most anglers have adjusted. Clothing is increased. Never go out on a late Fall outing without a jumpsuit, toboggan or face mask, gloves and a heavy coat. You can always take them off if it warms up. Hats, goggles and sunglasses and plenty of hot coffee or warm drinks help too.
Colder weather plays a role in your lure selection as well. Deep diving crankbaits continue to fool bass along drop-offs. Shallow to deep diving crankbaits target bass that are suspended beneath shad schools in open water and along shallow drops. Lipless lures like Rattletraps and Cordell spots not only cover water fast but they look a lot like baitfish and they can be fished from shallow to deep water. Use heavy line in shallow water to make these lures run shallow and lighter line in deeper water to make them run deeper.
If you like fishing wood cover, rocks and more of a river type surrounding, then fishing the lakes upper reaches (above mid Lake Interstate 20 crossing) is the place to be in late Fall. Not only is there more cover than it is downriver, upriver is more likely to have stained water and show a lot less traffic than mid to lower lake regions. There are always some good largemouth bass to catch around this upper lake region. Jig combos, spinnerbaits and topwaters are great lure choices for these bass
Need help on Logan Martin Lake? Want to know the current conditions, patterns and lure selections for this lake? Or any Alabama Lake? Always feel free to call on Reeds Guide service … first! (205) 787-5133. Website: www.fishingalabama.com / E-mail ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Thanks and Good Fishin’
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Birmingham, Alabama
E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
“Over 40 Years Fishing, Guiding and Exploring every Lake in Alabama for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth
Bass, Spotted Bass and some huge Striped Bass”
Originally Published (2006)
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