by Paul Tyre
Water temperature: 78 degrees, lake level: 1 foot below full pool, lake clarity: stained.
The temperature is heating up and Lake Seminole is on fire! Bass have started to move into their post-spawn areas. Topwater baits like frogs and buzzbaits have been very productive early and late along the grass lines on the main lake. A buzzbait that I have had a lot of success with, a Strike King Pro Model 3/8 ounce in white, fished fairly fast, has been producing some furious strikes. A plastic stick bait like a Strike King Ocho in green pumpkin has been very productive fished in 8 to 10 feet of water along the edges of the weed line on the main lake.
Bass Island Campground at Wingate’s Lunker Lodge has been full with people fishing for shellcrackers and bream. The shellcrackers have been bedding and are being caught which has resulted in a lot of fish fries in the campground. This campground is unique because you can pull your boat right up to your campsite and plug it in for the night. You get up the next morning and take off to catch a bunch of fish and bring them right back to your site for cleaning and eating.
The bream have started to bed and have been being taken on crickets and red wigglers. We’ve seen some good coolers full of them crossing the docks at Wingate’s.
May is ALS Awareness month and I want to say a little something about that. One of my closest friends, Angelo Koundourakis, was diagnosed a few years back with ALS, and I have watched him as he has dealt with this horrible disease. He has handled it better than anyone would expect and is a true fighter. He loved to fish for bass and the ability to do that on a competitive level has been taken from him, but he still manages to get out and go on his pontoon boat from time to time in spite of his issues. My hat is off to you, Andy, and I hope all of you readers will keep him and his wife Patty in your thoughts and prayers.