WEISS JULY 2002

WEISS LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Impounded 1961
Lake Level: Full Pool
Water Temperature: Mid to upper 80's

Weiss Lakes Schooling Bass of Summer

Although Weiss Lakes main lake water temperatures are in the mid 80's, much cooler water can be found in the mid-to-far-back ends of Little River, Chatuga River, most major feeder creeks and the lakes headwaters, that extend on into Georgia. Many of these feeders still have water temperatures in the upper 70's.

Cooler than average weather and scattered showers statewide (every week) has some of these places displaying an extensive amount of current and a more "stained look" to the water. The further you travel up these lake headwaters and major tributaries, the more likely you will encounter these conditions.

Usually by the fourth if July (if you will pardon the pun), its like they say, "Hotter than a Fourth of July firecracker." Past summers on Weiss Lake have shown it to be in the mid 90's during these times, so enjoy it while you can. Summers inevitable heat wave is on the way and every July and August period, shows temperatures hovering near the 100 degree mark.

When coupled with current, stained water and cooler than average water temperatures, the fishing can be fantastic on Weiss Lakes largemouth and spotted bass population.

These fish are feeding and fattening up for the summer. The more ideal the conditions, the more they eat. The more they eat, the more energy they expend, thus requiring them to eat even more, to keep their strength up.

Cloudy, rainy periods, only enhance this feeding activity and can extend the feeding session into an all day activity in the shallows. Or bass can bunch up on cruising shad schools, while suspended out over deeper water, but still surfacing and feeding on hapless baitfish pushed to the water's surface.

All this action, near the waters surface, calls for lures than run in the upper water column. The ongoing list of topwaters can be endless. When targeting schoolies, attempting to call em' up or entice these fish to feed, big, noisy topwaters, always gets the attention of the bigger bass in these roaming schools of fish.

Popping type lures, double prop bait lures, walking type lures with internal rattles, are all proven favorites. Fishing bigger lure models, allows longer cast's to these schooling fish. Buzzbaits that display noisy characteristics and even finessing em' with soft jerkbaits and smaller offerings may be needed.

Not only topwaters will fool these frenzied bass into biting, but many other lures fished just beneath the waters surface, simulate fleeing baitfish and always produce a few strikes. Whether your fishing the shallows this summer or attempting to call fish up from the deep, rattling lipless lures of all sizes, should always be included in your summertime arsenal.

Popularly known as rattletraps, these lipless, vibrating lures all contain rattles that call the fish in for the kill. No matter what brand you fish, most come in an array of colors and sizes. Chrome, with a blue or black back, is always a dependable color and very much represents the baitfish most bass are feeding on.

The one-quarter to half-ounce model lipless lures, usually fit the bill. Going deeper may call for the bigger, three quarter ounce versions. These bigger lipless lures, can also be cast great distances and are very wind resistant. Of course, at times bigger is always better, when looking for bigger fish.

Burning these lipless lures (just beneath the water surface) gets tremendous strikes. Yo-yoing them or allowing them to drop into deeper water are also line stretching tactics. With most lipless lures you can fish them on 14-17 pound test monofilament line. Long rods in the 6-7 foot category are also needed for making long casts. Coupled with wide spooled reels, these are perfect setups for these types of lures.

In this same, "cast and crank category" are crankbaits and floating and suspending jerkbaits. Just like lipless lures, these lures very much simulate the baitfish these bass are feeding on. Only with these models, the depth can be controlled by picking various models.

Shallow to mid running crankbaits, can be cast right into these schools of surfacing fish, or they can entice fish to bite that are not actively feeding, by fan casting an area with various models, sizes and colors. Floating and suspending model jerkbaits, also run in these 2-4 foot depths and should always be cast long distances and retrieved with a short, jerk and pause method.

Be rigged and ready, when targeting these schooling fish of Weiss Lake is necessary. Even to the extent of having one or several of these lures dangling from the rod tip, laying on the boats deck, ready to grab and cast for some quick action.

Many of these bass can be called up with the aforementioned lures. Some fish are schooling for very short periods, rising, busting baitfish, and returning to deeper water. Often, before you can even reel in and make a cast, their gone.

Having rods, rigged and ready, means dropping the rod you were fishing with, and grabbing another, for long cast's to these surfacing fish. When action ceases, they have either left, following the baitfish schools, or they have returned to the cover they were holding on, prior to the feeding frenzy.

You can then make a move to another area, or fan cast the spot you were catching them on with bottom bumping lures. Worms, lizards, crayfish imitations and shad look-a-likes, are all great choices for enticing a few extra strikes.

You can either Texas rig these plastics or use a Carolina rig with various leader lengths. Tube baits and jig combos often entice the bigger bass laying on bottom, picking off the easy meals. Jigging spoons and tail spinners are also great fish locators in deeper water on Weiss Lake this summer.

This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery
Sunday Mornings 9-10 A.M.Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
"Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com