Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett

Logan Martin

As we start to enter the fall time of year on Logan Martin, there are a lot of things beginning to happen.

One of the main things going on and happens every year is the fall water turnover. This is where the lake begins to lose oxygen out in deeper water and the lake turns over. You can even see the thermocline line on your 2D sonar and downscan.

During the turnover, you will begin to see shad starting their migration to the backs of the creeks, and usually the bass will follow. This is especially true once the nights begin to get cooler.

Another thing that begins to happen is the winter drawdown of the lake. Last year, the water level only dropped three feet compared to the usual five in prior years. This can be a very tough time of year to fish, but hopefully these tips can help you get a jump start to find fish quick.

Typically, I’m going to fish in shallow water during this time of the year. When I say shallow, I mean anywhere from 10 feet or less of water. I’m usually looking for docks, brush and grass in this depth.

I will try to start in the grass, especially in the earlier part of September. First bait I am going to reach for is a frog. The frog, in my opinion, is probably one of the best ways to get your better than average bite this time of year.

Another good option would be a buzz bait. Both baits can be fished fast and cover a lot of water in a short amount of time. Once the sun starts to get up, I will shift my focus to the docks and brush.

There are a couple of rods I reach for this time of year when fishing docks and brush. Usually, when the water temperature is still in the 75 degree-plus mark, I will fish a neko rig. The fish are still usually pretty finicky this time of year. The Neko rig is a great option for getting those finicky fish to bite when they’re not in the biting mood.

Once the water temperature gets under 75, that’s when I’ll reach for the jig. The jig is a very versatile bait this time of year. You can fish it around brush and docks. I might even flip it in grass and lay downs as well.

The early fall time of year can be some of the toughest times to fish on Logan Martin, but it can be the most rewarding if you figure them out. Keep it simple this time of year, and you will find success. 

Neely Henry

On Neely Henry, these two months can be an interesting two months for those of us that fish Neely Henry. The fish are starting to feed up for the winter, and this is especially true after the first few cool nights we have.

I really like to focus on docks and grass just like at Logan Martin. Typically, I’ll focus on the back half of the creeks this time of year. You also want to make sure there are baitfish in the area. Most of the time the baitfish will be up near the surface of the water column. Make sure you keep an eye for schoolers as well.

The fall turnover is usually right around the corner or is already happening at this point. What that means is the oxygen levels in deeper water are beginning to get very low. That is the reason the shallow water tends to have a lot more bass activity due to food and oxygen levels. It also is why the baitfish tend to be near the surface as well.

When fishing docks I will typically start on the shallower docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking any docks five feet or less.

Don’t be afraid to try deeper docks as well. The deeper docks will sometimes get overlooked by a lot of fishermen. This allows fish to use every bit of the water column if they choose to. They can either stay shallow or move deeper if they please.

A few baits I like to try in these areas are either the neko rig or jig. These two baits give me options throughout about every depth. If it is cloudy and windy I tend to reach for the buzzbait and cover a lot of water.

If it’s more of a slick calm, sunny day, I like to pitch and flip the jig around wood and docks.

Lastly, another great place to try and find a bigger bite is in the grass. Throwing a frog early in the morning is a great way to get a bigger than average bite.

Once the sun gets high, don’t be afraid to flip the jig in the grass as well. Typically, you will not get many bites using these techniques, but the ones that do bite will usually be better than average.

One important point about fishing grass on Neely Henry this time of the year, don’t be scared to fish extremely shallow. The bigger fish will sometimes be in just inches of water.

Give these tips a try and keep your fishing simple this time of year. The fall time is all about trying to find activity. Fish tend to move around a lot, but don’t let that fool you. Keep your bait selection simple and keep covering water and you will find success. 

Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.