Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
Days are getting longer, and bass are on the move. Warmer and longer days these two months have the fish on the move from their wintertime homes.
Typically, in March, I still believe the bass are in their pre-spawn mood. They are feeding up and fattening up, preparing to move into their bedding areas to get ready to spawn. Usually, I’ll target most of these fish in 10 feet of water or less this time of year.
Fish love to stage on points that lead into spawning bays. Also, brush and shallow docks are great places to look for fish making a pitstop before they spawn. A few lures I typically reach for would be a bladed jig, square bill crank bait, or a topwater walking bait.
If the water is still in the mid-50s, I’ll reach mainly for the bladed jig and squarebill and cover as much water as possible. I mainly target creeks on the lower end of the lake. Generally, this is where the fish will try and spawn first.
I also like to target windy banks if possible. Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I will reach for the topwater walking bait. I do this especially on cloudy, windy days. The fish will usually be one- to three-feet deep on points.
Do not be afraid to throw it midday if the conditions are right. This is my favorite technique to catch these fish, especially in April. If we have our normal weather pattern, you will really start to see the largemouth bass lock on their beds. This is the time get the spinning rods out and get on the finesse gear.
The tried-and-true wacky rigged Senko is an awesome way to get these bedding largemouth bass to commit. Now, I do switch gears when it comes to fishing for spotted bass. Spotted bass tend to spawn in shallow bays and flats in a little deeper water.
An awesome way to cover water and efficiently pick these broader areas apart is with a Carolina Rig. Typically, I use about a 2-foot leader with a ½ oz. tungsten sinker.
One of my favorite baits to use is a Menace Grub from Strike King Lure Company in green pumpkin or chartreuse pepper. I typically want a smaller bait. That way, once you drag it across their bed, they can easily just pick it up and hold on to it longer. This a great way to catch those big ole Coosa River Spotted Bass later on in the month once the fish really start to lock down on bed.
Neely Henry
These two months are when Neely Henry can really shine and produce some big fish. Just like Logan Martin, these fish are on the move once the days start getting longer and warmer.
Neely Henry bass love to live shallow this time of year. My approach is a little different though on this lake. I typically like to target mid-lake areas this time of year.
My favorite places to find these fish are creeks mouths and small river pockets. Neely has a lot of bank grass and wood to offer in these short pockets. These pockets also have a lot of shallow docks that fish like to stage on before the spawn.
My three favorite baits to use are a frog, swim jig and stick bait. Typically, in early March, I will fish with the swim jig a lot more than the other two baits because the water temperature is usually still on the cooler side.
Another great way to find fish on Neely Henry this early in the spawn is on rip rap banks. These banks hold heat and tend to hold fish any time of day. A squarebill crankbait is usually what I will start with on the rip rap banks.
I normally have to play with a number of colors to find the right one! If the bass do not seem to want the crankbait, I’ll slowly fish down the rip rap with a jig, especially if it’s a very slick, calm day.
Just like Logan Martin you can also catch fish around shallow docks. Typically, the docks in five foot or less tend to be the best. If the fish seem to be active, I’ll start out with a bladed jig. The bladed jig allows me to make more cast in and in turn, I am able to present the bait to more fish.
Just like the rip rap talked about earlier, sometimes on slick calm days, the jig will outperform any bait on the docks. Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I’ll pick up the frog. The frog and swim jig combo is something I can stick with all day.
Once we get into the month of April, that’s when I will start adding in the stick bait. And just like on Logan Martin, you can’t forget about the trusted Senko type bait.
I generally Texas rig the Senko on light 5/16 oz. weight. I really reach for this bait when I feel like the fish are in full blown spawning mood. I’ll pitch this bait around stumps and docks or wherever I feel like a fish might be spawning.
You might not be able to physically see the fish since Neely is generally pretty dirty water. Just fish slow inside pockets and really pick everything apart. This is the best way to get bit while the fish are really locked on beds.
The bass are in big time transition during these two months, however, these months can offer up some of the most rewarding fish catches for the entire year
