By Zeke Gossett
On Logan Martin
The months of May and June can be some of the most fun on catching numbers of fish on Logan Martin Lake.
The fish are typically coming off bed and are starting their transition to offshore places, such as deep points, brush piles and roadbeds.
Fish tend to school together on these places and can get in bunches of as many as 50 or 60.
My first choice when the fish pull out to deeper water will be a deep-diving crankbait or swimbait. Around the brush piles, I tend to use some type of soft plastic bait such as a Texas rigged worm or a football jig.
Also, in early May, you can catch the tail end of the shad spawn, which is when water temperatures rise into the upper 60s to low 70s and during the full moon in April and May.
The shad spawn is usually best first thing in the morning around seawalls or grass. You will see the shad flicking on top and rolling on the structure they’re around.
My first two baits I will pick up are either a white buzz bait or white spinnerbait with double willow leaf blades. This bite ends very quickly once the sun comes up but can be some of the most fun if the fish are feeding at that time.
On Neely Henry
Neely Henry Lake has a lot shallower water vegetation compared to Logan Martin. In the months of May and June, I tend to fish a lot shallower on this lake. Fish will most likely be off bed by this time and looking for an easy meal.
The shad spawn has a big impact on this lake as well. The shad tend to spawn on the grass in this lake more.
The two baits I use for the shad spawn on Neely Henry will be a white swim jig or white frog. This bite happens quick but can be super productive for a good morning bite.
Once that bite has gone away, I tend to target these same areas where the shad spawn was that morning. I will slow my presentation way down and go more finesse.
If the conditions are slick calm with no wind, I will target docks near to these areas. My first bait of choice will be a wacky rigged stick bait in a green pumpkin color.
If the wind is still blowing or it is cloudy, I will stay with the white swim jig. Once we get later on into June, the better fish still tend to be shallow. I will flip grass with either a jig or a Texas rigged creature bait.
There are some places fish tend to group up offshore, but this bite has a small window. I would target brush piles in front of piers with a shaky head in order to catch the deeper fish.
Editor’s Note:
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.
