Fishing Tip of the Week Lake Guntersville 6/18/2006

The heat has definitely affected the fishing, and will continue to do so for the rest of the summer. It appears to me that because it has gotten so hot this early that we are headed into some tough summer time days on the water. The toughest of us will find fish, the bites will be slow, so don’t miss the few you will get.
I believe that the key this week will be deeper water, the fish are starting to hang in the thermo-cline for oxygen and in order to find them feeding there will be only a few of the “Mid-Summer” patterns that will be successful. You might get some of the early morning top-water bite, but it also will be slow. Its time to start working the flipping bite, looking for the ends of the grass lines, where the grass comes to a point, or just where the grass scatters out along the edges. My personal preferences here will be to use a 1 oz. Jig or tube with a 1 oz. Worm weight and get in that grassy edge and flip the holes and grass clumps. This however is a tough boring summer time pattern, but if you get a bite work that area within 25 yards of the bite real well, as the bass generally bunch up. The fun here is the fight in the grass is worth all the boring pitching of that jig. Work this pattern in 4 to 5 feet of water early and move out to 7 to 9 feet, as the sun gets high in the sky. Don’t forget when you get that bite you must rip that bait when you set the hook, this is a hard hook set in heavy grass.
Its also time in the heat of the day to rig up your Carolina rig, with a long monster worm and throw that up to the humps and drag it from 6 feet to 20 feet of water. When fishing this pattern there a few keys to making it successful, you must determine the length of the leader, if you make it to short your worm will not present itself correctly if the grass is to thick. If you make it to long, it may sit on top of the grass instead of working into the low-lying grass on the bottom. Get an idea of the grass length in the strike zone and adjust your leader length so the worm works itself in the grass to the bottom. Position that boat out to 25 feet of water make long casts, and move that bait in a dragging motion slowly toward you.
It will be a tough week on the water be determined, stay focused so you don’t miss the bites you get.
Let me teach you these summer time patterns, I have open dates most of the up coming week; please call for available fishing dates. I am now taking reservations for teaching techniques of bass fishing. Please inquire for details.



Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
256 759 2270
Mike