Name:	hounddog -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	8/31/2015 5:43:24 PM

The fish were still on the shallow flats in the morning yesterday and today . they don't get going until around 8 and then tear it up until about 10 .Average size was bigger today . I got several with a big white popping bug on the long rod . The puppy is still the main killer though .the chrome is starting to wear off of it I have caught so many with it . I could get more with my fly rod if I could get the distance I get with that puppy on my 7&1/2 foot St. Croix spinning rod . It has been many years since I intentionally killed either a largemouth or a smallmouth but it surely doesn't hurt my feelings to fillet a limit of spots . I have a couple of dachsunds that point the rising schools for me .You can't beat a good fish hound for a fishing companion . I have a 12 week old pup for sale if anyone is interested .

Name:	LSUboy -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 9:31:48 AM

What is the puppy that you fish with? Bait I mean. Glad you are taring them up.

Name:	hounddog -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 10:19:53 AM

the smallest size of the Heddon Zara spook is called the puppy . It is a "walk the dog " top water plug . 

' toppwater lure

Name:	alahusker -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 3:58:16 PM

Thats one venue. Fished with a friend saturday morning early..  Spots were schooling at Alamisco..  Caught 8 in a couple of hours,  crank  and swim baits..  one spot pushed 3 #..  Fun morning..  Ate well Saturday night.. 

Name:	alahusker -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 4:08:47 PM

Smallmouth??  Lived here for 20 years and never seen a smallmouth outta this lake??  Missing some thing??  ( Have "no sierra" caught yellow perch, however.) l

Name:	hounddog -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 4:25:28 PM

You are right . No smallmouth here . I have fished a lot of places besides here , though . I simply said that I do not kill largemouth or smallmouth but am not opposed to harvesting some spots . That has to do with indigenous species being displaced by more prolific non-indigenous species . I have being fishing Lake Martin for close to 40 years and there was a time when largemouth where al ot more prevalent than now . Do I think that my practices will change anything  ?I do not . It is just the way I roll  . Just like what lures I choose to use . Do I think they are the only lures that will work ?I do not . It was just sharing my experiences and offering information on what I was using that works for me . I was hoping that some other fishers would give a little insight on what is happening in other parts of the lake . Not looking for any peeing contests though .

Name:	hounddog -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 9:23:56 PM

Got  5 at dusk on one of my favorite points with a plastic worm . One of them was an 18 inch largemouth . 

Name:	Aardvark -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/1/2015 11:03:47 PM

Spots are natives.  In fact, the Alabama Spots in Lake Martin and the Mobile River basin are a different species from the spots found elsewhere.  They like deep, rocky water, which is why they do so well in the Lake. 

Name:	hounddog -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/2/2015 6:50:23 AM

O.K. 

There was a time when largemouth were a lot more abundant than spots here in Lake Martim.  Lake Blue ridge in north Ga.

 had no spotted bass until the late 90's . 9 out of 10 bass caught would be smallmouths and the other one would be largemouth The spotted bass are abundant there now and the smallmouth popualtion is declining because of it.The same thimg happened in Lake Chatuge in the eighties and it is happening in Hiwassee Lake now . The spots displace the largemouth and smallmouth populations. Maybe it is a natural evoltionary process ocurring throughout the reservoir system . 

I know about the designation of the alabama bass as a seperate species from the Kentucky spot . The state of Tn is currently attempting to keep the Alabama strain that has taken over Ocoee Lake from spreading on in to the Tn river impoundments including Chikamauga Lake and others .

The smallmouth fisheries of north Ga. and south western NC are changing to spotted bass fisheries . That is where myself and  others adopted the practice of releasing smallmouth and largemouth and harvesting only spots . It is probably a futile effort but I do it anyway .

Name:	Sunsetologist -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/2/2015 6:34:32 PM

Thanks Hounddog for sharing your fishing report.  I greatly appreciate fellow fisherman sharing their fishing reports.  This information will be helpful when I hit the water in the next couple of days.  Again, thank you for sharing!  I hope and wish others will do likewise in this area of the forum.

Name:	Aardvark -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/3/2015 7:42:23 AM

One factor that I believe contributes to the decline in largemouth is the absence of good habitat for them.  Most of the shallow cover in the backs of creeks where I used to catch largemouths is gone now. 

Name:	George -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/3/2015 10:01:05 AM

I agree, and I've never understood how bass have successful spawns when the water level is changing daily during peak spawn season.

Name:	Aardvark -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/3/2015 10:48:12 PM

Spots prefer to spawn in deeper water than largemouths, so that is probably another reason why they do better.  Sudden lake level fluctuations won't bother the spots spawning in 10' of water, but the largemouths in 2' might have a bust spawning year if that happens.

Name:	alahusker -	Reply
Subject:	fishing
Date:	9/10/2015 8:15:43 PM

Sorry, enjoyed your post.  Did not mean to offend..  Warm regards.  tb