Kevin Dallmier

JULY
Largemouth Bass
Lake Russell
Russell bass are on their summertime pattern, which means spending the day in the cooler depths with a sharp eye peeled for bait passing overhead. Early and late in the day, anglers can enjoy topwater action with largemouths and spotted bass.

As the sun begins to burn down, look for bass to be holding on deep brush piles or standing timber near feeding stations like points and humps. Soft plastics, deep-diving crankbaits, and jigging spoons are all effective.

Largemouths remain dominant in the Beaverdam Creek arm, but spotted bass are the more likely catch in Savannah River arm of the lake. Russell is known more as a numbers lake, so expect most fish to range from 1 to 3 pounds.

Other Options: Blue catfish are abundant in the Coosa River and fishing a piece of cut bait in a deep hole is guaranteed to produce action. Try to find an area with rocky bottom.

Floating the Coosawattee River for redeye bass is a pleasant way to spend a hot summer day. Along the way, stop to wade the best shoals. Light spinning tackle and small plugs is the way to go.

AUGUST
Rainbow Trout
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River below Lake Lanier is one of the premier tailwater trout fisheries in the Southeast. The river is heavily stocked and its abundant shoals offer good feeding stations for the river’s rainbow and brown trout. The various units of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area offer good public access to the river.

The best fishing is when the water is low and clear. The river comes up fast when the turbines come on, and the water is cold, so safety is paramount. The best way to fish is to float the river, stopping to wade the best shoals in search of hungry trout. Small spinners and tiny Rapala Minnows are good choices, and spoons can also be productive. Contact the National Park Service office at (770) 399-8070 for more information.

Other Options: Find the bait to find the fish for Hartwell’s hybrid striped bass. Two- to 5-pound fish are common, and 10-pounders aren’t out of the question. The deep water near the dam is always a good place to try.

McDuffie PFA has plenty of channel catfish that should be willing to bite this month. Try night crawlers or stink bait fished on bottom.

SEPTEMBER
Largemouth Bass
Lake Walter F. George
Barring an early fall, largemouth bass at Lake Walter F. George should still be on the summertime ledge pattern. Find channel drop offs and fish them with deep-diving crankbaits, Carolina-rigged soft plastics or big slow-rolled spinnerbaits.

Finding a good ledge can take some detective work with maps and a depthfinder, but once you dial in a honeyhole, it should be a consistent producer. Anglers should expect good numbers of fish from 14 to 18 inches, with bigger fish possible, but not nearly as abundant. When the turbines come on at the powerhouse, so does the bite. Power generation schedules and lake levels can be obtained by calling the Corps of Engineers at (229) 768-2424.

Other Options: Clarks Hill Lake provides good fishing for large flathead catfish. Fish live bait on bottom near channels and other offshore structure to catch one of these bruisers.

Floating the Flint River for shoal bass is a pleasant way to spend a hot afternoon. Concentrate on the shoals with a fly rod or light spinning tackle.