More of this Feature • Part 1: Busting Bottom On The Flint • Part 2: Catching Shoal Bass In Albany

Join the Discussion "I see you made that trip on the Flint R. and did pretty well." Jack

Related Resources • Shoal Bass Pictures • Shoal Bass Made My Day

Past Articles One Year Ago -   5/22/00 - A New Sight Fishing Technique For Bass Two Years Ago -  05/24/99 - Why Fish For Bass Three Years Ago - 05/25/98 - Backyard Camping Four Years Ago -05/26/97 - Watching and Learning

Last Tuesday I went to Albany to meet Ed Lane to float a section of the Flint down there. He was showing me how to catch shoal bass in that area for a Georgia Outdoor News article that will be in the June issue.

We put in at a DNR maintained ramp right in the city and floated about 9 miles, fishing for six hours. We caught about 18 bass including three over three pounds in that time. These hard fighting fish hit worms, crankbaits and topwater plugs.

We started fishing rocks on the bank just below the ramp and soon found shoals going all the way across the river. Although there are 30-foot deep holes in that area of the river, much of it is just a few feet deep and rocks and logs make it very dangerous.

Ed had a boat with a powerful trolling motor and we would drift downstream casting to rocks and logs in the water. As we passed a promising spot he would turn us with the trolling motor and we would make several casts to a promising looking spot.

I started with a Shadrap, the bait I caught the two big ones on in the Top Six, and soon landed a 13-inch bass. I caught six to Ed's one between 1:00 PM and 5:00 pm while he threw topwater plugs and worms. He ended up with two on worms, but at about 5:00 PM they started hitting his Pop-R and he landed six before I caught another one. We both ended the day with about 9 bass.

Ed caught the biggest, one about 3.5 pound that hit the Pop-R. I had one weighing about 3 pounds on the Shadrap. All in all it was a great trip and a lot of fun catching the bass.

I plan to return soon. Although it is a 2.5-hour drive, it is worth it for the ease of fishing the river and the bigger bass. Ed says he regularly catches 4 pounders and lands several weighing over 5 pounds every year. I also want to try for the big flatheads that live in the river - fish all day for bass and all night for cats!

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