Seasonal Patterns - Late June in Georgia
Dateline: 06/23/97
This has been an unusual year weather-wise in my part of the world. Mid-Georgia has been much cooler than normal with lots of rain. Although it has been hot for a couple of days now, before this next to last weekend in June the bass have been in a mid-May pattern. That pattern will change fast as the hot weather warms the water rapidly. Although it is unusual for the deep south in June, if you live farther north, your lakes may be in this same pattern right now.
At West Point Lake on the Georgia/Alabama state line in the middle of those two states, water temperatures last week were in the low 70's. Some bass were still in the early post spawn stage, hitting spinnerbaits and topwater lures in very shallow water. Others had moved on to early summer patterns, holding on blowdowns on the river channel and on top of humps and points on big water.
One of the best patterns during this time is to fish a jig and pig in the blowdowns on deep water. Those near the mouths of spawning creeks and coves are the first spots the bass move to. The big females are sluggish and don't like to chase food far. A slow moving jig and pig is just the ticket to a hog. If you head up the major feeder river and run until it narrows down to the old river channel, the fish have fewer places to hide. Find a smaller creek entering the river and look for trees and other wood cover in the water near it. Fish every piece of wood carefully, covering all sides of it before moving on. The biggest bass of your life might not hit the first six casts but may bite on the seventh. Don't leave before giving her that chance.
Rig with heavy line - 20 pound test if the water is a little stained, 12 to 16 test if the water is clear. I like a black jig with a little chartreuse in it, followed by a black pork frog. Some people swear by brown jigs and pork, others like to mix the two up. They will all work. Try several combinations and decide which is your favorite.
Remember to fish the current. Pitch or flip your bait upstream and work it with any current, just like natural food would move. The bass are facing into the current, watching for food. If you make it look natural they are more likely to eat it.
Fish deeper wood as the water gets hotter. This pattern can be productive all summer. Moving water helps make the bass feed. Head up river to catch more and bigger summertime bass.
