Fisherman's Super Fluke flux nets fine fish

It's odd that big catches of fish can be made by doing little things.

Such was the case last weekend for Albert Moody of Augusta and his fiance, Pat, who were casting Zoom Super Flukes for schooling hybrid bass on Strom Thurmond Lake below Raysville Marina.

Pat was casting her lure threaded onto a painted jig head, while Moody's Super Fluke was affixed to a lead-colored jig head. Cast after cast netted nothing, except complaints of "I'm not living right!" when Moody was advised to change to another painted head.

His first two casts with the new head netted a strike and a 6-pound hybrid.

The Raysville area, including Germany Creek, Hart Creek and Little River, ought to heat up, fish-wise, after colder weather visits the area early next week. Surface temperatures have been in the low 60s and high 50s, warm for this time of year. If they drop into the low to mid-50s, baitfish will move toward the surface, making them easy prey for stripers and hybrids and easy to spot by flocks of cruising gulls - which makes it easier for fishermen.

While that area isn't the only section of the lake to hold fish, historically it's produced some better winter catches.

 •  There's a new lure on the market that's starting to become popular with anglers seeking largemouth bass as well as hybrids and stripers. It's the SuperBass Jig & Spin, featuring a half-ounce or quarter-ounce lead-head jig with a red hook. A flexible wire juts from the bottom of the jig and a silver willow leaf-shaped blade dangles from a swivel.

Thread a white Fat Albert ribbon-tailed jig, or a Zoom Super Fluke onto the hook. A drop of Super Glue will hold the soft plastic baits in place. Cast the rig into ditch lines and let it sink to the bottom. Raise the rod tip sharply to yank the lure off the bottom, then let it free-fall to the bottom. The twirling spinner attracts fish in the vicinity.

I cast my grub-laden, half-ounce Jig & Spin into water just vacated by schooling fish and diving birds. Letting it sink 15 to 20 feet down and caught a 4-pound hybrid.

Steve Bayazes, who introduced the lure to this area, says he'll soon have it in heavier weights.

Another "new" bait is the Wild-Eye, a soft plastic, fish-shaped bait with built-in sinker. Anglers have been having great success using the natural shad-colored lures.

STROM THURMOND LAKE

Raysville Marina, near Thomson, Ga. (Doug Pentecost, Leon Buffington) (706) 595-5582 - Hybrids and striped bass are beginning to be more active in both Hart Creek and Little River above the Raysville bridge. Live bait fishermen are slow-trolling live herring beneath planer boards, or are free-lining the baitfish, since the game fish occupy many levels of the water column. Look for flocks of diving gulls seeking bait fish chased up by the striped ones. If the birds leave the area, stick around and keep your eyes on the depthfinder since the fish will still be in the vicinity. Artificial baits that will catch the fish include the SuperBass Jig & Spin loaded with either a Zoom Super Fluke or white Fat Albert grub, the Super Fluke on a three-eighths-ounce lead-head jig, Berry's Flex-It Spoons, Wild-Eye lures in natural shad color and Gotcha Shads. Trolling with white or chartreuse Roadrunners or Rebel 2000 deep-diving plugs also will bring fish to the nets.

Capt. David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids and stripers and trophy largemouth bass. P.O. Box 131, Clarks Hill, SC 29821 (803) 637-6379 (crockettrocketstriper fishing.com) - Fishing has been a challenge with the unusually warm weather. I'm catching fish from the surface to 60 feet down. On the days the stripers move into the shallows, we've done well on planer boards and free-lining. When the fish stay deep for whatever reason, fishing has been slower. I found birds diving and fish breaking on Tuesday, but the fish turned out to be schooling largemouth bass in the 2-to-3-pound class. We had fun catching them, but were disappointed because we thought they were stripers.

Ralph Barbee, professional guide, (706) 860-7373, 957 Windmill Lane, Evans, GA. 30809 - Mike Tyler, Jim Murphy and I fished out of Mike's Sea Boss center console on Wednesday. Mike and Jim each caught a hybrid. Mike trolled a Rebel 2000 black-and-silver diving plug. Murphy caught his on the SuperBass Jig and Spin. Live herring are producing some good catches.

Billy Murphy, professional guide, (706) 733-0124 (doubletroublefishing guides.com) with twins Brad and Jim - Larry Freeman of Evans and I trolled Hal-Flies over trees in 15 to 18 feet of water for crappies on Saturday. We caught a 2-pounder and 1-pounder, but everything else was small. We also caught some on shiners. Water temperature ranges from 60 to 64 depending on where you are fishing. The red-white-red Hal-Flies produced most of the fish.

SAVANNAH RIVER

New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam

Lock and Dam Bait and Tackle (Bob Baurle), (706) 793-8053. - Fishing has been good both up and down the river, the catches ranging from jack (chain pickerel) and catfish to bream off the dam. Bass and crappies are being caught in the eddys and behind the pilings.

BRICKYARD PONDS

Harrison Sears (706) 722-8263 (www.brickyardponds.com) - Johnny Lewis caught 41 crappies off an island in the Ditch. Jay Williams caught a nice bass on a Rat-L-Trap in the Shack Pond and released it after taking its digital picture. Ed Ables and Bill Gibson fished the Membership Pond on Wednesday night and caught 15 crappies. Lindsey Fielding and Gibson fished in the Membership Pond. Lindsey caught a 10-pound mudfish and Gibson caught a smaller one on a minnow. Lindsey also caught a couple of small bass on a plastic worm. Fielding and David Scott have been catching crappies in the Shack Pond.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Beaufort, S.C. & vicinity

Ralph Goodison, Fripp Island, (843) 838-2530, and Doug Gertis, professional guide, (843) 524-5250 - Bluefin tuna have been spotted about 10 miles offshore, but "top" fish like wahoo and dolphin are slow. Lots of black sea bass, grouper, snapper, vermilion and blues are being caught around the reefs. Redfish are still active, while flounder, whiting and sheepshead fishing have been good.

SAVANNAH AREA

Miss Judy Charters, Capt. Judy Helmey, (912) 897-4921 (www.missjudycharters.com.) P.O. Box 30771, Savannah, Ga. 31410-0771 - We will hold an inshore class on Jan. 22. Our offshore class will be held Feb. 26.

Winter flounder are biting and so are redfish. Gold spoons, Gotcha Shad or medium-sized Spooks are among best lures for redfish. While plastic grubs will catch spotted sea trout, live shrimp suspended beneath a float are still the baits of choice. When the shrimp depart, try mud minnows and finger mullet.