Bass population still thriving

While the deaths of more than 1,700 striped bass and hybrids because of dissolved oxygen issues a few weeks ago on Thurmond Lake hit the population hard, it by no means spelled the end of fishing for that species.

Check out Capt. William Sasser's report. You'll see where a client landed stripers of 25 and 36 pounds. They were fishing below Russell Dam.

Good news from the lower end of the lake is that hybrids weighing 3-5 pounds are schooling in the big water off Scott's Ferry in front of the dam all the way to Lake Springs. Charter skippers also report finding bait fish 24-30 feet down and that their own bait fish - live blueback herring - is living at those depths. The schooling action is taking place during the early morning and afternoon hours.

Another indicator that all is well with the lake's fisheries comes from the Walmart FLW Series tournament now in progress. Sixty-four five-fish limits of largemouths were weighed in on Wednesday, the tournament's first day. Check out today's tournament report to see the leaders.

l Sept. 26 is Outdoor Adventure Day at McDuffie Public Fishing Area near Dearing. It's a part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources participation in National Hunting and Fishing Day. Georgia residents can visit state historic sites and parks and go fishing on state-owned public waters for free. State parks will waive the $5 fee, historic sites will open gates and doors at no costs, and Georgia residents will be able to fish without a fishing license or trout license just on that day.

THURMOND LAKE

Raysville Marina (Leon Buffington and Doug Pentecost), (706) 595-5582 - Bill Inglett and Jack Owens, of Grovetown, caught 41 nice crappies on minnows and jigs in the Raysville area. Mac Walker and Junior Crowe caught 54 nice crappies on minnows and jigs.

Capt. David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids and stripers and trophy largemouth bass. Boat phone: (706) 214-0236. (803) 637-6379 (www.crockettrocketstriperfishing.com) - Water temperature is in the high 70s and the lake is clear. When the fish are breaking on the surface, we're doing well. Some mornings they refuse the bust and that makes fishing tough. We might mark one fish and 100 yards away another because they've scattered. When they school up, we've caught some good fish. Scott Hall and his father-in-law, Doctor Don Smith, fished with me last Tuesday. Dr. Don is in his 80s and still practicing medicine. His secret is to stay active. We had a tough morning because of strong easterly winds and the fish didn't break. So we drifted and caught a few fish and about the time we had to go in, the wind died and we spotted some breaking fish. I am starting to see signs of deeper bait in the 24-30-foot range, which means the oxygen levels are starting to improve.

Check out my Web site for some recent catches.

Capt. William Sasser, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in crappies, hybrids and striped bass. (706) 589-5468 - Chris Baldwin is from Texas where things reportedly grow larger than life. The "big" syndrome must have followed him to the lake because, in a trip with me, the first fish he put into the boat was a 25-pound striper and the next was a 36-pounder. James and Christine Pruitt, of Harlem, Chris Williams, of Augusta, and Steve Roberts, of Grovetown, fished for crappies. Just a few fish were caught. They also caught a few stripers right before dark, Christine catching the largest. Robbie Waters, of Martinez, brought along business associate Jim Emery, of Talco, Texas. The fish were stubborn, but both caught their limits. Check out my Web site at www.williamsasser

fishing.com.

Capt. Tommy Dudley, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in stripers and hybrids. (706) 833-4807 - Biggest change I've seen is that live bait is living 30 feet down. We've caught some nice hybrids and stripers 5-10 pounds. The fish in the 16-to-24-foot range are smaller. Charlie Schel, from Savannah Lakes Village, and his nephew, Glenn Benecki, visiting from New Jersey, went on catch and release after keeping eight. They had to keep 19 deep-hooked fish up to 10 pounds and they caught 40 in all. David Gibbs, his son, Hamp, and his father-in-law, Arvin Guffy, from Jackson, S.C., had a great day on their first trip, catching 16 hybrids and stripers. Larry Russo, of Savannah Lakes, and son, J.R., visiting from New York. We couldn't get any surface fish going, but caught 13 stripers on down lines. My VHF radio handle is Boat Racer and I can be reached on Channel 68. My Web site is www.fishlakethurmond.com.

Albert Moody, Clark Hill Herring Hut, Clarks Hill, S.C. (864) 333-2000 - Gary Burdick, of Clarks Hill, caught schooling hybrids up to 5 pounds on Wednesday afternoon. The fish were schooling from just above the dam opposite Scotts Ferry to Lake Springs near the Augusta Sailing Club. Burdick also caught them on Tuesday morning near the moored sailboats.

SAVANNAH RIVER

New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam

Lock and Dam Bait and Tackle (Bob Baurle, Billy Hambrick), (706) 496-1173 - Mike Estilette caught a 32-pound catfish on herring down river and three big stripers as well. Mike Freeman caught a 2-pound catfish on cut bait and a big snapping turtle. Mike Grover and Jamie Bass caught 35 bream on crickets and several bass down river.

MERRY LAND

BRICKYARD PONDS

Harrison Sears (706) 722-8263 (www.brickyardponds.com) - The bream and catfish bite are still strong and, as the water cools, the crappie bite ought to get better. You do not need a fishing license to fish in our ponds.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Beaufort, S.C. & vicinity

Ralph Goodison, Fripp Island, (843) 838-2530 - The cast net season for shrimp is in full swing. Inshore fishing for sheepshead, whiting, flounder and trout is excellent. Offshore, not many boats have been out, but those who have made it report good fishing for king mackerel and just fair for wahoo.

SAVANNAH

Miss Judy Charters, Capt. Judy Helmey, (912) 897-4921 (www.miss

judycharters.com.) P.O. Box 30771, Savannah, GA, 31410-0771 - Inshore fishing for black drum and spotted sea trout is red hot and will stay that way for a while. Live shrimp fished below popping corks is the way to go. The inshore sheepshead season is wide open, with the best bait to be found in the areas in which the fish are to be found. The baits include barnacles, shrimp, purple-backed fiddler crabs and mussels. Don't forget your cast net because shrimp are in the tidal creeks. The Savannah Snapper Banks have been producing some nice grouper.