The professional angler are here from all over the country. Lake Seminole has become the focal point of the fishing community.

We will see more and more bass boats on the water as the month of October approaches. Safety is going to be a major concern as up to 200 boats per day leave the Earle May Boat Basin in Bainbridge at break-neck speeds, chasing a dream that is competitive angling.

But, now is not the time to stay off the water. These guys are great anglers and can be extremely helpful.

They bring knowledge of fishing that has been honed over years of competition, on bodies of water from Okeechobee in Florida to Clear Lake in California.

Don’t be surprised if you see a couple of mentions in this article about what some of the pros told me.

Bass: The largemouth have slowed considerably. With no end in sight to the hot temperatures, look for this trend to continue until we get some much-needed sky water. Topwater baits such as a buzzbait or popper have been producing some good early morning strikes, while flipping the vertical grass edges has produced some numbers of smaller fish. Shoal bass are still coming from up the Flint River using straight tail plastic worms and crankbaits. Look for areas of turbulent water near rock shoals.

Bream: The are still some shellcracker beds out there. I find it completely amazing. Look for areas on main lake sand flats with peppergrass beds. Wigglers are still producing several limits a day. The bluegill are still concentrated in the grass flats of Spring Creek and the Flint River. Subtle “No-Weight” techniques can land a slab.

Catfish: The cats are still up shallow, 4 to 10 feet. The catches have slowed since they spread out, but they are still there for the taking. Moving around is the key to success. Noodling tops the list as the best way to catch a couple good ones, but bobber fishing is still a great option. Numbers are being taken on cut bait, but for that one big bite try a live shiner or shad.

Crappie: Not much better than last week. If you get in the right spot you can catch good numbers, but for the most part it is slow. A few fish are still being caught around the standing timber in the Flint River and Spring Creek using live minnows. The fish are suspended off the bottom and don’t seem to be relating to any specific depth so good electronics are important.