Fifty years after Ray Scott held the first official B.A.S.S. event on Lake Seminole, the Bassmaster Elite Series returned on the same dates in February 2023 to revalidate why the legendary fishery is still thriving. The winning weight after four days was 85 pounds, 2 ounces, laying testimony that “Ol Sem” is alive and kicking. In fact, Georgia fisheries officials claim it’s the best bass lake in the state.
What makes Seminole so good is the diversity of aquatic plants, vegetation and a nutrient rich water supply fed by the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers, and Spring Creek. As a bonus, Seminole also supports what could be the best shoal bass fishing in the nation.
Water clarity varies with all three tributaries, with the Chattahoochee running the dingiest, with the Flint running clearer and Spring Creek being the clearest on the scale.
With Seminole divided into those three areas, the Chattahoochee more resembles more riverine than the two other arms. The Flint opens up like a typical lowland impoundment, with creek channels, bays and backwater areas, making it the most popular arm on the lake.
Largemouth relate to standing timber and shallow flats on the river and creek channels, with sandbars and backwater areas favorable throughout the spawning cycle. Above all else, and for obvious reasons, the largemouth relate to vegetation no matter where it thrives on the lake. Match it up with wood, docks, and feeding and spawning flats and you will find success.
Lay of the lake: Three tributaries form the lake. The Chattahoochee forms the western arm, Spring Creek in the middle with the east arm formed by the Flint River. Seminole contains 37,000 acres, with a shoreline covering 376 miles.
Trivia: Of the Flint Rivers 344-mile run, the section above Seminole is a hotbed for shoal bass, with fish caught in the four- to six-pound range. It’s not uncommon for winning tournament catches to be buoyed by hefty shoal bass, especially in fall.
Where to stay: At Ease Marina and Campground is on the former location of legendary Wingate’s Lunker Lodge, where Ray Scott held his early B.A.S.S. tournaments dating back to 1968. The owners are preserving the look and feel of the original property, including early B.A.S.S. memorabilia. At Ease has waterfront cabins and motel units, RV and tent sites.
Fifty years after Ray Scott held the first official B.A.S.S. event on Lake Seminole, the Bassmaster Elite Series returned on the same dates in February 2023 to revalidate why the legendary fishery is still thriving. The winning weight after four days was 85 pounds, 2 ounces, laying testimony that “Ol Sem” is alive and kicking. In fact, Georgia fisheries officials claim it’s the best bass lake in the state.
What makes Seminole so good is the diversity of aquatic plants, vegetation and a nutrient rich water supply fed by the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers, and Spring Creek. As a bonus, Seminole also supports what could be the best shoal bass fishing in the nation.
Water clarity varies with all three tributaries, with the Chattahoochee running the dingiest, with the Flint running clearer and Spring Creek being the clearest on the scale.
With Seminole divided into those three areas, the Chattahoochee more resembles more riverine than the two other arms. The Flint opens up like a typical lowland impoundment, with creek channels, bays and backwater areas, making it the most popular arm on the lake.
Largemouth relate to standing timber and shallow flats on the river and creek channels, with sandbars and backwater areas favorable throughout the spawning cycle. Above all else, and for obvious reasons, the largemouth relate to vegetation no matter where it thrives on the lake. Match it up with wood, docks, and feeding and spawning flats and you will find success.
Lay of the lake: Three tributaries form the lake. The Chattahoochee forms the western arm, Spring Creek in the middle with the east arm formed by the Flint River. Seminole contains 37,000 acres, with a shoreline covering 376 miles.
Trivia: Of the Flint Rivers 344-mile run, the section above Seminole is a hotbed for shoal bass, with fish caught in the four- to six-pound range. It’s not uncommon for winning tournament catches to be buoyed by hefty shoal bass, especially in fall.
Where to stay: At Ease Marina and Campground is on the former location of legendary Wingate’s Lunker Lodge, where Ray Scott held his early B.A.S.S. tournaments dating back to 1968. The owners are preserving the look and feel of the original property, including early B.A.S.S. memorabilia. At Ease has waterfront cabins and motel units, RV and tent sites.
