If we have very little rain during July, the best place to fish is near the surface in water less than 8 feet deep. Conversely, during periods of high water and fast current, fish deep in the main-river channel.

Look for big fish below the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam (on the upper end of lake) and just above the Heflin Lock and Dam (on the lower end of the impoundment).

Crawfish, minnows and worms make the best baits during hot weather months.

For current fishing information, visit Hubert Ferguson at the H&B One Stop in Pickensville, or call him at (205) 373-6696.

Also, topwater bass fishing is exciting on the Warrior River in the early morning.

During summer, you find flatheads holding in deep water along outside bends of the river. The best bends lie at the end of long runs and below a riffle. The riffles oxygenate the water, while the long run produces plenty of food that washes into the hole.

Successful anglers fish live sunfish - the bigger the better - on a slip-sinker rig with a 5/0 hook and a 1- or 2-ounce egg sinker.

Call Carolyn Jones at Stokes Sporting Goods in Andalusia at (334) 222-1225 for current fishing conditions.

On Millers Ferry Lake, crappie fishing is good on the main-river channel.

September is the time to tangle with some largemouths on Lake Eufaula. Photo by Stephen E. Davis

If you want to catch large numbers of bass - as many as 100 a day - look for large schools of shad in the back of Soapstone, Bustahatchee and Little Barbour creeks. Hold your rods tight as the splash and gurgle of buzzbaits, chuggers and stickbaits draw repeated strikes from aggressive largemouths.

For big bass, however, you must methodically fish the main-river channel below the U.S. Highway 82 Bridge. Focus on ledges in 6 to 15 feet of water, looking for a change in depth or direction. Drag Carolina-rigged worms off these ledges to catch a limit of 6-pound lunkers.

On Guntersville, September is a great time to fish weedbeds for largemouth bass.

Drift-fishing live shad in the dam's swift current catches more big fish than any other method. Maneuver your boat within a safe distance from the dam, then cut your motor and fish. For even faster action, cast toward the schools of shad holding along the concrete walls.

For information on fishing conditions or help with locating camping, lodging and guides, call the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau at (800) 344-0783 or visit their Web site, which is located at www.colbertcountytourism.org.

This is also a prime month for red snapper fishing in our coastal waters.

The best fishing exists on the upper end of the lake. According to biologists, this area is definitely more fertile and has better crappie recruitment than the lower lake. Of the large numbers of fish that anglers catch, 30 to 40 percent may fall below the 9-inch limit. However, the remaining crappie more than fill a daily limit of keepers, plus there's an occasional 2- or 3-pounder for lucky anglers.

For current fishing information, visit Mike's Bait & Tackle on U.S. 280 or call them at (256) 329-9107. Information is also available online at www.lakemartin.com.

It's also a great time for catching smallmouths on Pickwick Lake.

Depending on weather and water temperatures, December usually allows spots to continue their heavy feeding on shad throughout the month. Look for big spots to hold on gravel bars and humps in 6 to 15 feet of water or on any structure that offers a break in the current.

The best fishing for spotted bass is from Swift Creek downstream to the dam. For current fishing information, call Big Bass Bait & Tackle at (334) 365-0600.

If you want to use heavy tackle this month, try winter fishing for giant blue catfish below the Wilson Dam.