The upstream powerhouse at Millers Ferry Dam controls routine water flows through Claiborne. As a result, bass are programmed to feed in the current, and anglers take advantage of this behavior.

"I always call for the generation schedule at Camden and use it to plan my fishing day," says Clay Morris of Jackson.

Morris is President of the Monroe County Bass Anglers and a two-time angler-of-the-year. He also owns CHAMP Lures.

"Usually," he continued, "the turbines start between mid-morning and mid-afternoon in June. This gives you plenty of time to fish topwater lures in the shallow backwater, then switch to flipping treetops in the creeks while waiting for the current to arrive. Once the turbines start, it takes 60 to 90 minutes for the current to reach the lower part of the river. If you are not catching fish in the creeks, move to the river to fish treetops and structure."

Whether or not Morris is fishing a tournament, he is always eager to start his angling day in Claiborne's backwater areas, which are limited and lie on the lower stretch of the lake in Monroe County. He observed that the alligator grass growing in the shallows often holds big fish in early morning.

"Look for large matted clumps of grass that have grown together and are much thicker than the surrounding grass," Morris explained. "The thick cover holds the big fish, especially if the grass is growing over a stump. The perfect situation is to have high water -- a foot higher than normal -- because it allows you to maneuver between the clumps and work deeper into the shallows."

Morris targets the thick grass using frogs. He tosses both the Stanley Ribbit and the Scum Frog, but the latter is his favorite. The hollow-bodied Scum Frog floats at rest in the open holes of the grass, whereas the Ribbit sinks.

"Sixty-pound-test Spiderwire Stealth is critical when fishing with frog lures," Morris cautioned. "Monofilament stretches so much you cannot set the hook, while the braided line has zero stretch. Plus, braided line cuts through the grass when fighting the fish."

Like a rattlesnake at a picnic, sun shining on Claiborne's matted clumps of grass kills the fun of splashing frogs over the surface. When this happens, Morris leaves the shallows for the connecting creeks to flip treetops.

"Look for banks close to the creek channel with large treetops," Morris recommended. "This combination allows the fish to use cover while changing depths.

"Fish every part of the tree until you find a pattern. Flip or pitch into the nastiest, deepest, darkest, tangled places. Once you've caught a few fish and established a pattern -- whether they are holding tight to the trunk or on the ends of the treetops -- often that pattern will hold throughout the lake."