by Alan Massey

The hot days of August are here now.  Some people call them the dog days of summer.  Well, you know what August means.  Hunting season is almost here so it’s time to get out your bows and arrows and get ready for deer season.  Dove season will be here on the first Saturday of September.  It’s time to get out the old shotguns and clean them up.  Go shoot a few rounds of clays or traps and be ready for dove season.  Marc and I enjoy shooting doves.  He always tries to outdo me and boy is he a good shot.

Lake Harding:  full pool, water temperature is 84-87 degrees, clarity very stained:

Bass are in their summer feeding areas in the early morning and late afternoon.  I talked to Dave on Wednesday.  He said bass are being caught around retaining walls, flooded roadbeds, docks and creeks.  Zoom worms are working well and spinner baits and crankbaits are working well in the deeper waters.  Stripers and hybrids are in deeper waters and running in channels and creeks and near the dam.  If you can find bait fish schooling, you can load up your cooler.  Crappie are still biting around docks and brush piles at night on minnows and jigs.

Goat Rock:  full pool, temperature is 83-85 degrees, clarity very stained: Bass are feeding in creeks and off rocky points.  Use jerk baits and Zoom pumpkin or green and topwater baits.  Stripers and hybrids have slowed down and are being caught in late afternoon and night.

Bartlett’s Ferry:  full pool, temperature 83-86 degrees, clarity stained: Bass are in deep waters feeding all around the lake.  They are being caught on white and chartreuse spinner baits and striking king premier elite jigs and top water plugs.  Stripers and hybrids are being caught on minnows and jigs all around the lake and in the channels.

Lake Oliver:  full pool, temperature 84-87 degrees, clarity stained: Mr. Bob was telling me that the bass are up in the creeks on rocky points and a lot of bass are being caught on Carolina rigs, and crankbaits are doing well in 10 ft. to 18 ft. of water.  Also Zoom worms, flash minnows ad jerkbaits. 

Crappie and bluegill are still biting in early morning and late afternoon around docks, brush piles and the mouths of creeks. Chattahoochee River:  temperature 84-87 degrees, clarity stained: Stripers and hybrids are being caught on super flukes, red and white roostertails,  minnows and worms.  Catfish are biting good on cut baits and red wigglers fishing on the bottom and close to river channel ledge.  Some are weighing in at 18 lbs. to 27 lbs.

Fishing tip of the month:  Insert a small piece of Alka-Seltzer tablet into a tube bait to produce a fizzing sound.  You can fish this tube almost stationary letting the bubbles do their work. 

P. J.’s Hunt Club 2003-2004 runs from May 2003 thru April 2004.  Membership is $650.00 per year.  Mr. Fred Kemp is the president of the hunt club.  P. J.’s Hunt Club is located on 700 acres in Stewart County.  There are camp sites on the property and an excellent road system is in place.  When I saw Fred he told me they had a work day making sure all roads were open and cleaned up for the new members to check out new areas to hunt and were putting up stands and cleaning up the camp.  The food plots are doing very well with all the rain they have been having.  He also was telling me there is a lot of wild food out there such as persimmons, wild crabapple trees, muscadine grapes, palmetto berries and dogwood berries.  There are 200 acres of hardwoods and it has two streams.  There are power lines, an abundance of perfect bedding and nesting areas, over 25 food plots and over ½ acre in tropical corn, sorghum, iron clay peas, wheat, alyce clover, peas and beans.  This is a QDM club with 20 stands already on the lease.  They are aiming to keep their membership small so the selection of hunting sites and the game will be plentiful.  The land is beautiful with its streams, hardwoods, bottoms and rolling hills.  Mr. Kemp looks forward to having one of the best and most productive seasons this year.  Call for a tour of the land. Remember, spaces are limited so call Fred Kemp at 706-569-7721 or 706-718-4165 for more information.

Mr. Pat Petterson, owner of Petterson Gunsmithing, Inc. has been in business since 1987. This is a full capacity mobile gun shop and can just pull right up to your door.  He does a lot of clay target shoots and repairs a lot of guns out on the road.  He gets to meet a lot of different people and best of all; his wife gets to travel with him.  He has two full time degreed gunsmiths.  He also sells custom jewelry and custom leather.  He specializes in clay target shotguns, custom bolt rifles, adjustable combs, butt plates.  He also does stock bending, recoil pads, counter coil installation, muzzle brakes, long forcing cone, choke alterations, trigger work, rebuilding and rebarrelling and glass bedding.  He can do it all!!  For a name that can be trusted, call Petterson Gunsmithing, Inc. for your entire gun needs at Phenix City 334-297-5171 or fax 334-298-4228.  They are located at 1700 14^th Avenue, Phenix City, Al 36867.  Mr. John Latham is the hunting manager at Black Creek Farms located in Taylor County.  Black Creek Farms is hosting an opening day dove shoot the first Saturday in September at a cost of $110 per person.  They have over 50 acres with sunflowers which are doing very well with all the rain they’ve been having and there will be stands already in place for your convenience.  The doves are already starting to fly around the farm. They will also be having a BBQ lunch for all their guests with all the good fixins that go with it.  After lunch you will be carried by wagon and will be dropped off at your stand.  You will be checked on from time to time.  Be sure to call to be put on the list.  This is going to be a great Southern dove shoot that will be talked about for a long time.  They also will be hosting turkey hunts in the spring of 2004 and deer hunts in the fall.  Their QDM quail hunts cover 1600 acres.  Lodging will be available in 2004.  Come and enjoy a good time at Black Creek Farms.  Give Mr.  Latham a call at 706-628-9831 or cell 706-573-6741 to find all the details of these exciting hunts.  Their fax number is 706-563-3022.  I was talking to Mike Silver, General Sales Manager at Carl Gregory Dodge, 2201 Victory Drive, Columbus, Georgia about the Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab.  Mike was telling me the first time he turned on the ignition, the power was unleashed.  There was no mistaking the powerful growl.  This truck wants to hit the road but be careful how much you lay on the pedal because this 5.7 liter V-8 can really fly with 345 h.p.  The new Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab provides so much more versatility.  When it comes time for the group to play baseball, basketball or tennis the Dodge Ram can accommodate them all.  This Dodge truck with tinted windows provides excellent visibility with the power breakaway side mirrors.  The long bed provides extraordinary space for carrying cargo of all sizes and lengths.  Dodge Ram ensures your comfort level.  The rear seat passengers have ample head and leg room to ride in comfort.  It has power outlets, a center console that holds a cell phone, books and even those hard to hold papers. 

The Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab is the equivalent to riding in a Cadillac.  What a ride and all that power comes in handy when you need it.  If you need a truck for work or fun the new Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab is for you.  It comes with a Magnum V-8, power windows, power locks, keyless entry, air conditioning, am/fm/cd, cruise, tilt, a 7 year 70,000 mile power train warranty.  Dodge Ram was named Motor Trend 2003 Truck of the Year.  So call Mike or go see him and see what he can do to help you with all your driving needs.  Their hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am til 8:00 pm, Saturday from 9:00 am til 6:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00 pm til 5:00 pm.  Call them today at 706-324-4161. The Georgia Fish and Game Finder welcomes Shoes ‘N Company as a new advertiser this month.  Shoes ‘N Company celebrated 30 years in business this year and is owned by brothers Alan and Richard Roop.  The store is located at Peachtree Plaza in Columbus and specializes in boots of all types – work, safety, western, casual and hunting.  If there is a type of boot made, Shoes ‘N Company has it.  Shoes ‘N Company also carries a large line of occupational footwear from uniform shoes to slip resistant shoes for the food service industry.  They also operate a 24 foot truck that makes on site sales visits to industries. 

They travel from Gulfport, Mississippi to Augusta, Georgia to Birmingham, Alabama to Panama City, Florida.  Their store hours are Monday through Saturday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  Go by Shoes ‘N Company located at Peachtree Mall, 3131 Manchester Expressway in Columbus, Georgia 31909.  Call 706-323-3756 or toll free 877-690-5186 or fax 706-323-2461.  Shoes ‘N Company is the only complete boot store for the hard to fit. The Georgia Fish and Game Finder Magazine welcomes Dudley’s Outdoors as a new advertiser of the Argo ATV this month. Just explore the possibilities.  The Argo is an amphibious off road ATV designed with families in mind.  There is plenty of space for all your supplies, luggage and up to six passengers.  Traveling through deep snow, mud, swamps and brush is a breeze.  Experience the Argo for fun and for the maintenance of your property.  An all seasons vehicle, the Argo combines many capabilities of 4 x 4 ATVs, snowmobiles and boats.  Argo takes on that rugged terrain and thick foliage, bogs, marshes, over hills and across ponds and rivers.  Explore uncharted territory beyond your wildest dreams.  It has an extended wheel base, hydraulic brakes for ease of steering and control, a full skid plate for lower body protection, front axle extensions for increased axle and bearing life, hour meter to easily identify service intervals and a trailer hitch to extend versatility.  The Argo comes in colors and in camo.  It also comes in 6X6 Vanguard 16 HP 480 CC, 6X6 Big Foot 18 HP 570 CC, 6X6 Conquest liquid cooled 20 HP Kawasaki 617 CC load capacity 700 lbs. 

The Argo 8X8 20 HP 617 CC has a load capacity of 1000 lbs. and the 8X8 18 HP 570 CC has a load capacity of 1000 lbs.  The Argo can increase your productivity in agriculture, forestry, utility line service; it’s great for disaster response search and rescue.  So go by and take a test drive and see what Dudley’s Outdoors new line of Argo amphibious vehicles can do for you.  This is all you need to enjoy the great outdoors.  It will take you where you want to go and bring you back.  They are located at 2479 West Point Road, Lagrange, Georgia 30240 or call at 706-885-0999 or 706-883-7909 or fax 706-883-8187. We also welcome Dudley’s Outdoors as a Steiner Mower dealer this month.  The Steiner Utilimax is the largest and most powerful machine providing the versatility you’ve been waiting for.  For commercial or residential use, every Steiner is engineered to deliver heavy duty versatility today and heavy duty reliability years from now.  Steiner is a brilliant performer on yards, large grounds and estates.  It has 4 wheel drive, articulated frame, quick hitch attachment, traction boost system, dual foot control, forward and reverse, tilt steering wheel and auxiliary hydraulic quick couplers.  It has a one year warranty for commercial use and a 2 year warranty for home owners.  Steiners also has what they call the quick hitch system which allows you to easily switch to any attachment in one to five minutes.  Choose from gasoline or diesel powered liquid cooled engines ranging from 11 HP air cooled, 16 HP, 27HP to 23 HP air cooled, 21 HP liquid cooled to 34 HP turbo diesel.   A Steiner is the only mower you will ever need.  It has over 30 attachments to help out with all your needs.  So go by Dudley’s Outdoors at 2479 West Point Road, Lagrange, Georgia 30240 and see what he can do for you for your Steiner tractor and lawn mower needs.  Call at 706-885-0999 or 706-883-7909 or fax 706-883-8187.  Randall Marine, owned by David Randall, is your boat, motor and prop repair center and fishing tackle headquarters.  David has all you need to keep that boat running.  He specializes in prop repair and boat and motor repair. They carry aluminum, bronze and stainless steel props.  They can repair most brands –

Evinrude, Honda, Johnson, Mercury, Mariner, Suzuki and Yamaha.  Randall Marine has live bait, worms, crickets, crawfish and minnows.  This is your one stop source for Zoom products.  He also has a rod and reel repair shop.  Their hours are very convenient, too.  On Monday through Friday, they open at 7:30 am and close at 6:00 pm and on Saturday they open at 7:30 am and close at 1:00 pm and are closed on Sunday.  Go by Randall Marine at 1230 Tenth Avenue, Phenix City, Alabama or call David at 334-298-1313 or 334-298-8282 for all your boating and fishing needs.  Randall Marine has everything you need for a great day of fishing.

The report from Mr. Bob Barron, owner of Municipal Marina is the fish are really biting in the early morning and late afternoon and even at night.  Mr.  Barron really knows a lot about Lake Oliver. He’s been at the marina for twenty years. Stop by for an up to date fishing report. You’ll probably find Mr. Bob sitting in his rocking chair by the door.  He always has a smile on his face and likes to tell people where the fish are biting and what they are being caught with.  Municipal Marina carries rods and reels, maps, soft drinks, assorted snacks, ice, assorted lures, minnows, crickets, pink worms, night crawlers and of course, fishing license.  So you see, you can get anything you might need for your fishing trip.  They also have a boat launch there for your convenience.  The next time you are headed to Lake Oliver, stop by 5501 River Road, Columbus, Georgia 31904 and see Mr. Barron.  You can call him at 706-323-0316.  He likes helping people and talking about the one that “got away.” Store hours are 7:00 am til dark.