SHORELINES

12 a p c s hor e l i n e s.c om | 2016 Vol :3 standings this year. The Top 5 in the Open Series qualify to fish at the highest level in the Elite Series. Nania fishes the entire Coosa River chain of hydroelectric power generating lakes, as well as other waters around the state. But he has a special love for Logan Martin Lake. It's the perfect place for him to pass on to his guide service clients the lessons he's learned over the years. "I can take someone shallow, throwing top water a little every morning," Nania says. "Then I can take them to deep water and fish offshore structure. I can show them how to (fish near) boat docks if they want to do that. And I can take them to grass and show them how to fish shallow grass." It is August and Nania's default tactic in the hot, dog days of summer is to head for deep offshore structure. He goes to the mouth of a creek, slows the engine on his Nitro bass boat and starts watching his depth finder/GPS unit. When the structure he's looking for pops up on the screen, he tosses out a marker buoy, cuts the engine and lowers his trolling motor. "When the water gets hot, fish want to be deep," Nania says. "That's where the oxygen is and where the bait fish go." But there also must be current. There isn't much current on lakes with hydroelectric generating plants unless the plant is actually generating electricity. In the summer, hydroelectric generation releases are limited, so it's important to know the generating schedule and be on the water when the plant is generating. During the rest of the day, anglers have to look for other sources of current. The tributary creeks that flow into Logan Martin all produce current. Nania chose this location because it's at the mouth of a creek. A submerged point tails away from a nearby island, providing fish with structure and cover. Brush piles cover what was once a small ridge tapering away from a hill that is now an island. "When there's not much current, fish will pile up in the nearest creek bed," Nania says. "There's a natural flow in these creeks. Moving water has more oxygen." Nania likes this location because it's not just a hot weather spot. "FOR ME, IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT TEACHING THAN GUIDING. WHAT I ENJOY IS TEACHING PEOPLE TO FISH AND SHOWING THEM HOW TO PUT FISH IN THE BOAT." – J O E Y N A NI A , A P R O FESSI O N A L FISHER M A N A ND FISHIN G GUID E. Above: Photo by Bernard Troncale – Nania lifting a bass caught on a "Shakey Head" at Logan Martin Lake.

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