SHORELINES

14 a p c s hor e l i n e s.c om | 2016 Vol :3 The lead head pulls the lure to the bottom and the worm floats upward and wiggles in the current. Nania says it's best fished slowly. "The less you work a Shaky Head, the more fish you catch," Nania says. "What I mean by that is cast it out, let it sink all the way to the bottom and move it back to you a few inches at a time. Normally when the fish bite the worm, it's sitting still on the bottom." Nania casts down the old roadbed and moves the bait slowly across the bottom. The lead head bumps over rocks and other debris on the bottom. "Bite," he says and reels slack out of the line. Setting the hook sharply, the rod bows and in a moment, a spotted bass about 14 inches long rockets out the water and shakes its head. Nania plays the fish to the boat and then swings it onboard. Tossing the bass back in the water, he goes back to the roadbed with the Shaky Head. Two casts later, another bass, slightly larger, comes to the surface. This time it's a largemouth. "That's a perfect example of catching two species in one spot," he says. Logan Martin is somewhat unusual in that its bass population is about 75 percent spotted bass and 25 percent largemouth. The rest of the Coosa River chain has populations that are about half and half, Nania says. The better-known largemouth is more associated with shallower, grassy habitat. Spots don't reach the size of the biggest largemouths but have a reputation for fighting. They're usually associated with rocky habitat. He believes spawning habitat in Logan Martin favors spots for a variety of reasons. Nania spends about four to five days a week fishing, mostly on Logan Martin. His house is only about a mile from the boat ramp. He enjoys sharing the knowledge he's gained through experience. "For me, it's really more about teaching than guiding," he says. "What I enjoy is teaching people to fish and showing them how to put fish in the boat." To find out more about Nania's television fishing show, visit sweetwaterfishingtv.com. To learn more about his guide service visit joeyfishing.com. To get instant access to lake conditions, lake levels and the best fishing spots, you can download the Shorelines app for your iOS or Android device at apcshorelines.com. — ROBERT DEWITT Top: Photo by Bernard Troncale – A close-up of the Shaky Head jig. Middle: Photo by Bernard Troncale – Nania has a largemouth bass on the line. Bottom: Photo by Bernard Troncale – A largemouth bass leaps out of the water in an attempt to shake the hook loose.

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