When the water temperature hits that magic 70-degree mark, all of the Temperate Bass go on a feeding frenzy.

Temperate Bass, in layman&8217;s terms, are White Bass, Stripers, Yellow Bass and the Hybrid (Striper and White Bass cross).

These brutal fighters are now making their &8220;false&8221; spawning run to many dams on the Coosa chain.

Mitchell Dam seems to be the place for some red hot action right now.

These fish are fairly easy to catch and pull like a 1969 Plymouth.

They make ferocious runs and do not give up to the angler easily.

They are very aggressive and will take live bait, cut bait, topwater, jigs, spoons, inline spinners and jerkbaits. Let&8217;s take a look at how to catch these tough Hybrids and Stripers in the Mitchell Dam tailrace.

Live bait is always a good choice when it comes to catching these tough customers. Recently, the Stripers have been running anywhere in size from 5 to 30 pounds.

The Hybrids are thick and are almost all about 5 to 8 pounds.

When using live bait (like shad or shiners) you need to let the bait drift in the current into the eddies where the fish are waiting to ambush prey.

I would recommend 12 pound Stren monofilament with a medium heavy bait casting rod.

Use a number 2 Daiichi bait hook and place a lead split-shot about two feet above the hook.

Cast into the current and hold on!

Topwater fishing for Hybrids and Stripers is as fun as the law allows.

At dusk, they begin to surface feed out of the heavy current and will concentrate in the eddies on the right side of the dam.

They are not hard to miss. The explosions are violent and can take all of the paint off of your bait. Use a stick-type topwater bait. Fish up the right side (facing the dam) and watch for the feeding action and simply cast into the frenzy.

Sub-surface lures like spoons, hair jigs and grubs are all excellent choices when cast into the current and retrieved erratically.

This method will also produce some arm wrenching action.

Cast these baits into the current directly below the dam and just make various retrieves.

Fast or slow, you are sure to get a strike.

Keep a landing net handy.

If you choose not to fish from a boat, the fishing platform is the next best thing.

Several anglers catch 20-plus pound Stripers and lots of Hybrids by casting from the platform.

Shad can be caught at the platform throwing a cast net for bait too.

Remember, always wear your life vest and keep your head on a swivel to insure that you will not drift into another boat.

Fishing here can be dangerous but it can also be quite rewarding.

FISHIN REPORT

Lay Lake

Water Temp: 75 degrees with a slight stain

The water here has really heated up and the fish are acting like it is summertime.

Topwater early and late using Toads, Buzzbaits and Frogs are producing a few fish in and around the grass.

As the sun gets up, go to the grass and flip a lizard, fluke, pig &8216;n jig or worm.

Also try the piers in Cedar Creek and around Okomo Marina.

Use green colors like gourd green, kudzu, grasshopper and key lime pie. Spotted bass are being taken on jighead worms off of main lake points and major points in most large creeks in 5 to 15 feet of water.

Stripers are schooling in the Paint Creek area, the mouth of Beezwax Creek and around the Highway 280 bridge area.

Night fishing is beginning to pick up using dark colored worms and topwater. Try fishing below the Narrows on main river points at night.

The Stripers and Hybrids are abundant below Lay and Mitchell Dams on everything from live shad to topwater