West Point Lake Fishing Report – December 2023

West Point: Level: 5.7 feet below 635. Up the river north of Highway 219 is pretty dangerous already, so be careful. Temp: Upper 50s. Clarity: Clear in most areas.

Bass: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Good. With the nice cool down in November, expect a big improvement in  the fishing as we move into winter. Bass should begin to feed heavily and fatten up for winter.  A few largemouth and some fat spots are being caught on deeper brushpiles, ledges and roadbeds in the main-lake area. Drop shotting and vertical jigging a spoon can be very effective in these areas. Best fishing is around brushpiles or other structure in these areas, if you can find them. Water generation always improves this bite. Downsize baits in these same areas and improve your chances for spotted bass. Actively feeding bass can still be caught shallow as long as the water stays around the mid 50s or higher. Shallow-water baits such as the Flash Mob, shallow-running crankbaits and lipless rattling crankbaits will become more effective for these hungry fish. Look for schools of shad in the pockets to attract the fish. The lake is already down this year, so there won’t be much to cast to as far as shallow cover goes, so any cover that’s still in the water, such as submerged stumps, blowdowns and shallow brushpiles, can still hold a good fish. Spotted bass are still your best bet on the south end of the lake. Try long, tapering flats in 18 to 25 feet of water. Spots mixed with whites, hybrids and stripers can be caught by jigging CC Spoons or on drop-shot rigs. Also, keep your eyes open for actively schooling groups of fish. They will crush the Flash Mob Jr., either casting or trolling it through the schooling fish.”   

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Linesides: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “I expect some surface schooling on the main lake to continue throughout the winter. These fish can generally be caught by casting Rooster Tails, topwaters, popping-cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures into the schooling fish. Start early or stay late for the best results. Keep your eyes open for any bird activity. Gulls or loons can give away a school of active fish if you pay attention. Expect the deep downline bite on live bait and spoons to continue to improve as we move on into early winter. Try long, tapering flats in 18 to 25 feet of water. Whites, hybrids and stripers can be caught by vertical jigging CC Spoons, as well. Trolling with the Flash Mob Jr. should also continue to be fairly effective. The mouth of the river at Yellowjacket, the McGee Roadbed area and the long points across from the pumping stations normally hold fish this time of year. Some lone, big stripers normally show back up in the river in deep holes north of the 219 bridge in December. You probably won’t get many bites, but  you may get a shot at a 20-lb.-plus fish. Cast big plugs like the Cordell Red Fin early and late or on a cloudy day or freeline a big shad or bream in the Ringer/Grayson’s Landing area. Be careful as water levels are already low.”

Crappie: Keith reports, “Fair. The fish will typically move up and hold on bridge pilings, mid-depth brushpiles or under docks as the water temps drop into the 60s or below. Try drop shotting minnows or casting to or shooting docks in 5 to 15 feet of water for the best results. You can really do well if you find one of these schools. Try the cuts and coves in Yellowjacket Creek and from Highland Marina north to Wolf Creek in the Chattahoochee. During a warm December, more fish will move into the cuts and coves, especially by the end of the month. If we should have an extended warm spell with a substantial warm rain that  stains and raises the lake quickly, the crappie can move surprisingly shallow in a short time frame. Minnows and jigs fished under a float will usually work on them when you find them. Any blowdown or brush has the potential to hold fish, with cover being the key. Merry Christmas and a big THANK YOU to all my loyal customers for another great year in the books!”