Lake Oconee Fishing Report – November 2024

Oconee: Level: 0.5 feet below 435. Temp: 69-75 degrees. Clarity: Mostly clear.

Bass: Guide Nick Knapp, with Elite Guide Service, reports, “During the month of November, look for the largemouth to be moving from the points and humps toward the backs of pockets and coves. Water temperature has drastically decreased with the cooler nights we have been having. Some spots I would try in November are the small pockets in Lick Creek. My go-to bait this time of year is a squarebill crankbait early, followed by a 1/2-oz. black/blue or green-pumpkin flipping jig. The water clarity for the most part is clear right now, so natural colors have been working for the crankbaits.”

Stripers: Capt. Doug Nelms, with BigFishHeads Guide Service, reports, “November is the month the gulls and terns return on Lake Oconee. They will spend the winter feeding off the tons of tiny shad that live here. We really enjoy this time of year because they really show us where the stripers are hanging out. I’m sure you have heard of chasing birds if you’ve ever fished Lake Lanier, and you’ve probably been led astray by some of the birds up there, but these Oconee gulls are true blue. When you see a flock just sitting on the water, just know the bait is really close by. If you see them flying over the water and staying in a particular place, just know they are looking at stripers and are waiting for those fish to push up the bait so they can feed. When you see them diving, squawking and circling in a tiny tornado shaped vortex, just know you are about to hook into feeding fish. As you can see, November is a lot of fun for us guides. I normally don’t use any live bait this time of year because I think it takes too long to get out a spread, so it’s artificial lures all the way. If live bait is your thing, by all means, keep a tank full. I keep several 8- to 9-foot spinning rods on the boat at all times. They are loaded with 20-lb. PowerPro braid, and on the business end, you might find a popping cork with a fly, a 3-inch Sassy Shad or a fluke, or even a hard plastic topwater bait. Note that most of the baits this time of year will be running for 3 to 4 inches, so be sure you match the hatch. Then, after the topwater action slows down, I attempt to sit on them and jig spoons down to them. With this combination, it’s pretty easy to put fish in the boat the entire time. I always say that the best bite will start around the week of Thanksgiving, but we have been catching 30 to 40 on about every morning trip right now. They are the smaller fish, but the action is really heating up.

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