West Point Lake Fishing Reports – July 2020

West Point: Level: 0.1 feet above full pool. Temp: Low 80s. Clarity: Mostly clear.

Bass: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “After an usually comfortable spring, it looks like July and the heat are here. Fishing can be tough during the summer months. One factor in particular could make it extra tough is that we had a tremendous hatch of threadfin shad this year. Predator fish are kind of spoiled—there is just too much of the real thing. Try pitching jigs or Texas-rigged worms around blowdown trees or under boat docks. This pattern seems to work best when the sun is out. The fish like the shade and coverage just like we do. Although it will never be like it was in the good ol’ days, a deep-water pattern can still produce some good fish on the roadbeds and pond dams, especially those with cover. Finally, some decent fish can be caught above the 219 bridge in the Chattahoochee by fishing the grassbeds, especially if the lake remains full. Try a frog-style bait or a jig around thick cover.”

Linesides: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “I am expecting a really good topwater bite this summer because of all the newly hatched shad. Have a popping cork ready, and watch for schools of fish on the surface. Trolling, especially in the late afternoons, during periods of water generation, can be very effective.”

Crappie: Good. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Good catches of crappie should continue all summer. Most people kind of forget about them this time of year, but the guys who do their homework, putting out brushpiles and downlining with live minnows in the thick brush, do very well. Another pattern that works is shooting docks or pitching to docks. Crappie like the shade, and often a single dock can produce a limit of fish. Also, night fishing is normally very good during the summer months, and it keeps you out of the heat.”

Catfish: Keith Hudson said, “Although they’re kind of overlooked, catfish provide a steady bite all summer. Try using live worms, cut bait or chicken liver fished on bottom. Jug fishing is also really productive and a fun way to get the whole family involved. Best of all, catfish are really tasty!”

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