Lake Blackshear Fishing Report – January 2008

Blackshear: Level: Full pool. Temp: 58 to 60 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Jimmy Sharp said bass were being caught on crankbaits, Texas-rigged worms and a new bait called a Flappy Daddy made by Gambler. The bait is a small crawfish with a long body and wide crawfish arms. Jimmy has been fishing the Flappy Daddy in green-pumpkin or highland-crawfish colors around grassbeds and docks. A Texas-rigged Trick Worm in green pumpkin or Arkansas crawfish colors will also catch fish around docks. Up the river a double-willowleaf spinnerbait banged through blowdowns will catch fish. Jimmy expects the crankbait bite to heat up in January around islands, in ditches and on river ledges — anywhere you can find a little break in the depth where bait is present. “If you can find the shad, you will find the bass,” he said.

Crappie: Dead slow. Rusty Parker fished from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 and caught no keepers. “We were marking fish, they just wouldn’t bite,” he said. “We caught two or three dinks and that was all.” Rusty said the fish should stay on deep structure in January. He recommends trying brush on the river channel or deep structure like the concrete pilings of the 280 bridge. “I’d plan on fishing tight to the structure,” said Rusty.