Lake Blackshear Fishing Report – June 2008

Blackshear: Level: Full pool. Temp: Mid 70s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good, according to Ernie Broughton, tournament director for the Blackshear Buddies. “It will probably slow down in June when it gets hotter, but so far, it’s been holding up.” The team of Smith and Goodin brought in 17 pounds to win the May 17 tournament; 16.6 pounds was second. “There weren’t many big fish,” said Ernie. “Big fish was 5.3 pounds. The fish are biting, they are catching a bunch, just no size to them.” Ernie caught fish on a Carolina rig with a black worm with red glitter around docks and cypress trees on the south end of the lake. Spinnerbaits, Trick Worms and topwater should be producing while the bass are still in grassbeds and around cypress trees. The fish are gradually moving out of the creeks and cuts to main-lake points and deeper water. Blackshear, compared to Eufaula, doesn’t have a ledge bite in the summer. When the fish move off the banks onto a summer pattern, moving deep means under docks in 8 to 12 feet of water, said Ernie.

Crappie: Fair. The fish have pulled off to deeper structure, said Rusty Parker. “Try the Smoak Bridge, 280 bridge or the railroad trestle,” he said. “The fish should be about 15 feet deep.” A good jig color to throw is a white head, clear body with black-and-silver flake and a white feather — something that looks like a minnow. The standard black/chartreuse is still a producer, too.

Catfish: Good. Rusty and his dad were on the lake May 22 anchored over a 10-foot-deep flat in the mouth of Cedar Creek near the river channel to fish for catfish. Rusty threw out a couple of cups of a homemade catfish stink bait and after about 20 minutes the catfish moved in. They caught fish ranging from squeakers to 2 or 3 pounds, including one 2-lb. Appaloosa catfish.

Bream: Fair. On the same trip, Rusty and his dad caught 2-dozen bluegill fishing crickets under a cork. Rusty found a small bream bed in a gap between two cypress trees. He finds beds by moving down the bank casting a cricket under a float. He lets it sit only a few seconds before moving it to the next spot. If there are fish on the bed, they’ll hit right away.