Lake Blackshear Fishing Report – October 2008

Blackshear: Level: Full pool. Temp: 78 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Improving as the water temperature drops. Jimmy Sharp said the fish are starting to move back into the creeks. At a Tuesday night pot tournament Sept. 16, he said most of the fish were caught on shallow-running crankbaits and spinnerbaits. A Rat-L-Trap was one bait that reportedly produced some fish. Jimmy said he caught fish by working soft plastics around boat docks in the mouths of the creeks. “The topwater bite ought to be coming alive soon,” he said. Clint Brownlee said that this time of year the cooler weather improves the river bite as well as the lake bite. “Flipping 1/4-oz. plastics (green pumpkin) to blowdowns up the river works well. The crankbait bite will improve on the lake. A shad-patterned crankbait works well around deeper cypress trees and docks in the 4- to 8-foot range.

Crappie: Good, and improving, according to Rusty Parker. “We caught a dozen in a short while last Thursday (Sept. 18) at Smoak Bridge pitching jigs to the pilings. We were over 14 feet of water, and the fish were holding in about 6 feet. Another guy I know is catching fish on 12- to 15-foot flats drifting jigs over brush. Another guy is pushing (slow-trolling) double-jig rigs off the river channel and catching fish. Trolling in the creeks should pick up soon.”

Catfish: Excellent, said Rusty. “People are attracting them with something like long-grain rice, then catching them on nightcrawlers.”