Lake Burton Fishing Report – August 2007

Level: Full pool. Temp: 80 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Fair. WRD Fisheries Biologist Anthony Rabern said the spotted bass in Burton are gorging on young-of-the-year blueback herring in the 3/4-inch length range. Topwater early and late with Sammys, Spooks, flukes and Pop-Rs are good choices. When the fish go down, hit the same areas with a Carolina-rigged green-pumpkin worm. If you can find a sharp break or brush in the 25- to 30-foot range, a white Flex-it jigging spoon with silver reflective tape is a good bet.

Brown Trout: The trout are gradually moving out of the creeks and heading toward deeper, cooler water nearer the dam. According to Anthony, the fish are more scattered this year due to very good water quality. In a drought year, with less runoff entering the lake, less dissolved oxygen is depleted. “There is good oxygen levels all the way to the bottom,” said Anthony. The trout, however, prefer water temperatures in the lower 60s, and at the moment that temperature is in the 25- to 30-foot range. “They are catching some fish trolling spoons at that depth,” he said. “There are also some fish being caught on live bluebacks.” Bluebacks are difficult to find in the lake due to a die-off in the winter of 2006. The trout being caught fall into three general size ranges, said Anthony. “There is one guy who is catching 5-pounders, then there are a lot being caught that are in the 20-inch range, which is a 2- to 3-lb. trout. And there are a lot of recently stocked fish being caught that are in the 15-inch range.”