Lake Burton Fishing Report – December 2009

Burton: Level: 0.8 feet below full pool. Temp: 59 degrees. Clarity: Slight stain; a little trash on the water from rains.

Spotted Bass: Very good. “The spots are hungry,” said Wes Carlton. “They’ll eat anything you put on them.” Wes said the fish are in the backs of mid-lake creeks and pockets in 12 to 19 feet of water, and they’re pulling up in the mornings to feed. Green-pumpkin Senkos and Ugly Duckling jerkbaits in black/silver are both good choices. Wes said the fish are good ones, with an average of about 3 1/2 pounds.

Largemouths: Good. Wes said the largemouths are bunching up around mid-lake humps in 15 to 21 feet of water, and they are big. He’s caught a bunch of good fish, including a 9 pounder over the last few weeks. He’s getting them on live, downlined bluebacks. As the water cools, a Sebile swimbait will start to catch them, he said.

Trout: Very good. The trout are starting to move up into the creeks and rivers to spawn, and there has been some afternoon surface feeding going on. Wes said DNR did a good job disbursing the stocked trout this year, and they can be found in Dicks Creek, Timpson Creek and at the Highway 76 bridge. Throw a No. 5 Countdown Rapala. Silver/black has been catching the rainbows. The rainbow-trout pattern has been catching the browns.

Hybrids: Decent. The hybrid bite has slowed some since the last report, but Wes said he is still catching a few in 20 to 30 feet around main-lake humps. Fish a trout-pattern swimbait — a Sebile or a Tim Farley — and fish it right on the bottom. A Fish Head Spin trailered with a soft-plastic swimbait will also work.