Lake Burton Fishing Report February 2015

Burton: Level: 7.1 feet below full pool. Temp: 43 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Wes Carlton reports, “The lake is now back to its normal winter pool level with the recent rainfall that Georgia has received. The bass bite has been good. Most of the fish we caught came off a 1/2-oz. white Super Spin with a Zoom Flake Paddle Tail. These fish are glued to the bottom, so try rolling the bait just above the bottom on long points over the main lake. The strike zone seems to be in the 28-foot range. The bite is a very soft bite, so be patient. I heard of a recent tournament that produced some really big spotted bass. Timing is everything this time of year. The mid-morning to midday bite is probably the best choice right now. Look for these fish to hold this same pattern for the next few weeks. The largemouth bite will pick up as we near the warmer afternoons of February. These fish always seem to bite the Super Spin tipped with a fluke or swim bait. Deep-diving jerkbaits like a Strike King XD10 also work well this time of year.”

Brown Trout: Wes reports, “The trout bite has been great the last few days. Finding the schools has been the hard part. When you do find a school, they are biting aggressively. Trolling a Kastmaster spoon or Little Cleo seems to be the ticket. The depth on the trout has been varying. We have seen the fish on the surface one minute and 50 feet deep the next. Relying on good electronics this time of year is the key to scoring on the brown trout. The trout should start pulling up a little shallower over the next few weeks, and the trolling bite will pick up. This is a good time of year to troll small jerkbaits that replicate blueback herring. The bait population seems to be plentiful, and these fish are following close by.”

Walleye: Good. Wes Carlton reports, “The walleye bite will be in full swing within a few weeks. These fish are hungry and aggressive. They seem to bite better before the spawn. Jigging crappie minnows on a 1/8-oz. jig head around brushpiles and rock outcroppings seems to work best. Most of the walleye seem to be hanging in the 25-foot range. The morning bite has proven to be best this time of year unless you’re willing to brave the cold nights.”