Lake Eufaula Fishing Report October 2011

Eufaula: Level: 2.3 feet below full pool. Temp: High 70s to low 80s. Clarity: Good stain.

Bass: Decent. Sam Williams, with S&K Outdoors, which is relocating to the Rebel Guard store on 14th Street in Phenix City, said the nights have been cooler, but water temps are still warm, and you have to fish slowly to get bites. The bites are there, though. Sam said he thinks there are so many threadfin shad in the lake right now the fish just aren’t hungry, and it takes a slow presentation to get them to bite. In the mornings and evenings, there are some fish up shallow, and you can catch them on topwater around grass and pads with a frog like a Revere Maxx Frog or a Big Bite Top Toad. This bite should get better through October. Once the topwater bite dies off, it’s time to move out to the ledges. Fish a deep-running crankbait like a Mann’s 20+ around any structure or treetops you can find on the ledges. Get it down, and then fish it slowly. Any threadfin pattern will work. Slow down or follow up with a jig in the same areas. Sam said the fish appear to be returning to health after a rough summer. The sickly looking fish people were catching over the last few months are looking fatter and healthier, Sam said. Tim Malcolm said to watch for fish to start moving up into the creeks and pockets over the next few weeks. “Shad will be migrating into the creeks and pockets over the next several weeks, and finding them will be the key to success,” Tim said. “Once you find a good concentration of shad, pay close attention to the depth at which they are holding as well as any type of cover they are using as ambush points, such as points, humps, channel swings, etc. Since the fish will be keying on the shad, use baits which mimic them. I rely a lot on crankbaits from now through the fall, especially Spro’s Little John line. I choose which bait to use based on how deep I am showing shad and fish on my Humminbird 998 side-imaging unit. I choose the color based on the water clarity, and right now nasty shad is a good choice.”

Catfish: Excellent. Sam said folks are catching a lot of catfish jugging and trotlining right now. He said cut bait is the best bait to go with, and you can catch fish pretty much anywhere you want to set baits out. Key on the shallows early, and then move out as the day progresses.

Linesides: Good. Sam said hybrids and stripes are biting pretty well right now on the main lake down toward the dam. The best tactic has been trolling deep-running crankbaits over deep-water humps and points with the big engine.

Crappie: Good. Sam said crappie are biting pretty well right now for those who want to jig deep brushpiles in the 12- to 20-foot range. He said there are also a few being caught on cover around the ledges. Good colors are chartreuse, black/chartreuse and pink.