Lake Oconee Fishing Report – April 2007

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 60-64 degrees. Clarity: Stained except south near the dam and Richland Creek.

Bass: The bass were in the backs of the pockets and many were hard on the bed the weekend of March 24. Expect another wave to be bedding this weekend. Watch for movement, either the water or shallow reeds, since you’re not going to see most of the bedding fish on Oconee. In likely pockets, alternate between spinnerbaits and something slow like a jig ’n pig or a green-pumpkin Senko. Also work the secondary points in the pockets with a short-leader Carolina-rigged Trick Worm or a spinnerbait. In a few weeks the shad spawn will get started. Instead of the major rip-rap at bridges, concentrate in the mid-lake section from Sugar Creek to Lick Creek and fish the rip-rap along the houses. First thing, try Pop-Rs or 1/4-oz. Rat-L-Traps right up against the rocks, then after the sun gets up, move out 10 to 20 feet off the rocks and fish a Carolina-rigged worm or a crankbait.

Linesides: Some good catches of good-sized hybrids have been reported in the past week. A 10-lb. hybrid was one of eight good fish caught last week at the buoy line at the dam. Most fish are being caught on shiners or shad fished on downlines on the south end of the lake. The shad spawn will produce some hybrids later this month. Fish the rip-rap rocks with a white bucktail jig or a Rat-L-Trap crankbait.

Crappie: Good, but a lot of the bigger crappie have already spawned. There might still be some smaller crappie spawning up on the banks and in the shallow timber, but for better fish move out and fish off the banks over the channels in 10 to 12 feet of water and slow-troll minnow-tipped jigs.