Lake Oconee Fishing Report April 2013

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 58-61 degrees. Clarity: The main lake is stained, and the creeks and main river are muddy.

Bass: Tournament pro Aaron Batson reports, “Bass fishing is good right now. Big numbers of fish have moved shallow for the spawn that is just about to begin. Target cover in 3 to 6 feet of water casting at laydowns, rocks, seawalls or docks. Slow-rolling a 1/4-oz. Ol’ Nelle spinnerbait with double willow blades will trigger some big bites. Also slow down and flip a 3/8-oz. Net Boy Baits flipping jig with a Wackem Crazy Baits tater bug in green pumpkin or junebug. During mid April, fish will be locked on beds. Target them with a light Texas-rigged Wackem Crazy Bait full-size Tater Bug or drop shot a Big Sissy.”

Crappie: Guide Al Bassett reports, “Fishing is currently fair but will get better as the full moon of April comes. Over the next few weeks, the majority of the fish will move into shallow water around the lake. Look for the fish to be in less than 5 feet of water. Trolling with Jiffy Jigs tipped with minnows is your best bet. Use a cork to control your depth, and this way you will be able to keep your bait from getting hung up on the bottom. Use different-colored jigs at the start of each day to see what the fish are hitting on that day. Then switch your other baits to that color. Pick up all your supplies at Sugar Creek Marina.” Guide Jody Stephens reports, “Large females are being caught pushing jigs in 4 to 8 feet of water. Most will be in full-spawn mode by the time you are reading this. Dark colors are best producers in upper-lake areas where the water still has a heavy stain.”

Linesides: Guide Doug Nelms reports, “The striper bite has taken off with a bang. Some of the hybrids we are catching look like the ones from 10 years ago. They are fat, full of roe and hitting flatlines and downlines like it is their last meal. The fish are heading in two directions, north and south. I think the bottleneck at Hwy 44 has something to do with it. My feelings is that all the fish south of Hwy 44 will go to the dam, and all the fish north of Hwy 44 will run up the Oconee and the Apalachee rivers. Either direction, you can’t go wrong. We are spending most of our time at the dam this month, and we start off using live bait (store-bought bass shiners). However, sometime just before the shad run, the fish will turn to shad and turn their noses up at a bass minnow. Right now, bass minnows are the way to go, and anyone can catch them. Use flatlines with long leaders (at least 6 feet) and downlines with the same length leaders. The morning and late-evening bites will be the best.

White Bass: Doug reports, “The white bass run has started up the Oconee and Apalachee, and if you didn’t read this report, you could tell by the trucks parked at Dyer Pasture. We have seen some really ‘fat mommas’ already this year.”