Lake Oconee Fishing Report – August 2017

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Stain up the lake; clear at the dam.

Linesides: Guide Doug Nelms reports, “Historically this month, we are thinking more about staying in the air conditioning than fishing, but the stripers have changed their pattern again, and we are catching. We noticed a major change during July when we were catching really nice fish right into the heat of the day on live bait. The LOGA guides were scratching our heads, pontificating with limited knowledge about what and why this was happening. In 15 years of guiding, I have never seen this bite continue on Lake Oconee as long as it has this year. The fish are in the middle of the lake all the way to the dam, and we are catching them by dropping live shad to them. We are also throwing artificial lures at daylight with some days limiting out before normal people get out of bed. Three-inch Sassy Shads, flies under popping corks and jigging spoons will work very good. What is surprising is the fish are not all at the dam, but they are scattered up to the middle part of the lake. The Pipeline, The Flagpole, Rock Islands and Sugar Creek are all places where we have been finding them. It seems like any point on the lake that a current is present during the pumpback is where you will find fish. Our season has been extended this year, and I can’t say how long it will last, but right now we are having a ball.”

Crappie: Guide Al Bassett reports, “Fishing is currently good. Oconee crappie are holding in deeper water, over brushpiles, standing timber and deep drop-offs. Night fishing under the bridges and in the timber or around the lighted docks is very good. Use your Lowrance HDS and LSS-2 to find the fish on the brushpiles or the deep drop-offs before you start fishing. Mark the area where you find the fish holding with a marker, and either use live bait or cast to the area using Jiffy Jig Super Grubs. During this time of year, make sure you take care of your live bait. Use bait saver, and keep the water cool by putting handfuls of ice in there during the day.”