Lake Oconee Fishing Report – February 2010

Oconee: Level: 1.1 feet above pool. Temp: 39 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Tough. Todd Lowe said the fishing is pretty slow, and the fish are very lethargic, but he has caught a few fish throwing small crankbaits like a No. 5 Shad Rap or a Suddeth Little Earl. In the muddy water, bright colors are a good choice. “Fish it slow, and fish something with a very tight wobble,” Todd said. He’s been catching his fish in 2 to 5 feet of water around docks, rocks and other shallow cover. A few fish can also be caught on a Carolina rig on secondary points in 12 to 18 feet of water. Todd likes a 6- to 7-inch lizard or a U-tail worm in either green pumpkin or junebug. The flipping bite that usually works this time of year is non-existent, said Todd. With the recent shad kill, Todd said the fishing should be wide open once the water stabilizes. By the end of the month it should be time to start running sunny or rock banks with painted-blade spinnerbaits or shallow-running crankbaits.

Linesides: Good. Doug Nelms reports, “There has been a big shad kill on the south end of the lake. You will see shad spinning around on top of the water like they have gone crazy. This has caused the hybrids and stripers to feed like mad. There must have been 6,000 gulls up Richland Creek this week, and they are all having a feast, so it is kind of hard to tell by the birds just where the fish are. The stripers will be going after live bait, spoons and 3-inch Sassy Shads. When you find the birds pounding the water in a focused spot, throw artificials in them and hang on. Other times, downlining live bait will produce.”

Crappie: Hit and miss. Doug reports, “The crappie fishing has been hit and miss, mainly miss. However, we all feel like just any day now, it is going to break wide open. It is time for spider rigging for crappie. The favorite color for crappie is a black/blue Jiffy Jigs tipped with minnows. You should put your jigs just above where you mark fish.”