Lake Oconee Fishing Report – June 2008

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 72-74 degrees. Clarity: Light stain except for clear in Richland and near the dam.

Bass: The shad spawn has all but stopped, but the mayflies are starting to show up, according to guide Al Bassett. “Look for the mayflies on trees or bushes that hang over the lake. Use small topwater baits like a Pop-R, and fish this where you see the flies landing on the water. This will only get better as we move to the end of the month,” Al said. The mayfly bite will only last until the sun gets up, then it’s time to flip the docks with an Ol Monster green-pumpkin worm. Dye the tail chartreuse with J.J.’s Magic. “Fishing the long points with a crankbait or a Carolina-rigged Zoom Finesse or U-tail worm in the watermelon or watermelon-candy colors will bring you a few bites,” Al said. “As we move more into the month and the water temperature rises to the mid 80s, there will be more fish on these points. Use your depthfinder to find schools of baitfish before you start fishing.” If the water is moving, try a crankbait that will dig the bottom on these points.

Crappie: Fair. “Most of the fish have moved back into deeper water,” Al said. “Look for brush in 10 to 15 feet of water, and use live bait for your best results. Fishing at night around lights will bring you some good fish, and you may also catch a few white bass, hybrids or largemouths. The area where the channel makes a sharp turn is also a good place to check for the crappie.

Linesides: Fair. Guide Doug Nelms said the shad spawn has meant the only consistent bite has been first thing in the morning on seawalls and rip-rap where the shad are flipping. “The shad run is just about finished, which means the hybrids and stripers will start showing up in their normal places. This morning (May 22) the shad were kind of sparse, and in a few days it will probably be completely over. It takes a few days for the fish to get it worked out that the shad are not there anymore, and then they will move to the places that are productive for them year-round. Using live bait, focus on the humps down toward the dam. Any place on the lake that has a shallow-water hump, the shad will get on it when the water is being pulled, and the fishing will be great,” Doug said.