Lake Oconee Fishing Report – March 2024

Oconee: Level: Full at 435. Temp: 56 degrees. Clarity: Muddy.

Bass: Guide Norris Edge reports the bass fishing is slow due to the water temp. The fish are being caught on shaky heads and spinnerbaits, with most fish coming off of docks and seawalls. Fishing jigs on the rip-rap has been successful, also. Just remember during times like this to fish very slow.”

Lake Oconee Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports

Crappie: Capt. Doug Nelms with BigFishHeads Guide Service reports, “Historically the month of March is when Oconee gives up her biggest crappie of the year, and this year will be no different. At the time I am writing this, the 10th annual Oconee Derby is only 36 hours old, and some nice 2-pounders have already been brought to the scales. As the warm days start heating the water up and the sun begins to give us 11 hours plus of daylight, the big fish start doing their spawning thing. There are days we will start off in 12 feet of water that morning and by the afternoon we will be fishing in 2 feet! If you are going to catch big ones, you must trust what you see on your fish finder and be willing to move around and try out new places. This past crappie season I caught a limit of fish off a stump that I have passed over 100 times since I have lived on Oconee. It can’t be in more than 4 feet of water. I was testing out my Humminbird Mega Live and thought I would see how it showed up on my Solix. I pushed up next to it, too fast I should add, and it looked like fireworks flying off the stump. I had spooked a gaggle of crappie that I would have never thought would be attached to that tree. I backed off, grabbed my rod loaded with Jiffy Jigs Red Sexy Bug and caught my limit of big crappie. That’s what March is all about. Speaking of Jiffy Jigs, I know Jimmy Brantley and his crew are wide open right now, but you need to try out their new sickle hook in 1/16-oz. in my favorite Oconee colors: Black/blue glitter/black, red sexy bug, all pink, black/green glitter/black, and if the water clears up, try the Doug bug color. I like 1/16 because if I’m scoping, shooting or putting a minnow on while I’m pushing, it gives a perfect profile these Oconee monsters love. Finally, write these places down: Smokehouse, Wayne’s Points, Double Creek, TPC, River Bend, Sugar Creek and Duck Blind. These places, plus many more, will be holding good fish this month. So, get the right colors, be mobile, go with your instinct and you’ll fill up your cooler with slabs.”