Lake Oconee Fishing Report November 2011

Oconee: Level: 3 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 60s. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Good. Aaron Batson reports, “Baitfish continue to remain in the very backs of coves and creeks. Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits are hard to beat. Later in the month, as the weather cools and bait moves back out, use the same baits on flats and secondary points coming back out of these pockets. You could probably target wood and catch a few isolated fish on a 1/2-oz. black/blue jig also. The jig fish could be bigger as well.”

Crappie: Good. Al Bassett reports, “The fish are moving into the coves around the lake. Trolling has started to be the best way to catch a limit of fish. The mouth of Lick Creek has been a real hot spot. Trolling using a Jiffy Jig tipped with a live minnow is the way to go. The fish are moving into the backs of the creeks and pockets around the lake. There are still a number of fish over brushpiles, and the best way to catch these fish is live bait fished right over the brush. Trolling should last through the end of the month.”

Catfish: Good. Guide Chad Smith reports, “Look for the catfish to be heading for the main-lake channels as the water cools with the changing weather. Baby gizzard shad and big threadfin shad are the baits of choice for numbers. The bigger fish haven’t started their winter bite yet, but the big fish bite should be starting any day now. The smaller 3- to 10-lb. catfish are biting all day. I’m catching 20 to 25 fish a day right now fishing right in the channels. Look for the big schools of baby gizzard shad in the channels. The catfish are following the bait fattening up for winter. The magic water depths will be 25 to 35 feet of water in the channel. Anchor upstream from the channels, and fish your baits right in the channels.”