Lake Oconee Fishing Report November 2012

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 66-70 degrees. Clarity: Light stain.

Bass: Tournament angler Aaron Batson reports, “Bass fishing is good. Major schools of large threadfin shad have made their fall migration into the creeks, and the bass are with them. Covering water with moving baits to find these schools is the best way to load the boat. You can try 1/4-oz. Ol’ Nelle spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits. A new prototype crankbait from VIP Lures Custom Crankbaits will be a money maker this fall. It hasn’t been released yet, but watch for it on local tackle stores soon. It is going to be a very familiar looking bait to some fishermen that are going to be glad to have a bait like this back in their box. Another productive way to catch good numbers of fish is to work a 1/8-oz. Net Boy Baits ScrewBall head with a Wackem Crazy Baits Big Sissy worm in shad colors, like glimmer shad, blue ice or green oyster.”

Crappie: Guide Doug Nelms reports, “The crappie fishing is starting up early again. Last year we had a blitz of big crappie that showed in November, and it was something I had never seen before. We are still catching them in deep water on spider rigs, using black/blue/black Jiffy Jigs tipped with minnows. When you can find them in the tops of trees, it is just about a sure thing. Other colors are pink/pink/pink and the sexy red bug. JC Brantley at Jiffy Jigs can make you some if you call him. The timber in Lick Creek is holding good fish, and about anywhere in the middle of the lake with submerged timber will be a great place.” Guide Al Bassett reports, “Crappie fishing has been outstanding over the past month. On most of my trips, limits of fish have been caught with a lot of 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-lb. fish. With the colder weather coming in, this will slow down some. More fish will start to show up in the mouth of Sugar Creek, Lick Creek, Sandy Creek and Rocky Creek. Slow-trolling using Jiffy Jigs tipped with minnows will be your best bet. Keep an eye on your depthfinder to see what depth they are holding at. You will still be able to catch some good fish holding in the brush and on the drops during the first part of the month until they start moving into the creeks. Find these fish using your HDS and LSS-2 to see these fish before you start fishing. Using live bait is your best bet on catching these fish.”