Lake Oconee Fishing Report – October 2022

Oconee: Level: Full at 435. Temp: 82 degrees. Clarity: There is a slight algae bloom on the lower end.

Bass: Guide Mark Smith, of Reel Time Guide Service, reports, “Bass fishing is only fair as of right now. The best bet is to fish a large crankbait off the south-end points and humps. Most of the bass are still in their summer patterns. As the weather continues to cool, the fish will start to move into their fall locations, first on the main-lake points and then the secondary points until they move into the coves chasing big bait schools. Crankbaits will still be the go-to baits. Use mid-running baits as the fish move into shallow water. Match your bait color to the water color. October is the month of change. The water will cool, and the fishing will get better and better.”

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Crappie: Capt. Doug Nelms with BigFishHeads Guide Service reports, “I have been a fishing guide on Lake Oconee for more than 20 years, and the month of October teases me every year. I think the stripers are about to go off, and they don’t. Cool mornings, water temps dropping; it just gets you so revved up, but then reality sets in, and you realize it’s probably going to be November! However, if you love crappie fishing, October brings the big fish back to us. I will still be dipping on brushpiles throughout the month, but a lot of my guide buddies will be getting their trolling rods out and start working the suspended fish all over the lake. Great Waters, Sugar Creek, Richland Creek, Rocky and Sandy creeks will all be holding some very nice trolling fish. The go-to setup is double, 1/16-oz. jigs on 6-lb. test. There are so many different colors now that it would be silly for me to try to name them, so just use your favorite color, and they will eat it. Trolling, or longlining as some of us call it, is a easy way to put a lot of fish in your boat in a short period of time. Everything you need to outfit your boat you can find at Sugar Creek Marina. I mounted a set of Millennium rod holders on my boat about two years ago, and they have been a great find. You can adjust them for so many applications and uses, and they hold up really well to the big crappie on Oconee. I pull 1/16-oz. Jiffy Jigs and mix them up with Litewire Hooks and Tex Jigs, until I find the right combo the crappie want.”