Lake Tobesofkee Fishing Report – May 2008

Tobesofkee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 68-75 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Excellent. Tournament angler Clayton Batts said most of the bigger females have moved off the beds. “The smaller fish are still on the bed and can be caught sight fishing with a Big Bite Baits Biobait Lizard in junebug or white colors, a Spro K-Finesse jig in black and blue or a Lucky Craft Pointer. These fish can also be caught by blind casting a Big Bite Baits Trick Stick in watermelon candy or green pumpkin. The bigger fish are on points or trash piles outside of spawning on areas,” Clayton said. For postspawn bass, he recommends a Carolina-rigged lizard or finesse worm, or if the bass are active crank with a Stanford Lures Deep Razor Shad in the smokin’ shad color. A pattern that works well in May is to key on bream beds and throw a topwater like a Spro Hydro-Pop in the easy-money color. Also fish topwater around seawalls and new grass. Clayton said another good pattern for postspawn bass is to fish the boat docks close to deep water with a finesse worm. Later in the month concentrate on deeper brush with a Carolina-rigged worm or a crankbait.

Crappie: Very good. Clayton recommends trolling Triple Tail jigs in bubblegum-chartreuse, tractor green or blue shad, and he said the 6- to 8-foot range has been best. “Start trolling at the mouth of each cove, and slowly work your way back until you hit where the fish are, and then concentrate on that depth. There are also some fish being caught at night around the few lighted docks, and there are some occasional hybrids and small stripers mixed in around the lights.”