Lake Weiss Fishing Report February 2012

Weiss: Level: 5.2 feet below full pool. Temp: 47-52 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Good. Guide Warren Barnes reports, “The bass are feeding very actively all over the lake. Lipless crankbaits like the Jackall TN70 are still producing very well. The largemouths are still on shallow flats. After a cold front passes, these fish will move to these drops and scatter just a bit but will still stay in the area. If there is a good wind blowing, try using a jerkbait like a Jackall Squirrel in the channels to get those very active fish. The jig bite has begun to produce some healthy largemouths as well. On warmer days I am flipping jigs under docks and around laydowns to produce some quality spots and largemouths, and I am using 20-lb. Fight Line Copolymer to catch these fish. As we get into March, I look for the largemouths and spotted bass to be in prespawn mode. Fish the creek channel ledges and ditches on the colder days, and move shallow on the warmer days especially in the afternoons. Throwing flat-sided crankbaits like the Jackall Bling and a shaky-head worm will be a couple of my main baits for catching the deeper fish. Flipping jigs and thumping spinnerbaits are what I will use up shallow for these prespawn fish.” See page 60 for a full feature on Warren’s wintertime jerkbait pattern for big Weiss spotted bass. Guide Mark Collins reports, “Bass fishing is fair. The bass have moved to a deeper winter pattern. Some bass are being caught on rip-rap on jigs. A Carolina rig is working well for the deeper fish on main-lake points and ledges. Very few largemouths are being caught; most all are spotted bass. Little River and the Chattooga River are producing some great spot fishing right now, with a lot of 2- to 4-lb. fish. A drop-shot rig with a 4-inch craw or a mini fluke is working awesome on most any deeper, rocky river-channel ledge in Little River. The smaller spots are up shallow on the rocks, and the larger spots are on the deeper parts of the ledge 10 to 16 feet deep. Look for the bigger fish right in the middle of the channel.”

Crappie: Good. “The fish are starting to move into the deeper water of the creeks and bays on a prespawn pattern,” said Mark. “Little Spring Creek is producing some great crappie fishing. Try longline trolling with 1/24-oz. Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ08, JJ13, JJ17, JJ25, JJ37 in 6 to 12 feet of water. A float-n-fly is also working well in the stumps and flats in Little Spring Creek. The bays near Riverside are producing some crappie for longline trollers. The crappie bite is good, and we are catching a lot of mixed-sized fish from 8 to 13 inches. Look for the bite to really get good with any warming trend that comes in over the next few weeks.”

Stripers: Poor, according to Mark. “The stripers are due to turn on any day,” he said.

Catfish: They’re biting well on the flats 6 to 12 feet deep on cut shad, Mark said.