West Point Fishing Report February 2013

West Point: Level: 5.2 feet below full pool. Temp: Low 50s. Clarity: Most creeks are slightly stained, but main lake south of 109 is fairly clear.

Bass: Fair. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “A few largemouth and nice spots remain shallow on Little John crankbaits, crawfish-colored Shad Raps or jigs fished around cover, but that bite depends on a warming trend. The schoolie-sized spotted bass, with a few surprise largemouth, are in full swing on some of the deeper wintertime holes and can be caught with a jigging spoon or a drop-shot. The usual places—roadbeds, humps and ledges near the mouths of the major creeks—are holding fish. Lake levels seem to have stabilized over the last few days. I expect the lake level to drop again unless we keep getting rain. I would still use caution as some stickups are exposed, and there are more just under the surface. The boat ramps at Yellow Jacket, Horace King Park and the new mega ramp at Pyne Road Park are all recommended, but most others are now usable. The dock at Pyne Road Park is my favorite right now because it puts you in mid lake. You can call (706) 645-2929 for the level and generation schedule. Surface temps seem to have stabilized as we move into the winter season. We should see mostly mid to upper 40s, with a few 50s if the sun is out.”

Linesides: “The striper bite has stayed fair over the last couple of weeks,” Keith said. “We have still been catching 20 to 30 fish per day, a mix of hybrids and stripers, on my live-bait trips in recent days. We’re still catching a few stripers in the 15- to 20-lb. range, but the average good fish has been around 7 to 10 pounds. A few stripers, hybrids and white bass continue to school on top, especially on overcast days. The bigger stripers have been down near the dam around Maple Creek and at the mouth of Whitewater and Wilson creeks, early and late. Have a Zara Spook, a swim bait or one of Russ’s hand-tied bucktail jigs ready in case you see schooling activity on the surface.”