West Point Fishing Report January 2006

West Point: Level: 6.3 feet below full. Temp: 42-45 degrees. Clarity: Slightly stained in places. Mostly clear on the main lake.

Bass: The spots will be in the deep timber in January. Drop a jigging spoon down right on top of the standing timber along creek and river channels. Use your electronics to see how deep the tops of the trees are, and drop the spoon down just above that depth and the fish will come up to take it. Guide Paul Parsons said to take plenty of spoons on a trip because you will get hung up.

Hybrids: Slow right now but picking up in January. Guide Bobby Wilson said when the weather stabilizes, the bite should improve. “Typically we have nights with temperatures in the 30s and highs in the 50s, and it’s been a little colder lately,” Bobby said. “When the weather gets right, the fish will start biting good.” In January, Bobby likes to troll Bandit 200- or 300-series crankbaits around hybrids holding along river ledges and submerged timber from the pumping station down the lake. Try different colors on the crankbaits until you find out what the fish want. Pearl white, gable green and taco salad are popular crankbait colors for West Point linesides. Troll using the big motor at about two or three mph. “I keep it between 700 and 850 rpms on a 150-horse motor,” Bobby said. Paul said the hybrids are definitely on a winter pattern. “I’m sure pretty much everything is going to be in the deep standing timber,” Paul said. Jigging spoons around standing timber where the treetops are 25- or 35-feet deep or shallower will work. Try a white 1/4- to 1/2-oz. Flex-it spoon. There is a lot of good timber along the Chattahoochee River channel, and in Maple and Wehadkee creeks. “Anywhere you can find standing timber along river or creek channels, there will probably be fish in it,” Paul said. Troll a white or chartreuse Sassy Shad on a 1/4-oz. jighead. You can dip the tails in chartreuse or red dye to entice a bite. “Troll real slow,” Paul said. “Just like trolling for crappie.” Use light line so the lures will get down deep enough.

Crappie: The fishing for crappie has been slow lately. Bobby expects it to pick up this month. That’s when he’ll start trolling jigs around river-channel ledges or standing timber 25- to 30-feet deep. Bobby likes to use 1/16-oz. jigheads with two- to four-inch grubs. Try a wide variety of colors until you find out what the fish want, and switch all your jigs to that color to load a cooler with crappie.