West Point Fishing Report June 2013

West Point: Level: 0.3 feet above full pool. Temp: Mid 70s. Clarity: Slightly stained.

Bass: Fair. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Fishing for largemouth has been pretty tough over the last few weeks, but hopefully it will get better as we move into June. Unusually high water levels have had the largemouth pushed into places they haven’t been in years. Below-average water temps have kept these fish shallow compared to normal. I believe this year in June we’ll probably see a continued bite on shallow-water baits such as Spro Popping Frogs, Zoom Super Flukes and topwater baits such as Zara Spooks and Pop Rs. If the weather does get warm and the lake drops a little bit by the end of the month, expect the fish to show up on deeper structure such as lake dams, roadbeds and deep brushpiles. Big crankbaits like the Model 7 or 8 Bomber Fat Free in citrus-shad color are good choices for deeper fish. Of course, the old faithful Carolina-rigged Trick Worm will catch its share of fish. There is still a shad spawn going on that will probably last into June. Try a crankbait or spinnerbait in shad patterns around patches of rip-rap rock near the bridges first thing in the morning. For spotted bass, try a shaky head with a Zoom shaky-tail worm around bridge pilings, brushpiles or rocky banks. A Zoom green-pumpkin finesse worm on a Carolina rig will continue to produce fish throughout the summer. Try fishing the mouths of the larger creeks. Gravel points and shoal markers are a good place to start. Concentrate on the south end of the lake for the best results.

Linesides: Good. “In the last few days, the downline bite on the main lake has kicked in pretty strong,” Keith said. “I have been catching lots of stripers mixed with hybrids and white bass basically from the railroad trestle south. There have been some fish in the main river run, but most of them seem to be in the mouths of the creeks. Downlining with shad or bass shiners is the best bet, but some fish are being caught trolling with umbrella or Alabama rigs. Look for these fish to be in the 15- to 20-foot range on the edge of humps, roadbeds and creek channels. There is also some topwater action which should pick up as the month goes by. A popping-cork rig should be kept handy at all times in case a school pops up out of nowhere.”

Crappie: Good. “Crappie are usually pretty much forgotten this time of year, but you can have some really good days with a little effort,” Keith said. “Savvy anglers sink brushpiles near the creek channels in creeks like Whitewater and Yellow Jacket. The crappie will stack up in these brushpiles during the summer months. Downlining with a split shot or drop-shot rig with a small minnow produces some good catches. The key is to get directly in or over the brush. Another technique that works this time of year is shooting docks. A very small feather tail or tube jig on light line pitched or shot under the docks will produce some really good numbers. The other option is night fishing. Tie up under one of the bridges or near the major creek channels, put out some lights and kick back. The crappie will usually show up within an hour or so after dark. It’s a good way to fill your freezer.”