West Point Fishing Report – September 2007

West Point: Level: Down 8.8 feet below full pool with a boating advisory. Temp: Upper 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Largemouth: Good, said guide Paul Parsons. “Fish roadbeds, humps and shoal markers 10 to 20 feet deep with DD22s or big worms like a Zoom Ol Monster in green pumpkin or watermelon seed,” Paul said. “Fishing has been best on weekdays during periods of generation.”

Spotted Bass: Good. Paul said to throw a Carolina-rigged finesse worm in watermelon seed or chartreuse pepper on rocky points.

Linesides: Excellent, according to both Paul and guide Bobby Wilson. “Fish are on humps and flats from the railroad trestle to the dam. Downline live shad 20 to 30 feet deep,” Paul said. “Early morning fishing has been best with lots of nice-sized hybrids and small striped bass in the 2- to 5-lb. range being caught. Please release these small stripers that were just stocked so they have a chance to get big. There has been a fantastic topwater bite the first couple hours of daylight from Southern Harbor to the dam. Throw popping-cork rigs, Sassy Shads, 1/4-oz. Rat-L-Traps or Rooster Tails. We have been catching 25 to 50 hybrids and stripers a trip plus big bass.” Bobby said the downline bite is good, as well. “Fishing is still good. We’re catching stripers up to 6 pounds and hybrids up to 7 pounds,” Bobby said. “We’re catching fish in 24 to 30 feet of water on Carolina-rigged hooks, fishing live threadfin shad and gizzard shad on a 2/0 wire hook. Fish are biting early, and we’re catching 20 to 35 fish a morning down on the flats and humps in the main part of the lake.”

Crappie: Fair. “Fishing is still a little slow in the daytime. Night fishing is working better around the pilings at night,” Bobby said. “There are still fish schooling on top in the mornings. They are not staying up long. you can catch these fish on poppin’ corks, Rat-L-Traps and Rooster Tails. Paul said the night bite is the way to go. “Fishing has been good at night under the bridges with minnows,” Paul said. “Try the Yellow Jacket bridge, the railroad trestle or 109 bridges.”