West Point Lake Fishing Report – December 2024

West Point: Level: 9.2 feet below 635. Temp: 58-65 degrees. Clarity: Mostly clear.

Bass: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Good. Typically, December remains a decent month for bass fishing, and the shallow bite for largemouth has remained pretty good so far this fall. The shallow bite could improve during the month, especially with stained water and water temps remaining  in the upper 50s. Baits such as Rat-L-Traps, Shad Raps, squarebill crankbaits and ChatterBaits are catching some of these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of shallow baitfish. Fish the open water in the pockets with a Flash Mob Jr. Keep a jig or shaky head handy to pitch around any wood cover. Fishing rip-rap can also produce good results this time of year, especially after a warm rain. Yellowjacket and Whitewater creeks continue to produce. If it turns cold and stays dry during the month, the water should remain clear and cool down in the low 50 or upper 40s. Then, expect big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers to be caught on jigging spoons, drop-shot rigs and shaky-head rigs on humps and drop-offs. Target  deeper offshore structures like brushpiles and old roadbeds in 20 to 30 feet of water near the mouths of most major creeks.”

Linesides: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Good. The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off and begun to clear up. Freelining a live bait will also work at times. Most of the fish seem to be holding 20 to 30 feet deep. The fish are still moving around a good bit but should lock in to a certain thermocline as the water cools. I love jigging spoon fishing for them in the winter, as well! Expect the topwater fishing to be sporadic. It’s usually best very early and very late, or on overcast or rainy days. Gulls and loons are starting to show up now, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers. Keep your eyes open to look for circling or diving birds. Trolling the Flash Mob or Shad Raps has still been working on schooling 1- to 3-lb. fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. Cast a 3/8- or 1/2-oz. white Rooster Tail, a bucktail jig, a chrome C.C. Spoon or other small shad imitators. The colder it gets, the better the fishing usually is —within reason, of course. The mouths of most creeks from Yellowjacket/Half Moon area all the way to the dam and in the Maple Creek area have been holding fish.”

Crappie: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Fair. Try tightline fishing with minnows or a 1/16-oz. or smaller jig around bridge pilings, brushpiles and blowdowns in 6 to 15 feet of water. Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels. Pitching or shooting docks with small tube or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. Bridge pilings also hold fish this time of year. Yellowjacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually starts soon, as well, and can be very effective. If December turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly and can be caught by shoreline anglers.”

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