West Point Lake Fishing Report January 2018

West Point: Level: 6.4 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 40s to low 50s. Clarity: Clear on the south end; slightly stained up the lake.

Bass: Fair. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “During the winter, bass tend to slow down, move deeper and feed less. Although it is usually a slow time for fishing, warm fronts, cold fronts and warm or cold rainfall can turn the bite off and on quickly. Mid-depth baits like Rat-L-Traps, ChatterBaits, Little Johns and Shad Raps allow you to cover water to find actively feeding fish, which you will still find, especially on an extended warming trend. Remember to slow the baits down in the colder water. Rip-rap or chunk rock can hold bass on a warming trend, so try slowly working it with a jig ’n pig. I also enjoy spoon fishing this time of year for a mixed bag, even the occasional largemouth. For some nice spotted bass, try casting Spot Remover heads loaded with Zoom Shakey Head worms to chunk-rock banks. Try fishing around the bridges and bridge pilings with Tommyhead rigs and Bitsy Bug jigs, especially during periods of water generation. During January, spoon fishing and drop-shotting is normally your best bet for a mixed bag of spots, white bass, hybrids and stripers. Target 15 to 25 feet of water near the river channel or in the mouths of major creeks”

Linesides: Good. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Hybrids and stripes are down the lake in good numbers. Expect the downline bite on live shiners and the jigging spoon bite to continue to be good from now and all the way throughout the winter. The usual humps and drop-offs in the Chattahoochee and the mouths of most major creeks should produce. Some linesides are still surface schooling early and late on the main lake, especially on overcast days, and can be caught on Rooster Tails, Russ’ Bucktail Jigs, Zara Spooks and Storm Swim Shad lures. Gulls and loons are on the lake now and can help you find actively feeding fish. Trolling with A-Rigs and crankbaits is also normally effective.”

Crappie: Good. Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Try targeting blowdowns and brushpiles in 8 to 12 feet of water. I recommend the cuts and coves just north or south of Highland Marina in the river and in Yellowjacket Creek this time of year. Most of the docks that still have water under them have brushpiles around them, making them easy targets. Some crappie will remain deeper near the creek channels. Try around structures such as sunken brushpiles or standing timber. Try drop-shotting minnows in 15 to 20 feet of water for good results on these deeper fish. Spider-rig trolling should also pick up during January. Don’t forget, a prolonged warming trend or a substantial warm rain can really turn the crappie on quickly and move them shallow, even in January.”