West Point Lake Fishing Report – January 2022

West Point: Level: 4.7 feet below 635. Temp: Mid 50s. Clarity: Last week it was fairly clear all over the lake. That may change a bit after recent rains. Backs of the creeks and the Hooch north of 219 will likely stain up.

Bass: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Fair. Bass fishing in January can be very challenging. The shallow bite for bass is only fair right now but could improve quickly in late January, especially with a warm rain and extended warming trend. Stained water, higher-than-normal lake levels and water temps in the low 60s will turn things on quickly. Baits such as crawdad Shad Raps, Rat-L-Traps and ChatterBaits will produce on these shallower fish. Try to fish these baits in coves and pockets with small feeder creeks or around schools of baitfish. 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. The rocks warm quickly and retain heat. On the other hand, a snow or ice storm in January could shut the bite down completely. Water temps in the  30s and 40s make it super tough. If the lake stays cold and clear, go deep! Big schools of spots mixed with hybrids, white bass and stripers can be caught on jigging spoons and 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 mouth of most major creeks for the best results.”

Linesides: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Good. The downline bite with shad or bass shiners has improved as the water has cooled off and in most years stays good all winter. Most of the fish seem to be holding 25 to 40 feet deep, except for those rare days when they are schooling on the surface. Expect the topwater fishing to be very sporadic. It’s usually best very early and very late or on overcast or rainy days. Gulls and loons are here now, which makes it easier to pinpoint schooling stripers and hybrids. Keep your eyes open! The popping-cork rig has still been working on schooling, 1- to 3-lb. fish with an occasional bigger one mixed in. A big Red Fin or a big swimbait won’t get many bites but could produce a 20-lb. fish on any cast. A  3/8- or 1/2-oz. white Rooster Tail, a chrome C.C. Spoon and a number of other small shad imitators have also been producing, and the colder it gets, the better the deep fishing usually is (within reason of course). In cold water, a bucktail jig becomes very effective, as well. Trolling with mid-depth crankbaits and Flash Mob Jr. rigs also continues to produce some linesides. The mouths of most creeks anywhere south of the Highland Marina area all the way to the dam and Maple Creek have been holding fish.”

Crappie: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Fair. Try tightline fishing with minnows or a 1/16-  or 1/8-oz.  jig around bridge pilings, brushpiles and blowdowns in 15 to 20 feet of water. Concentrate on trees and brush that are close to the old creek channels. Pitching or shooting deep-water docks with small tubes or feather jigs around or under the docks can still produce this time of year. As usual, crappie seem to love shade and cover. Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Whitewater creeks are still producing some crappie. Spider trolling usually works well in January, as well, and can be very effective. If January turns unusually warm and wet, the crappie can show back up surprisingly shallow very quickly.”