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Lake Oconee, Madison Georgia
Capt. Doug Nelms
April 3, 2002
Lake Oconee - Freshwater Fishing Report
Crappie
The dogwoods are blooming in Georgia and now is the time to get out there and catch crappie. The crappie on Lake Oconee are biting like mad right now and boats are showing up, rigged from stem to stern with lanterns, and doing these all nighters that Oconee is famous for. The water temperature today is 67 degrees and everyone knows that the magic number is 68.
The big females are headed toward the bank in preparation to spawn and the males are already there, so you shouldn’t have a problem catching them. Just cast jigs, minnows, Hal Flys, whatever you find in your tackle box and just hang on. Guys are catching their limit and it doesn’t get any hotter than this.
If you like night fishing, now is the time to do it. The weather is not so cold, but it sure beats the hot, sweltering nights of summer time Oconee fishing. Try looking for the fish in Sugar Creek, Apalachee River, Town Creek, up the flats on the Oconee River, in the powerlines and bank at the Apalachee. They are everywhere and they are hungry. This next new moon is going to trigger a feeding frenzy for the fish and if you are out there, you can catch your limit in no time
Hybrids
At Lake Oconee, around the first week of April, the hybrid bass always come to the dam. This year they have arrived early and the fishing has been fast and furious.
Last night my wife and I went out and we netted 3 hybrids that looked like footballs. I don’t know when I have seen fish so fat. We caught them under lights on a 1/8 white curly tail jig. We are still catching them at the dam like mad and live shad is the ticket.
If you can catch live shad, you can catch a trophy hybrid. Downrods, flatlines, or casting: it really doesn’t matter how you present the bait, just as long as it is in the water. The more Georgia Power is pulling the lake, the better the fishing will be.
10-pound test line should be all you need, along with a spinning reel and stout rod. Throw the shad over the barrels toward the dam and don’t get occupied doing something else, because it will not take long.
I am also hearing that the white bass have started their migration up Dyars Pasture. If you have never tried this, you don’t know what you are missing. Be ready to have some company but when the fish are there, look for catches upward 100 fish a day. You can hardly throw anywhere without hooking one. I am planning to go this week and I will let you know how they are doing.
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