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Lake Oconee, Madison Georgia
Capt. Doug Nelms
August 4, 2003
Lake Oconee - Freshwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report
Water Temp 86
August 4, 2003
Have you heard the expression, “It doesn’t get any better than this!” Well I have a similar expression that describes summertime dog days fishing on Oconee.. “It doesn’t get any harder than this!” While there are some unbelievable reports surfacing from different anglers catching Biblical proportions, most of us mere mortals have found it challenging to put a decent catch in the boat.
There are several reasons for the inactivity but the main one would be it is just too hot. With the water surface temp spiking in some places close to 88 the fish have become lethargic and the anglers have become discouraged. But there is a silver lining here because when the hot weather shows up it starts something really cool on this lake, which is the white bass school.
You may not catch anything over 3 pounds but what you will catch is a lot of small fish, great table fare by the way, with the action lasting sometimes for hours. It seems to me that a certain combination of generators being opened produces the perfect water flow for these fish to gorge themselves on shad. I wish I could tell you what the combination is and what time they are turned on, but remember I am just a mere mortal.
What I do know is when they turn them on, whether it be one, two, three or four, the white bass have a field day with the small shad that are scattered all over the lake.
Last week while fishing with some friends, we came across a school of whites just going crazy in a place that I have never seen them school. The 4 little girls in the boat, the oldest being only 10, caught 15 fish in 8 minutes. With all the screaming and hollering you would have thought we had found “The Nessy”. We caught these fish on white rooster tails each and every cast. I was really enjoying unhooking and releasing these things when suddenly boredom took its toll, and the girls decided unanimously this was enough. So we went swimming. They have yet to learn the Doug Nelms fishing rule of never leave them biting.
The places to look for these schoolers are, Hayfields and Goat Island in Sugar Creek, Swords Bridge, Hwy 44 Bridge (south side) and Flagpole Point.
It will get better but for now if you gotta go, look for schooling fish and you will be rewarded with fast and exciting action.
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