By Preston Harden
The water temperature is in the low 50s, and the water level is at 3 feet below full pool.
As of mid-January, most gamefish were still active with the water temps well above 50 degrees. This may be the third year in a row that the water stays above 50 degrees. That is warm enough to keep most gamefish active.
Gamefish prefer to eat small baits in cold water. I try to imitate a threadfin shad instead of a blueback herring. If the water cools below 48 degrees, most game fish will not eat. Their metabolism slows as the water gets colder. February can be the toughest month of the year to catch gamefish.
The exception to this is crappie, which will feed all winter. They taste best in the colder water and are my favorite fish in the lake to eat. To catch crappie, use tiny jigs and flukes or a small crappie minnow. Look for crappie under docks and bridges as they love shade. This is especially true on a sunny day. Fish very slowly and expect a subtle strike. They will be in deeper water, 15 to 30 feet deep. They move into the major creeks and will move further back in the creeks under shallower docks as we move toward spring.
Preston Harden / Bucktail Guide Service, 706-255-5622 / bucktailguideservice.net.