by Ken Sturdivant
Lake Oconee is down one foot with the water temperature in the 70’s.
Before the storms, the fishing was good. Bass are being caught in shallow water around rocks, docks and blow downs. Use a Strike King spinnerbait in the 3/8 ounce size in white and chartreuse. Using a ¼ ounce chrome and blue or chrome and black Rat-L Trap fished all around the docks and next to sea walls will be a good method for catching fish. Fish this bait on 10-pound test Sufix line using a medium action rod. Fishing a Zoom watermelon candy finesse worm on a drop rig with 8-pound Trilene line and a 1/0 Gamakatsu offset shank hook with a set about 12 inches above the weight with a worm will also bring a few bites.
Hybrid fishing is fair. The best bait to use will be live shad. Fish around the pipeline and the dam area. Most fish are being caught over underwater islands with your bait being down in 15 to 20 foot of water.
Crappie fishing is fair to good. Some good size crappies are starting to show up. Fish are being caught in 15 foot of water over brush. The bite is very light so use no more than 6-pound test line and be a line watcher. You may only see your line start to move. Slow trolling in the creek channel up Sugar Creek next to the standing timber will bring a few bites, but they should be good fish.