by Ken Sturdivant
The lake is full and clear over most of the lake with a light stain up the rivers. The temperature is 65 to 68 degrees. Bass fishing is slow but improving. A buzzbait at first light will still produce for the first hour of daylight. Soft plastics fished under docks and around wood structure in the mouths of the coves mid-lake will produce during daylight hours. Crankbaits fished around bridge rip-rap will also produce when Georgia Power is pulling water in the afternoons. Texas rigged worms fished around wood in the rivers above I-20 have been producing on windblown banks.
Striper fishing is good. The stripers are starting to show up around the river bend area of the lake. The live bait bite has started. Down lines as well as flat lines will produce. Fish are also showing up in the mouths of the coves. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools of bait and the stripers will be close by. Now is the time to go bait hunting. Find large schools of bait and the fish will be close by. The sea gulls have not shown up as of yet.
Crappie fishing is fair to good. This is the best fishing on Oconee right now. Long lining (trolling) will produce some nice catches. You will need to run your jigs about 10 to 12 feet deep. Down lining crappie minnows into tree tops and on ledges on the main lake at 10 feet deep will also produce a lot of fish. Use your Lowrance to locate the fish in the tree tops and then drop your bait down to the fish.