Lake Oconee Crappie
by Chad Smith
March is the month all crappie fisherman have been waiting for! The dogwoods are blooming and the big “broke neck” slab female crappie are running shallow to spawn! Pushing jigs tipped with minnows .4-.6mph up shallow 2-5 feet deep is the ticket. I will be pushing ten 14 foot Denali Pryme rods paired with either a Jiffy Jig or Sugar Bug! Black blue black, pink black pink, sexy red bug, and the Doug bug colors are all a go-to when pushing!
Water temps are currently 52-56 degrees and rising. Backs of major creeks such as Sugar Creek, Lick Creek, Sandy Creek and up the Appalachee River are great places to fish. As of late, big fish are currently in the river channels 12-15 feet deep over 20-22 feet of water but will be running shallow with the first wave of spawning fish with the full moon with all this warm weather. I expect the crappie spawn to be early with all this warm spring weather we are having.
If you want to get in on the big fish pushing action, give me a call!
Lake Oconee
by Mark Smith
Lake Oconee is full with the water clear on the south end and stained up the lake and into the river with the water temperatures 50-54 degrees.
Striper fishing is poor. Some fish are starting to show up at the dam for the spring run. Live bait fished on downlines will pick up a few fish. Use small baits like a very small threadfin or a crappie minnow. Most of the stripers being caught are by crappie fisherman.
Crappie fishing is good. The fish are moving into the major creeks. Use a dark jig tipped with a minnow. Spider rigs have been the best producers over the past week. Use your Lowrance to located the depth and location of the schools and adjust your depth to put the jig on top of the fish. Over the next few weeks the largest fish will be moving into the coves and creeks to spawn, so now it the time to fill a cooler with big slabs.