By Capt. Wayne Moore USCG
September Forecast – Dog Days and Spoons Will Give Way
We are all looking forward to the end of the “dog days” here on Oconee and anxiously awaiting September. Last year, we had less rain and essentially a topwater bite for hybrids and stripers at the dam all summer. This is because Georgia Power was pumping water up from Lake Sinclair frequently in the morning.
This year, it has not been the case, and it’s been tough. The last great topwater bite in a trip I had was mid-June. That will likely change in September with less rain and slightly cooler temperatures. When that pump-back/topwater is on, it’s incredible! Even a novice fly fisherman can catch these fierce fighting fish. For the spin fisherman, popping corks and 1/6-ounce white rooster tails do very well. On light spinning tackle, it’s a rush!
Hybrids – As of this writing, even though Georgia Power has not been pumping water, the spoon bite in the morning has been good. There are a lot of great guides here on Oconee, each has their own specialties. When I think about spoon fishing, the experts that come to my mind are Doug Nelms and Jason Nelms. They both have taught me that silver is not the only color spoon to use! Go to Sugar Creek Marina and ask about which spoons are hot right now, and they will hook you up. Fly fishing right now for hybrids is a no go. The fish are holding at 25 to 30 feet deep. As mentioned, this will change in September. As for other techniques, I am leaving the bait behind for now. I have caught some nice stripers on the U-rig. Look for humps near the dam and I run 2.8 mph 100 feet back.
Crappie – Long line, long line, long line. The key here is to find submerged timber mid-lake. You will see crappie on your electronics. What you are looking for is timber in 20 to 30 feet of water that seems to top out about 10 to 12 feet from the surface. If you troll a double 1/16 jig, you will be close to that timber. You will get hung up, but you will catch fish. Use light wire hooks and you can just pull the hook off the tree and straighten it back out: http://www.litewirehooks.com/ . You can get these at Sugar Creek and Fish Tale Marinas.
Largemouth Bass – Fly fishing for largemouths slowed down as the water heated up and the pump back was off. If they are pumping the largemouth will be closer to the shore and easy to catch on a fly. In September, this will be a great way to land your first largemouth on a fly. I always use either a Wiggle Minnow fly, Henry Cowen’s Something Else or combine the two by using the Something Else as a dropper.
Final words – I love the fall, and fishing on Oconee will be great, especially for the fly fisherman. Last year, this bite was great in September and October. By November, we will be chasing the birds as a giveaway for where the schools of fish are. We are booking up September and October quickly, so call 706-816-4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com and request your dates. Remember, we offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds.