Lake Blackshear Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SUMMER. Summer bass fishing is very good, with the best action occurring at dawn, dusk, and after dark. Largemouth bass hold around cypress trees, boat docks, hydrilla edges, creek channels, and submerged timber where shade and current concentrate baitfish. Topwater lures are productive early, while worms and jigs excel during midday. Water temperatures warm considerably in Summer, so bass feed shallow, early and late in the day. As the day warms, they are typically caught in 8 to 20 feet of water. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on threadfin shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are typically caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 12 to 20 feet deep. Drop shots, and wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

FALL. Cooling temperatures bring largemouth bass into shallower water where they aggressively feed on schools of shad. Creek mouths, grass lines, and shallow flats become prime fishing areas, and reaction baits often produce fast action. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 4 to 12 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here jigs are often the ideal bait in 10 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

WINTER. Although winter fishing slows, largemouth bass remain catchable throughout Lake Blackshear. Fish concentrate along creek channels, submerged timber, and deeper cypress edges, feeding during the warmest part of the day. Slow presentations generally produce the best results. The cold of Winter will isolate largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are usually in the low high 40's to mid 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending from 10 to 20 feet deep over deeper structure. Bass often move a bit shallower on warm, sunny days. Also, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools, a few feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, spoons, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. Spring is the premier season for largemouth bass fishing. Fish move into shallow coves, protected pockets, and cypress flats to spawn, creating excellent opportunities for anglers casting soft plastics, jigs, and spinnerbaits around visible cover. When water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits are typically get bites just away from the shoreline. In early Spring they feed aggressively in about 2 to 10 feet of water, and prepare for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 1 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 5 to 10 feet deep. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass when they are not shallow.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Both black and white crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. This is true for trolling or casting. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search the old fashion way, via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them just as anglers have for many decades. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Summer crappie fishing is very good as fish school around submerged brush piles, bridge pilings, standing timber, and deeper creek channels. Vertical jigging or fishing live minnows around cover produces the most consistent catches, particularly during the early morning and evening. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 12 to 14 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 15 to 20 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks with shade. Some of the best fishing is early morning, late evening, or night. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. Fall is one of the best seasons for crappie fishing as cooling water temperatures bring schools into shallower brush and timber. Fish feed aggressively on baitfish, making both jigs and live minnows highly productive. As Fall begins cooling the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 8 to 15 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 12 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. Winter continues to offer excellent crappie fishing as large schools gather around deep brush, standing timber, and creek channel edges. Slow vertical presentations with small jigs or live minnows are consistently effective. The water temperature drop into the 30's and low 40's. The shallows turn cold, causing crappie to migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Typically they are caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 22 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports often come from anglers targeting standing timber and brush piles. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into slightly shallower water to feed.

SPRING. Spring is the premier crappie season at Lake Blackshear. Fish move into shallow coves, cypress trees, brush, and shoreline cover to spawn, providing outstanding action for anglers fishing small jigs or live minnows beneath floats. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 2 to 8 feet of water, just outside spawning bays, and on shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 1 to 4 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 8 to 15 feet of water. Once they move out of the shallows, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Current Fishing Report: Very Good

Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish here, as well as a fun fish to catch.

SUMMER. Summer is an outstanding season for bluegill fishing at Lake Blackshear. Fish gather around cypress trees, lily pads, docks, brush piles, and shoreline vegetation. Multiple spawning periods occur throughout the summer, creating fast action for anglers fishing live bait or small jigs. Following the spawn, most of the bigger bluegill migrate to deeper water, around 2 to 8 feet deep. They prefer rocky or weedy areas, often hanging out on steep, rocky banks where they can move up and down to feed without having to travel a great distance. Small spoons, underspins, and mini-crankbaits are catching some of the bigger bluegill. Earthworms also catch good numbers. Early and late in the day, anglers catch them in 1 to 6 feet of water.

FALL. As water temperatures cool, bluegill move slightly deeper while continuing to feed actively around brush, docks, and timber. Small jigs, crickets, and worms produce consistent catches throughout the season. Cooling water keeps bluegill actively feeding as they gradually move toward deeper weed edges and basin structure. Schools become more concentrated, making them easier to locate. Cooling, Fall weather drops the water temperature in the shallows and bluegill move shallow to feed, around the edges of weedlines. In early Fall they prefer 4 to 10 feet of water. Steeper banks, and shallow weedy areas with drop-offs, are hold bluegill this time of year. Later in Fall, as the shallows get colder, bluegill will move out to deeper water, in many of the same areas.

WINTER. Bluegill remain available throughout winter but typically school in deeper water near creek channels, submerged timber, and brush piles. Fishing slows compared to warmer months, although patient anglers can still enjoy steady action using small live baits. Bluegill often school over deep weeds and soft-bottom basins, providing steady action throughout much of the colder season. Early in Winter bluegill were being caught in 8 to 12 feet of water. Cooling shallows have now driven the bluegill back to deeper cover. In Winter, they are often caught around weed edges. In areas with no cover, anglers typically find them around drop offs, into even deeper water. Small pieces of worms, and other baits worked slowly, tends to get the best results.

SPRING. Spring marks the beginning of outstanding bluegill fishing as fish move shallow to feed ahead of their extended spawning season. As water temperatures continue to rise, large numbers of bluegill gather around shoreline cover and spawning colonies. In early Spring, bluegill migrate from winter holding areas toward the shoreline areas, and are typically caught around 2 to 6 feet deep. As the water warms to the mid 70's they will begin the spawning ritual, building nests in 1 to 4 feet of water. Many of the bigger bluegill prefer to spawn a bit deeper, depending on water clarity. After the spawn, bluegill drop deeper. Small spinners and swimbaits, or jigs tipped with small pieces of nightcrawlers are good choices for catching a lot of bluegill in Spring.