Fishing Report For West Point Lake, GA

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

The expanded use of forward-facing sonar and other high-tech fish finders is providing anglers, who fish from a boat, with a real-time view of where these spotted bass are holding. The catch rate has increased considerably, and anglers are picking their targets to catch the bigger spots. New lures, line, tackle and equipment has also improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study spotted bass life cycle and patterns, are still managing to catch nice fish, with or without the new electronics.

Spotted bass are a major player in the bass fishery here at West Point Lake. Big spots often make up a significant portion of bass being weighed in, during bass tournaments.

WINTER. Winter is drawing spots, in large groups, around deeper structure, points and creek channels - anywhere there is baitfish. Early in Winter they can be found from 8 to 15 feet deep. Some of the bigger fish hold as much as 5 to 10 feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less aggressively, waiting warmer water to return in Spring. Good results are coming from ledges and channel edges around major feeder creeks, the lower end of the lake near the dam, and around the Wolf Creek channel. The best results are coming from anglers fishing very slowly, with finesse worms on shaky heads, small jigs, and drop-shots.

SPRING. Early in Spring spotted bass hold in 3 to 12 feet of water, staging outside spawning areas. As Spring, progresses, spotted bass spend time in 2 to 6 feet of water, around nesting areas on protected flats, in the backs of coves, and on sloping gravel banks and shallow main-lake points. Anglers are having success on the east banks of the lake from dawn until the sun starts beating down on the shallows. Buzzbaits, topwater and flukes are all catching some nice fish, if you get there early. Once they spawn, females head to deep water to recover, while the males stay to guard the eggs and fry. Afterwards, they too move to deeper water, usually close by the spawning areas. Look for them on points and ledges near these areas. Daily movements find the bass moving shallow to feed, especially early and late in the day. Deep crankbaits, spinnerbaits, small jigs, plastic worms and swimbaits are now catching plenty of spotted bass.

SUMMER. Spots are being caught on steep, rocky banks, ledges, humps, drop-offs and standing timber, in 12 to 25 feet of water, sometimes even deeper. At night they often venture shallower to feed. They tend to gather in small schools and hold, preferring to move up and down the water column on steep banks looking for food and ideal water temperatures. They are occasionally feeding shallow, early and late in the day, where they are being caught on topwater, crankbaits and swimbaits. Drop-shots, Ned rigs, and wacky-rigged stick worms are catching finicky bass when they are deeper. They feed here on shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points and ledges 18 to 25 feet deep. Spots will also hold in the shade of heavy, shallower vegetation.

FALL. Fall weather at night, cools the shallows more quickly than deeper sections of the lake. The cooler water invites baitfish and spotted bass into coves and bays, where crankbaits, swimbaits and spinnerbaits, are often very successful for catching spots. Early, and late, in the day, spots often school up and feed in 15 to 20 feet of water, around creek mouths, shaded pockets, docks and brush. They move into 20 to 35 feet of water, or more, as the day warms the shallows.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

The food source for wipers includes gizzard shad, threadfin shad and blueback herring, so anything that imitates these baitfish can catch them here.

Hybrid striped bass here tend to run in sizeable schools. The use of new fish-locating electronics is helping anglers catch more hybrid stripers. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently one of the the best ways to locate schools of both wipers and baitfish. It is particularly helpful in deep water. Once located, hybrid striped bass are being caught by trolling, casting or jigging, depending on depth.

WINTER. In Winter, hybrid stripers again hang out in deeper water and feed close to the bottom, often 40 feet deep or deeper. Throughout last winter, hybrid bass were caught on the main lake, especially from Rocky Point Recreational Area to the dam, around the mouth of feeder creeks and major coves. Warm afternoons occasionally draw stripers shallower, so look for them around 10 to 20 feet deep, as they feed on roaming schools of blueback herring, gizzard shad, and threadfin shad. In Winter, it is important to locate schools of bait, then look for wipers schooling below the bait. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice fish are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, swimbaits, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are typically effective this time of year. Due to slower metabolism, anglers are triggering more strikes as deep as 40 feet, by making slower presentations.

SPRING. When water temperatures rise into the mid 60's now, it's the ideal time for hybrid stripers to spawn. Big hybrid stripers chase baitfish all over the lake. They are being caught up lake toward the incoming current and they feed and prepare to spawn. Expect to find hybrids in 12 to 20 feet of water early and late in the day, closer to 25 feet during mid day. Most schools gather around the mouths creek-channels, channel bends, humps and points. There are plenty of hybrids averaging 2 to 3 pounds, with many 5-pound plus fish being caught. In Spring, work wind-blown points, creeks, and the upper end of the lake if there is inflowing water. If they spawn, they will lay eggs in flowing water. Look for deeper holes in the river channels, as they are a good holding place for hybrid stripers after the spawn. Vertical jigging, or trolling with deep crankbaits are popular.

SUMMER. In Summer, these wipers typically hang out in 15 to 30 feet of oxygenated water, as do schools of baitfish. Sometimes during the heat of the day they move close to the bottom, around points, humps and bends in the main river channel. Morning often draws hybrid stripers to much shallower water, so look for them around 15 feet as they feed on shallow on roaming schools of shad. Trolling with spoons, crankbaits, umbrella rigs or swimbaits produces a lot of nice catches in Summer. Live or cut bait can also be effective here. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is often a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of wipers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools.

FALL. In early Fall, baitfish and hybrid stripers return to shallow water preferring areas 8 to 30 feet deep. Some of the bigger fish may be slightly deeper than the big schools. Expect to find schooling activity around marinas, and in the Rocky Point and Wolf Creek creek mouths, flats, points, and humps. Early in the day wipers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. Mid day they move into around 8 to 10 feet of water. Look for structure nearby deeper sections in channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch wipers at this time of year.

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.

Crappie fishing has been excellent here for several years. Brush piles, wood and deep vegetation are all abundant and make ideal environments for crappie.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the 50's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 30 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Wolf Creek is a great place to start. 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 15 to 20 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 3 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Some of the better spawning areas include docks and shoreline cover around the Amity Campground, Rocky Point and Anderson Park. 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 3 to 8 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 20 feet of water. Early and late in the day they are being caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 25 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. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming 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 6 to 12 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 20 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.