Blackshear Report, Saturday and Sunday

[crappster]

I got out to Blackshear early Saturday mornning and made the paddle out to the rail road tressle. Water was pretty muddy. Maybe a foot of visibility. Using every color I had and shiners, I caught nothing. Paddled back to the state park area by noon. I was planning on taking out and putting in for the rest of the afternoon at Smoake Bridge, but I decided to fish under the little bridge in the state park. Well, from 12 till 2:30 I caught 22 crappie, none smaller than 10 inches, and 8 that were a pound and a half and bigger, with two at two pounds. I lost one that was quite a bit bigger than the two pounders. Tried to lip him at the surface instead of netting him . Then at 2:30 it was lights out. They quit pulling water and that in turn made the shad leave out from under the bridge and the crappie shut their mouths. Most of the average size crappie were caught on a black and chartreuse tube, but the larger ones were all caught on big shiners....like three inches. Couldn't get them to hit all the way till dark. I even netted some shad and dropped those down. Well I decided to spend the night in Cordele instead of driving back to Valdosta. I was betting I could get my limit today. Well someone forgot to run the dam today, because there was no water movement. At least in Gum creek there wasn't. This in turn kept the shad out from under the bridge and the crappie never fed as far as I could tell. I caught two in the morning that were 12 inches each, and that was that. I waited until 3 for the water to start moving, but it never did. Just when you think you got em figured out. Well, it was very obvious that these fish were in the prespawn staging phase. They were not on the trees yet, and were holed up underneath that bridge. They were stacked according to the fish finder yesterday and today. Maybe they will still be underneath there next weekend. If you get a chance to go this week, its easy pickings......if the water is moving that is. Talk about night and day according to the current. I hope to put a pic on here of one of the two pounders, once I figure out how to post a pic.

[JimmyS]

Crappster, Good fishing report. Just goes to show you don't have to have an expensive rig to catch fish. Nice catch! Go getem Good Luck! Jimmy S.

[Beehaw]

Crapster, You can call (229) 273-3811 and the Crisp Cunty Power Commision will tell you when they plan to generate the next day. I just called them and he said they would be pulling water tomorrow from 8 or 9 am until probably 10 pm. Most of the dams have a number you can call. West Point is (706) 645-2929.

[crappster]

Thanks Beehaw. Most of the time I just go when I get a chance, but I could have saved some time today by calling that number.

[Beehaw]

I have a few places that the West Point dam affects, and it isn't worth going unless the generations schedule is correct. One place is full of bluegill and I take my two boys out there when they are NOT generating. We went once last year and planned our arrival for right when they closed the gates. We met some catfishermen at the ramp that were taking out. They said the catsfish quit biting immediately when the gates are closed. I thought this was funny since the blugill don't bite until they close them.

[reelcrappie]

Thanks for the info on bluegill, Beehaw. I've never had much luck on West Point fishing for bluegill. What size do you usually catch. It's great that you can fish with your two boys. Better enjoy they grow up fast.

[crappster]

We catch the heck out of the bluegill on west point. Best places are any coves that have a rocky shoreline. Using ultralight rods, 1/32 oz jighead, and any kind of plastic crawdad no bigger than an inch and you will tear them up. Now here is the problem. Out of every 50 bluegill, we have maybe 10 that are big enough to eat. I'm not sure if its just a stunted population or what, but its hard to catch the big boys. At least in this manner of fishing. I'm not sure if beehaw has found the big boys.

[Beehaw]

I guess it depends on what you consider big. We never catch any of those 1 lb bream we all hear about, but we have caught some as big as my hand. The best part about the bream is that my boys can catch fish like crazy which keeps them interested. we always fish with crickets and a bobber.

[Dutch]

We catch the heck out of the bluegill on west point. Best places are any coves that have a rocky shoreline. Using ultralight rods, 1/32 oz jighead, and any kind of plastic crawdad no bigger than an inch and you will tear them up. Now here is the problem. Out of every 50 bluegill, we have maybe 10 that are big enough to eat. I'm not sure if its just a stunted population or what, but its hard to catch the big boys. At least in this manner of fishing. I'm not sure if beehaw has found the big boys.

Sounds like fishing at Lake Juliette. We troll the banks, casting a 1/32 Beetlespin in Catapla. Catch them like crazy, but out of a 100 or more a day, you get maybe 30 or forty that are good size keepers. The rest are 3 finger cull's. Juliette is a under fished lake because its gin clear and has a 25 hp limit. I can fish all day an maybe see 2 or 3 other boats.

[reelcrappie]

If you want big bluegill try Blueridge lake. Fish brush piles in 15' to 20'. Get right over the brush and let down a cricket. You won't catch a lot but they will all be big [ half pound or so] and some will be monster size, two pounds. Water is so clear that you can see a white plastic fork on the bottom over 10' deep. It's hard fishing but the bluegill are awesome.