HaHa: 0
Crappie Wall Hanger II
LAKE OCONEE 6/8/17
Jim and I fished Lake Oconee yesterday. We started early at the spot we had done so well at last time we fished. We fished hard and fought the wind all morning and managed only 8 keepers by lunch time. After lunch we moved to a spot that we had not fished all year. The wind had died down some and we immediately started catching fish. We ended the day with 25 decent fish between 10.75 inches and 12 inches along with 2 blue catfish. The water temperature was 78 degrees at the start and 84 degrees when we finished. The best bait by far was a motor oil colored curly tail with a chartreuse tail that I purchased from Curtis Hobbs (Litewirehooker).
As all of you know, the fish are in the timber anywhere from 10 feet to the bottom this time of year. My goal for yesterday was to experiment by adding more weight to my long lines. Every year I get a little "gun shy" under these conditions. Here's what I mean. I want to catch at least as many fish (or more) as always but I fear the hang ups so I make shorter casts and may even use a bit less weight. In my heart I THINK I should be doing the opposite. I guess it's like thinking one could drink themselves sober! I know that a big factor in catching more fish is putting the bait in front of the fish (doh). Anyway, I added a good bit more weight yesterday and also went back to using another hook designed specifically for fishing places like Lake Oconee. I don't know if I caught more fish than I would have otherwise but I think the adjustment did help. Here is the one thing that I did learn and this is very important. In the past I had not been fishing as deep as I thought I was. At one point yesterday I pulled the lines through some 11-12 foot water and I noticed that I was not dragging the bottom even though I was using more weight. Normally, I fish with 1/8 oz of weight. For instance, a double set up with two 1/16 oz jig heads or a single 1/16 oz jig head and a 1/16 oz sinker. I did okay yesterday but now I'm really curious. I'll keep trying. Many of you have fished for those speckled devils much longer than I have. Any opinions are welcome.
Crappie.com 1K Star General
Thanks for the report I went yesterday you say try new stuff and I found the fish at the timer but outside and deeper I wood pull over the timber and cut the trolling motor off I used 1/8 and 1/6 with #5 split shot let the all to the fish fished till 1;00 kept 24
Crappie.com 1K Star General
P.S can post pictures now
Crappie.com 1K Star General
I was going to go yesterday, but let the wind scare me off.
Nice fish ya'll.
For the Everlasting Glory of the Infantry.Hotwater LIKED above post
Trophy King
New member (first post.)
I too was on Oconee 6/8.
Had an offer to fish with a young man who works for the same company as I do. At only 24, he's completely CONSUMED with crappie fishing, and is a dock shooting machine!
Having said that, we had a tough time as the fish seemed scattered.
Would pick a few up occasionally, and suggested to him that they had gone deeper. Pulled a really nice slab off of a brush pile in 18' of water, and had pretty good luck on deep water at a couple of bridge piers.
Once this "young gun" learns to slow down a bit and fish deep structure, he's gonna halfta be careful not to swamp his boat with the fish he's got in it!
Started @ 7, and fished until 5. The kid wore me slap out, and we had 28 in the live well... at least that many throwbacks.
I'm boatless at the moment (soon to change) and actually 25 minutes from the south end of Lanier, but Ill be back to Oconee.... FO' SHO!!
Beavz
Crappie Wall Hanger II
Crappie.com 2011 Man of the Year & Moderator GA
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welcom Beavz to CDC good report .
retired and now i will always fish
Crappie Wall Hanger II
When I pull 1/8 weight at .8 mph they are down about 16' when I throw them out as far as I can. The woodlot I pull in is 20' deep with the timber sticking up about 10' and under from the bottom. I hang up pretty regular but I have been catching good fish so I will keep at it.
Crappie Wall Hanger II
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Originally Posted by Beavz
