WEST POINT MARCH 2008

Bass: Very good. A tournament last weekend was won with some big bedding bass. However, most largemouth and spotted bass are in prespawn, said guide Paul Parsons. “Look for bass to start moving into feeder creeks to feed on shad with the warmer water temperatures,” Paul said. “Fishing has been best on warm, sunny afternoons when the shad move to the backs of the creeks into the warming water. Rat-L-Traps are probably the best lure to throw, and you should slow roll it through any feeding activity. If the bass are not feeding in the backs of the creeks, fish shallow brushpiles and blowdowns. Bass are also being caught with spinnerbaits along wind-blown banks in main-lake creeks. Another good pattern to try is fishing the rip-rap with small- to medium-size crankbaits. A No.7 Shad Rap or Storm Wiggle Wart in crawfish color should catch some fish. If they don’t want to hit the crankbaits, slow down and try a jig ’n pig. Spotted-bass fishing is excellent all over the lake. It took 14.10 pounds for seven fish to win the West Point Lake Coalition Spotted Bass Tournament on March 9. Carolina-rigged worms are the best way to catch spots right now. Good colors are watermelon seed and green pumpkin. Don’t forget to dip the tail in chartreuse garlic dye. They love it! Fish rocky main and secondary points in the creeks. Spots are also hitting small crankbaits.”

Linesides: Excellent. “The hybrid-striper run is on! We’re catching lots of 6- to 9-lb. fish right now,” said guide Bobby Wilson. “These fish are hitting cut shad with the stained water. You can also catch them on chicken liver. When the water clears up, you can catch them on live shad and cut bait. For the next six weeks it should be awesome up the river. These fish are from Glovers Creek back to Graysons Landing. You can catch these fish in the mouths of the creeks to sandbars in the river or the mouths of the sloughs upriver. The higher the water temperature gets the more fish will come upriver. You should use medium to heavy tackle on these fish or you will be re-lining a lot or getting your rod busted. If you don’t know the river, you need to go with someone who does. It can be very dangerous up there. A lot of logs and debris are floating up the river and sandbars everywhere.” Paul agreed with Bobby’s report. “Striped, hybrid and white bass are starting to run up the river. The recent rain and heavy generation at the West Point dam has made conditions just about right for the spring striper and hybrid run to get going up the Chattahoochee,” Paul said. “With the river up and strong current flowing through the lake, about all we need now is for the water temperature to warm just a few degrees. There have already been reports of big hybrids being caught as far up as Franklin. The water is muddy. Cut shad and livers are going to be the best baits. Don’t think that the muddy water will mess up the fishing. Some of our best days have been when the river was high and muddy. Good areas early in the run are from Grayson’s Landing up to the mouth of the New River. Once the run gets going good, striped, hybrid and white bass can be caught all the way up to the shoals above Franklin. Good places to fish are the mouths of the creeks and sloughs, sandbars, deep holes and bends in the river channel that break the current (eddie lines). Fish will also pile up behind the rock ledges farther upriver. A word of caution: if you are not familiar with the river above West Point Lake, go with someone who is. There are lots of stumps, rocks and sandbars that can damage your boat. River conditions can change a lot with different water levels. Be careful and wear your life jacket. The spring run is one of the best times of the year to catch striped, hybrid and white bass.”

Crappie: Excellent catches are coming from 5 to 12 feet in the backs of the creeks, both by trolling jigs and using minnows in the back of the creeks, Bobby said. “These fish are hitting 2-inch grubs to 3-inch grubs. Colors are black/chartreuse, blue/black/chartreuse, acid rain, John Deere/green, chartreuse and bubblegum grubs. The 1/16-oz. jig heads are working best. Also try putting a cork about 2 feet above the jigs and troll in shallow in the afternoon when the water temp reaches 65 degrees or more. You can catch these fish on Jiffy Jigs, which is a hair jig, you can use trolling or casting. Try using a cork on these jigs casting at the banks or structure when these fish are bedding in the shallows. Black/chartreuse, blue/chartreuse and brown/chartreuse colors work best. The creeks that fish are being caught in are Yellowjacket, Turkey, Wehadkee, Whitewater, Maple, Wilson, Bird, Veasey and Stroud creeks. These fish should be bedding in March around the 24th on. Some fish will wait until April to spawn. Limits of fish are being caught, and some of them are real nice fish. Paul also said the crappie fishing has turned on. “Crappie fishing is excellent right now,” Paul said. “Limits of good-sized crappie are being caught trolling jigs in 8-14 feet. Big crappie have started to move in very shallow in the afternoon after it warms up. Several 2-pounders have been caught in the last couple of days. Good areas to fish are Yellowjacket, Whitewater, Turkey, Wehadkee and Maple creeks. Yellow Jacket Creek has really turned on in the past few days. We’ve been catching lots of crappie trolling 1/16-oz. Triple Ripple jigs in black/chartreuse and green/chartreuse between the bridges, just above Sunny Point access. Fishing is also great up the Chattahoochee River from the Hwy 219 bridge to Ringer access, especially back in the creeks running out of the WMA. Fishing has also been excellent way upriver from the Franklin bridge up to the shoals. Look for crappie to be moving shallow to spawn very soon. The next couple of weeks should be some great crappie fishing. If you don’t have a boat, you can catch lots of crappie from the banks. Some good bank-fishing areas are around Yellow Jacket access, Sunny Point access and Ringer Park. Fish with Rosie Red minnows under floats around 2 to 4 feet deep.”

Catfish: Good. “Channel and blue catfish are biting good at night all over the main lake,” Paul said. “Fish with cut shad and liver around bridge pilings and rip-rap. Fishing is also good at the West Point Lake dam, both above and just below the dam. Flathead catfish up to 40 pounds are being caught up in the river. Good places to catch flatheads are the deep holes from Ringer access all the way up to Daniels Shoals north.”