tnhiker44

I am heading to Sinclair in an hour or so to do some scouting for a tournament I am fishing on Saturday. I will let you know how I do. High barometric pressure, bright sun, clearing water... I am thinking docks, probably deeper docks... but we shall see. You know, the top water bite should be on during early morning conditions like that!

Yea, it is pretty close. In fact, much closer than Blackshear. Oconee is just a few miles further. But both Sinclair and Oconee are hit pretty hard by the clubs and trails in the area, which makes for a bit tougher fishing for someone not experienced with those lakes.

Unknownwaters, I live near Macon and have fished all the waters you mentioned, with the exception of Houston Lake. Lake Tobesofkee is a tough place for me. Blackshear is one of those places that really looks fishy... with a bunch of grass and Cypress trees, but I have only really had one good outing on that lake. Lake Juliette is a nice lake, Wildwood looks good from afar(never fished it), and the further down stream you go on the Ocmulgee River the better it fishes. There are also a couple of Public Fishing Areas (PFA's) besides Flat Creek in the area. Hugh Gillis PFA in the Dublin area and Ocmulgee PFA near Hawkinsville, the later has been groomed as a trophy lake. You can also try Lake Joy in Warner Robins/Perry and the Flint River out west (Shoal Bass). Good luck

Years ago there was a park near the corner of Dale Mabry and Vandyke I used to do quite well at. Some small lakes/ponds in the subdivisions around there too... like Northlakes and Northdale.

A co-worker of mine fishes a club trail based out of Weiss. In fact he fished yesterday... he caught 7 pounds, it took 19 to win. He never seems to do well there, but someone in his club has that lake dialed in. Personally, I have only fished Logan Martin on the Coosa chain.

Thanx, I appreciate the info.

Although I live right in the very middle of Georgia I will be fishing a couple of border waters this year with the club... first Russell and second Hartwell. Never fished either, and I have only glanced at Hartwell as I passed over it on I-85. Russell I will see for the first time towards the end of this month, when our first two day tournament for the year starts. We will be launching out of Beaver Dam Creek, is that a productive part of the lake this early in the season? I bought a map and that area looks good on paper, as does Coldwater Creek and the Rocky River arm. Am I headed to all the wrong places??

And you live there on purpose? Wow... not for me!!!

RedhookRR, I think it is all relative. Down in my neck of the woods we have already had some 60 degree days, but the water temperature is still 5, 8 maybe 10 degrees cooler than normal. Granted we do not have to deal with ice, but the fish are still very mellow for the beginning edge of spring. And we have had shad kills on most local lakes which makes the fishing even tougher. There is hope though... in my back yard I have trees with new growth buds on them. In a week or two the Bradford Pears will be blooming, followed by the Red Buds... and then the heralded Dogwoods (rumor has it when the Dogwoods bloom the spawn is on!).

In reflection, the shaky head was my best producing bait last year. It almost pains me to say that... as I always considered myself more of a power fisherman. But because of last year I will no doubt have one tied on at all times this year.

Ben, This is I. Dean. The actual first person to touch that beautiful piece of plastic on your mantle. And please be careful with that thing... it was a whopping $5.75 plus shipping (which was $6.95 by the way!). Keep that new fishing partner of yours from knocking it down with its tail! The mini-me is a no go for me, but the Charlie Elliott thing would be good if it does not fall on a club tourney date. That was an awesome turn of events, by the way. You travel all that way, made it on time (when other local guys did not), and walked away with the trophy. It could not have been scripted any better. Well except for if I won it that is... but I was happy doing the event photographer thing. Good luck on Dream Lake... and if I can make it to Charlie Elliott you are gonna have to work to keep that glittering piece of bass plastic!!!!

I have never heard of Dream Lake so I have nothing to add, but I would like to ask a question. Is this the same Benito who holds the big fish trophy for the Dodge Co. P.F.A. fishing get together? If not then never mind, stop reading here. If so, well, you are gonna have to put that trophy on the line soon. We all agreed that that trophy was going to be a floating trophy and here you are planning a trip to a Bill Dance type lake before you gave anyone a chance to win that monster trophy. Whats up with that??!!! ;D

This is why I do not like the way the regions are set up on this board. I live in the south east, have not seen a flake of snow this year and other than a thin layer of ice on our yard fountain I have not seen one sliver of natural ice on any body of water in eight years. On the 17th of January I saw water temps of 45 degrees... by far the coldest water I have noticed in years. For the record, last Sunday (31st) water temps were a balmy 52 degrees. As active as you Virginians are on this board you should have your own state board. On second thought, never mind... I like reading about you guys shoveling your driveways as I head out to fish the post spawn.

Macon Bass club, huh? I heard you guys couldn't fish your way out of a wet paper bag. Just kidding ImaRapalabeliever, good luck on Tobo... I am not gonna end up behind you in the points this year. ;D

I have never asked for nor accepted one thin dime from any non-boater for any expense. I guess I have been lucky because when it was my non-boaters time to either fish from the front or fish his water he has never asked to go somewhere I did not want to fish. In fact, I will take it one step further. I travel a lot for work and build up points from a hotel chain that I use. During our out-of-town tourneys my non-boaters have not paid one cent for lodging either. I have already reserved four free nights for our upcoming travel tourneys with two double beds and we have not even drawn partners yet... I may be fishing alone for both tourneys. My take on it is this; Firstly, this is all about fun and fellowship for me. If it gets to the point that 20 to 40 dollars for a fishing trip is the make or break point it is defiantly time I pick up another past time. Secondly, I will be fishing whether I have a non-boater or not. Often my non-boaters are non-boaters because financially they are strapped. I have enjoyed fishing with all of them, learned some from most of them and want to continue to do so. The second this was forced onto one of my non-boaters is the second I would quit the Florida Bass Federation.