Lake Anna Hotside

[TOXIC]

I have guided on this lake and have fished it for 20 years.  It’s a tough one to figure out because of the odd conditions the power plant makes with its discharge and the inflow of 3 major creeks.  I have found fish on the beds long before any other lake this far north and I have caught them year round.  I think yesterday was the beginning of the spawn movement.  Don’t ask me why, I just feel it is.  Started with a big fish on the bank in skinny water and a ragged tail.  Then we proceeded to catch them really good in what I would call pre spawn areas.  Banner day for that lake for sure.  Here’s a little sample of what we caught all day.  

And here’s one from my buddy.  

[roadwarrior]

[Nitrofreak]

The Hot side of that lake is much like river fishing with all of the currents that change daily when I get the chance to fish it, I too have seen larger bass in the late winter periods up shallow (or shallower) depends on the generation of the plant mostly, but they weren’t up there to spawn, they were up there to primarily feed on the bait that moved up into the warmer pond areas, it is interesting if that is what they are actually doing this time of year for sure !!!

[Nitrofreak]

I am heading over to the hot side tomorrow to make sure the boat is in shape and to do a little fishing as well, anyone have any reports on the conditions?

[Jigfishn10]

Good luck @Nitrofreak!

[TOXIC]

Sorry I didn’t see this before now but I was in Florida on Okeechobee for a week and just got back out on the hotside yesterday.  I am a little dumbfounded from the last post I made here with the pics.  I fully expected to see them on the beds yesterday but we found none.  I guess there was some colder weather when I was in Florida and that pushed them back.  We caught some on cranks, Ned and dropshot out on the flats.  No traces of any beds where we usually see them.  Good thing was we caught a lot of different species.  Crappie, bass, white perch, catfish and striper.  

[Nitrofreak]

All went well, I specifically went to look for areas, the trip was successful with a dozen bass to our credit, 1.5-2.5 range water temps started in the back of a creek were pretty dang chilly to start the day but quickly warmed, near the outlet (pond one) were mid to upper 60’s with about a 1.5 foot of visibility, we fished mostly wind blown points all over the hot side but explored some deeper options also, (pond two) water temps were in the mid 60’s until you went back in the creek arms then they dropped significantly into the mid to upper 50’s with about a foot of visibility, (pond three) was not visited by us this past Saturday.

 

We as well caught multiple species on the day, dropshot, skirted jigs, worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits.

 

I truly hope you enjoyed your trip to Florida and I thank you for posting the update !!!

On 3/5/2021 at 2:29 PM, Jigfishn10 said:

Good luck @Nitrofreak!

Thank you much my friend !!!

[TOXIC]

Managed to get back out there again last Saturday.  Unfortunately it was after those cold nights.  It was 27 degrees on my way down there.  Still didn’t find any beds and if I had to guess we caught a lot of bucks up shallow.  We also caught catfish, white perch and stripers in 35 foot of water in pool 1.  

[Nitrofreak]

Great job !!!

 

I hope I can get the opportunity to revisit the private side again this season before it ends, I want to explore the deeper areas that I did not get to see on my last visit there.

 

I appreciate you sharing your day with us !!!