Struggling Lately - Where to Fish Next

[Koz]

I love my mew kayak, but I miss bank fishing on the lagoons. I spent fours hours on the big lake (Oconee) tonight and didn't sniff a bite - even with a beetle spin. Attached is a map of the area where I have been fishing. The yellow boxes are where I have fished, the green boxes are where I have been catching fish, and the red boxes are where I plan to target next.

 

Fishing the main body of the lake can be a pain because there's a ton of high speed boat and jet ski traffic.

 

I've had zero luck targeting under and near docks. The same goes for flooded timber - nothing. Everything I have caught has been along rocky dam areas (along the main road) or bass hanging out under trees.

 

Baitfish are everywhere. I've thrown some diving crankbaits and lipless crankbaits in open water and I've seen a fair amount of decent sized fish activity in open water, but I'm guessing those are mostly hybrids and stripers. I don't mind catching stripers and I've caught a few small ones on spinnerbaits near Greensboro Road, but my primary target is still largemouth.

 

Oddly enough, the biggest largemouth I have caught was a 6 pounder while fishing off the dock of my hotel at 1 in the morning. Off the kayak, I've managed some two pounders and dinks.

 

So, looking at the map, if you didn't have electronics where would you fish?

 

I don't have electronics on my kayak yet, and I'm beginning to think that's a huge disadvantage when fishing on a big lake. From the surface, lots of spots look like they should be holding bass. But I think I need to narrow down those places by seeing what kind of structure is under the water.

 

 

 

[bigbassin']

Personally I like the look of the furthest right location adjacent to Phoenix Drive NE.

 

I’d try all the docks along the creek bed, but the short point/hump combo on the bottom left corner of the box is what catches my eye the most. I’ve had a lot of luck in North Georgia on similar looking areas with a rattletrap, mid-range crankbait, or top water.

 

Do you troll between spots?

[Koz]

9 hours ago, bigbassin' said:

Personally I like the look of the furthest right location adjacent to Phoenix Drive NE.

 

I’d try all the docks along the creek bed, but the short point/hump combo on the bottom left corner of the box is what catches my eye the most. I’ve had a lot of luck in North Georgia on similar looking areas with a rattletrap, mid-range crankbait, or top water.

 

Do you troll between spots?

I occasionally troll with a spinnerbait. The other day I had a Jackhammer tied on and trolled with that.

 

I should probably bring a heavy rod with me one time and troll with a Yumbrella rig.

[bigbassin']

9 minutes ago, Koz said:

I occasionally troll with a spinnerbait. The other day I had a Jackhammer tied on and trolled with that.

 

I should probably bring a heavy rod with me one time and troll with a Yumbrella rig.

I never have tried trolling with an A-Rig, thought about it often but just never bought one. I used a small white crankbait that dives about 6 ft, I caught more bass (mostly spots) moving between areas then actually hitting the areas I wanted to. 
 

I figure you move at trolling speed in a kayak anyways so I just brought a designated rod with that crankbait. If I was moving, I had that rod out.

[Koz]

2 hours ago, bigbassin' said:

I figure you move at trolling speed in a kayak anyways so I just brought a designated rod with that crankbait. If I was moving, I had that rod out.

My concern is that if a big striper hits the bait while I'm trolling that I'll end up losing a rod and reel.

[bigbassin']

18 minutes ago, Koz said:

My concern is that if a big striper hits the bait while I'm trolling that I'll end up losing a rod and reel.

Depending on your rod holder location I could see the concern. I’m always worried about using the rod holders behind the seat for that reason.

 

I’ve got a rod holder situated slightly in front of me where my hand would naturally rest, so I could keep a hand on the rod without any discomfort.

[Michigander]

45 minutes ago, Koz said:

My concern is that if a big striper hits the bait while I'm trolling that I'll end up losing a rod and reel.

Are you paddle trolling? If not why can't you hold your rod?

[Koz]

23 hours ago, Michigander said:

Are you paddle trolling? If not why can't you hold your rod?

Pedaling with one hand on the rudder and the other holding my fishing rod wedged at my side or between the seat and the deck.

[WRB]

Do you know what seasonal period the bass population is in?

That is my 1st question to determine whenever I launch a boat to bass fish. Where are the bass, what depth should I target and what are they eating.

The spawn cycle may or may not be over or it may be transitioning to early summer period, no more beds and Bluegill beds are active. The Shad spawn is going on or over.

Main lake areas are only good after the spawn cycle as the population scatters reestablishing summer locations. 

The obvious causeways Greensboro and Phenix assume get lots fishing pressure for good reasons. The bay you red boxed to the upper right side of Old Phenix Rd may not get a lot of pressure and offer very good structure elements left main lake point of cove with creek channel. Lower left corner area of your red box, Look closely...small humps and saddles.

Tom   

 

[Bluebasser86]

Nothing wrong with going bank fishing if you enjoy doing that too. I've got a bass boat, johnboat, and a kayak, but I still bank fish at times because I enjoy doing that too. 

 

[Koz]

9 hours ago, WRB said:

Do you know what seasonal period the bass population is in?

That is my 1st question to determine whenever I launch a boat to bass fish. Where are the bass, what depth should I target and what are they eating.

The spawn cycle may or may not be over or it may be transitioning to early summer period, no more beds and Bluegill beds are active. The Shad spawn is going on or over.

Main lake areas are only good after the spawn cycle as the population scatters reestablishing summer locations. 

The obvious causeways Greensboro and Phenix assume get lots fishing pressure for good reasons. The bay you red boxed to the upper right side of Old Phenix Rd may not get a lot of pressure and offer very good structure elements left main lake point of cove with creek channel. Lower left corner area of your red box, Look closely...small humps and saddles.

Tom   

 

We're post spawn now by two months.

 

Regarding fishing pressure, there really is none in this part of the lake. We get some folks fishing the main lake area for stripers, a handful of residents or my hotel guests fishing off of docks, and the occasional bass boat pitching the docks. Almost all of the boat traffic is pleasure boaters. Other than my hotel guests, I'm the only kayak out there.

 

The section of the map I displayed is near my hotel and one of the small arms of this 20 mile long, 30 square mile lake. This specific area is shallow, as the main channel of the lake gets up to 90 feet deep. From what I have been told, most of the anglers are fishing the southern part of the lake (we're mid northern) near the Wallace Dam. Perhaps it's the areas with more varying depths that are more suitable for the bass.

 

To me, this lake is also odd because there's no vegetation to be seen at or near the surface. None. We have rocks and a few small areas of flooded timber where I fish. When I add electronics maybe I'll find some. The water is also perpetually stained in my area, with visibility never more than 12".

 

It very well could be this area doesn't contain a lot of bass, despite the abundance of bluegill and shad. I've had some decent outings before, but maybe that was peak LMB fishing for my section of the lake.

 

 

[E-rude dude]

I would try going much further into the southern inlet arm. Start shallow were big boats can’t go. Work your way out

[galyonj]

Okay I'm gonna try this but I'll warn you that I've just barely begun scratching the surface of reading topo maps and trying to tie that to bass behavior, so...you know, YMMV.

 

If your bass are already postspawn and they're chasing baitfish, I just about bet that you'll find some on steep points and dropoffs close to the creek channels. I don't care if there are docks there or not, but that'd be a bonus because every fish loves a shadow to hide in.

[Djenko]

Over towards that left side of the map there looks to be some good coves and stuff over there you have yet to fish. Those outta be good when the wind is coming in a way that those shorelines protect you from the wind.

[Koz]

9 hours ago, galyonj said:

Okay I'm gonna try this but I'll warn you that I've just barely begun scratching the surface of reading topo maps and trying to tie that to bass behavior, so...you know, YMMV.

 

If your bass are already postspawn and they're chasing baitfish, I just about bet that you'll find some on steep points and dropoffs close to the creek channels. I don't care if there are docks there or not, but that'd be a bonus because every fish loves a shadow to hide in.

We have an abundance of baitfish in the areas that I fish. I mean, it's a ridiculous amount of small bluegills and shad. Normally it's find the baitfish and find the bass. Now it's "there are so many baitfish here where the heck are the bass?"

[David 7]

Cruise the banks you use to fish off of but do it your yak. Or just take a break and go back to the shore for a while, nothing wrong with that. Just because you have a kayak now doesn’t mean you can’t still fish from the bank. 

[WRB]

If the road causeways are not heavily fished they should be!

The narrow center opens are prime areas for bass to group up and feed. The bass will be there, you need to figure what triggers them.

Tom

[Koz]

1 hour ago, David 7 said:

Cruise the banks you use to fish off of but do it your yak. Or just take a break and go back to the shore for a while, nothing wrong with that. Just because you have a kayak now doesn’t mean you can’t still fish from the bank. 

This area is new to me be it on the bank or in my kayak. I spent 16 years living and fishing on the lagoons of the SC Lowcountry. Then back in February I moved 3+ hours away from there to the Lake Oconee area in GA. The only bank fishing I have done here is off the docks of my hotel, We're in a narrow cove where there are mostly dink bass and panfish.

59 minutes ago, WRB said:

If the road causeways are not heavily fished they should be!

The narrow center opens are prime areas for bass to group up and feed. The bass will be there, you need to figure what triggers them.

Tom

I honestly don't know why I don't see more people fishing there other than farther south near the dam is where most people fish. Then again, I've caught mostly smaller hybrids and striped bass along those areas. Those were teh first areas I targeted from my kayak.

[Darth-Baiter]

That’s a nice looking lake.  Keep in mind I’m a rookie.  But I think there’s more than just the topo.  I’ve been catch more fish in the areas that wind is blowing towards.  I find shoreline that the wind is blowing into.  I think it’s pushing in bait.  My buddy casts to the shallows looking for the fish that crept in to eat. I cast to the deeper drop off with a drop shot. He seems to catch slightly more, but my fish are bigger. 
 

‘’oh, about boat traffic.  I might be imagining things.  But if I get caught in a boat wake, I steady myself and casts to shore.  I seem to get bit then super frequently.  I think the bigger waves dislodge food for fish. 

[WRB]

The stripers and hybrids are after faster moving baitfish.

Try 3/8 oz spider jigs like Yamamoto 4”#330  twin tail Hula grubs and T-rigged with3/16 oz bullet weight 6”-7” plastic worms Oxblood lt red flake...both goood bass colors around rip rap and rocks.

Tom