Northeast Georgia bite? I'm lost!

[OldGuyAl]

OK, I've done pretty well this year catching 'em.  In fact, it has been one of my best years.  Mostly fishing ponds but the occasional trip onto bigger waters.  I've been fishing a long time.

So, what is going on?  I mean, I've caught about 4 bass total in my last 6 trips!   I thought I was heading towards being the king of the fall bite around these parts because I was just whackin' 'em silly all through October and then, November came and it was like somebody just flipped a switch and turned off all the fishing.

I know some of you guys are catching.  I also realize that it's turning colder, the water temp is dropping, and we're in a record drought but, man!  That just explains why fishing would be a little slower and a little tougher but not why it's just gone for me.

I've been trying smaller baits, slower fishing, drop-shotting, ultralight, on the bottom, on the top, in the middle, etc.   I hate to admit just how lost I am right now but, I'm lost.

I can't get the skunk off me.

I'll take any ideas I can get.   I mean, I might even try crappie fishing as a last resort!  ;-)

Al

[Randall]

Hard to say why you aren't catching them since you didn't say what you are doing and as far as big lakes where you are fishing. On ponds fish in the afternoon since the water temps are a little higher then. Also pond fish will go into winter patterns faster than the fish on big lakes since the water cools to  lower temps on cold nights. I haven't been out everyday like I usually am this time of year but I am catching them when I go. The fishing should be better with the drought if you are fishing in the right place.

[OldGuyAl]

well, for a while, Senkos and flukes fished weightless were just killing 'em.   Small, tight wobbling crankbaits were working, too.

Spinnerbaits are working for some people but I've had nothing on them and I've tried a bunch of colors, sizes, and retrieves.

I gave up on larger baits back in September and went smaller with everything and that's when I thought I had it all figured out.  Switched to light line on spinning gear and that worked great until...nothing.

I shouldn't complain too much - on the first day of November, I caught one over 7 pounds.  Since that fish, I've caught exactly 3 fish that weighed a total of about 1 pound.

Lots of days, it's just Skunk City - even on ponds that I know very well.

Other ideas?

[Randall]

Al I just saw on another website that you live in Athens. If I lived there in the fall and winter I would fish the lake at Sandy Creek Park with a rattletrap, jerkbait fished slow, and a jig fished slow anywhere straight across the lake from the ramp. Those three have never failed me there in the fall, winter or early spring. That is if the lake has some water in it.

[OldGuyAl]

Cool!

I know exactly the spot you're talking about and I have not tried that spot in a couple of months and haven't fished it with 'traps or jerk baits.

I'm going to give it a try and let you know.

BTW - that lake is basically full pool.  It's our backup-backup water source but they haven't had to hit it yet.

Thanks!

Al

[OldGuyAl]

Woooohoooo!  I finally caught a decent fish this month!

Caught a nice one on Lake Oconee but, it was weird - the thing was almost white.  I mean, it had almost no color at all.  I had to look at it really closely to be sure it was a bass.  It was.  The markings were very faint but they were there.  Weird.

Anyway, I got the skunk off me for the first time in over a month!

Caught another one, too, but it was that first one that really made my day.

Gonna try that Sandy Creek spot this weekend.

Al