Schedules for the 2010 Lake Oconee tourney season

By Bobby Peoples

Winter fishing in middle Georgia can produce a mixed bag of fish and weather conditions. Many anglers have long since put away their fishing gear and await the warmer weather that spring brings. However, the winter season can produce great results for anglers who have the desire and determination to fish no matter what the weather throws their way.

The heavy rains from October through December have impacted both fishing conditions and the ability of anglers to get on the water consistently. The muddy water when water temperatures were above 55 degrees did not impact the fish bite as much as it now does with water temperatures that have dropped into the 40s.

The combination of cold water temperatures and muddy water of late have combined to slow the bite to the point it has been just about nonexistent for the last couple of weeks. Fish will bite in cold water and well bite really well at times, but the muddy water makes some angling patterns like the use of jigging spoons very ineffective.

Angling in winter will always be tough once winter water temperatures take a plunge like they have over the last couple of weeks. Once the temperatures stabilize, even though they are still cold, the fish will adjust and angling success will once again improve. Without additional heavy rain, the lakes should begin to clear somewhat and allow deepwater patterns using jigging spoons and Carolina rigs to be successful.

The lower end of both Lakes Oconee and Sinclair will probably offer the clearest water right now, so anglers targeting largemouth, striped and hybrid bass would do well to concentrate their jigging spoon efforts to that area. Once clearing occurs over greater areas of the lake, anglers should target humps, creek channels and ledges where the largemouth, striped bass and hybrids will tend to hang out in large schools.

Crappie on both Lakes Oconee and Sinclair fall into a different pattern. Crappie are less impacted by the muddy water but like largemouth, striped and hybrid bass, they have to adjust to the colder water temperatures. Beginning this month schools of crappie can be found throughout both lakes in varying water conditions. In fact, the largest crappie of the new season will be caught in January and February.

This week’s weather forecast will be brutal for anglers venturing out on the lakes with nighttime temperatures in the upper teens to low 20s with the possibility of some snow. Talk about requiring desire and determination — anglers will definitely be tested this week. Berry’s Tournament Trail will fish Lake Sinclair this Saturday and the weather forecast calls for clear weather, but temperatures will start the day about 20 degrees and only reach the mid 30s.

The one primary requirement for success when fishing in the winter is for anglers to always fish near pods of shad baitfish. Game fish are lethargic in the cold water — they will still eat but will not chase their food any great distances. So for deep winter fishing, always make locating shad your first priority. A good depth or fish finder is necessary, and always turn the unit to manual and crank up the sensitivity.

That rule for finding shad first applies to all types of deep fishing whether you’re pursuing largemouth bass or crappie or any of the game fish species in the lakes. Shad will normally locate in deep water during the cold weather but will on warm days move to shallower areas. Therefore, anglers need to remember that on warm days in winter game fish can be found in good number in shallower water adjacent to deeper water. The game fish will follow the shad to those locations on warm days to feed.

What I have said so far implies that all game fish will for the most part be found in deep water throughout winter. One exception will be those warmer days that occur occasionally. However, both lakes will have some game fish, especially largemouth bass that seem to make their winter home in relatively shallow water.

Most of those fish that never seem to leave shallow water, even in the coldest weather, are generally some of the biggest largemouth bass. Anglers in winter tournaments will often target those shallow fish with jigs, and often only two or three of those big fish will win many of the winter tournaments. Angling for those shallow fish can be tough because you may only get a few bites all day and those shallow fish are also impacted more by weather fronts than are the deeper fish.

When I was a young whippersnapper, I fished in whatever weather conditions were present. I remember days when I had to break the ice in Virginia just to launch my boat and other days when I fished with good success and the snow was falling and piling up in my boat.

Now that took desire and determination and I have to admit now that I am older that does not appeal to me as much as it once did.

I am now looking for those warmer winter days when my body cranks and moves a little better and often the fish will surely bite a little better.

Next week we will look at some of the lures and techniques for catching winter time fish. Good fishing and see you next week.