Seems like the season just began for anglers competing in the Berry’s Tournament Trail but only two regular season tournaments remain for this season. Those two remaining tournaments will be on April 27 at Lake Sinclair and on May 18 at Lake Oconee.

The sixth tournament of the season was held on Saturday, April 13 at Lake Oconee under beautiful weather conditions. One hundred and forty-five two-man teams competed for the tournament that was held at Sugar Creek Marina.

The teams were not only competing for the award going to the team with the most weight in the season long eight tournaments but are looking ahead to the season ending two-day classic tournament that will be held on June 1-2. Teams will fish Lake Oconee on June 1 and Lake Sinclair on June 2 to determine which team takes home the first place prize of at least $5000.

For the most part the fish did not disappoint the anglers at the April 13 tournament as ninety-four of the two-man teams caught five fish limits and the top two teams surpassed the twenty pound mark in a close finish for top honors.

The winning team of David Foster from Jackson and Alan Chaffin from Hampton cast buzzbaits and Shakey Heads in shallow water to catch a five fish limit weighing 21.37 pounds. Foster and Chaffin took home $4020 in prize money for their first place finish.

Finishing in very close in second place with 20.60 pounds was Mark Whidby form Haddock and Stacy Lyle from Ivey. Whidby and Lyle fished crankbaits all day to take home the second place prize of $2010.

Third place and $1260 went to Morris Smith of Milledgeville and John Lindsay from Eatonton. The pair of anglers caught their 16.33 pounds throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits in shallow water.

The big bass of the tournament was caught by Ronald Kilgore from Lyons. The big fish weighed 7.24 pounds and earned the angler $1450.

The largemouth bass during the tournament were in both pre-spawn and spawning patterns which made for a wide variety of techniques and lures being used to catch fish. The weather fronts moving through this area has made patterning the largemouth bass a day to day challenge for anglers.

If you enjoy competitive angling, the Berry’s Trail Tournaments are some of the best if not the best in Georgia. Anglers from all across Georgia come to these tournaments that are operated by Bobby Berry and his family.

If you are not a competitive angler, then come out to the next weigh-in on Saturday, April 25 at Little River Park on Lake Sinclair and put the classic dates of June 1-2 on your calendar.

I have received comments from readers about last week’s column about grass in the lake and I would like to hear from more of you about that subject whether you fish or just reside on either Lake Oconee or Lake Sinclair. Send your comments to me at brpeoples@windstream.net. Good fishing and see you next week.

 

Bobby Peoples can be reached by e-mail at brpeoples@windstream.net.

 

Lake Oconee Fishing Forecast

Lake Conditions – The lake is stained but clearing in many portions but Richland Creek remains clear.

Lake Water Temperature – 66-70 degrees.

Largemouth Bass – GOOD – Fish are in all three phases of the spawning cycle including pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawn. Coves and shallow water are now the focus for anglers throwing spinnerbaits and small crankbaits (Rat-L-Trap/Shad Rap/Berkley Frenzy Flicker Shad/DT-10/Deep Little N) and use colors to match the water color. Other good choices right now are white Zoom flukes, buzzbaits and topwater lures as the shad are now spawning around the lake early in the day. Also floating Trick worms are working around docks, seawalls, woody structure and the shad spawn.

Crappie –GOOD –The crappie have moved to the banks to spawn and those shallow locations are the place to cast jigs and minnows or troll those same baits. Some of the fish have finished spawning and have begun moving back to deeper locations. The docks are loaded with fish so good catches are coming from anglers shooting docks.

Striped/Hybrid Bass/White – GOOD – The main action is now at the Wallace Dam as the fish have moved there in large numbers. Anglers are having success using shiners and live shad.

Catfish – GOOD – The catfish will be the last fish specie to spawn in late April and they are moving into position in the larger coves on a variety of baits with cut baits of shad/bream or live shad/bream being the best for larger blues and flatheads.