Oconee On The Fly

BY CAPTAIN WAYNE MOORE – USCG LICENSED

Book now to reserve your fishing trip date!

Looking back on this time in 2023, conditions were very similar. I am writing on February 14th and this week we had a ton of rain. The lake is heavily stained even in Richland Creek. However, the water temperature today is 58 degrees and when the water clears, we will begin very good fishing for crappie, hybrid bass and striped bass.

I encourage you to call or text me at 404-317-9556 or e-mail me at wmoore1700@outlook.com to reserve your fishing date well in advance as I anticipate a very busy schedule for the next several months.

Last year on February 21st, I had the best fly-fishing day of the year catching 12 nice hybrids in less than 2 hours. The gulls were telling us where the bait fish could be found, and Georgia Power was generating in the afternoon. Below is a picture of one of the hybrid bass and the clouser fly I used. Fly fishing here is all about timing and it’s a good idea to bring spinning tackle in case the fly bite is slow. I always advise my fly-fishing customers about current conditions. Moving water from Georgia Power generating or pumping water up from Lake Sinclair is key.

Hybrid Bass & Striped Bass:

As I mentioned above, the gulls will still be here hopefully through the first week in March. When they are here, Hybrid Bass and Striped Bass can be taken on flies but many of my clients prefer spinning tackle. One technique is to cast spoons at the schooling fish. This is a great technique as you can cast the spoon a long way and avoid spooking the fish. If the fish are not feeding on the surface, jigging the spoon typically in water 25 feet deep or deeper can yield large numbers of fish. It’s a great way for kids to fish! We will also troll Mini Macks which are a small umbrella rig sold by Captain Mack Farr.

Below is a customer with a 10lb plus striper caught trolling a Mini Mack last March.

Crappie:

Crappie fishing is about to fire up. The bigger fish are caught pre spawn in February and early March. The fish will migrate from below 44 up the lake and above I-20.

They are looking for warmer water and the shallow water above I-20 over a mud bottom is just the ticket. We will either be pushing eight 14-foot rods out of the front of the boat (trolling very slowly with jigs tipped with minnows) or pulling (trolling around .09 MPH) eight rods out of the back of the boat usually with double jigs.

Either way, these fish are often large and always fine table fare!

Tight Lines and God Bless.
Capt. Wayne Moore
USCG Licensed
Oconee On The Fly, Inc.
wmoore1700@outlook.com
404-317-9556

BY CAPTAIN WAYNE MOORE – USCG LICENSED

Book now to reserve your fishing trip date!

As of this writing on February 19, 2023, the fishing for Hybrid Bass, Striped Bass, and Crappie is getting ready to burst wide open. We have had a lot of rain and up until now the water has been stained all the way to the dam.

Hybrid Bass & Striped Bass:

In March and April we will be flat lining bass minnows or threadfin shad behind the boat. If we are lucky and get some gizzard shad you will have the opportunity for much bigger fish. It’s a simple set up with four spinning rods rigged with 12 to 20lb test main line. I use a swivel with a glass bead in front of it and a #4 sinker. The hook is matched to the size of the bait ranging from a #4 to a #2 circle hook. The bite is obvious and the fight, even on a 4lb Hybrid Bass, is substantial! We will also troll Mini Macs  which are a small umbrella rig sold by Captain Mack Farr.

As we get to the end of April, we will begin to fish downlines directly under the boat with the bass minnows and shad. This action can be very good for numbers of fish. Also, my favorite technique (other than fly fishing) is using a jigging spoon. It’s simple, and kids love it! Just lower the spoon to the bottom, lift the rod tip up a couple of feet, and lower it back down. I’ve had a five-year-old catch an 8lb Hybrid Bass doing this unassisted by any adults.

Fly fishing… when I first started guiding here five years ago, we had a good topwater bite at the dam when Georgia Power pumped water up from Lake Sinclair. However, the last few years it seems Georgia Power does not leave the pumps on in the early morning hours as often. We did see a good topwater bite mid-lake in June last year. If you like to fly fish, I’ll always let you know if there is a good opportunity or not. Most of my fly fishing customers are happy to spin fish if fly fishing is not an option.

Crappie:

Many anglers think of crappie fishing with minnows and floats during the spawn. But we guides here know the best bite is pre-spawn. Trolling from now through the end of March should be very good. I troll eight rods out of the back of the boat usually with double jigs. The fish pre-spawn are typically large. Fish in the 1lb to 1-½lb size are common and occasionally we will put some 2 pounders in the boat. It is a great way to put some slabs in the boat and on your table!

Tight Lines and God Bless.
Capt. Wayne Moore
USCG Licensed
Oconee On The Fly, Inc.
wmoore1700@outlook.com
404-317-9556

BY CAPTAIN WAYNE MOORE – USCG LICENSED

Trolling for Stripers and Hybrids!

Book now for Fall / Winter 2022 

A lot has changed this year on Oconee. Georgia Power is installing a “New Oxygen System Scheduled To Be Operational In August.”  This will increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water at the dam and should have a positive impact on fishing.  Here is a link to a GON article on the project: https://gon.com/fishing/lake-oconee-new-oxygen-system.

In the meantime, the pump back bite at the dam that occurs when Georgia Power pumps water up into Lake Oconee from Lake Sinclair has not produced the strong topwater bite we have has in years past this time of year.  However, the fish are still active and coming to the surface early in the morning mid lake.  Its as if they moved away from the dam while the oxygen lines were being installed.

As of August, we are starting trips between 6:00 and 6:30 AM and fish until 10:00 to 10:30  AM.  We have had good catches of hybrid bass trolling Captain Mack’s Mini Mack Umbrella Rig.  Casting buck tail jigs and small white crank baits is working too.

Our rates are still just $350.00 for the half day for up to 3 anglers.  (add an additional $50.00 for a fourth angler.)  Just call 404-317-9556 or e-mail wmoore1700@outlook.com to book your trip.

Check out our all 5-star reviews:

Fall and Winter fishing here last year was spectacular!  One family caught 28 hybrid bass in an hour a half.  Crappie fishing was great as well.  Please remember to book these dates well ahead of time.  Fall and winter is my favorite time to take people out!

Tight Lines and God Bless.
Capt. Wayne Moore
USCG Licensed
Oconee On The Fly, Inc.
wmoore1700@outlook.com
www.oconeeonthefly.com
404-317-9556

BY CAPTAIN WAYNE MOORE – USCG LICENSED

Now is the time!

Forecast for Fall / Winter 2021 (Fly Fishing)

I always look back at the past year for what were my best trips and why. Starting in the end of October and all the way through the first week in December were fantastic for stripers and hybrids. Trolling for crappie was good as well.

The main reason was that the water temperatures were in the 60-degree range. Also, there were many mornings that Georgia Power pumped water up from Lake Sinclair. This stimulates the surface bite and for the fly fisherman it’s a beautiful thing.

I’ll always advise my fly-fishing customers of the conditions before the trip. If you spin fish too, that’s a great back up plan.

Hybrids / Stripers (spinning tackle) – This is a great time of year to get on some big hybrids. We deploy many different methods. Long lining bass minnows is easy, productive, and we can cover a lot of water. We also down line minnows and this gives the angler an opportunity to get more numbers of fish.

Finally, my favorite way to catch hybrids and stripers this time of year is following the birds (gulls). Once we see them dive bombing the bait fish we approach carefully from a distance and make long casts with spoons, jiffy jigs, and top water lures.

Here is a Atlanta Falcons cheerleader with a nice Hybrid taken November 21st last year!

Crappie –

From now through Christmas, long lining for crappie should be good mid lake. This is my favorite way to catch crappie. I like to troll double jigs in a June Bug color. This method produces good numbers of fish. If the water temperatures drop, I will get out my long “Pushing” poles. I set up two anglers in the front of the boat and push (very slowly) hal fly type jigs out of the front of the boat. This method generally produces bigger fish.

Final Words

Book your trip well in advance. I am extremely busy this time of year. If you want to fish this fall / winter bite, please call 404-317-9556 or e-mail me at wmoore1700@outlook.com or and lock in your dates.

Tight Lines,

Captain Wayne

Big News! Accepting weekend and weekday bookings beginning March 2021

That is right! For the past three years I have been guiding primarily on the weekends. After 40 years, I have retired from my day job selling software to physicians and I can now accommodate trips during the week.
All trips are $300.00 half day for up to three anglers. You can add a fourth angler for an additional $50.00. If the fourth angler is 16 years old or younger this is waived. All tackle, bait, light snacks, and soft drinks are provided. You just need to have a fishing license and to show up!

E-mail the dates you want to wmoore1700@outlook.com , text or call 404-317-9556.

Forecast for April 2021

Hybrids / Stripers (spinning tackle) – April is the beginning of the top water bite for stripers and hybrids. No matter what type of fishing you like to do, it is one of the best months to fish Lake Oconee.

We will begin the month long-lining bass minnows from mid lake to the dam and up the Richland Creek Branch all the way to the Ritz. The set up is simple and its a fun way to fish. I use medium / heavy spinning rods spooled with 12 lb. test. On the business end is a swivel to keep the line from twisting, a leader of 10 lb. fluorocarbon, and finally a #4 circle hook. This a small hook for our quarry, but it allows the minnow to swim freely. I run 4 of these rigs off the back of the boat and troll between .05 to .09 mph. When a fish hits, the rod will double over and the fight is on!

Hybrids / Stripers (fly fishing) – Early April, fly fishing will be hit or miss. The bite will be for the first hour after day light and the last hour before sunset. The best fly fishing here occurs when Georgia Power pumps water up from Lake Sinclair. They do this when power demand is high, usually in warmer temperatures. They do not publish a generation schedule. I recommend doing a combo trip (fly fishing and spin fishing) so if the fly bite is off, you can still have a great day. The shad spawn usually occurs towards the end of April. This will provide a good opportunity for fly fishermen at first light as the hybrids and stripers move shallow to feed on the spawning shad.

Here are some pics from trips in April over the last three years:

Crappie –

There are several good options in April for crappie fishing. If the fish are bedding, I like to “beat the banks.” One method is to cast a 1/24th jiffy jig under a weighted bobber to the shoreline; no minnow needed. Work it slowly back to the boat jiggling the rod tip slightly. When you hit an area with a bed, you can load up. Of course, the traditional minnow under a bobber method will work well if you do not cast into the bushes along the bank.

The other method is to use a 5-weight fly rod. You can use the same 1/24th jiffy jig under a strike indicator. Better yet, try the new micro game changer fly. Its looks just like a small shad.

If the fish are not on the bed, long lining jigs behind the boat is a tried-and-true method. It allows you to cover a lot of water and be adjusting the weight of the jig you use; you can target fish at various depths.

Here are some pics from crappie trips in April over the last three years:

Book your trip early and enjoy the great fishing on Lake Oconee!

Tight Lines,

Captain Wayne