Lake Oconee Fishing Report

No matter what type of fishing you like to do, there’s something for everyone on Lake Oconee. Species include largemouth bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, longnose gar, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bullhead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, redbreat sunfish, white bass, chain pickeral, spotted bass , shellcracker, gizzard shad, and common carp.

There are an abundance of small bluegill around most docks making it an ideal place for young kids to fish an not get bored quickly. A simple push button rod with a tiny hook baited with redworms will keep kids occupied all day long. Throughout the year, the Lodge on Lake Oconee hosts Fish with a Pro on weekends where kids can fish with MLF Phoenix Series angler and hotel General Manager Shawn Kosloff.

Striped bass are one of the more popular target species on the lake and you’ll often see boats trolling throughout the lake for stripers. Crappie are another popular target species, and the best way to catch them is using live bait. For most of the year you can find them in brush piles and downed timber, although at different times of teh year they will be suspended in deeper waters near the dam.

Catfish are abundant throughout the lake, and there are some big catfish to be found. The preferred method is fishing with cutbait, and often times you’ss see sections of the lake littered with pool noodles covering cut PVC pipes with cutbait lines attached.

Largemouth bass are a favorite target species throughout the U.S. and it’s no different on Lake Oconee. However, largemouth fishing has been only moderate the past few years. Low oxygen levels have caused a decrease in aquatic vegetation, one of teh favorite ambush spots for these predators. In late 2022, Georgia Power sought to remedy this by installing aerators in the lake to improve oxygenation. The spawning season and srping 2023 will be indicators if the largemouth bass population is rebounding.