Lake Jocassee Spawn Bass Fishing Report (may 2)

Winds calm / water temp: 64 degrees / air 78 degrees / cloudy and spots of rain / large front approaching

Fished up devils fork creek for the entire day. Did not have any clients so got to fish on my own. Focused on the area between Bad Creek and where Howards Creek comes in, at the far back of Devils Fork. Got there about 10:00 with a slight rain. Started where the arm is constricted and the river channel is the closest to the bank. Picked up a white and gray buzz-bait and immediately caught a 2 pound small mouth. In 20 minutes running the back along the river channel caught 10-15 bass all on the buzz. It quite raining and I rounded a point and headed to the back of a small secondary cove. Missed several around thick veg with no hookups. Once made it toward the back started seeing some real nice fish cursing the clear water. Saw one that was every bit of 6 pounds guarding a nest. I tinkered with her for a good 40 minutes. She did bite it once but immediately spit it out when my white tube was over a branch and I was shaking it in her face. I fished for a good 1:30 minutes for these bedding fish with not luck. I went on fishing other creeks hoping to get a pattern on the bedding fish. I tried 12 inch worms, shaky heads, floating worms, buzz baits, and creature baits. I moved to another section of creeks and saw good bait balls in the middle section of the creeks. I tied on small spinner bait and cranked down the middle of the cove and threw at structure. No Luck… I did take note on the location of the 6 pounder and went back an hour later. I eased in made a 35 yard cast and was immediately bit. I swung but missed… Went back to focus on the post-spawners on the points near deep water. Switched to 1/8 shaky head with a pumpkin zoom finesse worm. Stayed on the front 1/3 of the creeks. Started catching them again. By the end of the day ended up with about 30 + fish with biggest about 4 pounds. Never did get a Buzz bite going again.

Jocassee Bass for the Fryer

If I had it to do over again I would start off early with a spro shad swim-bait, a buzz-bait, and a small spinner bait on the points, then switch to a small plastics in the mid-day. I would also fish a 1/4 oz green jig more to try to filter the small ones out. I would put the trolling motor on high between the outside of the points to look for spawners. Here I would take a mental not of the larger ones I see. ( The water on Jocassee is extremely clear) I would come back later and throw a creature bait or large senko to the fish from at least 30 yards in order to not spook it. The first cast would be essential.

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