Oconee On The Fly

All trips $300.00 half day! I have dates open in February, March, and April. These are the best months of the year for crappie fishing. Fly fishing for Hybrids and Stripers will be good as well. Call 706-816-4281 or e-mail the dates you want to wmoore1700@outlook.com.

Hybrids and stripers – With all the rain we had in late December and early January, the lake has been muddy in the upper stretches and stained all the way to the dam. Before this water reached the dam, fly fishing for hybrids and stripers was good. Once the stained water moved in, we switched tactics and did mostly live bait and jigs on light spinning tackle. This bite has been very good, and we are seeing some large fish. The Barnes family was out the first weekend in January, a 7 & ¾ pound striper was caught and many very nice Hybrids!

Crappie – Now is the time for crappie. The fish don’t seem to mind the stained water and large numbers are being taken long lining jigs behind the boat. Many anglers wait until the spawn to go crappie fishing. That would be a mistake here on Lake Oconee because the larger fish will move up the lake into flats before the spawn. This is when the biggest crappie of the year are taken. Book a trip and bring home some nice slabs for table fare, it doesn’t get any better!

We are booking up quickly so call 706-816- 4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700@outlook.com and request your dates. Remember, we offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds. There is no deposit required to book a trip, just call and let’s go fishing!

All trips $300.00 half day! I have weekend dates open in December, January, and February. Call 706-816-4281 or e-mail the dates you want to wmoore1700@outlook.com.

Hybrids – The topwater bite is on!! I had the pleasure of taking out Bob Rice and Dick Gillespie from Angler on December 7th to show them what fly fishing on Oconee is all about. We had a great day. Bob got a Striper 20 minutes after we put in. We landed 3 more fat Hybrids on the fly rod that afternoon. There are times when the fly rod will do better than light spinning tackle. But rest assured, we have spinning rods and live bait on board for those of you that want a combo trip. It’s a blast following the gulls as they dive bomb the surface for shad (baitfish) a true tell that Hybrids and Stripers are in the area and feeding!

Crappie – If you want something to bring home and fry up, crappie trips are the way to go. The fishing for crappie has been excellent and it will continue to be so through March. Many people don’t know that February is one of the best months for catching BIG Crappie here on Oconee. For the remainder of December and into January, long lining jigs out of the back of the boat is the best way to go. In February, we will start “pushing” rods out of the front of the boat. It’s a slower moving technique for Crappie in colder water and will land some huge slabs!

Gift Certificates – Want to give someone a gift they will always remember. Just call or e-mail and we will make it happen. Ask anyone that enjoys the outdoors would they rather go fishing or get some other gift and they will take the fishing every time!

We are booking up quickly so call 706-816- 4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700@outlook.com and request your dates. Remember, we offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds. There is no deposit required to book a trip, just call and let’s go fishing!

Book now for September and October (August is fully booked)

Fall trips ½ day $300.00 for up to 4 anglers. Call 706-816-4281 or e-mail wmoore1700@outllok.com

Fall trips are awesome!

Here at Oconee On The Fly, Inc. we have some exciting news! First, we have a brand-new boat! It is a Sea Hunt BX 22 BR bay boat. We can accommodate up to 4 anglers very comfortably. With state of the art electronics including a Minn Kota Ulterra 112lb 36 volt trolling motor (auto deploy) and a Simrad NSS12 evo3 with Navionics, Sonar, and Structure scan. Every detail on this boat has been designed with the fisherman in mind.

For the fly fisherman, we have invested in top of the line Scott fly rods with Lamson reels. Three Scott Meridian 8 weight rods, and a new 9 weight for the heavier flies.

For conventional tackle, we have spinning rods, down line rods, and rods for pulling U-rigs. We also have a full line of crappie rods for long lining and pushing jigs. We are ready for your trip!

Fall trips are usually early morning trips beginning at first light. We offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds.

A fall trip usually begins at first light. There is usually a great top water bite and if you want to fly fish, this is the time! If you would rather spin fish, we throw popping corks and rooster tales.

Later in the morning, we throw sub surface flies or go to jigging spoons. Larger hybrids really key in on those spoons.

Call or e-mail and book a trip for September and October. In December, we will switch gears and start targeting very large crappie!!!

It’s getting close to the best time of year on Lake Oconee for the fly fisherman; that is from late June through late October! The pump back bite, when Georgia Power pumps water up from Lake Sinclair (usually from 6:00 am to 9:00 AM) creates a lot of surface activity because the shad are pushed upwards to the surface. I start these trips with surface flies, then switch to clousers (a sinking fly) , then put down the fly rod and pick up a spinning reel with go after the monsters with a jigging spoon. Can’t wait!

Hybrids – Oh my! Fly fishing lighted docks at night is on fire. I use the Henry Cowen’s something else fly for this on the 8 weight Scott Rod with a 10 lb tapered leader. Last Tuesday evening 10 huge white bass off one dock in a little over an hour. Last night 2 hybrids both pushing 5 lbs. and a believe it or not a 5lb catfish on a fly. Call me if you want to give this a try, you will not be disappointed.

For conventional tackle, as we roll into June, the spoon bite will be turning on and for those who can stand to lose them, the umbrella rig bite is killer. I love the spoon bite, almost straight down, no casting and BIG fish!

Crappie – Long lining near lick creek is awesome in June, just remember you must go deep and over timber. Jiffy jigs with litewire hooks help, but be sure to use your electronics to calculate how far under the surface the timber is and how deep your jig is running. It’s common to use a double jig set up with a 1/16 on top and a 1/32 on the bottom. Fishing over brush piles with live minnows is a great summer pattern, but you must find the brush piles in deeper water.

Largemouth Bass –Henry Cowen’s something else fly is excellent in clearer water this time of year. I fish it on an 8 weight, 9-foot Scott fly rod. I use an intermediate line with an Orvis Mirage, Big Game fluorocarbon, knotless tapered leader in either 10lb. or 12 lb. This rig sinks quickly and casts well. I have caught more fish on Oconee (of every species on) Henry Cowen’s something else fly than any other fly. Unless they are feeding on the surface this is my “go to” fly!

Final words – Why fly fish? Well, ask the bow hunter the same question. He or she will likely say the challenge, and rush felt in the success of harvesting a deer at close range. I offer combo trips so learning is easy and you get the best of both worlds. For me personally, I’d rather catch one on a fly than ten on a spinning rod. Once you learn, casting is a blast! I subscribe to the Lefty Kreh method (Lefty is an internationally known casting instructor that many consider the father of fly casting!) This method focuses on 4 principals that allow you to cast farther with less effort. Most importantly, fighting and landing a fish on a fly rod is an adrenaline rush like no other in fishing.

The “pump back bite” will start in June. We are booking up quickly so call 706-816- 4281 or e-mail me at wmoore1700 @outlook.com and request your dates. Remember, we offer fly fishing and conventional tackle trips for the best of both worlds.

Tight Lines,
Capt. Wayne Moore USCG