West Point River Fishing - Striper/Hybrid Run

[LetsGoFishin]

Has the river bite picked up yet this year or is it still a little too early? Thinking about taking the kiddo this Sunday. Stripers/hybrids/crappie....doesn't matter, so long as the kiddo catches a few so any insight would be appreciated! TIA

 

[berchris]

My general understanding is that the Hybrids start moving up after the first warm spell in February. Given that has occurred, and that the water temperature is up in the high 50s, I bet they've started moving up.

I am sure Dustin will have way better insight, though.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Not much happening right now. Few whites starting to poke around, but I expect a big pick up next week with the new moon and nice warming trend. Really looking like a traditional time frame this year.

 

[dang]

One of my favorite times of year!

 

[berchris]

Not much happening right now. Few whites starting to poke around, but I expect a big pick up next week with the new moon and nice warming trend. Really looking like a traditional time frame this year.

Dustin, do the Stripers start moving up around the same time? I've been curious about whether their movement is based on a biological clock or a simply a product of water temperature.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Dustin, do the Stripers start moving up around the same time? I've been curious about whether their movement is based on a biological clock or a simply a product of water temperature.

Some of my largest stripers came in February of 2018 & 2019 up river. There are a number of factors including moon phase and temps that caused those years to happen like they did and that isn't normally the trend.

I always notice a few mix in when the whites start showing up, but it isn't a big number and they are very much loaners in regards to how they act. True numbers don't start showing up until late March-April.

 

[dang]

Whoever done put the orange cone things on either side of the two ramps at ringer, you are a genius and I thank you
Purty day on the water today. Lotta folks out there enjoying it.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Whoever done put the orange cone things on either side of the two ramps at ringer, you are a genius and I thank you
Purty day on the water today. Lotta folks out there enjoying it.

I think they should give them the Presidential Medal of Honor!

 

[dang]

I think they should give them the Presidential Medal of Honor!

I second that motion!

 

[dsgbqc]

If they can redirect the traffic to turn left when you enter the parking lot it would be more beneficial than those orange cones. Won't be long till they get knock over its just the angle coming from the right make it very difficult to back down.

 

[dang]

If they can redirect the traffic to turn left when you enter the parking lot it would be more beneficial than those orange cones. Won't be long till they get knock over its just the angle coming from the right make it very difficult to back down.

Preach!!

 

[dang]

For the last three years with the bay boat I’ve been very disciplined about running the same lines out of ringer to the channel marker bouy before I hook it right and run up. Not sure if I’m just remembering wrong or if I got off my line but it seemed awful shallow Sunday between the shoal marker and the mid channel mark coming out of ringer. Saturday I came up from Yellowjacket so I have no clue, but Sunday I put in at ringer, lake was at 630 when I called. I hit 1.8ft at one point on my same track from last year. Is it silting in or do I need to spend some time mapping out a new line? Won’t matter much when the lake levels stabilize and I know where I need to go slow from experience

 

[Dustin Pate]

For the last three years with the bay boat I’ve been very disciplined about running the same lines out of ringer to the channel marker bouy before I hook it right and run up. Not sure if I’m just remembering wrong or if I got off my line but it seemed awful shallow Sunday between the shoal marker and the mid channel mark coming out of ringer. Saturday I came up from Yellowjacket so I have no clue, but Sunday I put in at ringer, lake was at 630 when I called. I hit 1.8ft at one point on my same track from last year. Is it silting in or do I need to spend some time mapping out a new line? Won’t matter much when the lake levels stabilize and I know where I need to go slow from experience

I can’t find a steady route out. It is very inconsistent in depth on the route I’ve always taken.

 

[dang]

I can’t find a steady route out. It is very inconsistent in depth on the route I’ve always taken.

Thought it might just be my line…….good to know. Feel like it’s gotten worse, but I don’t have anything concrete to say for sure. I’ll find this post and report back next year if I’m under 1.8

 

[Dustin Pate]

Thought it might just be my line…….good to know. Feel like it’s gotten worse, but I don’t have anything concrete to say for sure. I’ll find this post and report back next year if I’m under 1.8

I'm sure it has gotten a little worse, but you also have to remember we are at pretty much dead winter pool. It should continue to get better over the next few weeks as they start filling her back up. I ran across a spot about 1/2 mile north of Ringer that has silted in bad that hasn't been that way in years past.

 

[Whitefeather]

Back in the late ‘80s when I started fishing there. Water depths weren’t a concern all the way to Franklin. Used to fish New River, Potato Creek all the time. I’m nervous anywhere above 219 now.

Yes it’s silting in.

 

[berchris]

Back in the late ‘80s when I started fishing there. Water depths weren’t a concern all the way to Franklin. Used to fish New River, Potato Creek all the time. I’m nervous anywhere above 219 now.

Yes it’s silting in.

That is crazy but not surprising. How else have you seen the river change over that period of time? How has the fishing changed?

 

[Whitefeather]

That is crazy but not surprising. How else have you seen the river change over that period of time? How has the fishing changed?

The biggest thing that changed to me is the spotted Bass population. Used to be a 15” limit on largemouth for years. It was not hard to catch 15-20 fish a day with half of them being keepers. It’s been reduced due to the LM population is down.

Another thing that I think goes unnoticed is the Corps just started allowing boat docks to be built a couple years ago. The natural wood structure in the lake is gone for the most part. There was no structure and until recently the boat docks just started fill in that gap.

 

[Lindseys Grandpa]

I'm sure it has gotten a little worse, but you also have to remember we are at pretty much dead winter pool. It should continue to get better over the next few weeks as they start filling her back up. I ran across a spot about 1/2 mile north of Ringer that has silted in bad that hasn't been that way in years past.

I had a guy who is trained in erosion and that type stuff say that's Mother natures way of returning area to natural state . He said since there was is no other dams south of Atlanta that the silting in will continue until there is not a lake but almost a swamp above 219 .

 

[Batjack]

I had a guy who is trained in erosion and that type stuff say that's Mother natures way of returning area to natural state . He said since there was is no other dams south of Atlanta that the silting in will continue until there is not a lake but almost a swamp above 219 .

I was told many years ago that "As soon as a man "tries" to build a pond or lake where there was none... Mother Nature starts trying to take it back to where she wanted it."