Crappie / Seminole

Question
I am coming down next week, staying at Seminole Park. We are targeting crappie. I know a major cold front is moving through about the time we get there. Any suggestion on where or how to find the fish would be greatly appreciated.

Ken

Answer
Ken; I hope you plan on coming late next week as we have had a lot of rain and the lake is pretty messed up.  Both of the rivers, the Flint and Chatahoochee are really muddy.  Maybe they will clear up by late in the week if we don't get more rain.

If the rivers stay muddy I would suggest either Fish Pond Drain as far up as Ray's lake or Spring Creek as these do not mud up as badly as the two larger rivers.

I haven't tried crappie fishing this year but there are several places here in Spring Creek that produce some nice crappie.  If the rivers aren't too muddy they might produce probably in deep water since the cold nights have kept the water temp down somewhat.  Or if not in the deep water they may have moved further up on the bank but not always way up shallow.  

If you are staying at the State Park (I assume you mean Seminole State Park) on the Georgia side you will be right on the Fishpond drain area.  You can go upstream through the gates at the bridge   where highway 253 crosses the drain.  The first pond above the bridge is not familiar to me but if you go on up under the next bridge into Ray's lake the upper end has produced some nice crappie.  Heading downstream from the State Park is usually pretty good if it is not too heavily filled with hydrilla.  Crappie can be caught all the way down to the mouth of Spring Creek at times.  But if you are a crappie fisherman you know that crappie are movers.  They do not stay in one place long.  

In Spring Creek both above and below Rattlesnake point is some deep water along with some humps and lots of what was once standing timber much of which is broken off at or below the waterline.

My suggestion would be to try looking around the Chatahoochee to see if there are groups of boats anywhere.  It is a long run from the State park around to either the Hooch or into Spring Creek.  It isn't too far up to Ray's lake.  If you are going to fish the Hooch I would suggest tailoring your boat to Trail's End and launch there.  It is only a couple of miles on down to the area where the crappie ordinarily are.  They charge a couple of bucks to launch if you are not staying there but it would take more gas than that to run around by boat.

If you wish to fish Spring Creek I suggest you got either Reynolds' landing about a mile south of Highway 253 (Reynolds' Landing Rd.)  Look for state sign "Spring Creek Landing".  Turn South off 253 and when you see the lake turn left into the park where there is a small but good landing.  Or you can go on down to Sealie's Landing on Sealies island which will put you between Fish Pond Drain and Spring Creek.  I suggest Reynolds' landing though.

I had hoped to get out and try for some crappie but I have a minor surgery scheduled for Tuesday and I will probably be sore for a couple of days.  Otherwise I would invite you to call and let me show you around Spring Creek.  If you are coming late in the week I may feel like doing something so if that is the case give me a call at 229-861-2366.  By Friday I should be ready to go.  Hopefully I will have my boat in the water by then too.

I hope this has helped.  I wish you were coming a week later as I think the lake will have cleared better but still there should be some places to catch crappie.

Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole, Ga.