QuestionWhat is the best method to fish Deerpoint lake near Panama City, FL? I'm relatively new to bass fishing and am in a friendly bass tournament this Saturday and have fished there the last two weekends with no luck while friends have caught several. I've tried topwater, trick worms, senkos, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and crankbaits, with no luck.
Also, what are some good lure/color choices this time of year.
I love bass fishing and am determined to become a good bass fisherman. My wife thinks I'm crazy to keep on fishing when since I am so bad at it, but I'm drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Any help is appreciated.
AnswerMarty; Let's start by saying that it has taken me over 60 years to learn that I know very little about bass fishing.
Yet I have been hooked ever since I accidently caught a bass while fishing a small pond in my hometown over 60 years ago. I didn't know there were bass in the pond. From then on I have sought them wherever I am. Tell your wife, in a nice way, that having you pursue bass is a lot better than having you pursue blondes, brunettes or redheads. You will learn if you keep at it. Also try http//www.fishing.about.com and begin reading and asking questions on the forum.
Deerpoint Lake is a tough nut to crack. It is not a really good lake for growing bass but there are some really big ones in there. One of the problems is that it is mostly pretty shallow except in the creek channels. Fish can scatter over those shallows and be difficult to find.
I fished this lake for about 25 years before I moved up to Lake Seminole.
Enough of that now what you wanat is some advice on how to find fish in Deerepiint Lake. I would divide the lake into about 4 sections. From the dam to the power line, from the power line to about Tharp's landing or whatever it is called now. From there to the creeks including the area of freshwatter cutoff and cline cutoff. If these terms do not mean anything I will try to explain.
I have not fished the dam area up to the powerlines very much and have never caught many fish there. However I have seen some nice fish come from the docks along the left side of the lake facing the dam.
Just across from High Point landing is a cove where I have caught many fish. I used a Johnson silver minnow with a frog pork trailer or plastic worms, (that was back when worms were about the only plastic baits). I am sure many of the new plastics would work there. Work them through the pads after casting to an opening. Black and purple have always been good in this lake.
In the basin between bear creek and cedar creek there are several places where I have had some good production. Us a topwater early and late in the day and on overcast days when the water is calm. Throw a chug bug, or devil horse up in the pockets around the trees, weeds and grass. I often started at Tharps and began working the treeline just to the right of the opening to the landing. I used worms, crankbaits and topwaters along this line. The water in the tree line is only 3-4' deep but it drops off into the creek channel and there are some sunken tree deadfalls lying in that channel. Behind this row of trees is a little area that I often fished. I simply went around the last of the trees and fished the inside of the tree line. This is all shallow water. Worms or other plastics, shallow crankbaits caught some good fish. Following this I would go across the lake and fish the tree line along Bear creek on the inside. I have not done much in the channel but it might be better now as the trees age. I would work the whole area from across from Tharp's on up to the end of that big area where you can go no further. Then work down the freshwater cutoff side towards Tharp's. I have had my best fishing in this area using topwaters from a rapala to the big muskie jitterbug. I loved using a towwater in this whole area. I also like using a buzz bait in this area.
Going out of Tharp's landing area turn left and you are headee up Cedar creek. when you reach the first treeline fish the channel side. When you come to the mouth of freshwater cutoff go left to the mouth of cline's cutoff.
Fishing the right side of cline's cutoff back in the trees has produced some nice bass on purple worms and white spinnerbait. I believe some of the new plastic jerk baits would work well in here as well as many other places.
A lot of people catch fish up cedar creek but I haven't had much luck up there. To the left of the mouth of cline's cutoff is another basin. this basin has produced some good fish. I like fishing the pads with a johnson silver minnnow w/pork frog. Cast it into pads and keeping rod tip high bring it back slowly through and over the pads. Hang on becaus some big ones sometimes lurk under those pads. Of course remember the rule about using a lure like this or any topwater lure. "Don't strike when you see or hear the sound of the fish hitting your lure. Wait until you feel the fish pull then set the hook. If you try to set the hook when you hear the splash you will likely pull the lure away from the fish. I like a frog hula popper or a dalton special frog color back in here.
If you work your way up cline's cutoff or freshwater cut off you will find it more like fishing the river where current has more effect. There are places where you can get back in the woods and find fish usually using a spinnerbait or topwater. A worm or other plastic should also produce some fish. One of my favorites for this area is a snagless sally with a pork frog. It comes through the brush and grasses cleanly and catches big fish.
You can go on up to econfina creek if you like this kind of fishing. I have caught some fish up there but only a few really nice ones which I caught on a worm.
When all else fails you can sometimes find fish out on the open water out from the mouth of Bayou George. I don't know if the poles of the old powerline are still there or not but out in this area when a slight breeze is blowing and the sun not too bright I have found bass by drifting and casting a jerk bait or a rapala original minnow or a bang-0-lure. Cast directly into the direction from which the wind is blowing and bring it in with jerks and twitches.
I believe a shad or silver color is probably best here.
I haven't fished bayou george much so can't give much on that except for a couple of shallow coves on the left after you enter the bayou. These are lilly pad beds and can be fished as other pad areas mentioned. Some nice shellcrackers in the area of the mouth of bayou george sometimes though.
When it comes to colors in this lake I think the more natural colors are likely to be best because of the clearity of the water. This clarity also means being careful about boat positioning relative to the sunlight. In this clear water fish can see shadows for a long ways.
Don't go charging right up to the area you want to fish or the fish will be long gone or refuse your offering. Of course keep in mind that the one and only RULE IN BASS FISHING AND THAT IS THAT THERE ARE NO RULES.
Again I like purple and black in plastic worms but I am sure the newer colors such as watermellon/chartruse, which has been hot here lately. If natural colors in crankbaits fail try one with a lot of yellow and orange in it. Sometimes these bright colors catch fish when the natural colors won't. I try to keep three colors of spinnerbait tails or skirts. White, chartruse and blue. I have had my best luck on these. In topwaters I like the yellow devil horse, the frog hulapopper or chug bug, frog dalton special and frog or black jitterbug. I keep a couple of the big muskie black jitterbugs for night fishing. I have caught some real dandies on that. Ask at the landing if anyone there has any suggestions. Of course your tourneyment buddies will likely keep their knowledge secret.
In bass fishing when you have learned it all you go out next time and the fish with a brain the size of a pea skunks you so don't let anyone fool you into believing that they know all about bass fishing. Even the pros zero in some tourneyments.
If you live around Panama City, and you likely do if you fish Deerepoint Lake, give me a holler sometime and maybe we can get together. I would love to fish deerepoint again.
You can contact me by e-mail or phone
I am Jack L. Gaither,
[email protected]
ph. 229 -861-2366
