West Point Lake--Great Fishing Vacation
Great Southern Fishing
by Kevin Lee McIver
West Point Lake is an excellent fishing
haven for anglers of all species. This southern hot spot is located
between Alabama and Georgia, and provides year-round fishing
opportunities.
A 26,000-acre impoundment of the
Chattahoochee River, West Point Lake is famous for boating lunker
largemouths. With 525 miles of shoreline, it affords the avid angler more
fishing spots than you can fish in a year. Whether you're fishing from
atop a bass boat, or from the bank, you can limit-out on bass, crappie,
catfish, panfish, striper, or hybrids.
The first thing you notice when you hit the
lake is the water-level is maintained about 8-feet low, forcing anglers to
alter their fishing tactics somewhat. Although little visible cover exists
along the shore for bass to hunker down under, many submerged structures
offer plenty of big-bass hideouts.
When pursuing West Point Lake largemouths,
plastic baits seem to be the home favorite -- especially rigged
"Carolina" style. Bouncing a plastic worm along submerged
structures can trigger savage strikes from monster bass.
My favorite Carolina-rig is a Culprit
pumpkin-seed 7-inch worm, with a 1/4 ounce slider weight. When fished
slowly, this great combination has pulled in its fair share of keeper
bass. Crankbaits and spinner baits run deep also produce excellent
results. If you're not into artificial lures, then the best natural bait
-- minnows -- are the ticket -- and will always fill the cooler.
In addition to the great fishing, West
Point Lake also has excellent camping facilities. My favorite area is
Holiday Park Campgrounds. This Army Corps of Engineers' facility is
well-kept and has many campsites along the beautiful shoreline of this
picturesque lake. Prices for campsites range from $12 a day and up,
depending on the type of site.
West Point Lake is a trophy-managed
largemouth area and all keepers must be 16-inches or longer. The States of
Alabama and Georgia take great pride in the abundance of trophy fish at
this fishing paradise, and they aren't too happy when they discover
someone with illegal fish in their livewell -- so mind the fishing
regulations unless you want to return home with a livewell of paid fines
and court fees.
If you're after big bass, then a trip to
West Point Lake is what you're looking for. Pack up the camper, grab your
fishing poles, and load up the family for a great fishing-vacation at one
of the hottest bass lakes around.
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