Lake O' the Pines

GOOD. Water normal stain; 53 degrees; 0.07 feet above pool. Lake O’ the Pines is holding near full pool for the winter season, with the conservation pool around 228.5 feet above mean sea level, which is typical for this time of year. Unseasonably warm temperatures paired with gusty winds have left crappie scattered and not holding to a predictable pattern. Fish have been located in depths from 13-30 feet, often around brush piles, standing timber, and roaming mid-water. Many of the fish cleaned this week were stuffed with shad, which contributed to a tougher bite. A dead-stick presentation with a smaller profile jig produced the most consistent results, and 1.5 inch soft plastics were especially effective in these conditions. As colder temperatures return in the coming week, expect crappie to tighten back up on timber and structure along the creek channels. We are still a few weeks away from a full shift to deeper water by the dam. Bass anglers found a good bite in 4-6 feet of water along the creek channels this week. Carolina rigs, Alabama rigs, chatterbaits, and rattle traps all worked well to trigger bites in this depth range. Report by ETX Outdoors.