NOEoutdoors Fishing Report Lake Murray

December 5th

 

Murray is in a classic early winter phase. Water temps are sliding down, bait is stacking in the creeks, and the fish are moving back and forth between shallow morning chances and deeper midday structure. Here’s what’s happening with bass, stripers, and crappie right now.

 

Largemouth and Spotted Bass

 

Bass fishing has been steady but not fast. The shallow bite is short. Largemouth are hitting early around rock, docks, and clay banks that catch the sunrise. Once the sun gets up, both largemouth and spots slide deeper and hold closer to bait.

 

What’s working:

• Dragging finesse baits slow down points and creek channel swings.

• Vertical fishing in 20 to 40 feet when bait groups up.

• A slow-moving bait on windy banks, especially around rock.

 

Largemouth are more consistent in stained water. Spots are staying tight to bait in the clearer sections.

 

Three bass tips for early December:

    1.    Get shallow early. It doesn’t last long, but it’s your best largemouth window.

    2.    Spend the rest of your day near bait. Murray’s winter bite is built around it.

    3.    Keep your retrieve as slow as possible. Cold fish don’t waste energy.

 

Stripers

 

This is the main show right now. Stripers are roaming the creeks from the surface down to 50 feet, depending on light and bait movement. Some days they pop on top for two minutes and disappear. Other days they sit deep and won’t rise at all.

 

What’s working:

• Pulling live offerings at mixed depths around bait schools.

• Casting metal-style lures into quick blowups.

• Dropping vertical presentations when fish pin themselves to deep bait clouds.

 

Birds are giving away most of the action. If gulls are circling or diving, head that way.

 

Three striper tips for early December:

    1.    Don’t chase one pattern. These fish change depth all day long.

    2.    Keep your eyes up. Murray blowups are short but worth it when you hit them.

    3.    Cover water until something shows. Sitting still kills your odds.

 

Crappie

 

Crappie fishing is solid on Murray right now. Fish are stacking on brush, docks, and deeper poles in 12 to 20 feet. The better fish are suspended slightly above the cover.

 

What’s working:

• Hovering small jigs above the brush with minimal movement.

• Dropping minnows just above the tops of the piles.

• Casting light jigs past the structure and letting them swing through.

 

Midday has been the best feeding window thanks to stable light and warming surface temps.

 

Three crappie tips for early December:

    1.    Target brush close to creek channels. They hold the bigger slabs.

    2.    Keep your jig still. Murray crappie are picky in clear water.

    3.    Shift angles if the bite slows. They reposition more than people think.