# Lake Martin



## swander (Dec 1, 2007)

Heading up to wind creek state park on Martin lake in a few weeks. Looking for info on where to catch crappie or bream. Anyone have any info on the lake or could recommend a map?
Thanks


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

Be careful of the shallow gravel areas.....be real careful.


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## swander (Dec 1, 2007)

H2OMARK said:


> Be careful of the shallow gravel areas.....be real careful.


Thank you!!!


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

mark is right. take his advice. i was bass fishing in my dawson fish/ski 140 evinrude up in one of those sloughs and hit a sharp rock. busted a hole in the bottom.
jack


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

I think most winters they lower the water in the lake to work on the dam. That can cause more hazards. Not sure if you know that about the lake or not


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## polhlor (May 8, 2014)

I camp at the Air Force campground. Have never caught a bream(don't target them) and did not catch a crappie this past fall(tried). An experienced local told me the striper fisherman had released some type of shad that is eating the crappie's eggs and the population has plummeted. On the good side the bass fishing is great. Caught most of my fish on gold spoons this past trip. I usually just take my yak. 
Lake usually not at full pool until late April(you can track this online). Maps are available at most stores around the lake. I hope you prove me wrong about the crappie.


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## Jpsimms57 (Apr 24, 2020)

Grew up on that lake!...March, April best for crappie fishing but it is not what it use to be!... you'll have to find some " stained waters" up in the creeks, the main river is usually too clear.. I usually fish Sandy Creek brush piles..the water levels will still be at winter pool, down 10' but can fluctuate with rain...This time of year however is excellent for spotted bass...can limit out easily...they can usually be found on the long gravel points ... I fish with a carolina rig ..ice finesse worm died chartreuse on the end..


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## swander (Dec 1, 2007)

Jpsimms57 said:


> Grew up on that lake!...March, April best for crappie fishing but it is not what it use to be!... you'll have to find some " stained waters" up in the creeks, the main river is usually too clear.. I usually fish Sandy Creek brush piles..the water levels will still be at winter pool, down 10' but can fluctuate with rain...This time of year however is excellent for spotted bass...can limit out easily...they can usually be found on the long gravel points ... I fish with a carolina rig ..ice finesse worm died chartreuse on the end..


Thank you so much! Now I have an idea where to start. Is Sandy Creek an area? Is it near wind creek state park?


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## Jpsimms57 (Apr 24, 2020)

swander said:


> Thank you so much! Now I have an idea where to start. Is Sandy Creek an area? Is it near wind creek state park?


No ...it's a little haul from wind creek..however there's excellent bass fishing on the banks across from the boat launch at wind creek...just follow that bank from the ramps around the point...several fish attractant sites marked with signs...the sloughs on the boat ramp side hold crappie sometimes...the Elkahatchee Creek flows into Martin on the north side of the State park..there's excellent fishing in that creek also...


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## boatpoor2 (May 15, 2017)

LOVE Lake Martin. We had a family place there from the early 1980's until my parents sold it this past summer.

From Wind Creek, you can go up Elkahatchee and find plenty of spotted bass. 

Sandy Creek is great, but it's about a 45 minute ride from Wind Creek campground probably. And you'd better have a good map/GPS or you can get lost up in there for days. All those islands look the same this time of year.

At the Wind Creek store, ask them where the slalom course is. There are a couple of long gravel points in that same slough and you won't have to worry about skiers in Feb/March. Once you find the slalom course, ease out of that slough and follow that bank around to the right. There's an old run down shack on a point...keep following that bank around. Once you get towards the back side, stay to the right of the little small island and go into the second little slough behind the point that the shack is on. On the left hand side of that bank about half way up into that slough, I dumped about 15 Christmas trees in the early 1990s. They hold crappie like crazy and nobody ever fishes in there. If the water is still low, you might have to run around the big island (Woods Island) to get back into that slough, but you can find it easy with a map once you find the shack. [[ EDIT: looked it up on Google Earth...the trees are at about 32 49 47 N, 85 53 59W. First and only time I'll ever put numbers on here  ]]

And, if you want some real fun, Alex City Guide Service (no affiliation) runs striper charters out of Bay Pine Marina, about 10-15 minutes from Wind Creek.


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## swander (Dec 1, 2007)

boatpoor2 said:


> LOVE Lake Martin. We had a family place there from the early 1980's until my parents sold it this past summer.
> 
> From Wind Creek, you can go up Elkahatchee and find plenty of spotted bass.
> 
> ...


Thank you!


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