“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming Georgia 30040
www.southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS .60 FEET UP FROM FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED & 66 DEGREES
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is good and the spawn is ramping up quickly. More fish are in the process as the warmer temps seem to have gotten them jump started. There are many fish very shallow in the weed lines in the backs of creeks and pockets. A small jig head and worm combo will catch these fish as will a fluke. The main lake fish are moving up shallower on the points and humps. A Davis Shaky Head, a wake bait, and a Fish Head Spin have been our best weapons for the main lake fish. Other top water baits are starting to work as are many other options. Spooks, Chug Bugs and Pop R top water baits are good all day. Throw these baits when you see schooling fish. The dock bite is good also. Davis Shaky Heads and worm combo, Senkos or a Fluke around the docks are hard to beat. I have the following dates open next week: May 8 and 9. I am also have some dates open the following week.
This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com
Striper fishing remains up and down. Good one day, and not so good the next day. The key is on bright sunny days; try to get your fish early. Once the sun gets high in the sky, the fishing gets tough. On cloudy days with some wind, the bite can last all day. The fish have moved up shallow on points and flats from halfway back to all the way back in the creeks. Cover as much water as possible with planner boards and free lines. Set your bank side board 10 to 15 feet back, and increase the distance behind your deeper water boards. Add a split shot to a couple of lines to cover as much of the water column as possible. We are using mostly herring but have had some of success with trout and gizzard shad. We are not marking many single fish and no multiples. Don’t bother trying to mark fish just keep baits in the water. We should see some action within the next week or two. Again, the key is keeping baits in the water and pull flats and points. There are fish in every creek from the south end to the north end. Try not to fish around a lot of other boats. The fish are very spooky and if someone catches a fish the odds are the other fish will move out of the area.
This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, President of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. 404 425 4059
Crappie fishing is excellent. The water temperature is an average of 65 degrees, with some spots in the backs of creeks we’ve marked as high as 71 degrees. The early morning or late afternoon bite is your best bet. Try fishing blow downs and the weeds in shallow water, using a popping cork and a curly tail. Minnows will also work if you prefer live bite. You will notice that you’re catching mostly darker fish, (males) in the shallows, as the females have pulled away from the spawning areas toward deeper water around docks. We’ve been catching fish as shallow as one foot away from the bank. Docks in fifteen to twenty feet are still producing bigger fish than in the shallows. The best method for fishing the docks is shooting your jig in toward the darkest part of the dock. Crappie are structure oriented fish so finding a dock with some type of structure below will be helpful. Hair jigs and soft body jigs are both working around the docks. Last Saturday our club had our monthly tournament. Every boat caught fish and brought in impressive catches to the weigh in. Our best “catch of 7” weighed in at a whopping 10.7 pounds. Our big fish weighed in at 1.98 pounds. These are post spawn fish, which means the females have already laid their eggs, of course weighing less than pre spawn. As we mentioned before, there are two ways to learn how to catch crappie: first, time on the water, or second, you can join Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. We have seasoned fishermen who will share tips to help you learn how to fish for Crappie, and it’s a great way to meet others who share a passion for Crappie fishing. Be safe on the water as the lake is getting more crowded. Wear your life jacket, it can save your life.
Dan Saknini is an avid fisherman and President of the Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com
Call Ken Sturdivant about the ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for Sonar or the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass or a full day STRIPERS School. Call 770 889 2654 for details. Send an e mail to ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 1.55 FEET, STAINED & MID TO UPPER 70 DEGREES
Bass fishing is very good and the bass are in several stages of spawning. Some are holding in deep blow downs in the upper part of the lake from the 109 bridge and up. And some are very shallow in the backs of the deeper creeks. Spinner baits and buzz baits as well as Zara Spooks will get strikes. Up the river, use a jig in black and blue or all black 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh. Spots are spawning and the largemouth will be shallow the rest of the month also. Cast to the banks cover and work baits tight in the structure. Afternoons are really good for faster moving baits with a Rebel Deep Wee R in silver and blue back on points. Use a Texas rigged worm, Chatter bait or a pig and jig. Some top water action has been occurring early and late. The spots are holding on gravel and rocky point in 6 to 10 feet of water. Use Carolina rigged worms in most any color but pumpkinseed, green and purples are working.
We have GPS Bass fishing locations and a BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE book for sale. Ask ken for a sample. This book is $39.00. Sample just e mail ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 60 DEGREES
This Lake Allatoona Bass fishing report is by Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com
Bass fishing is great. The majority of this phone is complete in the shed’s phone has begun. Bass are off the bed and are now feeding up to replenish the energy lost during this spawn. There is a decent top water by and will only get better as it gets warmer. Jig heads and jerk baits continue to be the best producer of numbers right now. The jerk bait and top water also is catching hybrids and white bass due to the shad spawn frenzy. Recent tournaments are taking around 12 pounds to win with their best five fish.
This Lake Allatoona Fishing s Report has been brought to you by Robert Eidson of First Bite Service, 770 827 6282 www.firstbite service.com Lake Allatoona, Georgia
eidson6260@att.net www.firstbite service.com
Line side fishing is good and will only get better as we enter May. The fish are biting from one end of the lake to the other. The hybrids have started their spawn runs up both the Etowah River and Little River. The run has just begun and should get stronger daily and should stay decent into the middle of May. The main lake is also fishing well. Look for the fish that are returning out of the rivers to start to school up from the Little River Bridge up to the Delta and from the S Turns to Kellogg Creek. There is also a decent south end bite going on right now from Iron Hill to the bay out in front of 3rd Army. The fish on the main lake are up in the water column and are very hard to mark on 2 D sonar. If you have a Lowrance with side scan, you can locate these fish by running your side scan setting on 60 feet on both sides. If you don’t have side scan, the best way to find these fish is to put out a spread of planner boards and free lines, and pull the banks and open water until you get bit. Planner boards and free lining live shad on the main lake has been our best bite. Small to middle sized gizzard shad have been the ticket. If throwing the net isn’t your cup of tea, Striper Soup Bait and Tackle in Acworth has plenty. The river bite is a different story. Cut bait seems to be fishing best right now. Cut shad and chicken liver fished in any bend of the river or near any lowdown will catch fish. Trolling has been decent but should get really good once the water temperature hits 70 degrees. Umbrella rigs fished 100 feet behind the boat at speeds of 2.4 to 3.1 miles an hour are working best.
We have the book on BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA and we have GPS 50 coordinates also. Ask for samples of the book and the coordinates from ken@southernfishing.com Try these two N 34 10 846 W 84 43 128 Good spawning pockets in McCaskey Creek. Use a Sammy 100 and Big swim baits around the schooling fish. N 34 10 294 W 84 43 092 Good spawning area around Bartow County ramp with a Sammy 100 and big swim bait area.
Call Ken about the Southern Fishing Schools exclusive ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for SONAR or Rods Reels and Lures for Bass. Call for 770 889 2654 or ken@southernfishing.com for more info
May 2, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS .76 FEET OVER FULL, THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND 67.2 DEGREES, THE BACKS OF CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND 70 DEGREES
From Jimbo’s Guide Service on Lake Hartwell. Guide Rick Steckelberg.
Bass fishing is good. Most of the fish are now in a full blown spawn. Look for the shore line grass and pockets with grass to hold the majority of the spawners. Look specifically for the pockets with sand and clay. A Sworming Hornet Dude in pearl white, a frog, a spinnerbait and a jig head worm are working well for these fish. As far as the main lake, the spotted bass are on every shoal marker that has sand or rock around it. Jerk baits, flukes, and shaky heads are taking these fish. Look for the herring spawn to be a major factor in the next few weeks. It has already started, but is not in full swing yet.
Come fish with Rick on Lake Hartwell and learn his top secret approaches and strategies that will be used by the pros in next year’s Bass Master Classic. The Classic is coming to Hartwell in February 2015. Contact Jimbo on Lanier at 770 542 7764 to book a trip with Rick. The book BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL is available. We have opened this lake up to avid bass anglers with over 100 key bass fishing holes. ken@southernfishing.com for a sample. See our web site for Rods Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
May 2, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 70’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is good. A good portion of the bass are on the beds or will be during the next week. Anglers are still having a field day on the males and those females waiting to go on bed. Use the Husky Jerks along with the spinnerbaits out on the edges of the grass beds. The herring are on the move and the bass are feeding heavy on these bait fish. The secret on throwing those jerks is to keep them moving. This method is the one that seem to be working the best. The top water Chug Bugs will be turning on during the next week if the weather continues to hold. Expect the top water bite to turn on quickly. Spinnerbaits and crank baits are working. The Rapala DT6 and Rapala DT 10 is working on the flats and smaller channel ledges. Shad and hot mustard along with the bluegill colors are best. Ask for a free sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE CLARKS HILL book. Ask for a sample at Send a sample request to ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & 70’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The bass are on the move into the shallows with the warm weather warming up the water at a steady pace. This is only the first stage of what’s to come. The full moon is past and only a few bass were spotted on the beds. Several baits like the spinnerbait, Fish Head Spins, jerk baits and jigs along with Shad Raps will catch bass this week. The spotted bass are on the move as well and will be a lot more aggressive this week. They will spawn in a little deeper water than the largemouth. For those waiting to fish in those coves and the shallow water now is the chance you have been waiting for. Find a bass then move on. There will not be a concentration in any one area until after the majority of the bass have spawned out.
For a sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS 1.09 FEET ABOVE FULL, MUDDY & 67 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair. The lake is fast and muddy. The fish are hard to catch right now, but the best way to do so is to fish super shallow water in back water areas with a frog or a swim bait. There has also been some reports of a shad spawn going on in these same areas. A good choice for a swim bait is a 5″ Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in Pearl. Rig this bait on a 5/0 Gamakatsu Superline Hook with a toothpick through the head to hold on the bait, and Sunline FC Sniper 20 pound test fluorocarbon line. If you need a little more weight added to it, put a 1/16 ounce Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten weight on the front with a Fish Catchin Fool Bobber Stopper. The best frog right now is a Spro Bronzeye Shad in Nasty Shad. This bait has tremendous walk the dog action and really does imitate a shad. Fish this frog on a fast speed reel such as a Lews Super Duty in 7:1 and at 60 lb. Sunline FX2 Braid. As the weather continues to warm and the water continues to clear, look for the bass to start moving out on river ledges and then use your Lowrance Structure Scan to locate schools of fish to catch cranking. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools.
ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS 2.17 OVER FULL, HIGH 60 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair. Top water action is fair in the mornings but this does not last. Buzz baits, Flukes, Pop-R’s, are all capable of taking large numbers of bass. Focus on grass that is adjacent to spawning flats. It seems as though the spawn is just about over, as you can see fish guarding fry in just about every pocket; therefore, it is time to start looking for more and more fish to head away from the bank. Shallow ledges from 4 to 8 feet are holding some fish. Find a ledge that has fish on it with the Lowrance Structure Scan technology and this fish will bite. The cranking bite is really picking up. Cranking points and shallow ledges has produced mid day until late afternoons. When the cranking bite is gone, Carolina rigs and jigs are catching fish on these same ledges. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS 0.40 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, STAINED & 70 DEGREES
Bass fishing is good and they are being caught shallow in 2 to 5 feet of water on spinner baits, Chatter Baits, shallow running crank baits. Pig and jigs under docks is also producing some good Bass. Texas rigged Worms and Lizards are also catching fish. Tournament weights have been 24 to 28 pounds to win over the last month and a lot of big largemouth are being caught. A lot of fish have moved on bed also.
Striper fishing fair and they are being caught up the upper Chattooga River and up the Coosa River at Mayo’s Lock and Dam.
Crappie fishing is fair and they are being caught long line trolling with 1/24 ounce Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ01, JJ06, JJ13, JJ17 JJ20, JJ37 and Marks Special Blue. Shooting docks is producing a lot of Crappie also. A lot of fish are also being caught casting jigs and minnows to the banks.
Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama contact Ken Sturdivant at ken@havefunfishing.com.
May 2, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 70 DEGREES, MUDDY UP RIVER, MAIN LAKE STAINED, BY MATT HENRY, CALL 770 361 4210 (cell) or 478 451 0167 (SINCLAIR MARINA)
WWW.SINCLAIRMARINA.COM MATT@SINCLAIRMARINA.COM
Bass fishing is great. Many techniques and patterns are working as the fish are still in all phases of the spawn. The dominant pattern is fishing for spawning fish in the back half of spawning pockets lake wide. Pockets that contain a lot of stumps and natural cover on the back flats will be best. A Texas rigged 6” Zoom Lizard in June bug color fished slowly around these stumps will get many bites throughout the day. Make repetitive casts to each of these stumps as it usually takes many casts to make the fish bite. Another pattern to look for is going after post spawn fish. These post spawn fish are aggressively feeding back up after the stressful couple of weeks they have spent spawning. Shad colored spinner baits and crank baits will work great during this time. Look for concrete sea walls and rip rap banks near the mouth of the spawning pockets. These fish will be gorging themselves on the shad spawn that will take place in the early mornings around the warm concrete and rocks. A white Tru Trac Lures spinnerbait with double willow blades and a Cell Mate colored Spro Little John will work great on these feeding fish. Guide trips are booking up fast, so give me a call to book your trip.
Make sure to stop by our boat showroom and see the 2013 and 2014 inventory of Nitro, Tracker, Sun Tracker, Tahoe, and Mako boats. We only have a few 2013 models! Don’t miss out on some great deals! For more information, swing by the marina or give us a call at 478 451 0167.
May 2, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, UPPER 60 TO LOW 70 DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The lake is full, stained on the north end, clearing near the dam, Richland creek has light stain. The shad are spawning. Start your day on a sea wall or rip rap. Using a small crank bait, rattle trap, or 1/4 ounce spinner bait in these areas will draw a strike. As the spawn slows down during the day move to docks in the same area and work the dock poles with the same baits. You can also work a shaky head under the docks to pick up extra fish.
Striper report by Mark Smith of Reel Time guide service, 404 803 0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net
Striper fishing is good. The fish are at the dam for the spring run. Live bait fished on down lines along with flat lines and plainer boards will pick up fish. You can also pick up extra fish on the 4 arm umbrella rig fished 100 feet behind the boat at 3 mph. You will need shad and shiners as the fish are changing from one to the other from day to day.
Make sure you stop by Sugar Creek Marina and pick up your spoons and all your tackle needs. You can also book your crappie and striper trips with Reel Time Service at 404 803 0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net Learn how to use the Lowrance technology with Ken Sturdivant. Free sonar set up ken@southernfishing.com
May 2, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & UPPER 60’S
Bass fishing is very good. Some largemouth have been spotted on the beds. In the back of almost every pocket is harboring shallow largemouth. A few are cruising and a select few are on the beds or in the process of making beds. Sight fishing is picking up and the best tool for sight fishing for largemouth is a Salt Stix made by Assault Plastics. Be sure to pitch the bait quite a ways past the fish and work it slowly toward the fish then dead stick it and twitch it a half inch at a time for the best chances of catching fish by sight. Keep the Trick worm ready in bubble gum on a spinning reel and 10 pound Sufix Elite line. Try the fluorocarbon line due also because to its invisibility properties. There is also a decent top water bite in the early morning and late afternoon. Try a Sammy by Lucky Craft about half way in the pockets and towards the back.
We have the free SONAR WITH KEN STURDIVANT class at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in the Outdoor Skills Workshop. Lowrance Pro Staff Member Ken Sturdivant will go over the settings for the sonar @ 2pm the last Saturday of the month.
If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net and ask for the Sonar Setup Quick List.
We have these books for sale BASS FISHING ON WEST POINT LAKE, BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE and BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL. These books are written by Tim White and Ken Sturdivant and each one has over 65 locations exclusively for bass and covers every week of the year. Each book $39.00. If you would like a sample of any book, send us an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net. Our mailing address is Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.