Georgia Fishing – Southern Fishing Report 7-24-14

“The Southern Fishing Report” By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge Drive

770 889 2654

Cumming Georgia 30040

www.southernfishing.com

July 24, 2014

LAKE LANIER IS .18 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & 83 DEGREES

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764

Bass fishing is fair. The recent rains and cooler weather have the lake up and cooled the surface temperatures. In turn, this has made the bite HOT!! My best bite this past week has been with the swim bait. We have been working this fast over brush in 20 to 30 feet of water. A Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring and a Sebile have been our best choices. Top water has worked some, but not nearly as well as the swim baits of late. We have been crushing big fish in good numbers on the swim bait. We have abandoned the deep drop shot bite for now as the swim bait is rocking. I am sure however that there are some good fish holding out there. Sometimes just singles, but sometimes in small packs. When you see these out deeper, take the opportunity to drop on them as these are often good fish. Even though I have not been running them much the last week, the spot tail minnow fishing is still strong. That bite has been great for both number and size. If you have not done it in the past, you should definitely take the opportunity to do it. I have the following dates left open in July. I have had some cancellations and switches, so here is the updated list: 28 (PM), 29 (PM), 30, 31 (PM), and August 1 full day. Give me a call, and let’s go fishing.

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 very good. The cold front and rain dropped the surface temperature to below 80 degrees which sent most of the fish into the trees. The key has been trees in 70 to 100 feet of water just off the creek channel. The single 30 foot fish are difficult to catch with bait but the fish at 50 to 80 feet will bite if you can find a bald spot void of trees. Trolling Captain Mack’s buck tail jig with a 4 inch shad body will trigger a reaction bite if you can stay out of the trees and get your jig down to the fish. Lead core at 8 9 colors and Umbrella rigs at 140 to 160 feet back are your best bets. We use a 3 ounce, 4 arm rig with 9, 1 ounce buck tail jigs with white and chartreuse 4 inch shad bodies for my Umbrella rigs. If you have downriggers drop them down to two feet above the fish. Your Lowrance fish finding sonar, structure scan and GPS electronics are critical tools for locating summer time stripers. Pay special attention to your down scan and look into the trees for deeper fish. Look for the fish to become a little more active with the increase in water temperature and start to school up off the river channel from Browns Bridge to the Dam. Flat Creek, Two Mile Creek, Six Mile Creek, Big Creek and Flowery Branch are good places to start. The lake temperature is in the low 80’s. The water is lightly stained in the back of the creeks and clear on the main lake both North and South.

Meet Lowrance Pro Staffer, Ken Sturdivant at the new Cabela’s in Acworth, Georgia, August 21 though 24, 2014. Ken will be hosting these FREE! Seminar: FRIDAY August 22, 2014 at 3 pm and 7 pm: Fishing Georgia Lakes for bass. SATURDAY August 23, 2014 at 3 pm and 7 pm: Finding Fish with Lowrance technology. SUNDAY August 24, 2014 at 3 pm and 5 pm: The Bass Anglers Tackle Box. Located at the Cherokee Village at I 75 and Highway 92, Kennesaw Georgia

Anglers we have a new Bait Shop on Buford Dam Road at the Buford Dam Quick Stop at 2595 Buford Dam Road. Open daily from 6 to 6 they have Herring and other baits like shiners ready to go to the lake. 706 867 5102

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff, will be at Dreher Island State Park, 3677 State Park Road, Prosperity South Carolina 29127, August 13 through 17, 2014. Ken will doing Lowrance demonstration rides from 8am until 2pm Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday at the park.

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

July 24, 2014

WEST POINT LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & MID 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. It is time to get the big crank baits out and catch these summer bass. Fishing a summertime pattern is the key to catching all species right now. Largemouth and spots are still bunched together in 18 to 20 feet of water on roadbeds, humps, ridges on main lake structure. Cranking a deep diving bait across these ledges, roadbeds and humps will produce. Cranking will trigger a reaction strike from some of these big bass. BIG is Better this time of year. Carolina rigged worms and long ones to 10 inches are still good to use. Green pumpkin is hard to beat in the summer. Keep a Zoom pearl Super Fluke ready and work it on any bank structure especially up lake above Ringers access.

Anglers have GPS Bass fishing locations and a “BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE” book is for sale. Ask ken for a sample. This book is $39.00. Sample just e mail ken@southernfishing.com

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff, will be at Dreher Island State Park, 3677 State Park Road, Prosperity South Carolina 29127, and August 13 through 17, 2014. Ken will doing Lowrance demonstration rides from 8am until 2pm Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday at the park.

July 24, 2014

LAKE ALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & MID 80’S

The Lake Allatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com

Bass fishing is tough. Allatoona is in the toughest time of year. There are tons of tiny bait around and tons of tiny bass feeding on them. Lots of 9 to 13 inch fish. If you are just going to fun fish thing aren’t all that bad right now. But of you are looking for big tournament winning stringers you will have your work cut out for you. Small bait is the key to getting bit right now. Tiny flukes and the new 3 1/2 jointed Big Bite jerk minnow are good choices fished on the drop shot. Whether fish vertically on Lowrance sonar or thrown at schoolers this is my number one choice for bites right now. The top water bite is decent at day break and sundown. Small walking style bait and poppers are the best choice. The crank bait bite is very slow. At night the jig head tipped with a trick stick in green pumpkin and a jig are the best option around boat docks and lit areas.

Lake Allatoona Fishing Guides Report is provided by First Bite Guide Service of Lake Allatoona. When you’re ready to catch stripers and hybrids, contact Robert at 770 827 6282 or by e mail: eidson6260@gmail.com.

Line side fishing is very good. The live bait bite is starting to fall off some because it’s hard to keep your shad alive, and the trolling bite is starting to pick up. We are catching very good numbers stripers, hybrids and White Bass on our morning trips right now. Some morning we are catching 30 to 50 fish per boat. The numbers will start slowing down some because the dissolved oxygen level is dropping fast. All of the fish seem to be within one mile of the dam. Concentrate your efforts from the mouth of Clear Creek to Clarks Creek. Once you find the fish, start the morning fishing live shad on down lines at 24 feet. This can be a good bite if you’re on feeding fish, but fresh baits is the key, change your baits often Once the live bait bite slows down, switch to trolling umbrella rigs. We have been having most of our success pulling nine 1/2 ounce white buck tails with chartreuse trailers about 110 feet behind the boat, which puts his rigs about 24 feet deep. Also keep your top water baits ready in case any schooling fish come up. They’ll hit a popping cork, fluke or Sammy, but we use the biggest white Rooster Tail we can find. The secret to getting bit is to fish with light line (6 lb. test) and to retrieve your bait as fast as you can crank it in. In these conditions it’s important to get your fish back in the water quickly if you want to release it. Keep your camera ready because a quick release can mean the difference between a dead fish and one that swims away. We also suggested riding back over the area you just fished and keeping any floaters. Striper Soup has plenty of bait in stock for those of you that don’t want to get to the lake at 4am. Our boats are taking know less then 80 baits out for our four hour trips. Fresh bait is a must right now.

Anglers, we have a book on “BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA” that has 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 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

July 24, 2014

LAKE HARTWELL IS AT FULL POOL & MID 80’S

Bass fishing is fair to good. Lake levels remain good and the bass fishing picked up some with all the cool nights we have been having this past week. The majority of the good keeper bass are still holding in ten feet of water and better. Some deep water docks are still producing some of the better Bass while fishing jigs. Use your Carolina rigs along the rocky ledges and deeper creek channels. You must fish these rigs really slow to be effective. Using four inch worms instead of the standard six inch will also increase your odds. Some anglers are still using their drop shot rigs in water fourteen feet and better. A light weighted or free falling fluke or worm around the bridge pylons is working for James Savage. James is fishing these baits right at the pylons and just letting it fall. Watch for any line movement while fishing this method. Deep water cranking a DT16 or DT20 through the suspended bass is also very effective. You can also use baits on the rocky channel ledges and bounce them off the rocks. Recreational boat traffic is still heavy on the weekends, so be careful. This weekend will call for warmer temperatures, so take along plenty of water.

Anglers, 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.

July 24, 2014

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES & STAINED

Bass fishing is slow. Anglers are struggling on the lake as bass fishing is slow. The water is hot and the bass are only feeding early and very late in the day. A few bass will hit top water baits during early morning. One to four blow ups is about average for the first two hours after daybreak. The best areas are along main river banks and just inside the mouth of coves. Concentrate on banks with medium to fast tapering bottoms and even deeper water very nearby. Use a Pop R, Chug Bug and Tiny Torpedo. Buzz baits can also produce on any given morning. Rip rap along the roads and trestle of Little River are still yielding a few fish. Lightweight Texas rigged worms and jig head and worm rigs have been the best. Try a 1/8 ounce Spotsticker jig head with a green pumpkin Zoom Finesse worm on 8 pound line and spinning tackle. This week the crank bait on docks and boat houses will work. Try a Zoom Trick worm in green pumpkin on a 3 foot leader with a half ounce weight on the Carolina rig. Crank baits that dive to 15 feet or more should also be tried. Some good choices are Rapala DT16, Norman DD22, Excalibur Fat Free Shad #7 and Poe’s 400. Chartreuse combinations like fire tiger, citrus shad and fire tiger has been good.

The book, BASS FISHING CLARKS HILL LAKE is on sale. Get 52 weeks of bass fishing reports and over 40 bass fishing locations for this popular lake. Ask for a free sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE CLARKS HILL book. Ask for a sample: ken@southernfishing.com

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff, will be at Dreher Island State Park, 3677 State Park Road, Prosperity South Carolina 29127, August, 13 through 17, 2014. Ken will doing Lowrance demonstration rides from 8am until 2pm Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday at the park.

July 24, 2014

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & MID 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. Spinner baits are accounting for some fish but it is a must to have the Carolina rigs all day. Fish along the rip rap with a Shad Rap in baby bass and crawfish patterns. Use the #7 in the shad color as long as the water clarity is two feet or more. Fish the rock ledges in the shade as bass all summer long. Use a small bait like a 3/16 to 1/4 ounce jig or a four inch finesse worm on a spot sticker rig. A three inch tube bait rigged Texas style will also catch those summer bass. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology while searching the flats and humps.

For a sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com

July 24, 2014

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & MID 80’S

Bass fishing is good but is hot all day. Early and late Lunker Lures buzz baits on the wood or grass lines can draw a fish but run and gun all day. Float a large dark Culprit worms or lizards on Texas rig with no weight on around the grass beds. Add a Mann’s Rat in green frog then follow up with a big lizard in June bug on a large #5 Mustad hook. Zoom Swamp crawlers are working on a long Carolina rig with the one ounce egg sinker. To get away from the heat, try after dark and a green pumpkin and June Bug will work. Use the all white Ledge Buster one ounce spinner bait and slow roll the bait but this will tax the arms if the fish do not bite. Try this large bait for 30 minutes each trip and use it on the feeding periods.

Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com

July 24, 2014

LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, HIGH 80’S

Bass fishing is good early and late around isolated grass patches with a black/blue swim jig and in the lily pad beds with a Big Bite Baits Top Toad in green pumpkin pearl or a Natural Red Spro Bonzeye frog. Fish these isolated grass patches and lily pad beds right off the main lake around the mouth of Cowikee Creek. When the sun gets up, its time to head to Eufaula’s famous ledges or flip grass mats at the mouths of larger pockets. Flip these mats with a Big Bite Baits fighting frog in green pumpkin or black blue with a 1 ounce Tru Tungsten weight. Crank the ledges with a #7 Fat Free Shad in Citrus or Foxy Shad on 10# GAMMA Fluorocarbon. The best crank bait bite on the ledges has been from Cowikee Creek down to the causeway. There is also a good Carolina rig bite on the steeper ledges up north and in the man made brush piles on the south end of the lake. Look for ledges with a hard bottom in 15 foot of water on top, with your boat sitting in 30 to 40 feet. Slowly drag your rig all the way down the ledge because some of the better fish have been hanging at the bottom of the ledge. The best brush piles down south have been in the 12 to 15 foot range close to ditches leading into the larger creeks and on the flats close to the creek mouths.

Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com

July 24, 2014

WEISS LAKE IS AT 0.16 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 84 86 DEGREES BY MARK COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE

Bass fishing is good and they are being caught on deep brush 8 feet or more, under deeper docks, and on the creek and river channel ledges. Pig and Jigs, Crank Baits, Spinner Baits and Carolina rigged plastics are all producing some good Bass. After the rain we have had, look for some good bass to move to culverts under roads and the falls at Yellow Creek where fresh water is running in the lake.

Striper fishing IS great and they are being caught in the lower Chattooga River, the Cave Hole and Little Spring Creek on live shad down lined about 8 to 10 feet deep and flat lined live Shad.

Crappie fishing is fair they have moved back to deeper water. Spider rigging with live minnows on the creek and river channel ledges and deep brush in the flats is the way to catch these summer Crappie. Shooting docks is producing a few Crappie also.

July 24, 2014

LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 86 DEGREES, STAINED UP RIVER, MAIN LAKE CLEAR, BY MATT HENRY, CALL 478 451 0167 ext 1215 (SINCLAIR MARINA)

WWW.SINCLAIRMARINA.COM MATT@SINCLAIRMARINA.COM

Bass fishing is great. The recent heavy rains and cool nights have cooled the water temperature down making for a great shallow water bite all day long. Along with cooler water temps, we also have had some good mayfly hatches this week that have helped the shallow bite as well. Top water, square bill crank baits and jigs will be the most productive baits for these shallow fish. A popping style bait or a prop bait will be best when looking for a top water bite. A Spro popping frog and a Bass Hound prop bait in bream imitating colors will get the job done when fishing around the mayflies. When the top water bite slows, parallel the sea walls with chartreuse Spro Fat John square bill crank bait. Make sure to fish the crank bait as close to the sea walls as possible. During the middle of the day, flip a brown Buckeye Mop Jig paired with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer around dock walkways and under overhanging trees that have mayflies nearby. Early last week before the water temps cooled, there was a really strong deep bite. A Buckeye football jig and a Carolina rigged Zoom Ol’ Monster fished on humps and points in 17 to 22 feet of water were very productive. There has also been a good drop shot bite in 24 to feet of water around the creek and river channels. These schools have been easy to find on the Lowrance HDS 12 graph by using the structure scan feature. When you find a school, you can catch a lot of fish in a hurry.

I have some guide trips available next week. Give me a call to reserve your trip today. Make sure to stop by our new boat showroom and see our 2014 and 2015 inventory of Tracker, Sun Tracker, Nitro, Tahoe, Regency and Mako boats. For more information, swing by the marina, check out our sales page or call 478 451 0167.

July 24, 2014

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full and the water temperature is 86 to 89 degrees. Stained up the rivers, clear on the south end. There is an early morning top water bite on sea walls and docks or wood structure. A buzz bait has been out producing other top water baits over the past week. When the sun gets up move to the deep water humps and points on the south end of the lake and work a deep diving crank bait off the side of the humps. There is also a good bite on wood structure above the I20 bridge in the rivers. Use a jig and fish it in the deep structure up the rivers.

Striper/Hybrid report by Mark Smith of Reel Time Guide Service. You can contact Mark at 404 803 0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net

Striper and Hybrid fishing is fair. When Georgia Power is pulling water the fishing can be good. The pipe line area of the lake (mid lake) are holding good number of fish. The umbrella rig fished 100 feet behind the boat at 3 mph. There is also a top water bite on points from the dam to above the 44 bridge, for the first 2 hours of the day. These are smaller fish but a lot of fun on light tackle.

Crappie fishing is good. The crappie are staging in the timber from 10 to 20 feet deep. Your Lowrance is critical in locating the school in the timber. If you do not see the fish on your Lowrance keep moving until they show up on the screen. When you see the fish drop a live minnow down to the school.

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

July 24, 2014

JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & MID 80’S

Bass fishing is fair to slow and the water temperatures are high. Many fish are on deeper off shore structure. It is best to fish early and late in the day for the best shallow fishing opportunities. The main lake lay downs can hold good fish, but deep docks and brush piles can be a preferable form of cover when skies are clear and the sun is high. A swimming jig presentation can be particularly effective when fished early over lay downs. Green Craw Net Boy jigs and shaky heads are taking fish on brush of 15 foot and deeper, deep docks, and out to deeper water on the points, humps, bluffs, and channel swings. Convert to a 1/2 or 3/4 football jig off shore. Many baits can be fished successfully, depending on time of day and conditions, from buzz baits and Rico’s, to crank baits, swim baits, and Fish Head spins. Choose natural colored crank baits that suit the depth you are targeting. You can catch fish in a variety of depth ranges so you might throw Bandit 200 or 300 in some areas and DD22’s in others. Crank baits along with Fish Head Spins and other fast baits, are good tools for covering all terrain between shallow cover and fan casting out on off shore structure. Keep a Rico or Pop R handy for a well timed and placed cast on schoolers that come up off shore early, late, and under overcast skies. Those bites may not be green bass, but they are good putting tension on the line when the bite is otherwise slow.

Meet Lowrance Pro Staffer, Ken Sturdivant at the new Cabela’s in Acworth, Georgia, August 21 though 24, 2014, located at the Cherokee Village at I 75 and Highway 92, Acworth, Georgia. Ken will be hosting these FREE! Seminars: FRIDAY August 22, 2014 at 3 pm “Finding Fish with Lowrance technology” and 7 pm Fishing Georgia Lakes for Bass. SATURDAY August 23, 2014 at 3 pm “Finding Fish with Lowrance technology” and 7 pm Fishing Georgia Lakes for bass. SUNDAY August 24, 2014 at 3 pm “Fishing Georgia Lakes for bass” and 5 pm, “The Bass Anglers Tackle Box”.

Anglers 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.

If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to ken@southernfishing.com and ask for the “Sonar Setup Quick List”.