Ga Fishing – Southern Fishing Report, 8-8-14

“The Southern Fishing Report” By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge Drive

770 889 2654

Cumming Georgia 30040

www.southernfishing.com

August 8, 2014

LAKE LANIER IS .85 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

Spotted bass fishing continues to be very good. The cooler surface temperatures have really kept the fish active and willing to come up. Top water and swim baits have been our best offerings by far. We have been working these baits fast over brush in 20 to 30 feet of water. A Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring and a Sebile have been our best choices on the swim baits and a Sammy and a Chug Bug have been best on the top water side. When the fish won’t come up, a drop shot and a jig have been good choices. There are some fish holding out deep so don’t hesitate to try them on the DS. That 40 foot area at the timberline seems to be best. We have been running some spot tail minnow trips the last couple of weeks and that bite remains strong. That bite has been great for both numbers 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 open the next couple weeks of August: 11, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 Give me a call.

This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishon .com

Striper fishing is very good. There is fish in every creek mouth from Browns Bridge to the Dam. The fish have been holding close to and into the trees. If you see a fish or two on top of the trees, chances are there are fish under them. If you have Down Scan on your Lowrance HDS you can see the fish in the trees. Amazing technology! If the fish at 35 to 40 feet won’t bite find a bald spot close by and drop your baits to 50 to 80 feet. The deeper fish will often bite when the shallower fish will not bite. The trolling bite has been very productive this week. Trolling a Captain Mack’s buck tail jig with a 4 inch shad body with lead core line at 8toto9 colors is working well when pulled at 3.0 MPH. Likewise, umbrella rigs at 140 to 160 feet back will also trigger a reaction bite. We us a 3 ounce, 4 arm jig with 9 to 1 ounce buck tail jigs with white and chartreuse 4 inch shad bodies for our umbrella rigs. White trailers has been the most productive this week but we always start each day with one white and one chartreuse as the “hot” color can change from day to day. If you have downriggers, drop them down to two feet above the fish. Look for the fish to start to school up this week 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 Seminars: 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

August 8, 2014

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN1.29 FEET, STAINED & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. Up lake some bass are being caught on bridge columns and brush piles in the 10 to 15 feet range. Use the light 1/8 ounce shakey head rigged with a sand color finesse worm. A 3/8 ounce Sworming Hornet Swim Head has been working also around the bridges. The small shad are schooling up. If you don’t see any bait, leave that area. Down lake the fishing is similar but the top water bite has been much better. We have been using Zara Spooks and Lucky Craft Sammy’s around main lake points and shoals.

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.

August 8, 2014

LAKE ALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S

This Lake Allatoona bass fishing report is from Mat Driver, www.proanglerradio.com 404 456 6094

Bass fishing is fair. There are still tons of tiny bait around and tons of tiny bass feeding on them. Lots of 9 to 13 inch fish. If you’re just going to fun fish thing aren’t all that bad. But if you are your 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 sonar or thrown at schoolers this is my number 1 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 s Report is provided by First Bite 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 good and the live bait bite is still going strong. These fish are scattered in the water column from anywhere from 13 feet to 40 feet deep between Bartow Carver and Clarks Creek. Shad, shiners and bream are all working, but thread fins and gizzard shad are hard to beat. Make sure you catch your bream on hook and line. And be sure to carry plenty of bait and change it often. Frisky bait is the key to putting more fish in the boat. Trolling is working right now and we are using the umbrella rigs. We have had some really good catches pulling these rigs. Also, a single buck tail fished a 150 feet behind the boat at 2.4 miles and hour will get you bit. Top water is good early in the morning and late in the afternoon on a white Rooster Tail and this is working well for the hybrids, stripers and schooling spots.

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

August 8, 2014

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 2.6 FEET & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is tough and the best bite is over deep timber and the drops. From time to time throughout the day fish will come up schooling and a Zoom Super Fluke is the bait to catch them with. The bait fish should start bunching up into tighter groups and the bass will start schooling up. Shallow crank baits like the Jackall Bling will be a great bait of choice for getting those fish. A top water bait like a Sammy is also a good choice. When they’re not on top they can be caught in brush 20 to 25 feet deep on a drop shot. Use a Zoom finesse worm and a Zoom Swamp Crawler in green pumpkin bait with blue flake.

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.

August 8, 2014

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 2.5 FEET, LOW 80’S DEGREES & STAINED

Bass fishing is fair. The fish continue to hold in their summertime patterns and fishing deep or near deep water is best. There are three different patterns that seem to continue working. Try a Carolina rigged worm fishing the deeper end of long points or under water islands. Use Sufix Elite 12 pound test line as the main line with 18 to 24 inches of 10 pound leader line. Watch the Lowrance before starting to fish the area watching and look for bait fish. Find the baitfish and spend time fishing there. With the heat, fish baits slow and be a line watcher. Next on these same points, use a Norman Deep Diver 22 in the glimmer shad. Use 10 pound Sufix Siege line and when you cast the bait, reel fast for the first 4 to 5 turns with your rod tip touching the top of the water. This will help get the bait down to the bottom. Bump the bait on bump the bottom as best you can all the way back to the boat. Lastly, try flipping under docks that are near deep water with a Zoom U tail in the red shad color and a light 3/8 ounce pegged sinker. Work the docks slowly and get baits as far under tem as possible.

The book, BASS FISHING CLARKS HILL LAKE is on sale. Get 52 weeks of bass fishing 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.

August 8, 2014

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is fair but action depends on whether or not there is moving water. A Carolina rigged Trick Worm will also catch fish. If there’s generation happening the bite really picks up and you can switch to a crank bait like a Bomber Fat Free Shad or a Norman Deep Little N. There’s also a decent big fish bite for largemouth in the timber when there is water moving. The largemouth are suspended in 12 feet of water and you can catch them by picking apart the timber with a Texas rigged Zoom U tail worm in green pumpkin. Be sure to use the Rapala DT10 to get these deeper fish. Spots are all over the shoal markers deep brush or rock in 12 to 27 feet of water. A drop shot with a Zoom Finesse worm in green pumpkin or watermelon red will do the trick. For a sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com

August 8, 2014

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED & MID 80’S BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is good despite the heat. There is still a good early morning and late evening top water bite with frogs in the grass. Fish any topped out grass beds near deep water with a 3 1/2 inch Big Bite Baits Top Toad in any light color. Swim the frog over the tops of the holes in the grass and wait for explosive strikes. Always, have a 6 inch Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow rigged up for missed strikes. Later in the day when the sun heats the water up move to either Spring Creek or main lake river ledges and look for deep grass. The best spots are near the bends and points of the creek or river ledges. Type of grass will either be milfoil or hydrilla. Fish these spots with either a Texas rigged 6 to 10 inch Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in watermelon seed or a Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits 6 inch finesse worm in watermelon seed. Fish the Texas rig on a ¼ ounce Tungsten sinker and the Carolina rig on a 1 ounce sinker. If fish are actively feeding and there is current present a Spro Little John Baby DD in Nasty Shad works real well in these same areas. Make sure to use a good glass cranking rod with a medium heavy action and Sunline Fluorocarbon FC Sniper 12 lb. line

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

August 8, 2014

LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, HIGH 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. The best time to catch fish is at night or the very early morning. The morning top water bite is slowing down. The fish have definitely migrated to the deep water. Fish deep, slow and use small baits. It’s easy to spot the suspended fish in about 15 feet of water. Run a deep diving crank bait past their nose nice and slow and don’t forget to pause occasionally and let the bait float upward. They are lethargic but you’ll trigger some bites. A 1/2 ounce drop shot in the creek beds and ledges will produce some nice fish. Make sure you are in 15 to 25 feet of water. Jig a Hopkins 3/4 ounce spoon or a Little George off the bottom or let a 1/4 ounce chrome blue Rat L Trap fall to the bottom and use a slow variable retrieve. And don’t forget the old reliable ¾ ounce Carolina rig with a Zoom centipede or Zoom brush hog, used on main lake points.

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

August 8, 2014

WEISS LAKE IS AT 0.23 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED & 85 TO 87 DEGREE’S

Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama.

The fishing is pretty slow right now on everything except Catfish, they are still biting good. All the fish are in their late summer patterns.

The lake has a lot of algae in it right now, and it is depleting the water of oxygen, which is making the fish very lethargic and making it a tough bite. We need a good rain to put some oxygen back in the water, and it will turn the fish back on.

Bass fishing is fair 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. Tournament weights have really dropped the last few weeks.

Striper fishing is fair and they are being caught in the lower Chattooga River, the Cave Hole and Little Spring Creek, on live Shad down lined about 8-10 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.

August 8, 2014

LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 84 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 has been a little tough this week on Lake Sinclair. There has been an algae bloom from the lower portions of the two rivers all the way down to the Sinclair Dam. This has impacted the shallow bite the past couple of days. You can still catch some fish up shallow but expect fewer bites than usual. The best shallow bite right now is in the upper portions of both rivers, as the algae bloom hasn’t affected these areas as much. Texas rigged soft plastics and Buckeye Mop jigs fished around boat houses and lay down trees have been most productive when looking for a shallow bite. There are still a lot of fish holding on deep offshore structures lake wide. This has been the most consistent pattern this week, especially on the lower portion of the lake. Most of these offshore fish are holding in depths of 18 to 25 feet. Look for points that drop into the river channel, offshore humps, or ledges that contain rocks or some form of wood cover. These places are easy to find with the Lowrance HDS Structure Scan technology. Drop shot rigs, flutter spoons, and Buckeye football jigs to produce on these offshore structures. The deep bite will be best when Georgia Power is moving water. 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.

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.

August 8, 2014

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full, light stain on the north end clear over most of the lake. Water temperature is 84/88 degrees. Start the day with a buzz bait fished along the sea walls and rip rap. Then use a shaky head and fish it under deep water docks. There are some fish coming off the deep ledges and humps on the south end of the lake. Use a deep diving crank bait and fish it down the side of the humps.

Striper fishing is fair. If Georgia Power is moving water there is a good top water bite off of the points from the 44 bridge to the dam. Use a popping cork to draw the most strikes. They are feeding on small thread fins so match the hatch.

Crappie fishing is good. Use your Lowrance structure scan to locate the fish in the tree tops and drop a live minnow to them. Most of the schools are showing up just off the main channel in timber from 10 to 20 feet deep.

Make sure you stop by Sugar Creek Marina and pick up your umbrella rigs 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

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

August 8, 2014

JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. There is a ton of shallow bait up high on the surface and the spots and the largemouth are feeding up on them. Run and gun a Spro Aruku Shad or a Rat L Trap in a shad pattern or chrome and blue on wind blown flats and points. Try casting a 7/16 ounce Net Boy Baits Finesse Jig in the natural colors in the clear water and black and blue in stained water. A wide variety of medium to shallow diving crank baits will work also. The #7 Shad Rap is hard to beat and the shad pattern will work in clear water and when the water stains up switch to crawfish or gable.

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. We have on 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.