Georgia Fishing – Southern Fishing Report 8-15-14

“The Southern Fishing Report” By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge Drive

770 889 2654

Cumming Georgia 30040

www.southernfishing.com

August 14, 2014

LAKE LANIER IS .86 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAINLAKE 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, especially for August. The cooler surface temps 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 ran 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: 19, 20, 21, 22 Give me a call, and lets go fishing.

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 remains very good. Not a lot has changed this week. The key has been trees in 70 to 100 feet of water just off the creek channel. The single 30 to 40 foot fish are difficult to catch with bait. Wait until you see multiple fish versus the single fish on your Lowrance down scan at the 30 to 40 foot range before you drop your baits. Multiple fish are more aggressive and easier to make bite. Most of the fish are being caught with blue back herring on down rods at 50 to 80 feet. We are using 6 to 7 feet of 12 pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader on my down rods. Captain Mack’s buck tail jig with a 4 inch shad body with lead core line at 8 to 9 colors can often trigger a reaction bite when bait fails to get eaten. Likewise, Umbrella rigs at 140 to 160 feet back will also trigger a bite. We use a 3 ounce, 4 arm jig with 9, one ounce buck tail jigs with white and chartreuse 4 inch shad bodies for my umbrella rigs. The fish are starting to show up on the river channel. The “river channel bite” should continue to strengthen as the water temperature rises. Flat Creek, Two Mile Creek and Six Mile Creek, are good places to start. The lake temperature is in the mid 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: FishingGeorgiaLakes 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 CherokeeVillage 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

Call Ken Sturdivant about the ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for Sonar or the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass or a full day STRIPERSSchool. Call 770 889 2654 for details. Send an e mail to ken@southernfishing.com

August 14, 2014

WESTPOINTLAKE IS FULL, 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 BASSFISHINGWESTPOINTLAKE book is for sale. Ask ken for a sample. This book is $39.00. Sample just e mail ken@southernfishing.com

August 14, 2014

LAKEALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S

This LakeAllatoona 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.

This Lake Allatoona Fishing Guides for striper and hybrid report fishing report has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282 Lake Allatoona Fishing Guides Allatoona First Bite Guide Service Lake Allatoona Fishing Guide Lake Allatoona, email: eidson6260@att.net

Line side fishing is good. Fishing has slowed down some compared to the last few weeks, but we where expecting it with the super moon we had on Sunday. That is behind us now and fishing should return to normal. Most of the fish we are catching right now are close to the dam and out over open water. The live bait bite is still our strongest bite. Thread fin, small gizzard shad and shiners fish on down lines any where from 18 to 30 feet deep has been our best bite. There is also a bite going on mid lake in the afternoon from Galt’s ferry to the S Turns. That bite has been hit or miss, but worth looking into if you launch on that end of the lake. The white bass are coming up all over the lake right now both at sun up and again at sun down. These little fish can be fun to catch on light spinning gear.

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 BartowCounty 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 14, 2014

LAKEHARTWELL IS DOWN 2.4 FEET & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is barely fair. Your best bet is to go very early in the morning. Bass are the deeper long sloping points and use the Navionics chip to see these in great detail. Weightless Pearl Zoom Super flukes along with X Raps will work really well in this situation. Some anglers are still catching a few fish in the stump rolls and up in the creeks. The bass aren’t very aggressive so a slow presentation will be necessary. The bass are not bunched up, so keep moving and keep those hooks wet. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down scan technology and look for the “whit dots” as these will be fish on both beams. “See the dots, and catch a lot”. Continue fishing the humps out on the main lake with Rapala DT10 and during the morning hours and then use a Carolina Rig during the hot periods. Zoom Baby Brush Hogs on the Carolina rig with a full ounce egg sinker is the best way to get to these deeper fish.

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 14, 2014

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

Bass fishing is fair and the better fish are relating to the current and will be close to the deep stumps and wood on the creek bends. Look on the heavy brush on points and docks on the lake. Down lake, use the Stanley jig in black and blue or all black 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh, on the heavy cover. The Zoom water melon seed lizards on a Carolina rig, is a good choice fished slowly. On creeks on old channels, use a Culprit red shad worm on a Texas rig with the brass and glass combination. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down scan technology and look for the “whit dots” as these will be fish on both beams. “See the dots, and catch a lot”. Work baits right on the bank around any cover. Later each day, work the creek banks and use a Shad Rap or a Rat L Trap in the shad colors casting anything to the bank cover.

The book, BASSFISHINGCLARKSHILLLAKE 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

August 14, 2014

LAKERUSSELL 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 BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com

August 14, 2014

LAKESEMINOLE 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 14, 2014

LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, HIGH 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. The grass bite has been good but the hydrilla isn’t holding the fish. Start with the Strike King gold buzz bait and a plastic frog on grass edges and the head to the main lake ledges and use the Carolina rigged Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm. On the frogs, use a braided line to get the fish out of the grass. Trick worms and Super Flukes hopped on and over this same grass and shallow cover have been successful. The June bug trick worm has really been the best color. When the water is moving the bite picks up and schooling can start. Try the Bandit root beer crank bait and the Bagley DBIII Dredge in shad on the main lake ledges. You can see the feeding times daily with a Data Sport Fish and Game Forecaster on our web site.

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

August 14, 2014

WEISSLAKE IS 0.26 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 84/86 DEGREES

Bass fishing is pretty slow right now on everything except Catfish, they are still biting well. 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.

Striper fishing 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.

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

August 14, 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 good. The mayflies are back on LakeSinclair this week! We had another big mayfly hatch this week which is turning on the shallow bite again. This is the largest hatch of the year thus far covering both the Little River and the OconeeRiver arms. Shallow grass beds, overhanging tree limbs, and dock walkways adjacent to the river channel should be your primary targets. Top water baits will produce both early and late each day and can continue throughout the day in overcast conditions. A Spro Bronzeye Popping Frog in the Leopard color will produce many bites around the grass beds and around overhangs. A Bass Hound prop bait in a bream color will also produce in these same areas. A Spro Fat John square bill crank bait will also produce in these same locations early and late when the fish are feeding. The best way to fish this crank bait is to parallel the sea walls or fish it through any shallow wood cover you can find. When the mayflies are present the bass will be positioned right at the base of the sea wall. Fishing the crank bait as close as you can to the sea wall will result in more bites. During the day, fish a Buckeye Mop Jig in a brown or green pumpkin color around dock walkways, sea walls, and around any wood cover that has some shade. This is a great way to catch a big fish. The deep bite is still decent lake wide. Deep diving crank baits, Carolina rigs, and drop shot rigs will all produce on the offshore structure near the river channel. Concentrate your efforts in 18 to 25 feet of water when targeting these deep fish. As always, the deep bite is 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 new 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 14, 2014

LAKEOCONEE IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full and stained up the rivers and clear on the south end. Our water temperature is 84 to 87 degrees. Start the day with a white Old Nelly buzz bait. Fish it around mid lake docks sea walls and bridge rip raps. As the sun get up, switch to deep water docks with a worm. Fish a Zoom u tail worm with some green in it. Fish the worm Texas rigged. Deep running crank baits fished off of the deep water humps and deep water points on the south end of the lake have been producing some larger fish. This bite is best when Georgia Power is pulling water.

Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time guide service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741

Line side fishing fair. There is a good top water bite for white bass and small hybrids off of points from the 44 bridge to the dam. Use a popping cork or a small inline spinner. These fish will stay up for about two hours. There are still a few fish coming on the umbrella rig fished on the pipeline.

Crappie fishing is good. The fish are staging in the timber from 10 to 20 feet deep. Find the schools on your Lowrance and drop a live minnow down to the school.

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 14, 2014

JACKSONLAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S

Bass fishing is fair but fish early and late or after dark. Use Zoom natural blue u tails and dark jigs. Many anglers will spend the middle of the day using worms on a one ounce Carolina rig. Use a 3 foot leader and the Carolina Keeper so it can be easily adjusted during the day. Throw this bait right next to the sides of the points and around the grass beds that are closet to deep water. Down lake, work the humps and the long main lake points especially close to the dam. Fat free shad crank baits in pearl and green back is the best bait and try the shad black back also. To get this bait to the fish, use 10 pound test Sufix Elite line and be sure to bump the bottom with the lure. Hit any stump field half way back in the mid lake creeks and work worms and crank baits slowly. Keep moving until the active fish are found.

Meet Lowrance Pro Staffer, Ken Sturdivant at the new Cabela’s in Acworth, Georgia, August 21 though 24, 2014, located at the CherokeeVillage 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 FishingGeorgiaLakes for Bass. We have on SATURDAY August 23, 2014 at 3 pm Finding Fish with Lowrance technology and 7 pm FishingGeorgiaLakes for bass. SUNDAY August 24, 2014 at 3 pm FishingGeorgiaLakes for bass and 5 pm, The Bass Anglers Tackle Box.

Anglers we have these books for sale BASS FISHING ON WEST POINT LAKE, BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL, BASSFISHINGWESTPOINTLAKE 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.