“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
August 29, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 2.2 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAINLAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & 82 DEGREES
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Spotted bass fishing is very good. The cooler surface temps have really kept the fish active and willing to come up. For all you weekly readers, I hate to sound like a broken record, but top water and swim baits have been our best offerings again this week. 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 Gunfish and a Chug Bug have been best on the top water side. The wind definitely helps this bite. 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 to 45 area foot area at the timberline seems to be best. I have the following dates open for the first week of September: 2, 3, 4, 5
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. The temperature has ranged from the low 80’s in the morning to the mid 80’s in the afternoon for the past 5 to 6 weeks. The key continues to be trees in 70 to 120 feet of water just off the creek channels. Most of the fish this week were caught with blue back herring on down rods at 50 to 80 feet. In order to fish this deep, you have to find a break in the trees which will allow you to get your baits down without getting hung up in the trees. If you have Minn Kota I Pilot installed on your Minn Kota trolling motor, you can us the anchor lock feature to hold your position. There has been a lot of discussion about using a long (12 feet) of 10 pound test leader on your down rods. While there are some good fishermen using these leaders but we have continued using a 7 feet of 12 pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader without any problem. If you are having problems getting the fish to bite you may want to consider tying up a couple of down rods with longer and lighter leaders to see if one rod versus another is working better. A buck tail jig with a 4 inch shad body with lead core line at 8 to 9 colors is working. The umbrella rig is working, but we had to go back 190 feet to get bit. The fish are starting to show up on the river channel. The “river channel bite” should continue to strengthen as the water temperature rises. Two Mile Creek, Six Mile Creek and Orr creek are good places to start. The lake temperature is in the low to mid 80’s. The water is lightly stained in the back of the creeks and clear on the main lake both North and South.
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 29, 2014
WESTPOINTLAKE IS DOWN 1.78 FEET, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is slow. Try fishing the bridges and points by some deeper water and maybe you can catch some good fish. Hopefully we will get some rain to cool our water down. Fish are being caught on Shakey Heads with a red bug or green pumpkin finesse worm. Fish points and ledges with deep water near by and watch the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology. Mid lake and south bass are being caught a Lucky Craft Sammy’s and a suspending jerk baits in silver or shad pattern. Deep cranking is still catch fish however not the hottest pattern going. Try a Poe’s 400 in the shad and Crawdad pattern. Make sure you feel the bottom and change your retrieve every so often.
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 29, 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. Allatoona starts a positive transition this month. The last month or so it has been stale and slow to say the least. We are seeing the top water bite on the increase, and as we get cooler nights by the end of the month, it will be on fire. The buzzbait is one of my favorite fall baits on Allatoona. First thing in the morning, fishing the buzzbait parallel to bluff walls and blow downs is the most productive. Make sure the bait is banging off the rocks and wood for the best results. Fish like to feel as if they are trapping the bait against the shoreline. The swim bait bite is slow at the start of the month but gets better by the end. Baits like the 6 inch BBZ, the HPH 6 inch Gizzard and the Triple Trout are hard to beat. The Carolina rig bite gets good by the end of the month as fish roam more and get active. A 4 foot leader and a 1 ounce weight and a 3/0 Gamakatsu Skip Gap hook tipped with a green pumpkin Big Bite Fighting Frog is my setup.
This Lake Allatoona Fishing Guides Report for Striper and Hybrid report fishing report has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282. www.firstbiteguideservice.comLake Allatoona, Georgia email: eidson6260@att.net
Line side fishing is decent. The fish are on the move and can be caught on any given day from the dam to the flats at the Delta. The north end of the lake seems to be holding more fish than the mid lake flats, but the fish we are catching mid lake are bigger. Down lining live shad at 18 feet off of any main lake point or the humps is your best bet. As the water cools down this month, look for these fish to start to school up. Once this happens the top water bite will be second to none. With the massive shad kill we had this past winter, we are expecting our top water bite this fall to be the best we have seen in years. Trolling is fair. The key to catching these fish is to bottom bump your U rigs on flats with an 18 to 20 foot bottom. The top water bite is good. The better bite seems to be in the afternoon, but we are catching some decent numbers right at sunup. There has been some really good top water action near the dam, and also mid lake from Clear Creek to Galt’s Ferry.
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 29, 2014
LAKEHARTWELL IS DOWN 2.8 FEET & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. Fish are on the deep structure, deeper docks and blow downs all day. Also try throwing crank baits and jigs around the shade of bridge piers. Try fishing in the early morning with top water baits. Throwing buzz baits or torpedo style prop baits are good choices. Drop shot rigs, deep running cranks baits and Carolina rigged plastics should be fished during the day. Before the sun gets up stick to fishing with buzz baits. Covering water can be the key to success. When fishing buzz baits be sure the bait is moving as soon as it hits the water and reel them back just on the surface. Sammie’s or prop baits fish a little slower and try these baits in prime areas. Near wood or rock structure for instance. Fish should strike on or after a pause. Focus on main lake rock, riprap, and sea wall features. Fish main lake areas with some depth at or near the banks.
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 29, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 2.7 FEET, LOW 80’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is fair. Fish with the trick worms and the Carolina rig. Color will play in important role as the water near the feeder creeks and up in the rivers has a little bit of color to it. The big key is to work all of your baits very slowly. A lot of strikes are actually happening while the bait is sitting still for thirty seconds or more. A Texas rigged Zoom U tale worm fished in brush piles or on long rock points will bring a few good bites. Work the bait slow and be a line watcher. Carolina rigged worm fishing the deeper end of long points or under water islands will also work for a few bites. Using a good dipping dye like JJ’s Magic will improve you chances of catching more fish. Use 12 pound test as the main line with an 18 to 24 inch leader line of 10 pound test on the Carolina rig. Working the bait from all sides of the points will help you find how the fish are holding. A drop shot rig is also catching a few fish in brush. Make sure when you feel the brush slow down and let the bait stay in the strike zone as long as possible.
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 29, 2014
LAKERUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. Think shallow structure all day. On days that a buzz bait works, it’s the lure to throw. A buzz bait can be worked faster, allowing the angler to cover water faster. It’s a good idea to fish a smaller quieter bait like a 1/8 or ¼ ounce size and a larger, noisier bait like a ½ ounce size. Also, try the Pop R’s, Chug Bug’s, and Baby Torpedo’s. After top water fishing ends, bass can be caught on shallow rock points and any reef marker on the trick worms. A few bass are being caught on Carolina rigged Zoom finesse or u tail worms in the green pumpkin or watermelon color. Fish these baits on 12 pound test Sufix line with a 2 to 3 foot leader using 10 pound test line. Fish the long main lake points and under water islands. Slow down and watch your line for any movement. A Texas rig worm in watermelon color fished on 6 pound test line with a 1/16 ounce weight on the rip rap will catch a few fish. Fish this bait slowly. If you must use a crank bait, use a small Fat Free Shad in Citrus Shad and bump the bottom up lake.
For a sample of the BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
August 29, 2014
LAKESEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO UPPER 80’S BY MATT BATY
Bass fishing is fair. Bass fishing is best early in the mornings or late in the evenings with top water baits. Buzz baits and walking baits such as a Spro Dawg 100 work real well on topped out hydrilla on the Flint River. Both techniques work best with 50 lb. Sunline FX2 braid. When the early morning bite is over, things get really tough. You can still manage to catch fish by either flipping or utilizing your Lowrance electronics. There are always bass buried up in the hydrilla, and the grass is plentiful on the Flint side of the lake. When flipping, look for the deepest grass walls, and use a 1 1/4 ounce. Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten, a Fish Catchin Fool Bobber Stopper, a 5/0 Gamakatsu Straight Shank Heavy Cover Flippin Hook and a 4 inch Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in prime rib color. You can also catch fish that are suspended in the river channel underneath balls of bait, but this pattern is hit or miss. You need good electronics such as Lowrance Touch 7, 9 or 12 with a good DownScan. When you see fish suspended underneath balls of bait, you can see what depth they are holding in and fish accordingly. A Lake Fork Flutter Spoon works real well on suspended fish, as does a crank bait such as a Spro Little John DD. Also, always have a reel that will cast a long way such as a Lews Speed Spool rigged up with a big top water bait, so that you can cast at schooling fish that come up to chase bait
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
August 29, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, HIGH 80’S
Bass fishing is good. Top water baits are still working during early morning and late afternoon. The best areas are along the main lake and a short distance inside the mouth of coves. Some are hitting along seawalls, while others will be around docks, blow downs, or most any kind of shallow cover. A few fish may be aggressive and hit the bait on the initial fall, but most will take a very slow bait. Try a Zoom Finesse or U Tale worm with a 1/8 ounce weight. Try shaking the worm as it sits in brush or next to a post. A Zoom Tube rigged Texas style can also be productive. It too should be fished slowly. Most bass have disappeared from the humps, points, and ledges, but a few small schools are still available. Cranking and Carolina rigging are the best methods for catching them. Depths are varying from 6 to 15 feet. Try cranking with Norman DD14 and DD22, and Poe’s 300 and 400. Most any shad or chartreuse pattern will work when the fish are active. For the Carolina rig, try a Zoom Trick worm on a Gamakatsu EWG 2/0 hook with a 3 foot leader of 12 pound line. Use a ½ ounce weight on 14 to 17 pound main 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 29, 2014
WEISSLAKE IS AT 0.33 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 82 TO 84 DEGREES BY MARK COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE
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 ChattoogaRiver, 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 good and they are on the CoosaRiver channel ledges in 12 to 15 feet of water on stumps and brush piles. 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. Night fishing has turned on over the last few weeks, and they are being caught on live minnows.
Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama.
August 29, 2014
AUGUST 27, 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.COMMATT@SINCLAIRMARINA.COM
Bass fishing is good. The cool breezy weather we’ve had the past few days has helped the shallow bite. A lot of shad and baitfish have already started moving back in the pockets and creeks, giving us a preview of what the fall transition will be like. Shallow crank baits and top water are hard to beat in the morning and evening. The best crank bait for both quantity and quality has been the Spro Little John 50 in the Nasty Shad color. Fish this crank bait around sea walls, docks and points adjacent to the main river channel. Try to bump the crank bait off dock posts or any wood cover you see. Deflection is the key to getting reaction bites when fishing a crank bait. A Spro Bronzeye frog in the Leopard color will also produce around grass beds near points or under overhanging trees in the morning and evening as well. A jig and a shaky head are still catching fish around brush piles and shady docks. A green pumpkin Buckeye Mop jig has been the bait of choice around these brush piles and docks. If you don’t get a bite on the jig, try a Buckeye Spot Remover shaky head in the same place to get a few extra bites. A green pumpkin Zoom trick worm is the best plastic to pair with the shaky head. The deep bite is still consistent in depths of 18 to 23 feet. Carolina rigs, drop shot rigs, and a Spro Little John DD crank bait are best in the offshore locations. As always, the deep bite will be best when Georgia Power is moving water.
I still have a few 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 29, 2014
LAKEOCONEE IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full, stained up the rivers, clear on the south end. Water temperature is 84 to 89 degrees. Start the day with an Old Nelly buzz bait. Fish it around mid lake docks sea walls and bridge rip raps. As the sun gets up switch over to a crank bait and work the main lake docks. You can also pick up fish in the main lake creeks like Sugar, and Lick with the same pattern. 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. You can also pick up extra fish on the bridge rip rap with a square billed crank bait. Most of these fish are coming off of the down lake side.
Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time guide service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741
Line side fishing is 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 umbrella rigs fished on the pipeline.
Crappie fishing is good. The fish are staging in the timber from 10 to 20 feet deep. These schools are found from the 44 bridge to the dam, and in Richland Creek. Start in the mouths of the creeks and coves and work your way out to the channel. 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 29, 2014
JACKSONLAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. A Texas rigged or a Carolina rigged worm fishing the deeper end of long points or under water islands is the best bet. Use 12 pound test main line with an 18 to 24 inch leader line of 10 pound test on the Carolina rig. Working this bait from all sides of the points will help find how the fish are holding. If you come across rocks or brush, let your bait stay in that area for a longer time. A large crank bait will work better. Spinner baits and Chatterbaits can work on shallow cover early is the fish shy away from top water presentations. If top water is not producing, head on out to the points and use the Lowrance to find the fish in the 10 to 12 foot range. Also, look for a crank bait bite out on the deep structure like points, humps, and bluffs. The Bandit 300 or Shad Rap in a natural color is a good choice. Pull up to the points and try the crank bait. Follow up with plastic and be willing to move on. Try the same areas again, later in the day. Throw your big cranks like the DD22. Fish can hold fairly deep so Carolina rigging is a good idea. Plastic rigged on 1/4 ounce jig heads will also be effective in deeper water. Finesse worms, Speed Craws, Ole Monsters, and jigs will take fish out of the deep blow downs and brush piles. Pay extra attention to blow downs later in the afternoon. Work the jig and craw and Trick worms to the bottom and up through the limbs. Fish the shaky rig on deep main lake docks.
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.