“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
October 17, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 2.5 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & LOW 70’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is fair. All the rain from this week has jerked the lake up almost a foot. It hasn’t affected the existing patterns much, yet. We expect some other, possibly shallow water patterns, will emerge as a result of the higher and cooling water. For now, top water and swim baits worked over brush in 20 30 feet of water has still been producing. A Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring and a Sebile have been our best choices on the swim baits and a Gun Fish, a Chug Bug and a Zara spook have been best on the top water side. As always, a breeze helps. The jerk bait bite was strong last week during the cool spell, but backed up some with the warm weather at the end of last week. As noted above, several things are likely to change with the recent changes in the condition. However, the jerk bait bite is just starting and should improve even more as the weather continues to cool. There are definitely more fish and bait moving shallow, and as mentioned, we expect this to be a big move in the next couple of weeks based on the long term forecast of cooler temperatures. Also of note, we have found a good schooling bite in the early morning hours just after daylight. Humps have been the best areas and there are several across the lake where this is going on. Getting bit is a somewhat random as you need to get a bait into the action when you see it. Lots of entertainment with this bite for sure! Next week I have October 20, 23, and 24 open. The bite is really good right now and we are having a blast! Give me a call, and let’s go fish!!
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 is good but it takes a good deal of work to find these fast moving fish. Anglers must rely on their Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan machines to cut the search time way down. Most of the lake has turned over and the fish have “popped” up and are in less than 40 feet of water. We have had some good reports of top water action from both Spotted Bass and small Stripers. “Running and gunning” points and reef markers with top water baits and free lines with live Herring has started to produce and should be in full swing this week. Keep your eyes on the water looking for surfacing fish and always keep a top water bait tied on. Traditional top water baits includes the Red Fin, Chug Bug, and Spook. In addition, always keep a 1/2 ounce buck tail jig with a fluke tied on and use it along with the top water baits. Pull up to a point or reef marker and put out a free line herring 50 feet behind the boat and work the point with a top water bait and a buck tail. Use a fast retrieve with the buck tail to simulate a fleeing bait fish. Do not spend a lot of time in any one area. Run to the next point and repeat the process. The fish are beginning to move north and into the rivers. The whole lake is opening up and you are no longer restricted to the lower end. The umbrella rig is also working when pulled over the same points and reef markers you are bait fishing. Target 30 to 40 foot bottom with your rigs at 3.0 MPH. Check your umbrella rigs often as leaves and pine straw will run down your line and hang up on your rig.
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
October 17, 2014
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 4.1 FEET, STAINED & MID 70’S
Bass fishing is. Up lake the water is slightly stained and the grass is still growing strong. Use a ½ ounce Redemption spinner bait and a Bass Pro Enticer buzz bait both in the shad colors. Fish 3 to 5 feet of water around grass in the backs of pockets in Yellow Jacket and up the river. If the fish blow up on the buzz bait and miss, follow it up with a Netbait green pumpkin finesse worm. Use a worm with a 1/8 ounce Tru Tungsten weight in the same green pumpkin color. As the day warms use a ½ ounce Picasso football head jig in the bream color. Fish this jig in the deep pockets and points throughout the coves up the river and around the Indian Mound. Down lake the pattern is similar but in deeper water. Throw a finesse worm around blow downs and brush piles in 8 to 12 feet of water. Water down lake is clear so make sure to use a fluorocarbon line. Spinnerbaits are working well and a tandem blade combination seems to out produce the rest. Use a ½ ounce Strike King spinner bait in the sexy shad color. Work this bait at fast speeds for best result and twitch you rod every couple seconds to trigger strong hits.
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
October 17, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 2.5 FEET, STAINED & MID 70’S
This Lake Allatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com 404 456 6094
Bass fishing is good and on the upswing with cooler weather and rain. The crank bait bite is getting better. The Spro Little John and Fat John are producing. The creeks are getting better and the main lake is not as fired up as it was. Target blow down and secondary points and look for shad and find the bass. The jig bite has been holding strong for the past 2 weeks. The Kacys Kustom bold gill and the K2 Dock Monkey jigs in green pumpkin are hot right now. Fishing will only get better between now and November.
This Lake Allatoona Fishing Report for Stripers and Hybrids has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Service, 770 827 6282.
www.firstbiteservice.com email: eidson6260@att.net
Lines side fishing is fair to good. The fish are starting to move up on the flats and points. Our better bite has been north of Clear Creek all the way up to the delta. The recent rains and dropping water temperatures has gotten the bigger hybrids and stripers eating again. Live bait is working best, with our best luck coming on big thread fin shad fished on down lines off of any main lake point, humps or flats. After 9 am switch over to the umbrella rigs. This is the time of year that you need to be universal and not one dimensional on techniques. Any of these method’s can work from live bait, down lines, free lines, top water, spooning and trolling will all catch you fish on any given day.
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
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
October 17, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 4.0 FEET & MID 70’S
Bass fishing is good. The fish are close to a bait schools so pay close attention to the Lowrance all day. Work and swim jigs on shallow rock and rip rap. Top water baits can take shallow fish in the early morning and that bite should continue to improve. Turn to crank baits and use Pop R’s or buzz baits. Drop shotting is highly productive for taking fish toward the middle of the pockets. While many fish will be moving to shallow water in the pockets, other groups will be roaming in search of open water bait in the pockets. Remember to fish around bait schools. These fish will often congregate over and around moderately deep brush piles. Use the drop shot rig to present finesse worms and Trick worms to fish directly under your sonar.
Our Bass Fishing Lake Hartwell book has over 100 key bass fishing holes. Ask for a sample at ken@southernfishing.com for a sample. See our web site for Rods Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
October 17, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 4.6 FEET, MID 70’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is fair. Buzz baits and other top water baits are still catching quality bass early in the morning, especially when fished over or around submerged grass mats. Flukes and lipless crank baits are being worked in and just on top of these mats with good success also. By mid afternoon, use the Carolina rigs and jigs along those rocky bottoms.
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
October 17, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & MID 70’S
Bass fishing is fair. The water temperatures are dropping making them active. Bass are on the rocking points and lots of bait’s will work. Fish as many points as possible during the day. Use the hard baits like the Bandit 200’s, Rapala DT10 and Rapala DT along with Ito Vision 110 Jerk Baits and Shad Raps. When the fishing slows down use the Shakey Heads and the Carolina rigs. Some of the water holding the better fish will be twenty five feet deep or deeper. A slow presentation will work best when fishing this deep. Try using a Zoom Trick worms for the larger fish. A thirty to thirty two inch leader and a 2/0 Mustad offset bend hook works best either on the Texas rig or on the Carolina rig.
For a sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
October 17, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .47 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO MID 70’S
Bass fishing is fair. Lake Seminole bass fishing is starting to pick up just a little. There are millions of small shad all over the lake and the bass are feeding on them. There is also an abundant amount of 8 to 10 inch bass all over the lake. You can literally catch 100 small bass a day on the lake. For the larger bass, you actually have to just cull through the little ones until you get a big bite. The key is to use small baits that match the size of the shad. Baits such as a 4″ Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow in white on a Lew’s Spinning Reel with small diameter Sunline Braid is a great combination. Small Buzz baits and spinnerbaits work well also. A Spro Baby Fat John in nasty Shad is great to crank in the shallow grass. Flipping is also good too. When flipping, use a 1 ounce Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten weight and a 4″ White Big Bite Fighting Frog. The stripers and hybrids are also schooling and can be found on the main lake humps using your Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan units.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 17, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .48 FEET, LOW 80’S
Bass are up shallow on main lake flats and in the creeks. There are a lot of fish being caught on white Picasso spinnerbaits and a sexy shad Stanford Lures rough and tough on main lake flats around hydrilla. To find these flats look for the hydrilla that has matted up on the surface and blind cast all around the flat to find the other clumps that are submerged. The frog bite has been good also at the mouths of creeks with deep water close by. Fish a Spro Bonzeye frog in natural red or black back in the pads and work it all the way back to the boat slow. There are a lot of fish spread out in the pads right now. Some of the bites are coming as far back as you can throw it in the pads and some are coming once you get it almost to the boat. Most of the big fish are being caught swimming a white Picasso jig or flipping a Big Bite Baits black and blue Yomama. Locate the fish swimming the jig around any shallow cover that you come in contact with and then slow down and flip the Yomama around the cover to pick up the fish that do not commit to the jig. There has also been some good schooling activity throughout the day. Always have a Spro Dawg 100 or a white Big Bite Baits jerk minnow tied on because you never know when they will come up.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 17, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS AT 1.20 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 69 71 DEGREE’S
Call Mark Collins Professional Guide Services on Lake Weiss “Crappie Capital” 256 779 3387 www.markcollinsguideservice.com
Bass fishing is good and a lot of fish are moving shallow, in the bays and coves following the shad. Rat L Traps, flat sided crank baits and spinner baits are producing well right now. Look for a lot more fish to move shallow as the water cools more.
Crappie fishing is great and they are on the old Coosa River channel ledges 12 to 16 feet deep. Spider rigging with live minnows is the way to catch these fall 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.
October 17, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.4 FEET, LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 75 DEGREES, LIGHT STAIN UP RIVER, MAIN LAKE CLEAR, BY MATT HENRY, CALL 478 451 0167 ext 1215 (SINCLAIR MARINA)
Bass fishing is fair to good. Some areas of the lake seem to be turning over right now which makes the bite extremely tough in that area. The areas that are turning over have a really dark tannic colored water that is deceivingly clearer than it appears. Purple colored algae blooms are also present in these same areas. If you see this colored water, you are better off relocating to the greenish colored clear water on the lower end of the lake or in the creeks. The back halves of the major creeks have been most consistent for catching numbers of fish. The shad are migrating towards the back flats of these creeks and the bass are following. Use your Lowrance electronics to find what areas of the creek have the most bait and fish everything that looks good in the area. Fishing fast and covering water with your trolling motor tends to help you put more fish in the boat this time of the year as the fish get scattered. Shad imitating baits such as Buckeye Lures spinner baits, Spro Aruku Shad lipless crank baits, walking top water baits like a Zara Spook Jr. and Zoom Super Flukes will work best. White or flashy silver colored baits will get the most bites. Many areas of the lake have super clear water right now so long casts are extremely important. On tougher post front blue bird days, a Buckeye Lures shaky head with a green pumpkin Zoom Trick Worm will be your best friend for getting fish in the boat. Skip this shaky head under docks and toss it out in 6 8ft deep brush piles.
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.
October guide trips are booking up fast, so 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.
October 17, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, MID 70’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair to good. There is a heavy stained up the rivers, clear on the rest of the lake. The fish are starting to move into the coves and creeks. Shad raps fished around docks at the mouths of the creeks and large coves. Rattle traps fished in the same locations will also produce. A Texas rigged dark green worm fished under the same docks has also produced fish over the past week. Fishing the bridge rip rap with a jig is also working during periods of could cover.
Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741
Striper fishing is good to fair. Some fish are showing up in the river bend area of the lake. You can troll a Shad Rap or a Rat L Trap and pick up a few fish. Live bait fished on down lines will be the best producer. Keep a spoon ready if you see a large school on your Lowrance drop the spoon into the school. As the water cools the fishing will improve.
Crappie fishing is good to great. The fish are starting to move into the mouths of the creeks. Look for brush piles in the mouths of the creeks and when you find the fish in the timber drop a minnow down. Most fish are in 10 to 20 feet deep.
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
October 17, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 1.54 FEET, STAINED & MID 70’S
Bass fishing is fair. Bait and bass are positioning themselves toward shallower water on the main lake and in the pockets. You should find fish out to about 6 or 8 feet when they are on bottom. Rat L Traps and shallow to mid depth cranks are good baits for covering water and locating both species. The Bandit 100 & 200’s are good choices. Rat L Traps and Bandits will do best when fished on rocky bottom in 2 to 6 feet of water. A #7 Shad Rap spinner baits and chatter baits will take fish as well, particularly early and late in the day. The jig bite has been there, and shaky heads are for a bite on the docks and between the. Fish these baits under and around docks, as well as other shaded structure during bright skies.
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.