“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
October 31, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 2.9 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & HIGH 60’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
While this past weekend was a little tough, overall, the fishing over the last week has been good. The weather is soon to change with the coming cold front, which we are sure will affect the fish. But for now, the top water and swim baits worked over brush in 20 to 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 Sexy Dawg have been best on the top water side. As always, a breeze helps. The jerk bait is still good at times and is a great follow up to the top water presentations. There are definitely more fish and bait moving shallow and a Davis Shaky Head as well as a jig around rocky points are producing a few bites now. 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 somewhat random as you need to get a bait into the action when you see it. The next dates I have open are: November 10, 11, 12, and 14. 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. October has been a great month for Striper fishing and there is no reason it should not continue into November. There are fish being caught lake wide and in the rivers. Down lines with Herring on points over a 20 to 50 foot bottom has been the ticket this week for bait fishermen. Umbrella rigs pulled at 3.0 miles per hour and back 80 to 120 feet over main lake points and humps has been producing some nice fish. Whether you are using bait or Umbrella rigs the same “run and gun” technique should be used. Run up to a point or hump and make several crossing patterns and move on to the next area. If you are using bait put someone on the deck throwing a buck tail jig and you may pick up an extra fish or two. Don’t waste a lot of time in any one area; if they are there you will know it. A few spots and small stripers are being caught on top water but it is very slow. We still have hopes that a top water bite will develop and this upcoming cold front could be the trigger. Flat Creek has been the “hot” creek this week with some schools of fish moving around in the mouth and an equal number of striper fishermen fishing for them. Mid lake from Vann’s Tavern to Gainesville Marina is probably your best bet this week.
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 31, 2014
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 5.6 FEET, CLEAR & HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is good. A good pattern for catching largemouth is fish up river in the area just below the Franklin Bridge. Fish upper reaches of the lake with Texas rigged Zoom green pumpkin and red shad u tail worms. Flipping jigs on rocks and any wood shallow will work. Spots are located down lake in the mouths of main coves and are scattered in 10 to 18 feet of water. Use Carolina rigged Zoom u tail worms in black, pumpkinseed, dark greens work the road beds. The Veasy Creek road bed is a great fall and winter location. Almost any lower lake road is always one of the best spots. The Wilson Creek area off of Pyne Road Park is also a good area in the late afternoon. Be sure to use a 7A crawfish Bomber on the points in Whitewater Creek are always good spots to cast.
Lake levels from http://lakes.southernco.com/
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 31, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 6.3 FEET, STAINED & HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is good. The best bite is on the Flashminnow 95 MR and the drop shot. Work jerk bait in and around wind blown wood on the main lake. The bass are very active due to the massive amounts of bait moving into the creeks. Fish the drop shot at 20 feet but these fish are small. Find some brush in the 20 foot range and work it very thoroughly with the drop shot. Use the 3/16th ounce drop shot sinker and add the baby Zoom fluke or a 3 inch Cut tail worm in shad colors. Also try some lay downs on the bluff walls and work the drop shot on the outside edges of the lay downs for a few decent fish.
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
Line sides fishing is still on the slow side, but should pick back up soon. With the cold nights the water temperature should get down below 70 and then its Line Side Time .Just remember the lake is all most turn over so it’s time to start pulling flat lines and planner boards. This will work best in the morning and afternoon. And during mid day try down lining in the mouth of the creeks. These fish may be deeper now then in summer so don’t be afraid to look deep. Trollers keep pulling your u rigs in the river channels during mid day. But in the morning try pulling single buck tail in water less then 20 feet deep. This includes shallow humps out in open water. Top water is very slow right now. But keep a spook ready the top water bite is all most on.
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 31, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 5.2 FEET & HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is good. More and more of these fish are moving up to feed on anything and everything they can find, especially small shad. Water temperatures will continue to drop as lower nightly temperatures hit hard across the lake. Use the Husky jerk baits, spinner baits and crank baits. Fish the rocks mixed with wood as well as the wind blown banks and coves. The shad are small in size, but they will grow fast during the fall. Look for the shad along the banks near rocks and out on the points.
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 31, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 6.2 FEET, HIGH 60’S DEGREES & CLEAR
Bass fishing is good as cooler weather heads into the area. The water temperatures continue to drop just to the 70 degree mark and this will be the big turning point for this lake. Once we drop below 70 degrees for the surface temperature, the bass fishing will really turn on. Buzz baits and jerk baits are the best lures during the fall and can catch some good bass. Fishing the channel ledges and ditches along with the deeper grass mats will work well. Glass Minnow Husky Jerks and Olive Green X Raps are ideal baits for the aggressive bass. Also fish up in the Little River area.
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 31, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 70’S
Bass fishing is good. Shad Raps along with the rocky points and banks are catching a lot of fish. The wind helps really well and the bass are chasing the bait fish as they move in close to the shoreline. During the fall months, give the bass a steady diet of jerk baits. On some mornings, a few fish will be all the way to the back long coves. Pop R’s, Chug Bug’s, buzz baits and weightless Trick worms have all worked well recently. Rat L Traps in the ¼ ounce size and other small crank baits have worked. Watch for small schools of fish surface feeding in the middle of coves, especially near the back. Fish the edges of the main lake points and use the Shad Raps along the rip rap early in the mornings. Be sure to pick the lay downs and brush piles apart with these worms and jigs.
For a sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
October 31, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .96 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO MID 70’S
Bass fishing is fair but due to the fronts coming in your fishing may be great before they roll in and not a bite the day after. Later in the day the fish are in less than four foot of water. Your best bet is to use a Strike King spinner bait in the ½ or the 3/8 ounce size in white/chartreuse color. Use a trailer hook because sometime the fish is just hitting the bait. Fish this along the shore in 2 to 5 foot of water in the coves off the main lake. Make sure you fish any blown down trees and hit the corners of the docks to get that extra bite. A small crank bait similar to a ¼ ounce chrome/black Rat L Trap fished in the same areas should bring you a few fish.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 31, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, LOW 80’S
Bass fishing has been fair to good and the cool nights have done a number on the fish this past week, especially the early morning bite. White Zoom fluke’s afternoons will work fishing the flooded shoreline grass off the main river. Lots of smaller fish were a biting around the deeper fish certain brush on the south end of the lake were a littler easier to convince than the shallow fish. These cool nights have pushed the water temperatures into the low 70’s or so by late evenings. Late evenings are definitely the time to fish as the water warms up the shallow fish are active enough to chase about anything. Soft jerk baits like Zoom Flukes or Trick worms have done well putting the trolling motor down and running the banks. The coves and pockets off the main lake are holding more fish, as the water is a bit warmer. Early mornings are tough. Some deeper fish may be the way to go as they don’t seem to be as affected by the cooler water. A cold front dropping down this week should keep things about the same, and with plenty of baitfish from 2 to 20 feet the fishing is still going to be pretty tough.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 31, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS AT 2′ 9″ BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 64 TO 66 DEGREE’S Call Mark Collins Professional Guide Services on Lake Weiss “Crappie Capital” 256 779 3387 www.markcollinsguideservice.com
Bass fishing is good and most bass have moved shallow, in the bays and coves following the shad. Rat L Traps, flat side crank baits and spinner baits are producing. The top water bite is great and use the buzz baits and top water poppers.
Crappie fishing is great and they are on the old Coosa River channel ledges 12 to 18 feet deep. Spider rigging with live minnows, near the bottom, 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 31, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS 2.3 FEET, 71 DEGREES, LIGHT STAIN 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. Fall patterns are in full swing and the fish are feeding up for the winter. There are a lot of fish in super shallow water right now all over the lake. Long casts and covering water with reaction baits has been the key to catching these fish. Spinner baits, crank baits, and top water baits have been best for catching numbers and quality. The Spro Little John and Fat John crank baits have been working well around the back ends of creeks where the last deep water meets the flat. Make sure to bump these baits off of any cover and dock posts you can find. The Spro Aruku Shad lipless crank bait has been working as well fan casting the shallow flats in the creeks in 2 5ft of water. Most days the fish are feeding on shad imitating baits but some of the bigger fish still want a Buckeye mop jig flipped around the farthest docks in the backs of creeks. As always a Buckeye spot remover shaky head paired with green pumpkin Zoom trick worm will get the most bites on tough blue bird days.
I have limited availability in November and guide trips are booking up fast. Give me a call to book 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 31, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, LOW 70’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The lake is full, lightly stained up the rivers and clear on main lake. We have had two back to back cold fronts on Wednesday and on Friday. This will scatter the fish for a few days. As the weather stabilizes the fishing will also. Start at the mouths of the major creeks and large pockets. Target docks and wood structure with a crank bait. Work to the back of the creek or pocket as the bait and fish move deeper into the creeks. A shaky head fished under the same docks will also draw strikes. Georgia Power has been pulling water most afternoons and the fish are stacking up on the bridge rip rap and taking the same crank baits or a white chartreuse spinner bait.
Striper/Hybrid report by Mark Smith of Reel Time Guide Service, Phone 404 803 0741 reeltime@bellsouth.net
Striper/hybrid fishing is good: The fish are in the mouth of most mid lake coves and creeks. Look for large schools of bait and the stripers will be close by. The fish have been feeding on live bait along with umbrella rigs and spoons. Over the past week all these baits have been working well.
Crappie fishing is good: The fish are starting to move into the major creek all over the lake. They are in the timber and rooming over the mouths of the creeks. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools and then drop a live minnow into the schools. Spider rigging is also working when you find the schools.
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 31, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 2.3 FEET, CLEAR & HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is good. The cold fronts coming in this weekend is sure to turn the bass on even more. The bass will move even more into the shallows during to feed. Spinner baits are fair but crank baits are the best baits right now. Use Shad Raps like the #5 in shad and work the banks along the creeks and concentrate a good bit of effort on the small pockets and secondary points. Jigs around the docks will also work but look for the more active bass. If you go into the creek and coves, pick the larger ones and only fish about half way back. On the windy days, fish the areas where the wind has been blowing on for at least an hour. Getting out of the wind to fish will be a mistake.
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.