“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
November 14, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 3.8 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & LOW 60’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is good but things continue to change out there as we progress through fall. The lake continues to drop steadily and is now 3.7 feet down. The morning bite has been good this week on a jig and a spinner bait. Focus on rock and clay points in the mornings with the aforementioned lures. Look for bait in the area you are fishing. If there is no bait, move on. The Davis Shaky Head has been producing some bites as well, so don’t hesitate to throw the green worm out there if the bite slows. Fish are often in 15 to 20 feet or shallower when they are active. There are still some schooling fish around main lake humps and points. It is tough to bring them up right now but the top waters will work when they are up chasing bait. Keep a top water bait like a Sammy rigged up to toss into these schoolers when you see them. A Jackall Spy Bait is working well also for the schoolers. A jerkbait and a Fish Head Spin will work as well for these fish. The brush on the main lake is still holding in some areas and these and will bite. Look for the areas that have quick access to deep water to be the best. Here is what I have left open for the rest of November: 14, 17, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 28. Those dates around Thanksgiving normally go fast when we get close to the holiday and I have had many people ask about that week already. If you have some family coming in or just want to use that down time to fish, please call and reserve soon. Otherwise, be happy about the cold front coming and look for the fishing to really heat up. This is a great time to learn the fall transition and how to keep up with these fish when they go on the move.
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. The Lake temperature continues to drop and the bait is moving from the main lake into the creeks. This “migration” of bait will continue over the next several weeks. Stripers will follow the bait and the main lake point and hump bite will come to an end. The free line bite will also pick up and we have already had some reports of a few fish being caught with free lines. Set your free lines back 70 to 100 feet with a herring or trout and pull at .5 mile per hour. Try a small split shot on one of your lines and vary your trolling speed to locate your baits at various depths. If you are using planner boards set your bank side outside board at 15 to 20 feet behind your board and the inside boards at 40 to 50 feet behind the boards. Always hang a couple of down rods over the side when you are pulling baits. In addition, put someone on the front deck throwing a Capt. Mack’s buck tail jig; you may pick up an extra fish or two. Umbrella rigs pulled at 3.0 miles per hour and back 80 to 120 feet over main lake points and humps is slowing and will probably end this week. Sea Gulls have begun to arrive and should be here in force by the end of next week. These birds can be valuable tools for Striper fishermen and we will discuss some of the ways to use these tools in our next fishing report. There are fish in all of the creeks from the mouth to half way back in the creek. However, the creeks from Flat Creek north to Gainesville Creek 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
November 14, 2014
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 5.8 FEET, CLEAR & LOW 60’S
Bass fishing will slow down for the weekend with the cold weather but will rebound next week. Focus on shallow pockets with cover and bait and find the warmest water in the coves. Fish the trick worms and Super Flukes slowly in the early morning late evening around shallow flats and shoal markers. Then use the 3/8 ounce Strike King spinner bait and a Bandit 200 crank bait in the Sexy Shad color. This week be sure to cover a lot of new water around the mid lake area from the railroad trestle down. Spots are holding on the points and bridge columns around the 8 to 12 feet deep. To just catch fish, use the 1/8 ounce Shaky Head rigged with a Zoom finesse worm in some color of green. Have a ½ ounce spoon ready and work the bait right of the bottom. This technique can fire up any school of bass.
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
November 14, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 10.7 FEET, STAINED & LOW 60’S
Bass fishing has been good this past week with a variety of baits working. The super cold front will have a short term impact but the negative effect won’t last long. Even though this past week we’ve have a good top water bite we expect it to die off as surface temperatures drop. For the upcoming week the jig and jig head bite will be the ticket. Fish stacking up on primary and secondary points and as the cooler weather settles in the bluff bite will pick up. Another good choice is the jerk bait. A Sprog McStick in nasty shad fished at a moderate pace is a good choice. The fish are still active and will chance a bait for a few more week until a winter patter sets up permanently.
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
Lineside fishing is good. The fish are really starting to move up on the flats and points from Clear Creek north to Little River. Our best bite has been fishing big threadfins just off the bottom on the flats on most main lake points early and then again right before the sun goes down. As we move into the month the bigger stripers and hybrids will start to show up on the main lake. The flat line and planer board bites will start to take off. Middle to large gizzard shad will be your best bet for big fish. If you’re after numbers, large threadfins will work best. November is one of the best months of the year for spooning. Use the 1/2 ounce white Flex It spoon fished right off the bottom.
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
November 14, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 5.4 FEET & HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is fair. Crank baits are getting warmer now and should be hot over the next couple of weeks. Go up into the rivers and find the area where the water changes from a little stained to a little more stained or muddy. Find the channel and fish the areas where it comes closest to the bank or points. The more rocks and structure you find in these areas the better. Use the Rapala silver or Hot Mustard colored DT6 or DT10. Let the bait bounce off the rocks and stumps. The Rapala DT or Rapala Flat will work too. If you work an area really well and catch fish or not, follow up the same area with a jig or Texas Rigged four to five inch worm. Tequila Sunrise is good color in colored water. Use the smallest weight possible and fish it slow. Keep a small Flex It spoon ready and any about in a cove can and will have bass close by. But, these bass may be dead on the bottom and the new Lowrance CHIRP sonar can pick them up lying dead on the bottom.
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.
November 14, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 5.3 FEET, HIGH 60’S DEGREES & CLEAR
Bass fishing is fair. Use the crank baits, jerk baits and jigs. Locate stretches of banks and locate the channels that push up next to points or swing close to the water’s edge. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to locate these productive areas. These are great places to find good bass without a whole lot of searching. Use the jigs in these areas and pick the bottom structure apart. A tight wobble crank bait and a slow presentation with a jig can work. Try using a Rapala DT or Rapala Flat crank bait in the pearl grey shiner color in the clear water and a parrot or gulp color in the stained water. Use the 1/4 to 1/2 ounce Terminator jig and fish the lay downs that drop off into or near the deeper water. It won’t be unusual to be fishing your jig in 20 to 25 feet of water. Also try the #10 X Rap and fish all the primary and secondary points you come across. Sometimes big bass move up on the points to feed or just hang out on the edges, waiting for food to pass by especially on those windy days. Use a little bit lighter line on the jigs and crank baits and anywhere from ten to fourteen pound test Sufix Siege for all.
Remember, if you need a Lake Hartwell Fishing Guide as a gift for Christmas, we will need two weeks to process your order.
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
November 14, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 60’S
Bass fishing is fair. The bass have backed off the shallows into the ditches for the most part. Jigs in the ditches and small to medium diving crank baits will work. This cold front will result in a small but hopeful good shad die off. This would mean even better fishing as the bass prepare for winter. Fish in water from ten to twelve feet deep and find those underwater highways and related ditches on Navionics before heading out. Good baits to use this week include a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce Strike King football jig, a Rapala DT 6 or Rapala DT 10 in Hot Mustard or brown bone color and a 30 to 32 inch Carolina rig.
Sample of the “BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL”? ken@southernfishing.com
November 14, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .80 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO MID 60’S
Bass fishing is good. The bass where biting real good in shallow water, but the cooler temps and all the pressure from the tournaments have slowed them down a little. The bass are still feeding on small shad, however, over the last few trips we have noticed some larger shad at 3 to 4 inches. You truly need to match the hatch to increase your odds of catching bass. Most of the time, all the pressure pushes the fish way up in the grass, but this year it has done the total opposite. The fish have pushed out to the outermost edges of the grass where the grass is submerged underneath the water. Use your Lowrance Down Scan Units to find the edges of the grass. A good way to catch them is to throw a jerkbait like the Spro McStick 115 in clear chartreuse in clear water, a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory color in dirty water and a 1/2 ounce white Chatter bait in stained water. Big Bite Baits has a new Cane Thumper in a 4″ that works PERFECT Chatter baits and jigs. Use the Reel Shad color Cane Thumper on the back of the chatter bait. For best action on the jerkbait, use 12 pound test Sunline FC Reaction line on a Lew’s Tournament Pro Speed Spool Reel which is an awesome casting reel for light weight baits. There has been some flippin fish being caught on grass lines, but you have to just cover lots of water to find them. Use a 1 1/4 ounce Fish Catchin Fool weight, FCF bobber stopper, a 4/0 Gamakatsu heavy cover Flippin Hook, and a 4″ Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Hematoma.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
November 14, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .8 FEET, HIGH 60’S
Bass fishing is fair and it’s best to start mid day fishing. Cast the Zoom lizard in green pumpkin in the grass with a light weight and let it float into holes on the grass. In the creeks, use a Texas rigged Culprit worm in dark colors over the grass and wood cover will be better later each day as the water warms. Zoom Trick worms in bright colors floated over grass beds or a Zoom motor oil U tail worm will work after the sun is up. Use greens and crawfish colors on a light 1/16 lead weight on the edges of the grass. With a warm couple of days next week, run an all white buzz bait over and around the grass in the backs of the creeks. The bait is piling up into the creeks in search of warmer water. Small Rat L Traps and spinner baits worked in the pockets or remaining grass are producing some decent bites. There are some schools of white bass up on the shallow creek flats for some extra action. The visibility is running a foot or better on the north end and 3 feet or better down south.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
November 14, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS AT 3′ 6″ BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 55 TO 57 DEGREES
Bass fishing is good and most bass are 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 this cold front to shut the bass down for a few days.
Striper fishing is poor. A few fish are starting to show up in the main lake over the last few days, and they should show up in numbers over the next few weeks.
Crappie fishing is great and they are on the old Coosa River channel ledges 14 to 18 feet deep. Spider rigging with live minnows, near the bottom, is the way to catch these fall Crappie. Some fish are showing up river near Riverside Campground on the main channel in 12 16 feet of water.
November 14, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS 1.7 FEET, 69 DEGREES, LIGHT STAIN UP RIVER, MAIN LAKE CLEAR, BY MATT HENRY, CALL 478 451 0167 ext 1215 (SINCLAIR MARINA)
WWW.SINCLAIRMARINA.COMMATT@SINCLAIRMARINA.COM.
Bass fishing is fair and now is the time to focus on Rooty Creek and south toward the dam. Fish are being caught on a number of different baits and patterns with medium diving crank baits producing the better quality fish. A Carolina rig with a 2 foot leader and a Zoom trick worm in dark colors is hard to beat on the points. A few quality fish are coming off ledges by fishing a 1/2 ounce football jig with a Fat Albert twin tail grub, but you have to cover a lot of water. Don’t forget to keep a 1/2 ounce black and chrome rattletrap on the deck of your boat for schoolers. They can show up anywhere but especially on main lake points.
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.
November 14, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 61 TO 67 DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The Lake is full, light stain up the rivers, clear on main lake. Water temperature is 61 to 66 degrees. 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.
Striper/Hybrid report by Mark Smith of Reel Time Guide Service, Phone 404 803 0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net
Striper/hybrid fishing is good: The fish are in the mouth of most mid lake coves and creeks. Use your Lowrance to locate the 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
November 14, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 60’S
Bass fishing is fair for both the largemouth and spots and the lake continues to drop. The bass are holding tight to all the stumps that are located on the channel ledges. Use the #5 Rapala Shad Raps and the Rapala DT10 and make long cast and crank them down slow and hope they bump into one of these stumps. When this happens, stop reeling the bait for a two count and start back reeling again. This stop and go action will draw a strike when all else fails. Always have a jig tied on any time you go to any other lake. This is the money bait for most anglers year round. Black and greens are the best combinations. Keep a spoon ready and any bait schools around in the backs of the coves can have bass close by. Drop a spoon to the bottom and the fish can fire up really fast.
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.