“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
October 10, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 3.3 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAINLAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & MID 70’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is good. Autumn is progressing nicely on LakeLanier and the fish love it. 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 Zara Spook have been best on the top water side. As always, a breeze helps. The jerk bait bite has continued to grow stronger. This bite is just starting and should improve even more as the weather continues to cool. There are definitely more fish and bait moving shallow, but this process maybe delayed a bit as warm weather returns over the next few days. Next week I have October 13, 14, and15 open. Also, I have the afternoons of October 16 and 17 open. The bite is really good right now and we are having a blast!
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 the techniques we use to catch them are changing. As predicted the “turnover” is in full swing. When the lake surface temperatures drops into the low 70’s and below the hot surface water layer and the cold lower water start to mix. The Stripers are now free to roam the entire lake versus their deep cold water refuge in the southern end of the lake. This “mixing process” normally takes 1 to 2 weeks depending on the weather. We have seen a few fish busting bait on the surface but in most cases the surface activity is short lived. We should see the top water bite kick in over the next two weeks. “Running and gunning” points and reef markers with top water baits and free lines with live Herring will start producing some exciting action. 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. 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, 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. When you catch a fish take note of the type of point; long sloping, deep water etc: Use your map to target similar points or structures. The whole lake is opening up and you are no longer restricted to the lower end. A good number of fish will begin to move north.
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
October 10, 2014
WEST POINTLAKE IS DOWN 4.8 FEET, STAINED & HIGH 70’S
Bass fishing is slow. Fish are shallow in the mornings and can be caught on a Pop R or buzz bait. Keep a white Zoom trick worm tied on so you can have a follow up bait if the fish misses your top water. Mid lake to up lake has tons of shad in the backs of pockets so throw small spinnerbaits and rooster tails to catch these fish chasing shad. Also, a Shakey Head rigged with a small finesse worm has been working around the boat ramps and rip rap lake wide. Fish are on the smaller side but you will be able to get a small limit. Buzz baits and other top water lures are producing real well for all size fish, including large bass. This bite may last for only an hour or two each morning, but can last much longer on cloudy days. Pop R’s, Chug Bug’s, Torpedo’s, and buzz baits will work. A few fish are also hitting spinner baits, especially around wood cover. Docks and boat houses are holding bass that are hitting soft plastics and jigs mostly. Try a 6 Zoom Dead Ringer in June bug with a 3/16 ounce weight.
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
October 10, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 3.5 FEET, STAINED & LOW 80’S
This LakeAllatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com 404 456 6094
Bass fishing is good for numbers. The soft plastic jerk bait bite has been great. The Big Bite jerk minnow fished on 10 pound Sunline sniper fished on a high speed bait caster, because a faster retrieve is a must. We have been mixing it up between that and a buzz bait. For bigger fish use the hard swim bait. The Triple Trout Stubby and the 6 inch sliding shad are tops. Covering tons of water is key. You need to put the trolling motor and high and go hunting. These bigger fish are spread out. The numbers aren’t that great but the size is great.
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. The long summer heat took it’s toll on the line sides. Fish are scattered from one end of the lake to the other looking for decent dissolved oxygen levels and cooler water temps. These fish are still willing to eat, but finding them can be a challenge. The top water bite has been the over all best producer with trolling umbrella rigs and down lining live bait running a close second. Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology is the way to find these fish. Mid lake south has been producing best for the bigger hybrids. But, if you are after numbers, the white bass bite is hard to beat on the north end of the lake. This is the time of year that you need to be universal and not one dimensional on techniques. Any of these method’s from live bait, down lines and free lines. Even top water, spooning and trolling will all catch you fish on any given day. We really look for the bite to pick up in the next few weeks with these cooler temperatures. Right now, we just have to be patient.
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 10, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 4.4 FEET & HIGH 70’S
Bass fishing is fair. Buzz baits in the back of dockets and creeks is working but only in isolated areas. The trick is to find the small shad breaking on the surface and use a 1/4 ounce double bladed buzz bait. Flukes and three inch pearl colored Wildeye Swim Shad in the front of the deep water docks are working. Bass that are suspended from mid lake to the dam. The shallow fish up lake feed right at daylight until 9am. Spinner baits will work and this bait will get better over the next couple of weeks. Continue fishing the main lake points and steep rocky banks along with the deep water docks.
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 10, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 4.8 FEET, MID 70’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is fair. Use the 3/8 ounce white spinner bait and a Shad Rap. A good follow up bait for these two baits is a Husky Jerk and a #10 Rapala X Rap. Wind blown rocky points on the main lake coupled with humps and islands up in the river are big bass areas for all these baits. The key will be to find the areas that hold the larger concentrations of blue back herring. Good Lowrance electronics is a must. Top water bites can occur most anywhere inside coves and creeks. Small to medium crank baits, soft plastics, and jigs should be tried in the same areas after top water bites cease. Shad Raps, Thunder Shads, and other similar baits should be tried just off the banks and around docks at 4 to 8 feet deep.
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
October 10, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & HIGH 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. Shad Raps and Bagley crank baits along the rip rap is still an early morning hot spot. Top water baits are just now getting productive but only in selected areas. Rocky River and all of its feeder creeks are my choice for a quantity of bass this week. Use spinner baits, Rapala DT10 and DT6 in shad patterns and the bleeding Shad Raps and Super Flukes attached to a 3/8 ounce Fish Head Spin. An all white Zoom Super Fluke is working and it imitates the shad well in clearer water. Adding some Mega Strike scent will help a lot. Use the Wiggle Warts, Rapala DT10 and DT6 along with Husky Jerk Baits and Bandit crank baits. When the fishing gets slow, back off and use the Carolina Rigs over the stumps. This is a good time to fish any color trick worm and add a nail weight inside the middle of the worm to make it sink a little faster in the grass. Greens are the best colors with pumpkinseed being second.
For a sample of the BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
October 10, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .98 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is slow, except for cloudy days or in the evenings. If the skies are mostly cloudy, then the fish will bite fairly well all day. You can fish top water all day long when the weather permits. Use a Spro Dawg 100 in Old Glory on 50 pound test Sunline FX2 Braid. Walk this bait next to grass lines on the main lake. The lake is full of small shad and they are all in the grass. The Spro Dawg works really well because it imitates these small shad. Make really long casts at fish that bust shad. A Lew’s Speed Spool will throw like a rocket. If the sun is out, the bite gets really tough. Fish slowly with a small swim bait in the grass. A 5″ Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in Reel Shad will work. Rig this on a 5/0 Superline Gamakatsu hook with no weight and fish it over the tops of the hydrilla real slow. There are still a few fish on ledges on the ChattahoocheeRiver, but this can be hit or miss. Use your Lowrance DownScan to find balls of shad on the ledges and look for fish arches to be underneath them. These fish will bite a crank bait or jig fished slowly. As the weather continues to cool down, so will the water temperatures and the grass will start to die back. When this happens its time to break out the lipless crank baits and hit the flats.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 10, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .48 FEET, LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. The bass are shallow in hydrilla and use top water baits. Start the day and concentrate on the shallows with mostly plastic worms and also jigs and pig with dark colors working the best. Fish the shallow grass early then head to the deeper waters on the ledges mid to lower lake. The water levels are stable so the grass is still a good pattern and use a plastic rat. Shad schools are a must. The early shallow water bite has been pretty reliable so use a buzz bait. The ledges are still hit or miss. The crank bait bite has been tough unless the water is fast. Use long Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits in the deeper water.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 10, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS AT 1.90 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 72 74 DEGREES BY MARM COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE
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.
Striper fishing is fair and they are being caught in the lower ChattoogaRiver and the Cave Hole on live Shad down lined about 8 to 10 feet deep and flat lined live shad and bream.
Crappie fishing is great and they are in the flats in 10 to 12 feet of water on stumps and brush piles, and on the river and creek channel ledges 12 to 16 feet deep. Spider rigging with live minnows is the way to catch this fall Crappie. Shooting docks is producing a few Crappies also. Night fishing is good also, and they are being caught on live minnows under lights.
Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama.
October 10, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 77 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 great. While everyone else is in the woods hunting over the next couple of months, it gives us dedicated fisherman the ability to fish for some un pressured fish. Typical fall patterns are working. Top water, crank baits, and spinner baits are great tools to catch numbers of fish this time of year. Small walking top water baits such as the Lucky Craft Sammy in a shad pattern has been good both morning and evening in the backs of creeks around stumps and points. Spro Little John crank baits and Buckeye Lures spinner baits in a shad color are great in these same areas when the fish don’t want to come to the top. Make sure to bump these baits off of any cover and structure you can find. Deflection will increase your chances at getting a bite. The key to fishing in the fall is making sure you stay around the bait. Use your Lowrance electronics to find concentrations of bait pods in the creeks and fish everything in that area. A Buckeye Spot Remover shaky head with a green pumpkin trick worm will catch fish on docks, brush piles and other wood cover in the creeks when nothing else will. If you are looking to get a bigger bite, toss a green pumpkin Buckeye Mop Jig around brushy docks and wood cover in the backs of creeks. This will catch a big fish that is looking for a crawfish meal instead of the small shad.
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 10, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, LOW 80’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The lake is full, stained up the rivers clear on rest of lake. The water temperature is 72 to 77degrees. Start at the mouth of the large coves and creeks. A white buzz bait worked along the sea walls and around the docks is a great way to start your day. Then work the deeper docks with a large crank bait. Contact as many of the dock poles as you can. When the crank bait hits the dock pole stop the bait and count the three. You can also use a shaky head with a dark green 6 in. worm. Work the shaky head as far back under the dock as you can. A good alternative is to use a Carolina rig on the lower lake humps. When Georgia Power is pulling water the hump bite has been better.
Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741
Striper fishing is fair to good. Some fish are showing up in the river been area of the lake. Live shad fished down to the schools will draw a strike. Use your Lowrance to locate the large school of bait. The stripers will be close by. As the water cools the fishing will improve.
Crappie fishing is good to very good. The fish are staging in the tree tops from 5 to 20 feet deep. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools and then drop a live minnow down to the school. Most of the fish are coming from Sugar Creek to the dam. Fall is a great time to take a child fishing, the weather is great and the fish are ready to feed. Grab your rods and some bait and a child and head to the lake for some great fishing.
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 10, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair and the lake is on a typical fall pattern with the bass being on one day and off the next. Stay in any of the main rivers or creeks and work all the cover like docks, timber and brush piles that you can find. Bass are biting everything from Texas rigged worms to lizards as well as the pig and jig. A lot of the bites are going to be small spots with an occasional largemouth thrown in so fish several of these baits to see which one produces the best catch. This lake has a lot of almost endless red clay banks and points. This is a good areas to throw a #5 suspending Shad Rap as well as a good top water bait. These bass will move in and out on these areas all day long looking for any bait fish or crawfish that might be present. Fish these areas whenever you come up on them with cranks and top water baits. Use a green a Zoom green lizard or worm on the sides of these points especially around rocks.
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.