“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
October 3, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 3.0 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAINLAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & 75 DEGREES
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is good but the cooler weather should make it great. Top water and swim baits worked over brush in 20 to 30 feet of water has still been working well. 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 spook have been best on the top water side. As always, a breeze helps. Add rocky points to the mix and some jerk bait fish as well. This bite is just starting and should improve as the weather continues to cool. There are definitely more fish and bait moving shallow, and this should really increase with the cooler weather coming. Next week I have the mornings of October 6, 7, and 8 open, and I have Thursday afternoon on the 9th, and all day Friday on the 10th. The bite is good right now and will be getting better as the fall weather has arrived.
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 was good last week but, with the colder temperatures the techniques we use to catch them will change over the next several weeks. The time has come for the dreaded “turnover”. 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 and the stripers are free to roam the entire lake versus the deep cold water refuge in the southern end of the lake. This “mixing process” normally takes 1 to 2 weeks depending on the weather. Typically, we begin to see stripers chasing bait fish near the surface and we need to change our technique to free line herring and top water baits targeting points and reef markers. Keep your eyes on the water looking for surfacing fish and keep a top water bait tied on. Traditional top water baits include the Red Fin, Chug Bug and Zara Spook. Keep a 1/2 ounce buck tail jig with a fluke trailer tied on and use it along with the top water baits. The key for the upcoming week is flexibility. You have got to be flexible in terms of how and where you fish. Your Lowrance down and side scan are critical tools in finding these fast moving fish. The lake temperature is in the low 70’s in the morning and mid 70’s in the afternoon. The water is lightly stained in the back of the creeks and clear on the main lake both North and South.
Anglers stop by the 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
October 3, 2014
WEST POINTLAKE IS DOWN 3.5 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 fished on 12 to 16 pound mono.
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 3, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
This LakeAllatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com 404 456 6094
Bass fishing is fair. The first of the month with be much like September but will be getting much better as the month progresses. This month the crank bait and swim bait bites get real good. The bait and bass are on the move getting ready for the winter. Covering water is key with bass being very active. With a Spro Fat John in shad patterns, fish the Etowah and Little River areas. Chunk rock and blow downs are the main areas for bass to ambush bait. As long as the water levels allow, the upper Etowah is hard to beat. Jigs, shaky heads and creature baits like the Big Bite Fighting Frogs are great baits to find big largemouth. Bends in the river and deeper edges are the areas to target. Don’t forget to look for schooling fish on the main lake. Always have something available to cast if the opportunity presents itself.
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
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 side fishing is fair. The bite has slowed down a lot since last month but it is still better than what we normally see in October on LakeAllatoona. We are catching fish on all method’s this month from down lines, free lines, top water, spooning and trolling. The top water bite has been the over all best produce with trolling umbrella rigs and down lining live bait running a close second. Mid lake to down south has been producing best for the bigger hybrids. 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 methods will work from live bait, down lines and free lines. 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.
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 3, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 3.3 FEET & HIGH 70’S
Bass fishing is fair. Cast baits to the hard clay mud banks and simply twitch the bait. A Texas rigged ribbon tailed worms in gourd green or red and black shad colors can draw a strike. Be sure to add some extra scent to attract the fish. Zoom Super Flukes on a 3/0 light wire hook has been working all day. Pearl is the best color for the Super Fluke. Fish Head Spins and a small Fluke trailer on deep water docks down lake is working all day. Fish pockets and points all day but keep a top water on the deck with a bone Zara Spook Jr. Shad Raps are fair and use light 6 pound test on the smaller sizes of any crank bait. The root beer Bandit 200 crank bait works in the off colored water up lake. The Alabama rig is still a good tactic but use light small trailers in shad of blue and white.
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 3, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.7 FEET, HIGH 70’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is fair. Buzz baits and spinner baits are still catching Bass along with medium diving crank baits. Fish the South end of the Savannah River and only up to FortGordon in the Little River area. Jigs and plastics still rule along the grassy edges and rocky bottoms. Put the two close together and a good limit can be caught.
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 3, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & HIGH 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. Some fish moved up a little this week. Small Shad Raps are still catching a few bass along the rocks, just before day break hits, but only for a limited period of time. Continue with those plastics around the submerged wood in the deeper water. Some smaller bass have been caught way up in the Savannah River on top water baits. Pick some river bends and skip a jig on any wood. The fish are very scattered and casting a lot of lures will work as the fish seem to change from day to day. Fish in the backs of the major creeks and the bass are after baby bass Super Flukes on a large 3/0 hook Mustad wide gap hook. The up river bass have been fair with bright Bombers in the 7A Fire Tiger patterns.
For a sample of the BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
October 3, 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 3, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .48 FEET, LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. You can find these fish in hydrilla flats and in the pads. Most of the fish that have moved up right now are on the smaller side but they are biting about anything that you want to throw at them. Most of the bigger fish that are up shallow right now are biting a Spro Aruku shad in clear chartreuse or spooky shad around the scattered hydrilla. Fish a Big Bite Baits 4 Super Shad in Black Minnow and a Texas rigged green pumpkin Kriet Kreature or a white Picasso spinnerbait around the matted up hydrilla. There has also been a descent frog bite around the pads. Throw a Spro Bonzeye frog in natural red back in the thicker pads and a Big Bite Baits Top Toad Army Green around the scattered pads and isolated grass. There has also been some schooling fish schooling in these areas throughout the day. Have a bait tied on that you can cast a long way, such as a Spro Dawg 100, because you never know when they will come up. There are also some fish staging to move up on the flats. These fish are staging on points and secondary creek and river ledges in the 12 foot range. These fish have been biting a Stanford Lures deep cedar shad in the Sexy Shad color. You can also catch these fish on a Carolina rig with a 3/4 ounce Tru Tungsten Carolina rig weight and a Big Bite Baits 10 Kriet Tail worm in green pumpkin or plum apple.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
October 3, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS DOWN 1.60 FEET, CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED, 76 DEGREES
Bass fishing is good and a lot of fish are moving shallow, in the bays and coves following the shad. Rat L Traps, flat side crank baits and spinner baits are producing well. 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 these fall Crappie. Shooting docks is producing a few Crappie 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 3, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 82 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. There are a good number of fish be caught using a shaky head worm around the docks, but most are small and still you may get a really good sized one. You can still find some top water action. Use a buzz bait or a Pop R. Work your bait around the docks making sure that you hit all the poles, as that should bring you a few more bites. Start working back into the small pockets around the lake. As you start into these areas watch your depth finder for the schools of shad. A spinnerbait has also been a good lure to use this time of year. Top water baits can take shallow fish in the early morning and that bite should begin to improve through more of the day. Turn to crank baits quickly in the AM if Pop R’s or buzz baits do not produce. Few bites are more rewarding than a top water bite, but the lipless baits may be hard to put down if they produce better results. Fish can also be found in wood, so blow downs and brush should not be overlooked.
October 3, 2014
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, LOW 80’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is good. The lake is full, stained up the rivers, clear on the south end. Water temperature is 76 to 82 degrees. Start the day with a white Old Nelly buzz bait. Fish it around mid lake docks sea walls and bridge rip raps. As the sun gets up switch to the docks in the mouths of the coves and creeks. Use a small crank bait, like a shad rap and fish it around the docks and sea walls.
Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741
Line side fishing is fair. Humps in the middle of the lake have been holding schools of line sides. Use the umbrella rig over these humps when Georgia Power is pulling water.
Crappie fishing is good. The fish are staging in the timber from 10 to 20 ft. deep. 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 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 3, 2014
JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. The bass are transitioning toward their fall migrations to shallow water. It isn’t full swing fall fishing, but you should find shallow fish more often than not. Fish can be found extremely shallow at times. Small amounts of shade will hold fish shallow even under bright skies. Bait fish are beginning to migrate into the creeks and pockets. The good news they are following. Concentrate your fishing in shallow water whether it is in the main lake or in the creeks and pockets. Some of the best structure to look for is rock and docks. A Shad Rap #5 and #7 will cover a little deeper water. Spinner baits and Chatter Baits will take fish as well, particularly early and late in the day and under overcast and windy conditions. Fish the shaky head and jigs will take fish off the docks. Fish these baits under and around docks as well as other shady structure during bright skies. Also work and swim jigs on shallow rock. While many fish will be moving to shallow water in the pockets, other groups will be roaming in search of shallow open water bait in the pockets. Use the finesse worms and Trick worms up on sea walls that are close to the main lake.
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.