“The Southern Fishing Report” by Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
November 27, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 4.6 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & MID 50’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Bass fishing is good. The lower lake temps are right around 56 degrees in the morning, and right now the lake sits at 3.52 feet below full pool, which is about a half foot up from Sunday prior to the rain. The fishing has been very good for the most part. The rain we got Sunday definitely spread them out a bit more than they had been. Prior to Sunday, there were several dependable patterns out there. They are all still there, just a little more looking around to find them. There have been some very shallow fish, some mid depth fish, and some fish in 35 to 50 feet around the timber edges. In the mornings, a spinnerbait and a crank bait on windy, rocky points has been very good for some big bites. In the mid to late morning hours there have been some good spooning opportunities out in the timber. In the afternoons, we have been working a jig and a shaky head around rock in 5 to 30 feet of water. There are some variations to this protocol, but this has been our normal schedule each day. The ditch bite with the fish head was coming in very nicely last week, but has since dissipated some. We thank the rising water for that as well as the fish and bait moving around a bit more. They should get settled down and deeper as things stabilize and the water continues to cool. Look for timber bite to strengthen and the bigger fish to be out deep more consistently. This is a great time to learn the timber bite with a spoon and a jig or shaky head out deep. Again, this should only get better. We are hopeful the fish head bite will return in strength as well. The ditch bite on Lanier is key to some big stringers this time of year. Bait choices this past week have included a Strike King 6XD crank bait, a white spinner bait, a Chattahoochee Jig, a Davis Shaky Head, and a War Eagle spoon in nickel.
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 and it looks like the weather is starting to stabilize. The Stripers will continue to move into the creeks and can be found on points with deep water nearby from the mouth of the creeks to half way back. The fish are moving and you can find them shallow on one point and suspended at 30 feet over a 60 foot bottom on another. It is important that you check out an area at all depths. Trolling live Herring, Trout or Gizzard Shad at .5 to 1 miles per hour with a combination of free lines, weighed free lines and down rods is your best bet. Set your free lines back 70 to 100 feet behind the boat. Use a small split shot on some 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. Adjust your down rod depth from 10 to 30 feet depending on the water depth. In addition, put someone on the front deck throwing a buck tail jig; you may pick up an extra fish or two. The Umbrella rig is still working when pulled over points at 90 to 110 feet back. There are fish in all of the creeks and the best advice we can give you is to check the creeks for bait and fish where you find the bait. The North end Creeks are a picking up and probably a little better than the South end. We have Christmas gift certificates available. Call Big Fish On Guide Service at 404 561 2564 to purchase a certificate.
This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, Member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com
Crappie fishing is fair to good. Your best bet will be fishing brush piles in twenty five feet of water. Make sure you fish it from different angles, and if that doesn’t trigger a bite try positioning the boat directly above the brush pile and jig vertically. As you approach, make sure you set your trolling motor speed on the lowest setting to avoid spooking the fish. Crappie minnows should work as well as jigs. If you are a dock shooter you will most likely catch the bigger fish in this manner at twenty to thirty foot depth. The fish need to fatten up for the winter, so should be biting well after adjusting to the colder water temperatures.
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 27, 2014
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 5.1 FEET, CLEAR & HIGH 50’S
Bass fishing is good. Spotted bass are biting around deep cover like blow downs, bridge columns, and brush piles. Try fishing from the railroad trestle up to Yellow Jacket. Use the Shakey head rigged with a Netbait finesse worm in two colors, Green pumpkin and watermelon candy. Use this bait to cover all depths of water at all times of the year. Also use the Lucky Craft pointer in the Chartreuse shad in the suspending model. Fish this bait on deep flats in the backs of the bigger deeper creeks like Maple, Creek Alligator Creek and Rainbow Creek, and most of all Wedhakee Creek. Jigging spoons will work as well as the jigs are working. Use the ¾ ounce Strike King Tour grade football Jig in the brown pumpkin color.
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 27, 2014
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 10.8 FEET, STAINED & MID 50’S
This Lake Allatoona bass fishing guides report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com
Bass fishing is fair. The month of December on Allatoona is a little different this year. We are ahead of schedule with water temps in the mid to low 50s at the end of November. This month should be fun because it’s setting up great for a jerk bait, Float n Fly and Alabama rig bite. The Float n Fly bite started in late November and will only get better in December. Fishing main lake points and bluff walls is the ticket. Balls of shad are in the 8 to 10 foot range right now but could drop to 15 to 21 feet if the temperatures get really low. We are using a three way swivel system 20 pound braid to 6 pound fluorocarbon and a top weighted float tipped with a red rooster or Spro Phat Fly. This is a fun way to fish. Next is the jerk bait bite. Fish the same areas as you would with the Float n Fly. Use less of a pause between jerks but when the water gets into the mid 40s slow it to three to five seconds between jerks. Use the Spro McStick 95 and 112, as well as the Spro McRip 85. The McRip gets much deeper. And lastly, the Alabama and a five arm Dayton Boat Dock Rig with 3 1/2 Big Bite Cane Thumpers in white or alewife. Let the bait sink to a 10 count and reel it very slowly.
This Lake Allatoona fishing Guides Report for striper and hybrids is brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 to 6282. www.firstbiteguideservice.com Lake Allatoona, Georgia email eidson6260@att.net
Line side fishing is good. The water temperature has been dropping fast with the recent Arctic blast. And the fishing has slowed down some because of it. Once the weather stabilizes so will the fishing. The fish are still stacking up on the flats and points from Bartow Carver north to Little River. Our best bite has been fishing big threadfin, small gizzard shad and small trout just off the bottom on the flats on most main lake points early and then again right before the sun goes down. The flats at Galts Fery, Harbor Town and the Delta has been producing best. The bigger stripers have moved back into the main lake and are already starting to move into the mid lake creeks. Flat lines and planner boards fished with large gizzard shad or trout will be your best bet for big fish. If you’re after numbers, large threadfins and small gizzard shad will work best. November is one of the best months of the year for spooning. We normally have our best luck on a ½ ounce white Flex It spoon fished right off the bottom. First Guide Service Gift certificates makes a great gift for the outdoor person in your life. 770 827 6282
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 27, 2014
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 5.7 FEET & MID 50’S
Bass fishing is good. As the water gets cooler, the Shad are becoming more active. Large single Shad can be seen tight against the banks in the coves. Use the shallow running Shad Raps when fishing in real shallow water mid day till dark. The bigger quality bass are coming from five feet of water and deeper. Use the Bandits and the #5 RS Shad Raps on the wind blown points and rocky banks. Follow the wind and you will find the fish. Make long casts and use a slow but steady retrieve. Slow cranking a #10 Husky Jerk or a Down Deep Husky will also work. Try to find areas where either a channel or ditch runs close to the points or banks. The bass are using these deep water channels as highways on roads to get to their feeding grounds. Use your buoy markers to mark the sharp drop offs.
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 27, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 7.4 FEET, MID 50’S DEGREES & CLEAR
Bass fishing is good. Cooler temperatures have activated the bait fish and this has sparked a feeding frenzy in the Bass. Small rock out crops along the bank and around the islands are producing Bass in the rivers. The 3/8 ounce Rattlin Rapala’s in the Redfire Crawdad, the Fire tiger with black heads and the Silver Tennessee Shad are excellent colors to use this week. On the main lake and off any sharp points, use the Rapala DT10 and the Ito jerk baits. On the sharp drop offs, the jerk baits can be used to catch the suspended bass hanging out on the ledges. Fish slowly with the crank baits and the jerk baits on the sides of the points. Use them like a crank bait during the fall to add a few extra fish to the live well.
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. For a sample: ken@southernfishing.com
November 27, 2014
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & HIGH 50’S
Bass fishing is fair. The bass are off the deeper points and it’s best to stay on the lower lake in the creeks. Use the 3/8 ounce spinner bait with large silver willow leaf blades. Slow roll this lure on the points and use a single Colorado blade and a chartreuse and white skirt. Up lake, work this same lure on thick bank cover. The Zoom green pumpkin lizard on a Texas rig has been fair on deep docks and points. Add a Venom glass rattle in the lizard. Afternoons are better as the water warms up. Later each day, use a trick worm in greens, and cast around any wood down lake. Use a dark Stanley jig in black or browns and a crawfish Uncle Josh trailer in matching colors but fish the baits slowly.
Sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL e mail ken@southernfishing.com
November 27, 2014
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .80 FEET, CLEAR, MID 60’S BY MATT BATY
Bass fishing is good. The 10 1/2 inch worms in red flake are working. Shad pattern frogs are working in the evenings. Bass will start to hit Silver Buddy’s, Little Georges, jigging spoons and jigs. The bass are starting to get grouped up in schools all over the lake as they are getting ready to get into their pressman mode. With all the grass on the lake dying back, it’s hard to beat a lipless crank bait or a suspended jerk bait. Use your Lowrance Down Scan to find submerged grass flats. A good place to start is out in front of Wingate’s. When you find the grass, stay on the edges of it, and use a Spro Aruku Shad on 50 pound Sunline FX2 braid. For color choice this time of year, red works well, but shad patterns seem to work better. Use the Aruku Shad as a search bait until you find a school of fish. Then you can slow down with a Spro McStick 115 in clear/chartreuse. When fishing the jerk bait use 12 pound Sunline FC Reaction fluorocarbon line, a medium action rod and a super light reel such as a Lew’s Team Lite Reel. These reels only weigh 5.7 ounces and cast a mile. Another pattern that is about to be on fire is to fish deep standing timber in Spring Creek. A Texas rigged 8 inch Big Bite Baits Finesse Worm in blue fleck or green pumpkin rigged on a 4/0 Gamakatsu hook and a 1/4 ounce. Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten is a good technique in the standing timber. Also, a 1/2 ounce Buddha Baits Football Jig with a Big Bite Baits Reel Deal Craw as a trailer is also a good technique that catches giants. The Buddha Baits Football Jig features an oversize 6/0 hook that increases power and catch ratios tremendously
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
November 27, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .8 FEET, MID 60’S
Bass fishing is good. Bass fishing is now offshore on the ledges but there are some shallow fish in the hydrilla. Deep crank baits, Alabama rigs and jigs are catching offshore bass. Spooks, Chatter Baits, jerk baits and punching are producing while fishing inshore on hydrilla lines. Down south the hydrilla is holding bass. Up north fish around wood and any vegetation is holding fish. The bait is plentiful, so slow presentation is even more important. Jigs with chunk trailers are working. Senko’s are also a good bet
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
November 27, 2014
WEISS LAKE IS AT 4′ 1″ BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED AND 48 50 DEGREE’S
Bass fishing is fair and they have moved back to the old creek and river channel ledges, Carolina rigged plastics, Texas rigged Senko worms and Jigs are producing well right now. The ledges in Little River and the Chattooga River are producing the best.
Striper fishing is fair. A lot of fish are starting to show up in the main lake over the last week or so, and they should show up in numbers over the next few weeks. Slow trolling live shad or a 1/4 ounce jig with a 3 inch Sassy Shad body is producing some good Stripers.
Crappie fishing is great and they have moved off the ledges and suspended in the creek and river channels, 10 to15 feet deep. Long line trolling with Jiffy Jigs in 1/16 ounce in colors JJ08, JJ13, JJ24, JJ41 is the way to catch these winter fish, They can also be caught on a float and fly technique, fished 8 to 12 feet deep.
NOVEMBER 27, 2014
LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 58 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. Fish can be caught both shallow and deep right now as fall and winter patterns are both working. The shallow bite still seems to be most consistent right now. Most of the fish we caught this week were located on docks, brush piles and points in 4 to 8 feet of water. Jigs, shaky heads, and weightless Zoom flukes all worked really well this week. A brown colored Buckeye Mop jig is the bait of choice around the docks and brush. We got numerous bites on the Mop jig this week, and many of the bites were from quality fish. The fish want the bait moved slowly right now, so if you think you are dragging it slow, slow it down some more. The Buckeye Spot Remover shaky head will be the best bait for catching numbers. The spot remover paired with a green pumpkin Zoom trick worm has been great in the brush piles. A crank bait is catching some fish on the upper end of the lake right now. Looking for the stained water has been the key to the cranking bite for me. A Spro Little John 50 and an Aruku Shad lipless crank bait are both working right now. Primary and secondary points are a good place to start when looking for a cranking bite.
I have limited availability in November and December 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.
JACKSON LAKE IS FULL, STAINED & MID 50’S
Bass fishing has been fair early and late and the bass are mostly small spots. Fish for spots with smaller baits and anything green in a soft plastic of a spotted bass favorite. Fish the dam are and work the shallow ledges. Use DT6 crank bait and shad raps on points in the middle of the lake. After dark, larger worms work and keep the smaller fish out of the way. A Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm on a light Texas rig will work. Black and other dark colors are working and add some red dye with crawfish scent on the tail end of the worm.
If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net and ask for the Sonar Setup Quick List.
Anglers 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.