“The Southern Fishing Report”
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge Drive
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
September 5, 2014
LAKE LANIER IS 2.1 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAINLAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & 83 DEGREES
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764
Spotted bass fishing continues to be very good, especially for late summer. The cooler surface temps have really kept the fish active and willing to come up. We have been working top water and swim baits fast over brush in 20 to 30 feet of water. A Sworming Hornet Bite Sized Herring and a Sebile have been our best choices on the swim baits and a Gun Fish and a spook have been best on the top water side. The wind definitely helps this bite. The largemouth is even getting in on this top water action as we had a 22 pound sack of largemouth on top water this week. There are some fish holding out deep so don’t hesitate to try them on the DS. That 40 to 45 area foot area at the timberline seems to be best. I have the following dates open for the second week of September: 8, 9, 10, and 11. The bite is awesome right now! Give me a call, and let’s go fishing!!
This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishon.com
Striper fishing remains very good. The mouth of the creeks from BrownsBridge to the Dam has been the ticket. A good number of fish were also caught just off the river channel. Most of the fish are being caught with blue back herring on down rods at 50 to 80 feet down over a 90 to 130 foot bottom. Run two down rods with long leaders at 12 feet with 10 pound test leader and two with 7 foot and 12 pound test. WE did not see any performance difference. We are going back to my 7 foot 12 pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader this week. Buck tail jigs with a 4 inch shad body with lead core line at 8 to 9 colors is working along with umbrella rigs at 170 to 190 feet back. Both white and chartreuse were working equally well. With the storms this week we are seeing a lot of pine straw and leaves on the water surface. The leaves and straw will run down you line and hang up on you jig. Make a point to reel your lines in and check for debris often if you see leaves on the water. The river channel and mouths of the creeks from Orr to Big Creek are good places to start. The lake temperature is in the low 80’s in the morning to mid 80’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
September 5, 2014
WESTPOINTLAKE IS DOWN 3.1 FEET, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. Water temperatures are about to change and this should get the fish feeding better during the day. Bass are chasing and striking the top water baits like a Pop R and Rico in shallow water early in the day. The big fish are still sluggish and a slower presentation in your baits will be necessary to get any reaction or bite from these fish. Don’t be afraid to go deep with Carolina rigs, jigs or even slow cranking a DT10 or 16 Rapala crank bait. Use the Shad Raps and Bandit’s in the baby bass patterns on the sides of the main lake rocky points. The key to catching bass here this week will be to find good current up in the rivers. When high air and water temperature hit in the summer, look for current and deeper water.
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
September 5, 2014
LAKEALLATOONA IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
This LakeAllatoona bass fishing report is from Mat Driver, www.proanglerradio.com 404 456 6094
Bass fishing is fair. This time of year the shallow crank bait bite and the lipless crank bait bite are firing up. Concentrate in the larger coves about from the mouth to about halfway back. Hit all the wood cover. Fish are in transition and are following the bait. Use a Spro Aruku Shad in natural colors unless the water is stained and then use something with a little more orange or chartreuse. Try the Big Bite Jerk Minnow fished weightless in the same areas. A buzz bait early can produce some really good fish. Some fish are still deep and can be caught on deep cranks and Davis Bait Co. Scrounger jig heads until more fish move shallow later in the month. Bass can be any where from on the bank to 20 to 25 feet deep. Most anglers are still night fishing. Big crank baits such as DD22s in black/blue flake or black and red flake are doing well on steep main lake points and steep rock banks. Fish a 3/4 ounce black spinnerbait in these same areas. Fishing worms and small jigs on points will also produce bites. Be sure to fish these baits slowly and thoroughly because the fish can be anywhere on the points.
This Lake Allatoona Fishing Guides Report for Striper and Hybrid report fishing report has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282. www.firstbiteguideservice.comLake Allatoona, Georgia email: eidson6260@att.net
Line side fishing is decent. The 40 to 70 fish days we where having early this month are long gone. But if you in the right place at sun up a 20 plus fish day can still be possible. Down lining shad off of Points, Humps and Flats 18 to 24 feet deep has been working best for us. The better bite is coming from the dam north to the S turns. Shad are still a little tough to net for most. Striper Soup has plenty in stock. White bass fishing is awesome. Big schools of whites are coming up almost every morning and afternoon. The bigger schools are coming up near HarborTown but there are also some good schools coming up in Stamp Creek. Look also in the big bay just south of the S turns. Tiny flukes and White Roster Tails are working best.
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
September 5, 2014
LAKEHARTWELL IS DOWN 3.3 FEET & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair and continues to slowly get better and better. Anglers are running all over the lake catching bass. The main lake points are getting the most attention using the crank baits and plastics. Look for schooling bait fish and feeding bass in the mouths of the larger creeks and coves. Top water baits like Chug Bugs and Skitter Pops are catching bass during the active periods. Deep water docks are now beginning to hold more bass. Use a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce jig or Texas Rig worm on 12 to 14 pound Sufix fluorocarbon line and target the edges of the deep water docks. Wind blown points are beginning to produce some good keepers on jigs and Carolina rigs. Always have a Zoom Super Fluke rigged on a 3/0 offset bend Mustad hook on 10 pound test Sufix Elite line on a spinning reel. Paint the bait’s tail chartreuse.
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.
September 5, 2014
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.5 FEET, LOW 80’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is good. The fish are beginning to school and chase the bait fish to the surface more and more all over the lake. Active fish can be found from Church Cove on the south end to Cherokee Creek on the upper end. The mouths of the major creeks are showing top water activity during the peak feeding periods. After the top water bite leaves got to a jig and Carolina rig on the main lake points. Greens and browns will be the best colors. Medium diving crank baits continue to improve, so keep one ready at all times. Good baits to use include Pop R’s, Fat Free Shad crank baits and Super Flukes.
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
September 5, 2014
LAKERUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is fair. When the water is moving set up on main lake structure and wear the spots out by cranking down with a deep diving crank bait, dragging a Carolina rig or vertical jigging with a shaky head or drop shot. The Alabama rig is still working and small baits are the best way to match the hatch. Rocky points with brush piles, the reef markers around the dam or vertical structure like bridge pilings can all be good. Try picking off a few fish with your crank bait. Then slow down and pick apart the structure with your finesse worm rigs once you locate some fish. Watermelon is always a good color, and redbug will also produce.
For a sample of the BASSFISHINGLAKERUSSELL book e mail ken@southernfishing.com
September 5, 2014
LAKESEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & MID TO UPPER 80’S BY MATT BATY
Bass fishing is good. The fish are really relating to grass points all over the lake. Target these points early in the morning with a top water lure such as a buzz bait or a Spro Dawg 100 in Old Glory on Sunline FX2 Braid. After the morning top water has diminished, you have some other techniques that seem to be working well on the same grass points. The grass points that have seemed to be producing better are the ones that are closer to the river channels. If the wind is blowing, you need to fish the wind blown points with a Spro Superstar 1/2 ounce spinnerbait in white/chartreuse. If there is no wind, then back off a little and fish a little deeper off of the points with a Texas rigged 7 inch Big Bite Baits Sugar Cane worm in easy money color. Use a 5/16 ounce Tungsten and a 5/0 Gamakatsu off set worm hook on this bait. This bait works really well because you can either bump it off the bottom or swim it through the grass. In the upcoming dog days of summer, look for the flipping bite to become a dependable way to catch fish. A Big Bite Fighting Frog is the best flipping bait.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
September 5, 2014
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, HIGH 80’S
Bass fishing is good and the fish are still in their summer patterns. Start with the top water activity, try fishing a frog or a popping bait around the grass early in the morning. Soon the fish will begin to move up some. The grass bite should pick up, and there may begin to be some schooling activity. Keep a top water tied on, and if you see schooling fish around points or at the mouths of creeks, throw a popper or rattle bait at them. Look at the bottom structure like humps, points, ledges and bottom indentations. Look for brush or stumps in these type areas, find baitfish over them, and try to fish when the water is moving. Once you find a likely spot, start out throwing a deep diving crank bait like a Spro Little John DD. If you can get one to bite, sometimes the whole school will start biting. Citrus shad is a good color. Follow up with a Carolina or Texas rig for a couple more bites once the feeding frenzy dies down or if you can’t get them to hit the crank bait. Concentrate on the cover with your soft plastics.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
September 5, 2014
WEISSLAKE IS AT 0.30 FEET BELOW FULL POOL AND CLEAR TO LIGHT STAINED 82/84 DEGREES BY MARK COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE
Bass fishing is fair and they are being caught on deep brush 8 feet or more, under deeper docks, and on the creek and river channel ledges. The fishing has improved over the last week with the rain fall. Pig and jigs, crank baits, spinner baits and Carolina rigged plastics are all producing some good Bass. Tournament weights have really dropped the last few weeks.
Striper fishing is fair and they are being caught in the lower ChattoogaRiver, the Cave Hole and Little Spring Creek, on live Shad down lined about 8 to 10 feet deep and flat lined live shad.
Crappie fishing is good and they are on the CoosaRiver channel ledges in 12 to 15 feet of water on stumps and brush piles. Spider rigging with live minnows on the creek and river channel ledges and deep brush in the flats is the way to catch these summer Crappie. Shooting docks is producing a few Crappie also. Night fishing has turned on over the last few weeks, and they are being caught on live minnows. Crappie have started turning on and it will get better, with the cooling trend coming in next week
Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama.
September 5, 2014
LAKESINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.4 FEEET, 84 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. The cool weather has kept a lot of fish shallow lake wide. Fish can be caught anywhere from main lake sea walls and points all the way back to the back ends of creeks and pockets. Bigger fish seem to be relating to bream around grass beds and in short pockets off the main river. These quality fish can be caught on a Bass Hound Crankbaits’ Main Event prop bait in a bream color fished aggressively around the grass and old bream beds. A square bill crank bait and a Buckeye Mop Jig will also catch some quality fish in these same areas. An early fall pattern is starting to show up as the shad have started moving back in the creeks. Use your Lowrance electronics to find these concentrations of shad. Numbers of fish can be found following the shad around the points and flats at the mouths of the creeks. A small Lucky Craft Sammy and a Zoom Super Fluke in shad patterns will catch these fish that are following the shad. Small shad colored crank baits and small Alabama rigs thrown across these main creek points will also produce a good many bites. The clearer water down lake seems to be best for numbers of fish and fishing that early fall pattern. The stained water from mid lake up both rivers has been best for quality bites.
I still have a few guide trips available next week. 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.
September 5, 2014
LAKEOCONEE IS FULL, MID 80’S DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full, stained up the rivers clear on the main lake. The water temperature is 84 to 88. There is an early morning top water bite. Use a buzz bait around sea walls and the bridge rip rap. This will only last for the first hour of day light. After this the best bite will be on the humps on the south end of the lake. Use a deep diving crank bait. Fish it from the deep water up onto the hump. You can also use a Carolina rig fish on the same humps. Some fish are also coming up the rivers. These fish are tight to cover. Us a Texas rig for these fish a dark worm will work best.
Line side fishing report by Mark Smith of Reel Time guide service. reeltime@bellsouth.net phone: 404 803 0741
Striper fishing is poor. There is some top water action on the south end of the lake. Look for schools of bait and have a popping cork ready. These fish will stay up as long as Georgia Power is pumping water back into the lake.
Crappie fishing is good. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools of fish in the timber. Most of the schools are in the trees at 10 to 20 feet deep. Use live minnows dropped down to the fish. Take lots of bait and hooks you will get hung.
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
September 5, 2014
JACKSONLAKE IS FULL, STAINED & LOW 80’S
Bass fishing is slow. Fish are deep on points and humps and they can be caught on Carolina rigs and Net Boy Baits Screwball jig heads with a Big Bite Baits Squirrel Tail Worm or Kriet Kreature. Stay with greens and browns in clear water or June bug or black in stained water. Look for the cooler nights to bring some fish up shallow especially at daylight. They can be caught on top water baits on deeper main lake seawalls. Try a Sammy or Zara Spook. Bait will begin to move toward the creeks at the very end of the month. When the top water bite is on, you will need a weightless Zoom Super Fluke, a Lucky Craft Sammy 100 and a Lucky Craft 125. It will be hard to beat a 1/4 ounce Ol Nelle all white spinnerbait when that move begins.
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.