“The Southern Fishing Report” by Ken Sturdivant
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
March 13, 2015
LAKE LANIER IS FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE STAINED & MID 50’S
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764
The DVD’s from my January 17th Seminar are now available. They are $39 each. Give me a call if you are interested in purchasing one: 770 542 7764.
Bass fishing on Lanier is starting to improve. The long term forecast once again looks promising with warm, spring like temperatures. This will contribute to a steadily improving bite. We have been concentrating on the shallower water over the last week. In the early mornings, start in 15 feet or less in pockets or the back of productive creek ditches with a Spro McStick, Aruku Shad, or a 1/4 ounce SuperSpin. If the moving baits do not produce, switch to a shaky head and present plastics such as a creepy crawler or worm. The dock bite is improving and both largemouth and spots can be taken around docks in 15 feet or less. A shaky head with smaller plastic choices have been the best producers around the docks. The jerk bait is also a good option around the docks. Include pauses of 5 6 seconds between twitches. Skip these baits around docks and work the bait SLOWLY. The water is still very cold, so your presentation should match the conditions. Look for the docks with the black floats and metal poles, as these will hold heat the best, and therefore attract the bait and fish more readily. My March is filling up quickly. Please give me a call ASAP if you are looking to shake off the stench of winter! Here is what I have left open in March right now: 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 Give me a call and let’s go get ’em!
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 weather has started to turn in terms of temperature and SPRING IS HERE! We did have a Threadfin shad die off due to the temperatures dropping into the low 40’s in the main lake and high 30’s in the back of the creeks. This makes for “easy pickings” for the birds and the fish. However, there is plenty of bait in the creeks and the lake is healthy. This situation will clear this week. This could be one of the best spring time fishing seasons we have ever experienced based on what we have seen to date. Live bait continues to be your best bet. There is a shallow water early morning (before sunrise) bite using Herring on un weighted free lines and planner boards. Once the sun gets up, weight your lines with several split shots, deploy your down rods in addition to your free lines and move to deeper water. Once the water temperature reaches 55 degrees we should be able to pick up some nice fish on the shallow flats half way back in the creeks. We will be looking at points and flats this week. We used Umbrella rigs as a search tool last week and switched to bait when we caught a fish or marked fish on our Lowrance Structure Scan Sonar. We have heard of some nice Stripers being caught at night casting Long A Bombers to reef markers and long sloping points. If you are a night fisherman you may want to give it a try, any of the creeks from Lake Lanier Islands north with bait are good places to start. The water is lightly stained on the main lake with heavy stain in the backs of the creeks.
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 very good. The lake is at full pool and water temperatures are at about fifty degrees, which is a couple degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. Fishing should be at its best for the next few weeks. We’re starting to catch more fish and bigger fish. Your targeted areas should still be the backs of creeks, fifteen feet and shallower. If you can find a creek where the water stain is apparent, these areas will be even better. Whether you are trolling, shooting docks or using crappie minnows, all are working well. This is the time to take off to go fish if you can (feel a fever coming on?) Always remember that the best way to catch crappie is to find their living room. Their “living room” is always some kind of structure, shallow brush piles and shallow docks are favorite spots. With a lot of fishermen taking advantage of the weather, our advice is to move frequently. You never know if the spot has just been fished. If you don’t get a bite in a few minutes, move on. Take your kids, your grandkids, your wives, your girl friends, everyone will enjoy crappie fishing like this! This is the time of year that it’s easier to catch them and therefore even more fun for all. Stay safe on the water, and always wear a life jacket!
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
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 Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
March 13, 2015
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 5.5 FEET, STAINED & HIGH 50’S
Bass fishing is good. Fishing has gotten better as the week progressed. With such fluctuating conditions the best bites have come from covering water with lipless crank baits and medium running crank baits. Fish are scattered in multiple depths right now from three to eight feet of water. My best success has come from keeping my boat in ten feet of water throwing as shallow as possible working the bait slowly back to the boat working as many pockets as possible mid lake. Our best colors have been a shad pattern with chartreuse as the primary color. Bass have preferred tighter wobbling crank bait like a Rapala Glass Shad Rap in shad pattern. Using long casts as close to rocky banks, make about five turns with the reel and pause. Repeat this cadence all the way back to the boat. McStick jerk baits can work but be sure to use a jerk and then rest a few seconds before pulling the bait again. Fish the mid part of the lake. Focus on rocky points closest to the main river channel.
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
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation department will host an “Outdoor Fun Festival 2015” on April 25, 2015. The location will be the Caney Road Park in south Forsyth County off Highway 141. See the web site at www.outdoorfunfestival2015.com. Call 770 887 2217 2217 Carrie Toth or cmtoth@forsythco.com for all the details and vendor options.
March 13, 2015
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 7.1 FEET, STAINED & MID 50’S DEGREES BY MATT DRIVER WWW.PROANGLERRADIO.COM
Bass fishing is good. The spring bite is starting as the water warms in to the 50’s. The jerk bait bite has been great, as well as the jig head worm. We are mixing it up with the 95 and 110 Spro McStick on 10 pound Sunline sniper. Sun seems to better the bite. We are working the bait pretty quick. When the fish bite they are crushing it. The 1/8 and 3/8 jig head with a big bite trick stick or shaky squirrel. Main and secondary point in the Allatoona creek arm and just north of Victoria are producing best.
This Lake Allatoona fishing guides report for striper and hybrid has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282. www.firstbiteguideservice.com Lake Allatoona, Georgia email: eidson6260@gmail.com
Line side fishing is good. The lake is coming ALIVE !! There has been some good reports from both the north end and south end of the lake this week for good numbers of Hybrids, Stripers and White Bass. The better bite has been on small gizzards and thread fins fished on free lines and planner board. Both ends of the lake are holding decent numbers. The south end of the lake seems to be better for Hybrids. While the north end of the lake seems to be fishing better for stripers and white bass. We look for most of the fish to migrate north in the next few days and start staging for their annual spawn run. Spring is almost here and it’s time to get back to fishing. Dust of the tackle charge the batteries and grab a kid and head to the lake. The bite has started.
Anglers, we have a book on BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA and we offer 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
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation department will host an “Outdoor Fun Festival 2015” on April 25, 2015. The location will be the Caney Road Park in south Forsyth County off Highway 141. See the web site at www.outdoorfunfestival2015.com. Call 770 887 2217 2217 Carrie Toth or cmtoth@forsythco.com for all the details and vendor options.
March 13, 2015
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 3.3 FEET & LOW 50’S
Bass fishing is fair up lake and spinner baits and bright crank baits are working. Anglers learned a lot as the Bass Masters Classic demonstrated big bass can bite in cold water. Everyone needs to rely on their four favorites baits and be sure to add the Super Spin and Fluke trailer to the list. Down lake fishing is fair on humps and points in the creeks. Use crank baits, jigs and worms. Go to the mouths of the main lake creeks and humps and use blue and silver crank baits. We see a lot of boats using the Alabama rigs with small grubs and small swim bait this week during the FLW event. The backs of the lower lake creeks are stained but use the Stanley jigs in black and silver with a #11 Uncle Josh pork Trailer. Fish any bank cover all the way to the boat, working the lure’s slowly in cover. Find any warming water in the northwest cove’s later in the afternoons. Try slow trolling the creeks with Shad Raps on 10 pound test line.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing “On the Water” fishing schools.
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.
March 13, 2015
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 1.07 FEET, LOW 50’S DEGREES & STAINED
Bass fishing is good. Bass are shallow and feeding well. This month take several items to fish with. Use Carolina rigged worms and lizards, shaky head worms and jig ’n pigs. All of these will produce fish. Big numbers will be caught on soft plastics, but quality will be caught on spinnerbaits and jig ’n pig patterns. The Alabama rig, the Rapala DT crank baits and the spinner baits that all will run from 2 to 7 feet are a must. The type and kind are not as important as where you fish them. Use bright colors in stained water and natural colors in clear water. The spinnerbait pattern should be good this month, also. Slow roll the bait this month until they begin to spawn, and then move shallow and speed up. Soft plastics will be good baits starting this month.
See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
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
March 13, 2015
LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & LOW 50’S
Bass fishing is good and the bass are moving to the points and creek bends all over the lake. They are roaming on any wood all day and a crank bait cast through the wood will draw a strike. Use a bright color. By noon spinner baits down lake in the creeks are fair on cover using Lucky Craft Redemption spinner baits with two silver blades. Later in the day, look for shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points during the day. The Zoom water melon seed lizards on a Carolina rig, has been fair later each day. Also on creeks on old channels, use a Culprit red shad worm on a Texas rig with the brass and glass combination. Work baits right on the bank around any cover. Use the Strike Kink 1/2 ounce jig and a #11 Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the points. The crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover and slowly worked will get strikes.
See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Sample of the BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL e mail ken@southernfishing.com
March 13, 2015
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR AND MID 60’S BY MATT BATY
Bass fishing is good. Our water temperatures are up to around 63 degrees in backwater areas and the bass are spawning. There are small buck bass bedding on sand and the larger females are cruising around in the bedding areas. There are several different ways to get bit in these areas. If the areas have grass or lily pads present you can swim a jig through the pads and grass. A 3/8 Buddha Baits In Seine Swim Jig in green pumpkin with a 4.25″ Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper in green pumpkin is a great combination. Pair this with a 7’4″ Heavy Duckett Terex Rod, a Team Lew’s Lite reel with 7:5:1 gear ratio, and 50 pound test Sunline braid and you are in business. If the bedding areas are near sandbars with sparse vegetation, then you can fish a shallow diving crank bait such as a Spro Baby Fat John in Nasty Shad. If you are sight fishing, then Power Poles are a must b/c they make this technique so much easier. If you find a bedding bass, a Big Bite Baits Warmouth, a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and a 3/8 Fish Catchin Fool Tungsten and bobber stopper is a sure way to catch him/her. The other pattern that works well is to use your Lowrance HDS units and mapping to locate depressions and ditches near spawning areas. Bass will use these as highways and you can catch pre spawn and post spawn fish in these areas with a crank bait or jerk bait.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
March 13, 2015
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, LOW 50’S
Bass fishing is good and the fish are on grass lines, points and lay downs all day. The river is still stained and use a bright Stanley spinner bait with all white or chartreuse blades in the willow leaf style. Down lake use the Rebel Deep Wee R in the bone or parrot colors on grass lines half way to the back of the creeks. Use a dark Texas rigged Berkley Power worm in the larger sizes slowly worked on the docks on the lower lake. Later each day use a 1/2 ounce bright blade spinner bait on lower lake grass beds. Cast these baits right on the banks and pull them slowly over the grass. A bubble gum Zoom Trick worm over the grass and around docks can get a strike. Add a rattle in the lure.
We teach “ON THE WATER SCHOOLS” for SONAR and Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass. Call for details. Call for details.
Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing on the Water fishing schools. ken@southernfishing.com
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
March 13, 2015
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, HEAVY STAIN AND 55 TO 60 DEGREES
Now available for sale, 50 of Captain Mark Smith’s GPS waypoints for structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Lake Oconee, Georgia. Contact Ken Sturdivant at ken@southernfishing.com for a sample.
Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full, stained over most of the lake. Start in the middle of the coves and main lake creeks. Fish boat docks, wood structure, and sea walls. Work your way to the back of the coves and creeks. Sugar creek has been the most productive over the past week. Use Shad Raps and small crank bait with rattles fished on sea walls and around docks. Dark Jigs with a rattle, brown, blue and black have been the best colors. Fish these around wood structure on the main river pockets above Sugar Creek. Spinner baits fished along any rock bank will also draw a strike. Remember to slow down your retrieve as the water is still cold below the surface. If we get a few days with worm temperatures look for the fish to start to move into the back of the creeks and major coves off of the main lake. If it get colder they will move back to deeper water.
Striper report by Mark Smith, Reel Time guide service. Call 404 803 0741 reeltime@bellsouth.net
Striper fishing is good. The fish are starting to show up at the dam for the spring run. Some fish are also showing up in the back of the major creeks. Live bait fished on down lines along with flat lines and plainer boards will pick up fish. If the water clears up the umbrella rig bite will also produce fish.
Crappie fishing is good. The fish are moving into the major creeks. Use a dark jig tipped with a minnow. Spider rigs have been the best producers over the past week. Use your Lowrance to located the depth and location of the schools and adjust your depth to put the jig on top of the fish. Over the next few weeks the largest fish will be moving into the coves and creeks to spawn so now it the time to fill a cooler with big slabs.
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 Guide Service at 404 803 0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
March 13, 2015
WEISS LAKE IS DOWN 2.8 FEET STAINED AND 49 TO 53 DEGREES
From: Mark Collins Guide Service www.markcollinsguideservice.com 256 779 3387
Fishing was great this past week with a lot of Crappie caught.
Bass fishing is good and a lot of bass are starting to be caught shallow on rip rap rocks and deeper rocky banks. Some bass are still deep on their winter pattern, on the creek and river channel ledges. Look for the bass to move shallow over the next few weeks as the weather warms.
Crappie fishing is great and they are being caught in the main Coosa River, the Chattooga River and Little Spring Creek. A lot of Crappie are suspended 15 20 feet deep in the main Coosa River channel. Long line trolling with Jiffy Jigs in 1/16 ounce and 1/24 ounce in colors JJ08, JJ13, JJ17, JJ24 and Marks Ice Blue color is the way to catch these winter fish, Spider rigging live minnows 14 18 feet deep over the main river channel, is producing some great fish also. They can also be caught on a float and fly technique, live minnows under a slip float is also producing some fish.
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama, contact Ken Sturdivant at ken@southernfishing.com
March 13, 2015
LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 55/60 DEGREES, RIVERS AND CREEKS ARE STAINED, LOWER LAKE IS CLEAR, BY MATT HENRY, CALL 478 451 0167 ext 1215 (SINCLAIR MARINA)
WWW.SINCLAIRMARINA.COMMATT@SINCLAIRMARINA.COM
Bass fishing is good. Look for the fish to start moving towards their spawning grounds. Many of the fish have already started leaving their wintertime haunts and are moving up on shallow sandy points and flats to feed. A crank bait is an excellent choice for catching these opportunistic feeding fish. A Spro Little John 50 in a shad or craw color is hard to beat right now. On warmer days when the fish get extremely shallow, a Spro Fat John in the same colors will get the call. Make multiple casts to stumps, brush, and rocks as you might be able to catch more than one fish off a single spot. The bigger fish have been eating a ¼ ounce Buckeye Mop Jig with a Zoom Super Chunk under shallow protected docks. Black and blue has been the best color in the stained water areas of the lake. A Buckeye Spot Remover shaky head paired with a Zoom Baby Brush Hog has also been catching the more finicky fish under these same docks. The best docks are the ones with 4 to 6 feet on the front posts. Later in the afternoon, look for the fish to move into 1 to 2 feet of water under the walkways as the shallow water will heat up quicker.
Guide trips are booking up quick for April. I only have a few dates left over the next couple of weeks. 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.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
MARCH 13, 2015
JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 2.1 FEET, STAINED & LOW 50’S
Bass fishing is fair and the lake got a lot of runoff recently. Use a light Texas rig on the rock and red clay points with a Zoom finesse green pumpkin worm. For the rest of this week use dark June bug, natural blue and gourd green worm in the Zoom u tail style as well as the jig and pig combinations. Try the Alabama rig with some swim baits up the lake for the schooling bass in the pockets. The Texas rigged worm and a 3/16 ounce weight cast onto the banks and around docks in the creeks will get a hungry bass to strike. With the water temperatures warming, spinner baits and bright crank baits are also good baits. Use bright crawfish and fire tiger crank baits in the Bomber Model A styles.
Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.
PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.com
We teach On the Water Schools for Sonar and Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass. Call for Ken details at 770 889 2654 for details.
The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation department will host an “Outdoor Fun Festival 2015” on April 25, 2015. The location will be the Caney Road Park in south Forsyth County off Highway 141. See the web site at www.outdoorfunfestival2015.com.
Call 770 887 2217 Carrie Toth or cmtoth@forsythco.com for all the details and vendor options.
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.