The Southern Fishing report by Ken Sturdivant

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com

October 28, 2011

LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 12.23 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLOUDY & 66 DEGREES. THE ENTIRE LAKE IS TURNING OVER.

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jim Mathley, www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764

Spotted bass fishing on Lake Lanier has remained fair over the past week. The schooling activity this week has been far less than in past weeks. Also, many of the fish have moved from the mouths of the creeks and began a migration further back into the creeks. We have noticed a big difference in the location of the bait and the fish since the cold front we experienced last week. Our best bait over the last week has been the shaky head worm. We have been targeting secondary points with brush as well as lay down trees in these same locations to catch our fish. The jerkbait is working on certain days as well as early in the morning on most days. Many of these early morning fish have been VERY shallow as in 1 foot or less and have been quality fish as well, with many of them being 4 pounds or more. The backs of some of the upper end creeks are holding fish as well. In addition, fishing docks with brush has proven successful at times also. Again, the shaky head worm has been our best offering for targeting fish in these locations. Keep an eye on your Lowrance electronics as you scout for good fishing areas. Move back further in the creeks and look for the bait balls. Where there is bait, there is or will soon be fish. Once you have targeted a creek or pocket holding fish, you may have success by rotating that area with other areas you find holding bait and fish. Fish move up and down in the water column throughout the day, and in the same context move from deep to shallow. Given that, if you have success at one point in the day in a particular location, you may return again later and enjoy further success in the same area. Once the turnover ends and the water stabilizes the fish should return to normal and be a bit easier to target. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On! Guide Service, 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com

Striper fishing is fair. The stripers have dispersed lake wide and are aggressively feeding on shallow bait in the mouths of the creeks from the dam to Clarks Bridge. They are schooling and moving very fast. The best approach is to keep your eyes on the water. At times you may see a large surface disturbance of busting stripers and at other times small ripples from bait fish. In either case you will be more successful if you resist the temptation to go rushing at them with the big motor on. Instead, move in slowly and drop your trolling motor when you get close. The Red Fin, Spook and Chug Bug seem to work best for the fish which are aggressively busting the fish on top. A 3/4 ounce bucktail with fluke trailer and a Capt. Macks Game Changer seem to work best after the aggressive top water action ends and the stripers are picking up injured baits. With the lake turnover, water temperature changes and cold fronts it can be difficult to predict how these changes will affect the fishing. The key to fishing this week is to stay flexible. Take bait for free lines and down rods, umbrella rigs and top water baits. Keep your eyes on the water for schooling fish and adjust your technique according to the pattern you find.

October 28, 2011

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 12.03 FEET, STAINED & 74 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL

Bass fishing has been good and the lake is extremely low which has concentrated fish on isolated pieces of cover lake wide. Be extremely careful when leaving the river channel with the current lake levels. Most all of the ramps are still accessible. We will continue to keep everyone updated as lake levels change. Fishing slowed this week with the warmer outside air increasing water temperatures. Fish have not moved from their initial areas but have slowed bites a bit. The same patterns continue to work completely dependent on current conditions. In the early morning just about any type of topwater is producing in a natural pattern. On windy mornings the buzzbait can pay off with bigger fish. This is the same with the spinnerbait action if wind is present. Use a War Eagle 3/8 ounce spot remover spinnerbait with double silver willow leaf blades. If there is no wind, switch to your shaky head and jig with green pumpkin being the best color. Use a 3/8 ounce All Terrain jig AT Craw with a Zoom green pumpkin speed craw.

Hybrid and striper fishing is good. Topwater activity is heating up first thing in the morning and late in the evening. The mid day bite has continued to be the same using live shad on humps and road beds, but for consistent action focus on schooling topwater fish. To catch these topwater fish use floating flys trailed behind popping corks. The action can last for a while so be prepared. The best areas for topwater action have been mid lake from north of Wehadkee creek to the 109 bridge.

Crappie fishing has been good. Fish have finally pulled up into mid depth brush piles in five to ten feet of water. There will be multiple fish in each brush pile so slowing down with live bait down lined below corks is working best. When shad begin to migrate into pockets look for the trolling bite to heat up

October 28, 2011

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 10.8 FEET, 65 DEGREES AND CLEAR

Bass fishing is fair. Use a Tungsten sinker on a Texas rigged Zoom green or natural blue worm. Cast the bait right on top of any brush pile in 10 to 20 feet of water. Stay in the contact with the brush and use a live night crawler. Marina docks are fair and use a small chartreuse curly tail grub on a 1/8 ounce jig head. Use a bright Rebel Deep Wee R crank baits on sandy banks and use light line to get the baits deeper. On the worm rigs use a Zoom green or natural blue worm. Cast them on top of brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water. Stay in the contact with the brush and also try a drop shot rig with a morning dawn Robo worm. Keep a small Zoom pearl Fluke on a spinning reel on a small lead head for the schoolers that can pop up. Use a small silver spoon afternoons on the brush piles and on points. See our web site for the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

This Lake Allatoona striper and hybrid fishing guides report 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@comcast.net

Line side fishing is good. The lake in the process of turning over and all the action is on the north end of the lake right now. We been catching most of our fish on the bottom 8- to 20-feet deep on the flats from Little River to Fields Landing, the fish will be gradually start moving back down lake. All the fish are relating to the bottom. The best bite has been on jigging spoons dropped to the bottom and then twitched up about 6 inches. The bite will come as the spoon falls. We use a 3/4 or 1 ounce Flex It in chrome with either white or chartreuse. Spoons are catching a mixed bag of hybrids, stripers and white bass, and people are even catching a few big catfish in the same area. Its not uncommon to boat 30 or 40 fish. The fish will also hit live bait, and the gizzards and threadfins are easy to catch in Little River. You just have to get there before sun-up. Linesides are hitting shad both on down lined and free lines. With the down rods being the better bite

October 28, 2011

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 9.5 FEET, CLEAR & 66 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the crank baits, worms and jigs are catching bass. Spend the day casting a smoke blue Touchdown worm on a one ounce Carolina rig. Throw this bait right next to the sides of the points and around any rocks that are closet to deep water. Keep the egg sinker weight to no more than 1/2 ounce. Down lake work the humps and old road beds all over the lake. Rebel Deep Rs are the better baits and use the old black back and yellow side lure. To get this bait to the fish use 10 pound test Sufix Elite line and be sure to bump the bottom with the lure. Hit any stump filed half way back in the major creeks and work worms and crank baits slowly. Keep moving until the active fish are found as the weather changes. Zoom Super Flukes will also for on the Scrounger head 3/8 ounce sizes. Use the baby bass or the pearl Flukes. The Bass Fishing Lake Hartwell guide is for sale. Lake levels are from www.lakelevels.info/?StateID=GA

October 28, 2011

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 9.7 FEET, 67 DEGREES WITH MOSTLY CLEAR

Bass fishing is fair and the weather changes will effect the fish this week with the cooler weather and high winds. The creeks and the upper rivers are slightly stained. Up lake the best baits will be worms and jig and dark colors and larger sizes could prove effective for a big fish. Main lake creek points and creek bends are fair and Culprit red shad worms in the large size on a Texas rig will be fair. The afternoons will be better as the warmer coves can offer more shad movement. Work the Rattle Back 1/2 ounce jig and a #1 Uncle Josh pork trailer all in black, on the docks and points. Add some Jacks Juice in garlic scent and make casts to the same location. Crank baits later each day can work in the stained waters use bright Bomber Flat "A"s in chartreuse and crawfish colors. The lower bass are biting in the creeks.

October 28, 2011

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 2.6 FEET, CLEAR & 67 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the fish will start moving to the shallows to feed. Look for the bass are shallow later each day in the creeks. Keep a Pop r ready as well as a small Zoom Fluke on a small lead head and cast these baits to any schoolers that can pop up. For a bigger fish, use a 1/2 ounce Enticer Back black and blue or all black 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh, on the heavy cover. Find thick brush piles on points as they will hold bass using worms and jigs worked slowly. The Zoom smoke red u tail worm in the brush using a Texas rig with Thunder Bullet weight for extra sound, can draw a few strikes. Crank baits are better in the creek and the DT 10 in the shad or crawfish colors are best. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

October 28, 2011

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR, 70 DEGREES BY MATT BATY

Bass fishing is fair. The bass on Seminole have been a little frustrating to figure out lately. The cooler temperatures should eventually make the fish bite better. There has actually been a descent lipless crankbait bite going down on the main lake. To cash in on this bite use a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory on 20 pound test fluorocarbon. The best places to fish the bait are on grass points that are on the main lake. The grass has actually started dying back already and some of these places may be underwater. This is where your electronics, especially a Navionics chip, will help you find humps and points. This time of year, the fish really just prefer a steady retrieve with the bait. Another pattern that is working well is to fish a spinnerbait in these same areas or a soft plastic jerkbait. Use a spinnerbait like the 1/2 Strikezone Lure Company Edgebuster spinnerbait in chartreuse and white. The best soft plastic jerkbait to use is a 6" Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow in Glow Silver on a 6/0 EWG Gamakatsu Hook.

October 28, 2011

LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 2.5 FEET, 72 DEGREES AND CLEAR BY CLAYTON BATTS

Bass fishing is slow with the best times being morning and afternoon and whenever the water is moving. The top water shallow bite has been best during the morning and evening and has been lasting all day on overcast days. Fish a Stanford Lures Turbo shad in Bone Crusher around main river grass flats and a Spro Bonzeye frog in natural red back in the pads up the river. The ledge bite is fair from the causeway to Cowikee Creek. When the corps is moving water fish a Spro Little John DD in citrus shad on main river ledges that top out about 12-14 feet. If the fish seem finicky to the Little John switch up to a silent Stanford Lures Deep Big Cedar in Summer Shad, this cedar bait offers a different action that the pressured fish haven’t seen. If the water is not moving, fish a carolina rigged Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in Plum Apple around any deep brush or rocks on the ledges.

October 28, 2011

LAKE WEISS IS DOWN 2.64 FEET, 59 DEGREES & CLEAR BY COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE

Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama. E mail ken@havefunfishing.com

Bass fishing is good and a lot of largemouth bass have moved shallow in the coves and bays, look for any brush or stumps in 4 feet of water or less. Shallow running crank baits, spinner baits and Rat L Traps in shad patterns are working great. The spotted bass are on main lake points and humps, road beds and shallow river channel ledges, soft plastics like the Senko worm in green pumpkin with a chartreuse tail is catching a lot of good spots.

Striper fishing is fair and they are showing up in the main lake on river channel ledges 8 14 feet deep. Live Shad down lined and free lined, trolled slowly on the old Coosa river channel is producing best.

Crappie fishing is good and a lot of larger crappie have shown up on the old river channel ledges in the main lake and Little River and the Chattooga River, spider rigging with minnows 12 14 feet deep is really producing some good fish with a lot of under size fish. Look for the fishing to really get hot over the next few weeks. The crappie have started moving away from the docks, but they are still holding a lot of smaller fish.

October 28, 2011

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 2.2 FEET, 74 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.

Bass fishing varies on a daily basis, depending on the weather, current, moon phase, and the fish. Top water baits are the ticket on many mornings, except for a couple days after each new cold front. Buzz baits from 1/8 to 3/8 ounce have been the best, along with Pop Rs, Chug Bugs, and Torpedos. Most fish are coming from any type cover in the coves and creeks. Dont waste much time in areas with little or no shad present. Make sure to use a trailer hook for a higher hook up percentage. If fish are still missing the bait, down size the bait or find a comeback lure. Some good comeback choices are spinner baits, Flukes, small Rapalas and weightless worms and other top water lures. Bass are being caught from docks and brush piles, mainly on soft plastics and jigs. On the docks, try a Zoom 6 inch Dead Ringer with a ¼ ounce weight for more active fish. If the fish are inactive, use a Zoom Finesse worm with a 1/8 ounce weight and fish it real slowly. Good colors for both are June bug, green pumpkin, and red bug in clearer water. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

October 28, 2011

LAKE OCONEE IS DOWN 2.28 FEET, 72 DEGREES AND CLEAR.

Bass fishing is good. Clear on the main lake and stained up the rivers. Start the day with a buzz bait on the seawalls in the back of the main lake pockets or midway back in the mid lake creeks. As the sun gets up move out to the points and start working a Rapala dt14, or a dt10 in a shad pattern. Look for the fish to be in 5 to 10 ft of water. Richland creek is very clear and some of the fish have move all the way into the back of the coves and creeks off of Richland. As you work your way into the back of these creeks work the docks and any wood structure with a dark Zoom worm Texas rigged. You can also work the same area with a white spinner bait.

Lake Oconee Line Side report brought to you by Mark Smith at Reel Time Guide Service. 404-803-0741. wwwreeltimeguideservice.com

Line side fishing is fair. Some fish are showing up at the I-20 bridge. The best way to locate the fish is to troll a Rat L Trap or pull the umbrella rig. Make sure if you are pulling the umbrella rig that you keep an eye on your depth. Sugar Creek has the Capt. Mac umbrella rigs in stock along with Okuma line counter reels and Okuma striper rods. They also have a complete line of Zoom baits on hand. If you like to see the Lowrance HDS units in action give us a call. You can have an on the water demo. 404-803-0741

Crappie fishing is good and the fish are showing up in the mouths of the creeks. Some fish are showing up in brush piles from 5 to 10 ft. Look for the fish to show up on your Lowrance and drop you live shiners down the depth they are holding at.

October 28, 2011

JACKSON LAKE IS 3.6 FEET, CLEAR & 68 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the weather will be the big deal this weekend. Bass are after crank baits have been fair on the banks and Rapala DT10 and the Rebel Deep Wee Rs as well as the #7 Shad Raps can find the fish and keep moving. Up the lake, with a little stained water, even in the use the fire tiger and crawfish 7A Bomber and strikes will be very tight on any cover. Up the river the fishing is good and cast a 1/2 ounce Stanley spinner bait and add a large trailer. A large jig and pig in all black on the wood and bank structure can draw a big bass. Add some Jacks Juice in the garlic for a few extra strikes. This is a good fall and winter lake for bigger bass but larger lures are the ticket. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

Our DVD, Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass is now on sale for only $ 25.00 including shipping. Send a check payable to Southern Fishing Schools Inc. to: Southern Fishing Schools Inc to 106 Hickory Ridge Drive, Cumming Georgia. Please allow 14 days for delivery.

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Professional Fishing Staff will be conducting FREE! Sonar Seminars at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia. The BASICS OF SONAR seminars are held on the last Saturday of each month at 2pm. All seminars are subject to change without notice.

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.

We have these BASS FISHING books for sale: BASS FISHING LAKE LANIER, BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE, BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE and BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL. These books are written exclusively for Bass and each book 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.

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