By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com

July 14, 2011

LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 4.9 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 87 DEGREES.

Spotted bass fishing is good and the fish may change from one day to the next. Ne day top water is hot and then the next day you will have to go to the drop shot. Most of the fish are being caught fishing the under water humps mid lake around primary points and main lake humps. Spots have been starting to school up better this week and top water baits have been quite successful. On overcast day’s, use the Lucky Craft Sammy 115 and 110 in any a shad pattern on the Storm Chug Bug and the Rico in the shad colors. The bone Zara Spook Jr. and the regular size Zara Spook in the One Knocker style has been very good on the larger fish. Run the top water baits really fast across the surface when you run up on a school of fish on top. We call this running the dog and keep the rod way high and reel the bait fast with the walk the dog action. The spots will chase this bait down and eat it. Use the Scrounger with the Zoom Fluke in pearl and add a chartreuse tail on the fluke with the Spike It markers. Drop shot rigs the morning dawn Robo worm continue to catch some really big spots. Do not spend too much time on a point, hump or brush pile as the fish can be finicky to n make bite.

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 great and the fish in their summer time patterns and are very active. However, the afternoon bite is better than morning. Plan on starting your trip around 10:00 am. There are a lot of fish holding at 30 to 60 feet over both river and creek channels from Browns Bridge to the dam. Focus on the edges of the channels in 80 to 120 feet of water. There are also a good number of fish in pockets early in the morning from 60 to 80 feet of water. Focus on the pockets in the mouth’s of the creeks. The summer time pattern is in full force. Down line herring is always a good summer time technique. You may want to increase the length of your 12 pond test fluorocarbon leaders to 10 feet or greater. Change your baits often to ensure they are "lively". Never reuse herring. Remember, stripers love to chase there baits. Downriggers and lead core are both working with Captain Mack’s 1oz bucktail jig with a chartreuse or white 4 inch shad body. Umbrella rigs will work if you can get them deep enough and keep them out of the trees. Don’t forget to put ice on your bait and try to get your herring down as quick as possible. At our current 80+ degree water temperature catching a striper subjects it to a lot of stress. Consider not taking "another" fish picture and instead release it immediately. Finding these big fish in trees is a much simpler with the new Lowrance structure scan down scan technology.

July 14, 2011

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 4.6 FEET, STAINED & 89 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL

Bass fishing has been slow. Fishing has been slow with the higher temperatures. Most fish are coming from deep water road beds and hump’s when current is present. Use Carolina rigs and shaky heads worked slowly. When generation is at its strongest and bait is present use deep diving crankbaits in shad patterns. The best colors have been watermelon and green pumpkin when using a Carolina rig and deep crankbaits in a shad pattern. There is an early morning top water bite on schooling fish before the sun tops the trees on schooling fish. For these fish use popping cork and fly. The best locations for these schooling fish have been on the southern end of the lake, south of Wehadkee creek.

Hybrid and striper fishing is fair. Fish are schooling lake wide over the tops of humps and road beds following shad on the surface. The action will be fast so use fast moving shad imitating baits. Use ¼ ounce Rat L Traps and Pop-R’s. Work baits quickly to resemble fleeing shad. Once top water action slows use live bait over the same humps and road beds that produced with top water earlier in the morning. The best locations are on the southern end of the lake.

Crappie fishing has been fair. Fish have not moved much over the last few weeks and do not look for other major movements until temperatures begin entering a fall pattern. Fish have fully committed to deeper water. Look for deep brush piles near main lake during day time hours. Best fishing has come from bridge pilings at night. Down line live bait twelve to fifteen feet deep.

July 14, 2011

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 2.9 FEET, 88 DEGREES AND CLEAR

Spotted bass fishing is fair. They continue to move shallow early and late and back off during the day. Try top water early with a Zoom pearl fluke thrown right to the bank on mid lake points and pockets. Mid day go a little deeper with Zoom finesse worms on a jig head around deeper brush piles. Green pumpkin will work but sometimes just a little different color will get the fish going. If you find docks with brush try Spanky’s ¼ ounce mine jig, use it with a matching Zoom Trailer and be sure to use green pumpkin. Fish the long points as well, back off a bit and throw a Carolina rigged lizard. Night fishing is more productive and more comfortable. Try slow rolling ½ ounce or larger Sworming Hornet Colorado blade spinner bait after dark across those long points. Also, the deeper diving Norman DD22 crank baits are beginning to catch quite a few. The key is bouncing them off deep rocks. This technique usually connects with bigger fish so be ready. Finally, think brush piles. Drop a Zoom finesse worm in green on 1/8 ounce Slider Head in brush from 12 to 20 feet and shake it. Drop shot rigs are also working. Try the Yamamoto cut tail worm or the new teeny tiny 2” Zoom Flukes.

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 and the trolling bite is starting to over take the live bait bite on Lake Allatoona. The dissolved oxygen level on Lake Allatoona is making live bait fishing tough. Shad have less then a five minute life span on a hook fish deeper then 20 feet right now. And the window of opportunity for catching numbers on live bait is less then and hour and a half right at sun up. This is the time of year where trollers rule, and will for the next two months. The key to good numbers in late summer is to be universal. Be open mined every time you head to the lake. Live bait, umbrella rigs, deep diving, crank baits, spoons, and lead core will all work this time of year. But when you combine all of these techniques into one outing the rewards just may out weight you catch.

July 14, 2011

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 4.4 FEET, CLEAR & 88 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the fish are up in the shallows early and then leave for the deeper waters by 10am. Early try the small white buzz baits and the Pop r on any shadowed bank or on docks. Then DT Rapala crank baits and the Husky Jerks need to come out. Small bass are being caught on the main lake points back to the secondary points in some coves. If there is any stained water up lake, use the fire tiger color DT6 and a jointed or the RS Shad Rap. Look for plenty of rock with brush piles or timber in the same area. Early morning, until about noon is the best time to fish this week. Skippy baits will also work on a 3/0 Mustad offset worm hook and use pearl on sunny days and June bug on cloudy days.

July 14, 2011

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 3.7 FEET, CLEAR & 87 DEGREES

Bass fishing is a little slow with the full moon this week. A few fish are still hitting top water baits during early morning, mostly in coves from the mouth to about half way in. Most any shallow cover can hold a fish but main lake humps and points are best. Pop R’s, Chug Bug’s, Tiny Torpedo’s, or similar baits should produce a fish or two for the angler that concentrates on early morning top water. Carolina rig is another good choice. Use a 6 to 12 inch leader and the lightest weight possible. Try a small Spot Sticker head and add a Zoom finesse worm or a Zoom Trick worm and use green pumpkin, natural blue, June bug and black. Also try a jig with a Zoom Salty Chunk trailer. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan down Scan technology to scan an area and you will see the fish. The Lowrance and Sirius Weather module will help keep you safe with the Lowrance HDS machines.

July 14, 2011

CLARK HILL IS DOWN 4.1 FEET, STAINED & 88 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the top water bite is only good the first hour of daylight. The bass are feeding after dark with the full moon. After the sun is up, the bass are tight on creek bends down lake and on the sides of the main lake points. The fish are biting but slow presentations will need to be the order of the day. Use the Zoom gourd green worm on a Texas rig in the tight bank cover. Up the creeks, use a dark jig and pig combination and fish tight in any cover from the bank as far out as 15 feet. The Lunker Lure Rattle Back jigs in the 3/8 ounce size in dark reds and blacks with a matching #11 Uncle Josh trailer will be best. Add Real Craw scent and use it often casting to the same location. Keep a Zoom Super Fluke on a Scrounger head read and just make a long cast with the Sufix 832 braid and slowly swim this bait back just ticking the bottom.

July 14, 2011

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR AND 88 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good early and use a larger 1/2 ounce Lunker Lure buzz bait with a gold or silver blade and matching skirt. The Spro Frog has been working well on and over the grass beds early and stay as close to bank cover and grass lines as possible. The silver black back and gold black back Rapala’s on the grass lines in Spring Creek are fair. Shad crank baits and jig and pigs in reds and blacks are good. The red shad 10 inch Culprit can also work and use a larger 5/0 Mustad offset worm hook and Sufix 832 braid. Cast to the grass and work the stumps on the edges of the creeks. Crank baits in bone and orange bellies in the creeks and on secondary points, is fair. Up the river, flip a big dark Berkley Power worms and use big ones. Flip the grass lines and holes. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan down Scan technology to scan an area and you will see the fish. The Lowrance and Sirius Weather module will help keep you safe with the Lowrance HDS machines.

July 14, 2011

LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, 84 DEGREES & CLEAR

Bass fishing is good early and late in the day. Use the dark Texas rigged Berkley Power worm in the larger sizes slowly worked on the grass beds mid lake and up lake larger crank baits and jig and pig combos will work. Try the Biffle Bug on a larger weighted hook and skip it into and around the grass areas. The June bug and watermelon green are the two best colors. The up lake bass are slow. Later each day, use a Hart tackle buzz bait with a red skirt and silver blade on lower lake grass beds. Cast these baits right on the banks and pull them slowly over the grass. A larger dark worm over the grass and around wood can get a strike. Keep a deep diving DT10 shad Rapala ready and make at least 10 casts in the center of any cove or pocket before you leave an area.

July 14, 2011

LAKE WEISS IS DOWN .64 FEET, LIGHT STAIN & 80 DEGREES 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 the largemouth and spotted bass have moved to their summer pattern 8 to 14 feet deep on river and creek channel ledges, main lake points and humps and road beds. Carolina rigged plastics are working awesome right now. Green pumpkin and pumpkin seed seem to be the dominant colors. Medium to deep running crankbaits and 1/2 ounce spinnerbaits slow rolled are also catching some good bass. A few bass are still being caught shallow on jigs and tubes under docks.

Crappie fishing is poor. The fish are under the docks and out deep on the channel ledges. Shooting 1/24 ounce Jiffy Jigs under docks is still producing some decent crappie fishing. A few fish are being caught on minnows under dock lights at night.

Striper fishing is good and they are starting to show up in good numbers in Little River. They are also starting to show up in the main lake on points and river channel ledges. The canal and the Powerhouse Lake are also producing a lot of stripers. Live shad is the key to catching these fish. Flat lines and down lines fished 8 to 10 feet deep and trolled slowly are producing some great striper fishing.

July 14, 2011

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 90 DEGREES AND A light STAIN UP RIVER

Bass fishing is fair. The Rivers have a light stain and the main Lake is clear. Now is the time to start thinking about night fishing and look for lighted docks and start working a Texas rig and a dark u tail Zoom worm. Lighted docks with structure under them are producing best. If night fishing is not good for you then think deep. Work the south end of Richland creek. Look for deep ledges or off the side of deep humps. You will need to work these areas with a Mann’s 20 and 30 plus. These fish are holding in 18 to 22 feet of water. You can also work the same area with a Carolina rigged Zoom six inch Watermelon seed worm. You will need to use your Lowrance to ensure that the fish are on the ledge before you start working it.

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 poor. The striper fishing has changed. The water temps have driven the stripers away from the dam. They are moving up the lake in search of cooler water. The best way to find the fish is with a Capt. Mack’s umbrella rig. You will need to run it about 20 feet deep. There is a chart on the umbrella rig package that will tell you how deep it runs under certain conditions. The fish are on the move so be ready to search until you find them. Sugar Creek has the Capt. Mack’s umbrella rigs in stock along with all the jugs and tackle you will need to pull the rigs the right way. If you like to learn how to fish your rigs, give me a call and we will take you out and show you how to do it.

Crappie fishing is fair. Some fish are showing up in brush piles from 10 to15 feet. The night bite in the timber is still the best producer. Look for the fish to show up on your Lowrance and drop you live shiners down the depth they are holding at.

July 14, 2011

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 89 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.

Bas fishing is fair and the fish are up on the shallow rocks and points early. Up the main rivers and in the back of the creeks water is muddy with a little stained water down the lake. Bass fishing is fair. As the water temperature stay up, these fish will still feed to replace the energy they expend chasing food even in the heat of the day. Look shallow almost all day and hit the grass beds up Little River to Murder Creek as the bass stay in the shallow water. You can still find some fish on the summer time holes and also along the shoreline. Look for docks where deep water is nearby and fish a small crank bait or Texas rig worm. There also has been a very large mayfly hatch around the lake. If you can find mayflies near deep water, use top water baits in those areas. All white buzz baits in Crooked Creek can work on any wood.

JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 2.2 FEET, STAINED & 88 DEGREES

Bass fishing has been fair but the fish have been a little off this week with the full moon. Fish feed at night during the full moon and this might be a good time to get out the 10 inch worms and put them on a light Texas rig and hit the lighted docks. There are a few day patterns that are catching bass but it’s hard to nail down which is best. Fish are being caught in a variety of areas and depths so it’s not just a matter of changing lures. The crank bait bite might be the best, with Middles N’s and Bandit’s good choices. Target the rock and sea walls. The 3/8 ounce jig and pig with the original Uncle Josh pork trailer in 8 to 15 feet of water around structure is producing. You may catch some fish with this pattern in shallow brush piles. There are many new brush piles under the docks. Some activity has been seen on top water lures.

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.

Copyright 2011, Southern Fishing Schools Inc. calls us to set up a school, Maps and Depth Finders or Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass. www.havefunfishing.com 770 889 2654