The Southern Fishing Report” by Ken Sturdivant 3-20

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com

March 18, 2011

LAKE LANIER IS FULL, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 55 DEGREES.

Bass fishing is good as the fish are feeling the warming days and all the sunshine. The jerk baits worked in pockets like the McStick and the Mega Bass Vision 110 are working well almost all day. After this week ends full moon many bass will gather up under the docks. Use the light 10 pound test Sufix Elite line on a spinning rid and reel and use a Zoom green finesse or gourd green worm rigged on a 3/16 ounce spot sticker jig head. Shad Raps and jerk baits on main lake points will work and mid day go to the shallow pockets. Use all white buck tails, jigs and u tail green worms. On the bright sunny days use the sand and green pumpkin Zoom fork tail worms on a light spot sticker and cut the worm down to 5 inches. Fish the centers of the ditches in the creeks and off lake coves at less than 10 feet of water. Sand and hard clay banks line this area and spots spawn on them in the early spring. Cast any baits close to the bank, but be sure to work the baits all the way out to the boat. At this time of year, bigger fish will hold off the banks as far as 26 feet of water. The Zoom dark blue plastic pork trailer on the matching colors of 3/8 ounce Stanley jig is a good second or third choice for this deep structure.

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 slowly improving but remains only fair. The stripers continue to feed at night and nap during the day. The best bite at night is casting Bombers right up on the bank on points and flats. Flat creek continues to be the go to creek at night but is starting to get a little crowded. You may want to try another creek like Four mile or Balus. We will see the the water temperature increase significantly this week with the weather forecast for warmer temperatures and sun. The fishing should improve with the increased water temperature and hopefully the morning bite will "fire up". Pulling herring shallow on flats with free lines 80 100 feet back is working and will only get better. The herring from the bait stores have been very large and you should consider up sizing your hook to a 1/0 or even a 2/0. In addition to the free lines, put one board right up on the bank with a large gizzard shad a couple of feet behind the board for that big fish. Casting a bucktail while pulling baits will get you a couple of additional stripers and also pick up a couple of spots. I have not had any luck with the U rig this week but I never leave home without them. The fish are scattered lake wide and concentrated middle to all the way back in the creeks. The back of Bald Ridge, Four mile and Flat are the key creeks on the south end. Johnson and Latham creeks are still holding a few fish and worth a try. The rivers are stained and should attract some fish with the increasing water temperatures. Little River and Wahoo creeks as well as the Holly Park area are good places on the North end. Beware of the big arches in Little River. There are lots of large gar feeding and you can waste a lot of time fishing for them.

March 18, 2011

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 3.8 FEET, STAINED & 64 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL

Bass fishing has been good. Fish have begun moving into the backs of pockets and creeks relating to sparse wood. Pitching and flipping soft plastics to these areas is producing better fish but just not as many bites. My best soft plastic has been lizards and craws in a green pumpkin color. In between sections of wood shallow crankbaits are still producing. Use a Spro Little John or Bandit 200 in a shad pattern to cover water. Fish are relating in depths from six to eight feet of water. My best areas have been from the 109 Bridge south avoiding cooler waters of the river.

Hybrid and striper fishing is good. Fish are grouping on shallow humps and roadbeds in ten feet of water. Over the last week fish moved from their deeper depths following bait. Drop live shad into schools of fish.

Crappie fishing has been great. Some crappie have begun spawning in shallow pockets and in some creeks. Use popping corks and jigs in a black/chartreuse or pink white pattern eighteen inches below the cork. Once the jig bite has slowed look switch to using live minnows. The best creeks have been Yellow Jacket and Whitewater.

March 18, 2011

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 2.1 FEET, 56 DEGREES AND CLEAR

This Lake Allatoona bass fishing guide report has been brought to you exclusively by Matt Driver from www.proanglerradio.com

Bass fishing great and the water is warming fast to 56 degrees. We have been out several times in the past week and boated 10 to 15 bass or more every time out. The fish are starting their yearly feed up getting ready for the spawn. The a keying in on shad, so the best thing we have found is the Spro Little John in chrome and nasty shad have been working best for bass. We are paralleling wind blow rocky banks mid to south on the lake. Fish Spro McSticks in Norman-flake and spooky-shad colors. Fish main lake points and flats. Be sure to work these baits very slowly. You can also fish flat-sided crankbaits such as Davis Fishco and Norman Flat Broke Baits in these same areas. Any crawfish or shad patterns will do the job. Mix up the retrieves because some bass like it slow and a few were caught "Burning it". Spinner baits and jerk baits like the Spro McRip and McStick 85 have been producing also. Jigs and Jig head worms will be getting good real soon.

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 great and the fish are feeding all day. My clients this week have caught as many as 46 stripers and hybrids on a half a day trip. The fish are starting to school up and are scatter from south end to the north end of the lake including the rivers. The bite up the rivers should be on fire in the next two weeks. We are also catching good numbers of line sides on the south end of the lake like Iron Hill, Clark Creek and around the islands at Red Top have been really good this week. Our best fishing is coming soon up north. Mid lake fishermen should fish the mouths of the creeks. Flat lines and planner boards have been producing numbers. But the down line bite has been better for big fish. This is the time of year to pull BIG Baits for Big stripers. So don’t be afraid to use shad as big as 10 to 12 inches. Trolling is really starting to improve. The fish are moving up in the water column and on the flats .And the Mack Farr u-rig is a GREAT way to catch these fish and we look for a great trolling bite come April.

March 18, 2011

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 2.4 FEET & 56 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good and the water is warming fast. Once the full moon passes, a lot of bass will head to the shallows and the spawning coves. The female bass will start feeding at this water temperature warms up in preparation for spawn. The male bass may be up shallow especially on sunny afternoons. Fishing sunny spawning grounds that are receiving the warm spring time sun is a great way to get a few largemouth bass in the boat. Fish shallow crank baits and jerk baits The bass are feeding lake wide in all the major creeks. Also try the boat docks with the crank baits like a Shad Rap or a small Bandit. The jerk baits like a Lucky Craft Pointer 78XD or a Staysee 90 will work just fishing them slowly. Carolina rigs with a once sinker will work and add a Zoom green lizard on a 3 foot leader rig.

March 18, 2011

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, CLEAR & 56 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the fish are on the main lake and creeks primary and secondary points. The female bass will start feeding at this water temperature in preparation for spawn. The male bass may be up shallow especially on sunny afternoons. Bass will be around any wood and there is a good shad population in the lake and the bass are targeting them getting fat for next month shallow rush to the spawning areas. Work the pockets or ditches and find the bait fish and the bass will be close by. Use the jigs and the Fish Head Spins rigged with a Zoom Fluke and work every pocket you can find. It’s hard to beat a light Texas rigged a Zoom Baby Brush Hog on any wood on maim lake pockets.

March 18, 2011

CLARK HILL IS DOWN 3.1 FEET, STAINED & 58 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and the fish are ready to start to the shallows. Spend the day with the spinner baits, crankbaits, jerk baits and jigs. Next week the big female bass will head to the shallows looking for an area that provides cover and food for the spawn. Throw close to and into the thickest cover possible during the warmest days. With a warming trend this week, the bass will feed and the edges of spawning flats will hold bass. If the month does stay on the cool side, use your jerk baits and crankbaits that suspend, and fish down the middle of the pockets. Bass love the jig and pig on any wood or steep drop offs. Also use this bait on the main and secondary points that are near spawning flats.

March 18, 2011

LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, STAINED AND 62 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good and there is still a stain on the main lake. Stay off the main lake for another week as the water and fish the creeks. Up river flip and pitch jigs with a plastic Zoom pork style trailer to the grass edges. Use the darker red colors in all worms and jigs and shad crank baits are fair later in the day. The bass bite better later in the day on the grass lines or the rip rap on bridges. On main lake points, slow roll a 3/8th ounce Stanley spinner bait and cast to any stumps. Mid and late day the river bass are biting and use a large black and red Gilraker worm and fish them right on the bank cover. The Zoom water melon seed lizard and a long 3 foot Carolina rig can draw a few strikes on ledges at 10 feet on the main river.

March 18, 2011

LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, 60 DEGREES & STAINED

Bass fishing is good. Shallow grass and mid depth brush piles are holding bas all day. Fish with jerk baits, Carolina rigged Zoom green lizard and small Shad Raps in the warm backwater areas up the river. There are staging fish holding in the shallow brush piles and the spinner baits with a single Colorado blade with a white and chartreuse skirt will work. Texas rigged lizards are also working well and add some adding some rattles in the baits help out with the stained water. Try the jigs rigged with a Zoom slat trailer around structure and also use the Fat Free shad crank baits. The sexy shad Strike King crank baits in the smaller sizes will attract a lot of shallow bass. Try the Zoom trick worms in the June bug and green pumpkin colors on a tiny Texas rig and a spinning reel for a lot of action.

March 18, 2011

LAKE WEISS IS .86 FEET OVER FULL, LIGHT STAIN & 53 DEGREES BY MARK 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

Jiffy Jigs Largest Crappie contest Come fish with me and have a chance to win a 50.00 dollar prize sponsored by JIFFY JIGS. The largest Crappie caught in my boat each month in February and March will win the prize. www.jiffyjigs.com

Bass fishing is fair and the Bass are staging in the spawning bays, on secondary points, humps and ditches. Rat L Traps and shallow to mid running crank baits are catching these pre spawn Bass.

Crappie fishing is fair and the crappie have started back biting. The crappie are staged in the mouth of the spawning bays and they are being caught long line trolling with JIFFY JIGS in colors JJ13, JJ17, JJ24. Little River, Little Spring Creek and the bays around Bay Springs are producing best.

March 18, 2011

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 58 to 65 DEGREES, LIGHT STAIN UP AND CLEARING DOWN

Bass fishing is good. The fishing keeps getting better every day, spring is here. Secondary points seam to be holding the most fish. Chrome Rat L Traps with a stop and go retrieve. The creeks are full of bait, and the bass are relating to the bait. Keep moving until you find the active fish. Shad pattern Shad Raps fished off of the sea walls and rip rap will also produce good catches. This time of year make sure you have white chartreuse spinner bait handy. You can fish the spinner bait in the same areas as the other baits. As always on Oconee when Georgia Power is pulling water the fishing will be better.

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 good. Look for the birds. If they are diving then set out your flat lines and plainer boards. Live bait is the way to go. The fish are scattered from Sugar creek to the dam. The spring run is on, now is the time to catch the big stripers.

Crappie fishing is good to very good. The big slabs are moving to the back of the main creeks like Lick and Sugar. Look in water from 2 10 ft. deep. Spider rigs seam to do the best right now. Dark jigs in blue black with a minnow added seam to be the best. The fish should be sponging with the full moon this weekend. Now is the time to take a child fishing?

March 18, 2011

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 61 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.

Bass are shallow lake wide but they are feeding after dark with this week’s full moon. There are some early top water fish but it only lasts until 8am. Lots of small bass are in water 5 feet or less, and small crank baits and Rat L Traps have been working. Use the Texas and Carolina rig worms and add a spinner bait later in the week. Spinner bait can catch some fish on clean banks with little or no cover but use them on the blow downs, stumps and docks. Use heavy line like 17 to 25 pound test and experiment with retrieves each day. Small crank baits like a #4 or #5 Shad Rap RS and ¼ ounce Rat L Traps will also catch fish. Some good colors are fire tiger, chrome blue, and gold black. For the Carolina rig, try Zoom lizards in 4 and 6 inch sizes in green pumpkin and June bug. Use a half-ounce weight and 2-foot leader. For the Texas rig, try a 6-inch lizard with a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and 3/16 ounce bullet weight.

March 18, 2011

JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN .8 FEET, STAINED & 61 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good and the warmer weather will get the males bass to the shallows fast. Small crank baits and spinnerbaits are working the best. A Bass Pro XPS Enticer spinnerbait in the white/chartreuse is working very well. A ¼ ounce Rat T Trap or a Bomber Fat A in the black and /chrome would be the crank bait of choice. Fish the bait on 10 pound Sufix Siege line. Cast all baits right up on the bank. If you are not hitting the bank or seawall you may fish some good fish. The bass are in very shallow water chasing shad. Some good fish are also be caught by flipping a Zoom Big Tube bait in a watermelon color around any blow downs or up under docks. Fish this bait on 17 pound test Sufix Elite line. You will need the heavy line to get the fish out of the cove quick.

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. Call us to set up a school, Maps and Depth Finders or Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass. www.havefunfishing.com 770 889 2654.