The Southern Fishing report by Ken Sturdivant 11-11
By Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge
770 889 2654
Cumming, Georgia 30040
November 11, 2011
LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 12.57 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLOUDY & 66 DEGREES.
This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jim Mathley, www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764
Spotted bass fishing has been very good. Our best baits over the last week have been the crankbait, shaky head worm, and jig. We have been targeting secondary points and main lake points with brush. We have also been fishing docks in certain creeks. Search for the docks in creeks with the clearest water to improve your chances of catching fish. We are using a deep diving crankbait and throwing it very shallow thus making it bang and deflect off of cover which is producing most of the strikes. Also, we are dipping our plastics and jigs in JJ’s Magic clear for the body of my baits and we use chartreuse for the tips of our baits. This makes a difference in the number of bites we get as well as the length of time the fish hold onto the baits once they have bitten it. You will catch more fish with JJ’s Magic on your plastics and jigs. Many very active fish continue to be shallow and can be found in 10 feet of water or less. The backs of some of the upper-end creeks are holding fish as well. Stay on the move to find areas holding bait fish and concentrate on those areas. Keep an eye on your Lowrance electronics as you scout for good fishing areas. Move back further in the creeks and out toward the timber in deeper water and look for the bait balls. Where there is bait, there is or will soon be fish. Once you find a creek, pocket, or main lake area holding bait and 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.
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 good. The main lake surface action has slowed and will continue to decline as the water temperature cools. The bait has also begun to move into the creeks in greater numbers. The early morning bite has been improving on long sloping points and flats. Target the points and flats with a high concentration of bait from the mouths of creeks to half way back. During the first hour or two of daylight stick to a 20 foot bottom with planner boards 35 to 45 feet out both sides of the boat. Run your baits 20 to 30 feet behind your planner boards and free lines 60 to 80 feet behind the boat. Herring and trout are working equally well. The difference between using herring and trout is the spots are aggressively eating the herring. Don’t be surprised if you catch 5 spots to every striper with herring. You may want to pick up a few extra baits when you start out in the morning. When the sun gets up the fish will move deeper. Move with the fish to a 30 to 50 foot bottom and weight your free lines with a couple of split shots. Also, hang a couple of down rods over the side while you are pulling baits. Another approach for later in the morning is to "run and gun" points with down rods. Focus on the deep water side of points over a 30 to 50 foot bottom. Drop a couple of down rods and cover the area. While you are bait fishing always keep a person on the front deck casting a Captain Mack’s bucktail jig with a fluke trailer. Do not spend too much time in any one place. There are fish lake wide in every creek however the south end has been the most productive. Big Creek, Shoal, Flowery Branch and Flat creek are good places to start. On the north end try Ada, Gainesville, Little River and Wahoo creeks. Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps that are open before going out. Due to the low lake level a significant number of ramps are closed.
Check with US Army Corps of Engineers web site to find a list of the ramps and their status.
http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/lanier…Elevations.htm
November 11, 2011
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 12.90 FEET, STAINED & 64 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL
Bass fishing has been good. There has been little change over the last week with the continual night time lows and balmy days. On windy days focus on throwing ½ ounce double willow leaf silver blades with a white skirt on shoals mid lake. The best shoals will have some form of rock on them. Make long casts bringing the spinnerbait back long ways along these shoal markers. If wind is not present slow down with a shaky head or football jig. Both are working with the green pumpkin colors.
Hybrid and striper fishing is good. Trolling is really beginning to pick up as water temperatures have dropped and shad have begun stacking in the mouths of creeks, pockets, and up the main river. The key is finding the bait right now. Once you have located shad begin trolling medium running crankbaits that dive from ten to twelve feet in depth. The best colors producing are in a shad pattern.
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.
November 11, 2011
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 10.11 FEET, 64 DEGREES AND CLEAR
This Lake Allatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com
Bass fishing has slowed a little this week. Blame the full moon and we do not expect changes until the end of next week. The drop shot bite is the best thing going for numbers and there is a decent flipping bite up the river. The mid day bite and evening bite is the best. The 10 to 12 foot range seems to be best around rocks and boulders the best depths. Keep moving till you find fish. 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 great. The fish are starting to move up on the points, Flats and humps and are very easy to catch when you find them. The live bait bite is hard to beat right now. Flat-lines and planner boards are working well at sun up and then again at sun down. After the sun comes up down lines fished at 20 to 50 feet deep over open water is working well. The north end of the lake is starting to clear and is producing some good fish. The Allatoona Creek arm is also starting to produce. It does not matter what part of the lake you are fishing so long as you target the flats, humps and main lake points.
November 11, 2011
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 9.4 FEET, CLEAR & 65 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair and the bass will move to tight cover. As the water cools down, get the pig and jig out and fish any wood or stumps especially up the rivers. Work any and all heavy cover like stumps, brush piles and lay downs with a dark brown or black/blue combination jig. Be sure to work all angles and a very slow presentation will be a must if you plan on getting any bites. The spotted bass are also biting the Fish Head Sin with a small Zoom fluke trailer. Work any of the main lake humps and long run out points. Fish any and all points that contain rocks and or wood from all angles and fish slowly. The spots are on the smaller size but every once in a while a nice one will be found. Downsize to a smaller jig head and use the 4 inch Yamamoto skirted grubs in smoke blue or black. A steady and very low retrieve is all that will be needed in locating the spots. Throw the bait as close as you can to the bank and work it all the way back to the boat. Fish as many points as possible and fish only the one with plenty of rocks. The Bass Fishing Lake Hartwell guide and GPS bass fishing locations are for sale. Ask for a free samples via e mail.
Lake levels are from www.lakelevels.info/?StateID=GA
November 11, 2011
CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 10.23 FEET, 66 DEGREES WITH MOSTLY CLEAR
Bass fishing is fair and the fish are chasing bait schools in the early morning hours. This is the time to use the run and gun method of fishing. Stay south and find and fish as many points and about 50 to 75 yards of bank on each side as possible. Spooks, Scroungers with Flukes and regular Flukes are catching fish. The spinnerbaits and 3/8 ounce Rat L Traps are working. Stay off the points as far as possible and make long casts. Bass are following the bait back into deeper water so use a stop and go retrieve later in the day. Long casts and slow presentation is the key. Carolina rigged worms in the lighter greens are working also on the very ends of the points near the deeper water. Light line and weights are working the best. Try even putting a split shot for a weight and let the worm fall real slow to the bottom.
November 11, 2011
LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 2.9 FEET, CLEAR & 66 DEGREES
Bas fishing is good and with most winter and fall patterns the bass will suspend on the ledges on or around all major points. Deep diving crankbaits like the new DT10 from Rapala will get down to these fish and get the job done. Also try the suspending #7 Shad Rap and add four or five Storm suspend strips to the front of the bait. Make long casts to get down to these suspending fish. Best bet will be to go about half way up either of the two main rivers and stay off the points and areas around them. Make long casts and crank the bait down fast for the first eight to ten feet then slow the bait down to almost a crawl. Work the area thoroughly then move to another. Early morning to mid day will be the most productive using this pattern. Later on it will be necessary to tie on a blue or black/blue jig combination. Any and all wood structure needs a good application of the jig. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
November 11, 2011
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR, 65 DEGREES BY MATT BATY
Bass fishing is good. The cooler weather has finally started settling in and the bass are biting a little better. Use the lipless crankbait bite and look for shallow grass flats in about 4 to 5 feet of water and throw a Spro Aruku Shad 75 in Old Glory or chrome and black. Sometimes the fish will be on top of the flat and the trap will catch them, but sometimes the fish will be on the edge of the flat in a little bit deeper water. A great way to catch them is to throw a Stanford Medium Razor Shad in Summer Color. These Stanford baits are making a come back and are awesome cedar crankbaits for the grass on our lake on Seminole. Also try flipping main lake grass lines. When flipping, look for about 7 to 8 feet of water and use 1 ounce weights, 5/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Worm hooks, a Snell Knot, and a 6" Big Bite Baits Kreit Kreature in Watermelon. We like to take a pair of scissors and cut off the middle tentacles on the Kreit Kreature. This gives the bait an awesome look to the fish and they seem to grab the head of it more for better hook ups.
November 11, 2011
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 2.90 FEET, 71 DEGREES AND CLEAR
The bite at times will be very subtle and you may not even feel one at all. Any line movement from side to side or added weight will need a quick and prohibitive hook set just in case. These bass will grab hold and slowly move to the deeper water so stay alert at all times. The carolina rigged Storm u-tale worm in the red shad seem to be another good choice for that mid to late afternoon bite. Remember to cover as much water or points as possible in the time that is allowed. Rig the worm with a 3/0 VMC hook and push the point through the worm until it just breaks the other side then back it off a little. This will insure a good hook set on those light bites.
November 11, 2011
LAKE WEISS IS DOWN 3.22 FEET, 53 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 the largemouth bass are really biting well and they have moved shallow into the coves and shallow 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 secondary 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. The upper Coosa River is also producing some great bass, the spots are out on the main river channel chasing shad, shallow to medium running crank baits are working awesome on these aggressive fish.
Striper fishing is fair and they are showing up in the main lake on river channel ledges 8 to 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. The upper Coosa River is starting to turn on , the crappie have moved out to the main river channel in the stumps and log jams.
November 11, 2011
LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.85 FEET, 68 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.
Bass fishing is good and the fish are following bait schools into the coves and shallow flats all over the lake. Down the lake the water is warmer and a top water bite is still available early in the day. Bass will hit 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 seawalls seem to be best. Pop Rs, Chug Bugs, Tiny Torpedos, or similar baits should produce a fish or two for the angler that concentrates on early morning top water. Docks and boat houses are now the primary places to hunt for bass. Soft plastics and jigs are the most reliable baits, although any of several other choices could produce well on a given day. Lightweight Texas rigs with Zoom Trick or Finesse worms have fooled fish recently. A short leader Carolina rig is another good choice. Use a 6 to 12 inch leader and the lightest weight possible. This rig can be cast underneath docks when the lake is low, but is used primarily along the sides and front of docks. Another good choice is a Spotsticker and a 1/8 ounce jig head with a Zoom Finesse worm. The worm can be threaded onto the hook similar to a Texas rig to make it weedless. The worm can be bent toward the hook shaft and the hook point inserted lower than normal. This will cause the tail of the worm to stand up during retrieve. Some good color choices for any of the worm rigs are green pumpkin, natural blue, June bug, and black. Also try a jig with a Zoom Salty Chunk trailer. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.
November 11, 2011
LAKE OCONEE IS DOWN 2.41 FEET, 63 DEGREES AND CLEAR.
Bass fishing is good. Clear on the main lake and stained up the rivers. There are two good patterns working on the lake. One is under the docks in the back of the creeks and coves. Work a Zoom U Tail worm in a dark color like watermelon, green pumpkin and melon candy. Work these worms Texas and contact all structure under the docks. The other pattern that is works as well or better is to work a small crank bait down the sea walls and around the same docks. The brighter the sun the better this pattern will work. As always the fishing is better when Georgia Power is moving water. As always this time of year we will start the day with a white buzz bait on the sea walls and around any rip rap.
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. The fish are showing up in the usual fall locations. These locations are at River Bend and at the mouth of Richland Creek. The fish are starting to school. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools. When you find the fish drop the live bait to them. Over the past week flat lines have out produced the down lines. Always keep a u-rig ready for a change of pace. This is also the time of year that the spoon bite is very strong. We keep several spoons ready and will fish them with the live bait. Sugar Creek Marina 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. See the Lowrance HDS units in action. Just give us a call and we can show you how it works. You can have an on the water demo. 404-803-0741
Crappie fishing is fair. The crappie are showing up in the middle of the major creek. Live bait is the best bet for loading the cooler. Use your Lowrance to locate the fish and drop a live shad down. Keep moving until you locate the fish. They are scattered all over the major creeks but when you find them they will feed.
November 11, 2011
JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN .33 FEET, CLEAR & 68 DEGREES
Bass fishing is fair and there are some good fishing biting down the lake near the dam. Shad are active now on the flats and in the coves and this would be a good time to start early in the morning with your topwater baits. Try the shallow coves with a Spittin Image topwater bait. Color will depend on the clarity of the water but this bait is one of my favorites. Work the smaller coves on the south end of the lake and be on the constant lookout for any shad breaking the surface. Expect the water to be anywhere from a light stain to having a good color up rivers. For these conditions use a loud crank bait that has a good wide wobble to it like the DT10 in shad patterns. 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.
The 2012 Atlanta Boat Show is January 12-15, 2011 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Come and see our fishing seminars. We will post the topics soon.
The Great Southern Fishing Show will be held at the North Atlanta Trade Center January 121-22, 2011. We have shallow water seminars, fly fishing, guide trips and much more. Seminars will be posted soon.
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
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