“The Southern Fishing Report”

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com



December 31, 2010



LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 3.2 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 46 DEGREES



Spotted bass are still biting and there are several techniques that are working. Spoons and jigs are great all year but especially in the colder waters. Use smaller sizes early in the day and then go to larger baits after noon. Drop shot rigs with dark Zoom finesse worms are working and be sure to use the larger 3/8 ounce winker to get the baits deeper faster. Be sure to keep the line tight and use 10 pound Sufix Elite line on a spinning rod and reel. If there are any small jig head around the boat, try a live night crawler on a ¼ ounce lead head jig. Pick some docks in the marinas down lake and use the Lowrance and find the drops at depths of 30 to 45 feet. These drops need to have a good well defined drop and the spots are holding right on the edges. We can still see bass in the deeper old lake structure at 30 to 40 feet deep on the end of points. But all points do not have fish and this is where the Lowrance Down Scan technology shines. You can actually count the fish in the structure or on the bottom with these machines. Now use the sonar part on the Lowrance and now you can watch the fish come hit the drop shot rigs or the spoons. Small to medium shiners on small herring will also work on a drop shot rig but there are some stripers that like these baits also. Spoons in the ½ and ¾ ounce sizes are still deadly and Flex It spoons in whites, blue and white and all chartreuse are the choices. The water is stained there but spots are still being taken on Strata spoons in 30 to 45 feet of water.



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 but it is a hunting game again this week. The weather and the fishing has improved this week. The fish are scattered lake wide but the middle to the south end continues to be the most productive areas. As the weather begins to warm the afternoon bite will continue to improve. The fish are beginning to move up on the points and can be caught "running and gunning" with bait or umbrella rigs. Focus in the middle of the creeks on sloping points with brush over a 25 to 35 foot bottom. As always this time of year, birds and bait are the key indicators. Free lines 80 to 100 feet back and down rods at 20 to 35 feet with trout or herring are your best bet but smaller baits are also working. Casting a Captain Mack's bucktail jig with a fluke trailer or a 1/2 ounce flex spoon will work on rolling fish. Weather continues to be a critical factor and success this time of the year depends on flexibility. Don't spend a lot of time in any one area, keep your eyes on the water and use different techniques as the conditions change. Mike and I will be at the Boat Show January 13th January 16. Please stop by the fishing center and say hello.



December 31, 2010



WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 6.6 FEET, STAINED AND 45 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL



Bass fishing has been slow. The bite has slowed with the cooler temperatures this week. With the lower water conditions fish have pulled out a little and scattered with the limited cover available. The best cover has been on steeper banks in the mouths of creeks and pockets such as lay downs and brush piles. It takes a little more time to find brush piles, but they are often better producers this time of year. The best cover has been in depths from twelve to fifteen feet of water. These underwater hotels have been producing both spotted bass and largemouth. Our best pattern has been a 1/8 ounce shaky head with a Z Man floating worm in green pumpkin, and mid depth crankbaits in a shad pattern. Use a Bandit crank bait in a natural shad pattern to cover water while locating cover. On sunny days the clear water jigging spoon bite has been great. Look for fish stacking on humps and roadbeds in Wehadkee Creek to catch these fish.



Hybrid and striper fishing is good. The river bite has slowed some this week. The best bites have come from down lining live bait on humps and roadbeds on main lake. The best humps have been in Wehadkee and Maple Creeks.



Crappie fishing has been excellent. There has been little change with the cooler temperatures. Crappie have pulled out even more with the lower winter water levels. Their depth ranges have not changed much ranging from twelve to fifteen feet. With the lower water levels you will need to fish the first break off of main channel going into pockets. These channel contours are anywhere from twelve to fifteen feet deep. Use pink and white or black and chartreuse jigs tipped with minnows in twelve to fifteen feet of water. Trolling patterns have seemed to work the best to locate fish. The best creeks have been Half Moon, Yellow Jacket, and Whitewater.



December 31, 2010



LAKE ALLATOONA IS 12.2 FEET, 47 DEGREES AND CLEAR


Bass fishing is good. The best way to catch both quality and quantity is with a Solid Chartreuse 200 Bandit and a drop shot rig. Fish the main lake points and flats in the upper portion of the lake, north of Galts Ferry. The jig bite is productive when fishing the steep rock banks. Use a 3/8 Bass Patrol Jig in black and blue or all brown and tip the bait with a Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer. In the mid section of the lake use the a 3/16 Shaky Head with a Bold Bluegill Robo Worm on points. Be sure to check any of the deeper creeks for any baitfish. If you find them, fish a Drop Shot tipped with a Tiny Fluke in a Shad Color. You can also fish the creeks with the Bass Patrol Jig. Keep in mind that the lake is going to continue to rise and get more stained, due to the rain. You may need to choose darker colors for your Shaky Heads. For your crank bait, you may want to try a Series 4 Strike King, because it has a wider wobble. The fish should be able to detect it more easily.



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 has been fair. The snow we had on Christmas dropped the water temperature on the lake 4+ degrees and really locked up the fish. Look for the water temperature and the fishing to rebound quickly the water weather we have in the forecast for this coming weekend. Trolling has been the best producer for numbers. But we have also caught some big fish this week on planner boards and down lines along with the u rigs. Mid lake is still holding a lot of fish. Look for these fish to start to move south and or the back of the creek in the up coming weeks. Please remember to sign of for our free guide trip giveaway. Go to my website and then click on my face book account to register. Winter isn't the best time to fish for numbers. But if you want a really big fish, this is your time of year.



December 31, 2010



LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 7.1 FEET, 48 DEGREES



Bass fishing is fair and the best areas are on main lake points and old bends in the creeks. Use the dark jigs and dark u tail worms on docks up and down lake. The Stanley 3/8 ounce all jig and pig is better up the rivers on points that drop into the river. The bass are still sluggish and slow presentations are required. Hit any bank structure, such as trees, and let the bait fall back to the bottom. Add a pork trailer and work the lures slowly. Drop shot rigs are still good at 20 to 35 feet on deep brush with a small Bass Trix minnow and around deep marina docks. Use 6 pound Sufix Elite and a light tip spinning rod and use the lightest line you can but still pull the fish up out of the brush. Also try any marina slips with a small Flex It Spoon or a tiny Bass Pro Shops tube bait on a 1/32 ounce plain lead head.



December 31, 2010



LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 3.2 FEET, CLEAR & 49 DEGREES



Bass fishing is fair. The high pressure has made fishing a little tough for a few anglers this past week. Spotted bass will bite the Baby Brush Hog and a small Shad Rap on the points mid day. A lot of the fish have been in deep water and the anglers drop shotting are catching these fish. Watch this week for a warming trend that will a least allow anglers to get a few good hours of fishing. Keep a baby Zoom Fluke in pearl and white ice on a small worm hook will also work and use some 8 pound test Sufix Elite line to make the long casts to the sand pockets.



December 31, 2010



CLARK HILL IS DOWN 7.3 FEET, STAINED & 50 DEGREES



Bass fishing is barely fair but this will change as the weather warms some this week. Spoons in the 1/2 ounce sizes are the best winter time lures in and over old trees and natural structure. Watch for any suspended fish and hit them in the head with a spoon. It will be hard to get strikes all week. Spoons in the 1/2 ounce sizes are the best winter time lures in and over old trees and natural structure. Watch for any suspended fish and hit them in the head with a spoon. Fish the deeper structure and look in the creek mouths and use spoons and jigs. Fish the deep heavy brush and the standing timber. Use dark lizards or a French fry worm on a light Texas rig and small hooks. Light line will be a good choice and slow presentations will keep baits right in the strike zones.

With a warm up, get the pearl Zoom Super Flukes will get some action by mid week.



December 31, 2010



LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN .6 FEET, CLEAR & 48 DEGREES BY MATT BATY



Bass fishing is good. The fish are deep into their winter patterns. Spring Creek and Fish Pond Drain are the two best places to fish right now because of the deep water. The bass are suspended in the standing timber and stumps and are grouped up big time. You really need to utilize your electronics and look for the shad. Once you find the shad, the bass will most likely be right underneath them. Two good ways for catching bass are on a jigging spoon and drop shot. For the jigging spoon, use a 1/2 Spro Sushi Spoon in Silver and Black. These spoons are absolutely awesome. Use a rod that is no longer than 7 feet and something that has a little tip action. You also need to use at least 20 pound line. Monofilament works well for this technique, such as Sunline Supernatural. Find shad or bass on your electronics and then drop the spoon underneath them and jerk it up and down vertically off of the bottom. The bite will come on the fall so be ready to set the hook. Another neat trick to use with the Sushi Spoon is to put a split ring on the front along with a number 4 Gamakatsu EWG Treble Hook. Put a number 2 Gamakatsu EWG on the rear. This will ensure a good hook up ratio when they strike. If the jigging spoon bite is slow, then opt for the drop shot. Use a spinning reel with 8 pound Sunline Fluorocarbon, a size 2 Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse Hook and a 5/16 Drop Shot weight. For lure of choice, use a 4" Big Bite Baits Squirrel Tail Worm in Tilapia. Just drop in next to the bigger stumps and shake it until you feel a bite. Depths are from 18 to 20 feet.



December 31, 2010



LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, 54 DEGREES & CLEAR



Bass fishing is fair and fishing has been best on the south end where the water is a little warmer. Work the old weed lines with the jigs and the jerk baits especially afternoons. Try running the smaller Rat L Traps in the protected creek coves at depths of 3 to 6 feet deep. The fish are grouping up deeper were the spoon bite is your best choice. Sonar is the best toll and the new Lowrance down scan technology will help anglers fish in the right areas and be sure there is some bait around. Start on the main lake points and also the islands and use the smaller Bandit red and black crank bait. Digging up the bottom will trigger a lot of bites but add some Storm Suspend strips to get the baits to bounce off the bottom. Try the backs of the smaller creeks. It’s hard to beat a Carolina rigged Zoom u tail worm on or near any sharp bends of the rivers channels. Use red shad Culprit worm also.



December 31, 2010



LAKE WEISS IS DOWN 4.10 FEET, STAINED & 44 DEGREES BY MARK COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE



Weiss now has a new winter level of 4 feet below full pool, instead of 6 feet, this a new rule by Alabama Power. Formally JR's Marina will be open in mid January with new owners and a new name, Little River Marina 256 779 6461.


Bass fishing is fair and the bite is starting to slow down as winter sets in. Very few largemouth are being caught, but the Spotted Bass are still active in the upper Coosa River and they are being caught on a green pumpkin/chartreuse Senko worm Carolina rigged, fished on the drops of the old river channel and in the log jams. Little River is also producing some great spot fishing in the upper part on the old river ledges and the steep rock banks, a drop shot rig with a 4 inch worm or a small craw is working great.



Crappie fishing is great. Crappie are being caught on structure on the drop off's of the upper Coosa River channel ledges from 3 mile creek up to Mayo's Lock and Dam in 8 16 feet of water, spider rigging with live minnows and Jiffy Jigs is the way to catch these winter crappie, Look for structure on the edges of the old channel with schools of fish suspended around or above the structure, fish your baits very slowly at or near the depth you are marking the schools of fish. Casting Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ13 and JJ17 under a float or tight lining them, is working awesome right now in the log jams of the upper Coosa River.



Striper fishing is Good and they are being caught in the Coosa River from 3 Mile Creek up to Plant Hammond in Georgia, trolling 1/4 ounce jigs with a 3 or 4 inch Sassy Shad at 1.5 to 2 mph will be productive all winter.



Ask for a sample of the 50 GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama. For more info contact Ken Sturdivant at ken@havefunfishing.com



December 31, 2010



LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 47 DEGREES, STAINED TO MUDDY



Bass fishing is fair. Look for rock or rip rap. These rocks will worm the water and hold the bait fish. Look for the wind blown side of the rip rap as this will also help hold the bait. The fish are keying on small bait so match the hatch. Start out with small crank bait. Make sure to keep it in contact with the rocks. A small jig and trailer fish in the same area will also produce. When Georgia Power is pulling water you can move out to the points on the main lake and find feeding fish. Use a Carolina rig with a 4 in. worm in black or blue. Use just enough weight to keep the rig down.



Lake Oconee Line Side report brought to you by Mark Smith at Reel Time Guide Service. 404 803 0741. wwwreeltimeguideservice.com Remember to come to the Atlanta Boat show for the free fishing seminars. Mark will be there on Friday and Saturday. Come by and say hi.



Line side fishing is fair. The cold water has the fish scattered all over the lake. The best opportunity is to find active birds and fish live shad under them. There are some fish that are hitting a 1/2ounce . spoon fished on the bottom. Do not be afraid to move until you find active fish.



Crappie fishing is fair. The fish are in the mouths of most creeks and big coves. Spider rigging is working as well as finding the fish on your Lowrance and dropping live bait to them. Tip you jig with a minnow to increase your bite.



December 31, 2010



LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 52 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.



Bass fishing is fair but it is a little harder to pattern a bite. The patterns are changing fast due to weather changes this week. Recently the bigger bass have been caught on shallow crank baits along main river banks and just inside the mouth of coves. Most fish have been 3 to 5 feet deep. Use the Bandit 100 in spring craw chartreuse, Rapala Shad Rap RS #4 in fire tiger, shallow Thunder Shad in root beer chartreuse, and Norman Baby N in sun perch. A ¼ ounce Rat L Trap can also produce. Dock fishing hasn’t produced well lately, but could any day. A Stanley 5/16 or 7/16 ounce jig in black blue with a Zoom Salty Chunk could produce some large fish around docks with brush under them. Carolina rigs are still catching fish from primary and secondary points. Try a Zoom Finesse worm in green pumpkin on a 3 foot leader with a half ounce weight. More fish are showing up deep in the clearer water down lake. Look for these fish along the sides of points and humps that have lots of shad present. Depths are varying from 15 to 30 feet deep. Try a Hopkins Shorty 75 in chrome and gold. Carolina rigs and drop shot rigs are also worth trying.



December 31, 2010



JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 5.8 FEET, STAINED & 50 DEGREES



Bass fishing is fair. The fish are holding and relating to the wood in the lake while the spots are doing are roaming around. Cover a lot of water and use a Rattlin Rapala. This lipless crank bait is an ideal shallow water bait even the in the cold water. Up lake there is a little stain so use the red crawdad or the red fire crawdad color. This bass will relate to the crawfish colors and attack the bait when it comes across. Work the small rocky banks and cover as much water as possible. Check out the small cuts or bowls in the bank and work to the secondary points back in the coves. Follow up this bait with a RS Shad Rap or Jointed Shad Rap and work the same areas as before on the return back to the ramp. Stay in the river mouths especially if they are pulling water through the dam. Any current will drive the bass into a feeding frenzy and cranking the back sides of points and rip rap will get you a limit in a hurry.



The 2011 Atlanta Boat Show is January 13 through 16, 2011 at the Georgia World Congress Center. www.atlantaboatshow.com



The Great Southern Fishing Show will be February 19 20, 2011 at the North Atlanta Trade Center. From bass fishing to fly fishing and more, this is the best show of the winter.

www.northatlantatradecenter.com



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. 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 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.



We have 3 books that cover ALL SPECIES in these lakes, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE ALLATOONA, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE LANIER”, and “52 WEEKS ON WEST POINT LAKE” on sale. Each book is $23.95. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040. Copyright 2010, 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.