“The Southern Fishing Report”

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com



November 18, 2011



LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 12.83 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLOUDY & 62 DEGREES.



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



Spotted bass fishing is very good. We have been focusing on creek pockets and main lake rocky banks for the majority of our fish. The recent heavy rain has really stained the water in some of the lower lake feeder creeks and those creeks, regardless of depth, are holding bait and fish. Even with the cold front, these fish should remain for a couple of days and maybe through the coming weekend. The water in the backs of these creeks is warmer than the main lake by about 2 degrees, and that is plenty of difference to attract the bait and fish. These stained water fish have also been very shallow and some are dirt shallow. Cast to areas that you couldn't believe there would be a fish and you may get a very nice surprise! Our best baits over the last week have remained the crankbait, shaky head worm and jig. 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. A medium running crankbait is working in the stained water. Look for the jerkbait bite to pick up very soon as well. While there are fish out deep relating to the timber, there are also many very active fish continue to be shallow around the lake and can be found in 10 feet of water or less. We have the whole winter to catch those deep fish, but we suggest anglers stay shallow. 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. There is still some main lake surface action on the south end of the lake but it is continuing to decline. The bait is moving 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 Creek, Flowery Branch Creek and Flat Creek are good places to start. On the north end try Ada Creek, Gainesville Creek, Little River and Wahoo Creek. See the New Bait and Tackle Store On Lake Lanier. Island Bait and Tackle is located on 5825 Lanier Islands Parkway. Buford Georgia 770-614-0080 www.islandbaitandtackle.com/ 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. http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/lanier...Elevations.htm



November 18, 2011



WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 12.38 FEET, STAINED & 64 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL



Bass fishing has been good. Fishing has continued to be good as fish are staged both shallow and deep but are grouped tightly relating to bank. With the low water fish are both on shallow offshore structure and shallow bank line structure. On offshore structure fish can be caught in multiples. Look for these fish to be located on humps and roadbeds with bait present. The same baits are working on both offshore and shoreline cover. Forth both types of fishing use shallow running Rapala Shad Raps in shad pattern. When the bite slows switch to a 1/8 ounce shaky head worm in green pumpkin. Be very careful when running the lake with the low water levels. Much of the offshore structure is either out of the water or is just below the surface. You cannot catch them if you cannot find them. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing “On the Water” fishing schools.



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 are holding close to deep brush lake wide. The best depths are in ten feet of water or more. These brush piles will hold large schools of fish once you find them. Use live minnows down lined above brush for best success.



November 18, 2011



LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 10.2 FEET, 65 DEGREES AND CLEAR



This Lake Allatoona bass fishing report is from Matt Driver, www.proanglerradio.com



Bass fishing is fair to good and the lake is settling down as the turn over began a few weeks ago. The jig head and small finesse jig are working great on main lake points. We believe the crank bait bite will be picking back up soon with cooler weather coming back. Be careful out on the water the lake levels are really low.



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 and will get better when the weather stabilizes. The flat line and planer board bite is starting to pick up but is over with by 9:30 am. Then it’s down rods and four arm umbrella rig time. We caught more fish this week on our umbrella rigs, then go to live bait. We are targeting the flats from Victoria Landing all the way up to Clear Creek. We are not looking in the Allatoona arm this week. There is a ton of fish moving up on flats and points to feed on small threadfin. Catch them on jigging spoons or Rooster Tails if you can get them deep enough at 10 to 12 feet deep. The flats off Gault's Ferry have been good as well as the island at Harbor Town and Bartow Carver. Seagulls are starting to show up. We expect in December the fishing will be full blown. Key on the birds and any top water action and have a Zoom Super Fluke, Sammy or Zara Spook ready all day. Pull flat lines and planer boards and later in the mornings pull a lighter three arm umbrella rig. We still have a few days open for Christmas Break give me a call at 770 827-6282 and lets take the kids fishing.



November 18, 2011



LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 9.1 FEET, CLEAR & 62 DEGREES



Bass fishing is fair. The lake is low at almost ten feet. On the creek ledges in the mouth of the creeks there are schools of bass. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology will really pay off. Bass will feed mid day on a Texas or Carolina rigged worm in watermelon seed. Also try a small Zoom lizard. Use the tungsten sinker for the b extra sound and work baits all the out off the points and ledges. Later in the day, cast a Bagley’s Killer B II crank bait in baby bass or shad colors on the creek banks. In the up river creeks mouths, slow roll a Stanley spinner bait with gold and silver willow leaf blades. The “Bass Fishing Lake Hartwell” guide is for sale. Ask for a free sample via e mail. Lake levels are from www.lakelevels.info/?StateID=GA



November 18, 2011



CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 9.6 FEET, 64 DEGREES WITH MOSTLY CLEAR



Bass fishing is fair to good. The lake is low so be very careful while running the Lake. The ditches have been pretty productive the past couple of weeks. A brown/bone Rapala DT6 will work. Any warming trend this week will being the bass shallow to feed and they use the ditches like highways. Channel ledges near the points and ditches are excellent places to locate good Bass this week as well. Try using a Bandit 200 root beer crank bait in the deeper water and along the ledges for bigger bass. The submerged stumps in about ten foot of water and deeper are holding plenty of fish. When they are moving water, you can set up on main lake structure and wear the spots out by cranking down with a deep diving crank bait. They will also take a Carolina rig or a shaky head or drop shot. Rocky points with brush piles, the reef markers around the dam or vertical structure like bridge pilings will get better weekly. Learn how to use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology with Southern Fishing “On the Water” fishing schools.


November 18, 2011



LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 2.6 FEET, CLEAR & 65 DEGREES



Bass fishing is fair. Look for the fish to move tight cover and wood on main and up lake points. The depths are from 12 to 22 feet with the cold fronts putting them tight on cover. Use the dark worms and jigs. Worms should be on a Texas rig. Use Zoom’s u tail in smoke and gray on the tight deeper bank structure. Enticer jigs in the black and blue and black and browns are fair. Use no more than 1/2 ounce then add an Uncle Josh #11 matching dark pork trailer. Later each day, bass are being caught on Shad Rap #7 crank baits in crawfish. With any warm up during the afternoons, crank baits will be fair. Use the stop and go pattern and make contact with the deep brush and add some Jack’s Juice in the garlic on lures. The deep main lake points in the stands of trees with a 1/2 ounce Flex it is fair. Work baits right in the timber and deep brush. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.



November 18, 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. There is a pretty good lipless crankbait bite going on right now. 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 Rat L 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 Lake Seminole. Another pattern that is really turning on is flipping main lake grass lines. When flipping, look for about 7 to 8 feet of water and use 1 oz. weights, 5/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Worm hooks, a Snell Knot, and a 6" Big Bite Baits Kreit Kreature in Watermelon. 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 18, 2011



LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 2.94 FEET, 70 DEGREES AND CLEAR



Bass fishing is fair. The bass are close to the deeper points and it’s best to stay on the lower lake in the creeks. Use the 1/2 ounce Bulldog spinner bait with large silver willow leaf blades. Slow roll this lure on the points and use a single Colorado blade and a chartreuse and white skirt. Up lake work this same lure on thick bank cover. The Zoom blue pumpkin lizard on a Texas rig has been fair on deep docks and points. Add a Venom glass rattle in the lizard. Afternoons are better as the water warms up. The Zoom Super Fluke in pearl is working on the flats after mid day as the bass look for food as the water cools down. Later each day, use a trick worm in greens, and cast around docks down lake and let it sink out of sight. Use a dark Stanley Rattle Back jig in black or browns and a crawfish Uncle Josh trailer, in matching colors can get strikes, but fish the baits slowly.



November 18, 2011



LAKE WEISS IS DOWN 3.59 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 are really biting well. Look in the shallows in the coves and bays. Just 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 well. 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 8-14 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 to 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 18, 2011



LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.16 FEET, 64 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.



Bass fishing is fair to good and it’s crank bait time. The Bill Norman Little N is working in a stop and go retrieve and don’t hesitate to cast this lure right into the trees blown over in the lake. Work this lure through the trees as slowly as possible and tick the lures off the tree limbs. Also the worms will work and use the dark larger worms and jigs on the trees and docks. Flip any of the lakes docks with a Texas rigged Culprit red shad worm and peg the 3/16 ounce sinker. The larger worms in red and blacks are fair and add the Jacks Juice crawfish scent. Make casts to the same location often and stay in the brush. Use a Zoom Creepy Crawler in water melon seed on and around the docks. Work the backs of these docks as well as the bank cover and the sea walls on down lake. The upper rivers are slow and fish are tight in brush. Sunny docks will produce for the patient angler. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.



November 18, 2011



LAKE OCONEE IS DOWN 3.1 FEET, 61 DEGREES AND CLEAR.



Bass fishing is fair. Use a #7 Shad Rap around all the docks. This has been the best producer over the past week. Start looking in the middle of the coves and creeks and find the coves with at least 5ft of water under them. Work the shad raps and contact the dock poles. There is still a buzz bait bite early in the mornings. Work a white Old Nelly buzzbait down the sea walls and on the bridge riprap. The white spinner bait will also draw a few strikes on the rip rap when Georgia Power is pulling water.



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 in the usual fall places, river bend and the mouth of mid lake creeks. Live bait is the best way to fill your live well. Shad and shiners are both producing. The flat lines are producing better than the down lines, but both will put fish in the boat. Have a spoon tied on if you see a large school drop the spoon down and hang on.



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. Remember to come to the 2012 Atlanta Boat show for the free fishing seminars. Mark Smith will be there on Friday and Saturday.



November 18, 2011



JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, SLIGHTLY STAINED & 64 DEGREES



Bass fishing is but a little difficult to figure out. There are a lot of patterns that are catching bass right now, 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 and the Middles N’s and a #5 Rapala Shad Rap in shad or peach colors. Work the rock walls and the sea walls mid lake. The pig and jigs at 8 to 12 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 but they only seem to wok later in the day after the water warms. 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