The Southern Fishing Report “

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com



August 19, 2011



LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 5.3 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 87 DEGREES.



Spotted bass are deep but there are a few fish shallow over main lake points feeding early. Small top water baits still get a few strikes and a small Chug Bug in chrome and blue or a bone Zara Spook Jr. will attract some bites. Once the sun is high, spots get tough to find and catch. Depths are very consistent all over the lake. Cast worms and jigs to and work them down past 24 feet to get to the correct strikes zones. Fish baits very slowly and a Texas rigged worm in green pumpkin and Limeaide will work on up lake points for spots. The best baits down lake are Zoom finesse worms in greens, baby bass and blue pumpkin on a Texas rig. Shad Raps in a variety of colors are fair. Cast these lures should be cast on light 8 pound test and a spinning reel. Long casts or even trolling can be productive and main lake points and reefs close to points are good locations. Points and deep docks are the better locations in the middle of the day. Depths are almost the same up the lake for spotted bass. If shad schools are close by make plans to move back to that same area at least one more time during the day.



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 morning bite has slowed with the full moon and cold front. You may want to wait until late morning or early afternoon before hitting the lake. The stripers are scattered but they are sticking to the river and creek channels from Flat Creek to the Dam. The exception is the back of Orr Creek which has been holding some fish. Your odds of finding fish are best in 80 to 140 feet of water. The fish you mark with your Lowrance structure scan at 40 feet have been very stubborn and difficult to get to bite. The fish under the 40 foot fish at 60 to 100 feet are much more cooperative. Try power reeling to 'fire up' those stubborn fish. Drop your bait well below the fish and reel your bait up through the fish. Try different speeds. This approach will often trigger a reaction bite and can serve to "fire up" the rest of the fish in the school. Shorten your leader to about three foot when power reeling. You will have a lot less trouble with tangles and knots than with the long leaders. You can also use a 2 ounce Captain Mack's bucktail jig tipped with a herring. I have had mixed results trolling this week. Lead core at 8 to 9 colors with a chartreuse 4 inch shad body has worked best. Finding fish in trees is a much simpler with the new Lowrance structure scan. Meet Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena at the Chamber of Commerce Expo in Cumming on September 8, 2011 from 2pm until 7pm.



August 19, 2011



WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 5.6 FEET, STAINED & 91 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL



Bass fishing has been tough. Fishing has been slow with the extremely high temperatures. I look for little change with all species until we begin seeing some temperature changes leading into Fall. Best fishing right now can be at night using large soft plastics and jigs. With night time temperatures fish will often move up to feed. Day time temperatures have really slowed fishing down. If water generation is present you can catch a few fish on deep diving crankbaits and most times these will be your better fish. If there is no generation you will need to slow way down with your soft plastics. The best soft plastics have been Texas and Shaky head worms. Despite the slower bites fish have related to larger baits so use your magnum trick worms and ten inch worms. The best colors have been green pumpkin and watermelon. Work these baits slowly in and around cover located on humps and road beds lake wide.



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 rattle 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.



August 19, 2011



LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 5.1 FEET, 88 DEGREES AND CLEAR



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



Bass fishing is fair to good. Even though about 80 percent of the bass are deep right now there are still some fish shallow. Try the Jewel Akins jigs and brown with chartreuse Spanky’s jigs on blow downs in the main lake pockets. This bite has been late evening and early morning. As usual the fresh brush bite is hit or miss and you need to cover multiple piles just to catch a limit. Brush in the 12 to 18 foot range that is isolated and not heavily fished is holding good spots and largemouth. The night and evening bite is the ticket. Deep cranking a Spro Little John DD in cell mate and a big Colorado blade spinnerbait around brush and large rocks in the 12 to 18 foot range is producing good fish. Use the Little John DD on 10 pound Sunline fluorocarbon and a 7 foot 11 inch St. Croix glass cranking rod so you can feel the different type bottom your bait is hitting. For numbers, the shaky head and drop shot are your best bet. For the shaky head use the 1/8 once Davis Bait Company HBT jig head tipped with a natural colored, squirrel-tailed worm made by Big Bite. As for the drop shot fish the 6 or 8 pound test Sniper fluorocarbon tipped with a Big Bite Shaky Squirrel finesse worm with a 1/0 Gamakatsu drop shot hook. Fish it slow around rock and brush in 12 to 16 feet in the Etowah River. Don’t be afraid to make multiple casts to the same area to evoke a strike from a finicky bass.



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 fair to good depending what day your there. Fishing has changed a little since last week. The fish have moved out over the river channel and are schooling in depths for 20 to 40 feet deep. Trolling seems to be your best bet and live bait will also catch you a few fish. Down line your bait over the river channels between 20 to 40 feet deep. Make sure you use long leaders at 6 to 8 feet. White bass, small hybrids fishing is still the best bite on the lake. These fish are schooling on top from sun up to sun down and just ride until you find them. Mid lake has been the best. A Zara Spook Jr. is working best for these little line side. With the cools nights coming up fishing should really get good in the next couple of weeks.



August 19, 2011



LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 5.9 FEET, CLEAR & 88 DEGREES



Bass fishing is slow both up and down lake. The bass are off the deeper points and it’s best to stay in the lower lake in the creeks. Use the 3/8 ounce Enticer 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 and ay stumps on the edge of the water you see. The Zoom green 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 for a little top water action but this is not a very consistent pattern. Later each day and after dark, use the Zoom trick worm in greens and fish around docks down lake. Add a nail weight in the worm and let it sink out of sight and try June bug this week. A dark Stanley jig in black or browns and a crawfish Uncle Josh trailer in matching colors can get strikes up the lake in the pockets on the outside bends of the lake.



August 19, 2011



LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 3.4 FEET, CLEAR & 87 DEGREES



Bass fishing is slow and there are not a lot of angers on the lake. Most of the better fish are out deep on the long points and creek bends down lake and they are all are tight on cover. Use the Stanley 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the points. The crank bait and spinner bait cast on the bank cover and slowly worked will get strikes. Mid day, spinner baits down lake in the creeks are fair on cover using Stanley spinner baits with bright blades. Late look for shallow strikes as the bass move to the creek banks and points later in the day. The Zoom water melon seed lizards on a Carolina rig has been fair later each day on creeks and old channels. Also try the Culprit red shad worm on a Texas rig with the brass and glass combination. Work baits right on the bank around any cover. The Lowrance Sirius Weather module can keep anglers safe all day with the weather warning system. During the summer lightening can occur without notice and this is again why the Lowrance weather system to keep you safe all day and night.



August 19, 2011



CLARK HILL IS DOWN 6.2 FEET, STAINED & 88 DEGREES



Bass fishing has been fair although a bit difficult to figure out. There are only a couple of patterns we can depend on all summer and they are the Carolina rig and a Zoom lizard and deep DT14 Rapala crank bait. Fish are being caught most past 15 feet of water as they seek the cooler water and are also targeting deep structure. The crank bait bite might be the best bet and also try the shad and bream colored Middle N’s and Bandits. Points out 100 feet off the bank will be the best areas lake wide. Pig and jigs in 10 to 15 feet of water around structure is producing. You may catch some fish with this pattern in shallow brush piles if the weather cools off the next two weeks. Some activity has been seen on top water lures around the docks. Also on the docks skipping the jig and pig under them can get some strikes and the docks are fair early morning locations on the west side of the lake.



August 19, 2011



LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR AND 90 DEGREES BY MATT BATY



Bass fishing is summertime tough. The bass are really just not biting on Seminole this week. Fishing deep and fishing the thickest cover available is really the only way to get bit. Flipping hydrilla mats on the main lake can be productive at times, but the fish are not in groups, they are scattered which makes bites few and far between. When flipping use at least 50 pound Sunline FX2 braid use a 1 1/2 ounce Tungsten weight, a 5/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Flipping Hook, and a Big Bite Baits Yo Daddy in black and blue. The other option is to fish ledges or deep water in Spring Creek with a Spro DD in Nasty Shad. Early in the morning there is not much of a top water bite going on, but it is always worth a shot. Use a Spro Dawg 100 on Old Glory on braid with a 7 foot limber rod to get a lot of action out of the bait.



August 19, 2011



LAKE GEORGE IS FULL, 89 DEGREES & CLEAR BY CLAYTON BATTS



Bass fishing is fair and there is a shallow water bite going on and a deep water bite. Fish are biting up river around Florence fishing shallow but you have to fish hard all day and don’t expect to get many bites. For the shallow bite up north, try these baits. The first is to have the confidence to throw a Spro Bonzeye frog in natural red all day around grass lines and bream beds. Your second choice is to flip grass mats with a 1.25 Tru Tungsten flipping weight and a Big Bite Baits Fighting frog in black blue. Fish mats that lead back into the pockets and on the main lake around the pockets. For the deep water bite, use the Little John DD in Nasty Shad on the ledges up North around Cowikee Creek when the Corps is pulling water. When the Corps isn't pulling water, look for any brush piles and fish a green pumpkin Kriet tail worm as slow as you can through the trees.



August 19, 2011



LAKE WEISS IS DOWN .95 FEET, LIGHT STAIN & 86 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 poor and they have really turned off over the last couple of weeks or so. Some Bass are being caught very early and very late. A few good fish are being caught in the upper Chattooga River and the upper Coosa river, where there is more current and higher oxygen levels. Carolina rigged plastics are working right now, green pumpkin and pumpkin seed, seems to be the dominant colors. Medium to deep running crank baits and 1/2 ounce spinner baits slow rolled are also catching some bass. Top water baits are working fair, early and late, around deeper sea walls. Look for this pattern to hold for the next month or so, unless we get a lot of rain and really put some oxygen back in the water. Weiss Lake always gets a big algae bloom in late summer, which delete’s oxygen from the water and make's the fish very lethargic, so the dog days of late summer can be some of the toughest of the year.


Striper fishing is fair and they are in fair numbers in Little River and the upper Chattooga River. Little Spring creek is also producing some fish. The canal and the powerhouse lake are also producing some 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.



Crappie fishing is poor and the crappie are mainly under the docks and out deep 8-14 feet, on the channel ledges, Night fishing with live minnows with lights on the edges of the old Little River channel is producing some fair crappie. Shooting Jiffy Jigs in 1/24 ounce, under docks is still producing some decent crappie fishing. A few crappie are being caught on minnows from under lights at night off docks.



August 19, 2011



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



Bass fishing is slow. The same pattern is working this week as last. Look for the deep boat docks and pitch a Texas rigged zoom green pumpkin U tail worm as far under the dock as you can. You can also use a shaky head worm under the same docks. Both baits are working. There is a good white buzz bait bite at first light, on the sea walls and rip rap. If Georgia Power is moving water the bridge rip rap will be a better choice. You can still pick up a few fish on deep diving crank bait on the lower end of the lake on the ledges and humps. This bite is not as consistent as the dock bite, but a few fish have been caught off of the ledges.



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. As the water cools this fall look for the fish to start showing up in the River bend area of the lake, and also at the dam. Right now you can catch the smaller fish that are schooling all over the lake in the afternoons. These fish are not staying up very long and are very spooky so have your top water plugs ready when you see them. Sugar Creek has the Capt. Mac u-rigs in stock along with Okuma line counter reels and Okuma striper rods. They also have a complete line of Zoom baits on hand. If you like to see the Lowrance HDS units in action give me 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. 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 to the depth they are holding.



August 19, 2011



LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 91 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.



Bass fishing is slow and a dozen fish all day is a god day. Head up the lake to the rivers where there is a little cooler water and target points that stick out to the river. First, use the large Culprit dark worm on a Texas rig and work the points out to 20 feet deep. On and over any grass, use an all black ¼ ounce Lunker Lure buzz bait. Spinner baits and flat sided bright crank baits will work early and late but cover a lot of water in the backs of the creeks. The Flat A Bomber in lime and orange colors has been fair and add some extra scent. Use this bait in the mouths of the creeks right off the river. Add a Fish Head Spin with the Zoom Fluke trailer and drag this bait across the bottom almost like dragging a Carolina rig. Stick with the shad pattern.



August 19, 2011



JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN .9 FEET, STAINED & 88 DEGREES



Bass fishing is slow. Look out on the deeper points and the on old creek bends. Early there are a few fish shallow but they are all small. The better fish ware off points down lake. Use the black and red Stanley 1/2 ounce jig and a larger Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh is good on the stumps rows and old creek ditches. The old deeper docks are fair after dark. Work jigs slowly over cover as the bass settle to the sharper drops on creek banks and points. Zoom’s pumpkinseed lizards with a red tail on a Carolina rig, has been fair all day. Some better spotted bass are biting Shad Raps in the number 7 sizes on the rocks on points and on the bridges down lake. A small dark green mini lizard on a jig head with some extra scent can get a strike fro smaller spots.



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.



On Thursday, September 8, 2011, the Southern Fishing Schools Inc. and Big Fish On! Guide Service will be at the Small Business Expo to be held at the new Forsyth Conference Center. This venue will allow for more room, bigger booth space, and space to host a speaker series that will bring value to all businesses and the community as a whole. This year’s expo will be open from 2pm until 7pm. Make plans to attend and we’ll see you there.



Lowrance announces the new StructureScan and HDS10 and HDS8 Plus StructureScan bundle. These new HDS offering pairs award winning HDS fish finder/GPS combination units with the Lowrance exclusive Structure Sonar Imaging which provides users with the most complete structure and fish finding technology available. Both the StructureScan transducer and 83/200 kHz transducer are included in this bundle. Contact your retailer for current availability.

Stop



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