Georgia Fishing Reports
02-16-2008
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 16.4 FEET, 45 DEGREES AND CLEAR
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
This Lake Allatoona fishing report is from Mike Bucca.
Bass fishing is good even with the cold weather. There are still some good and quality 2 to 3 pound fish biting the drop shot and spoon. There are very big schools of fish all over the lake but they are deep. Most are in the mouths of the creeks toward the last deep hole in the major creek arms on the lake. Use your graph to find these schools of fish. I'm alternating between a drop shot tipped with a 5 inch Robo worm and a 1 ounce spoon. Depths are 30 and 40 feet. Also there is a good jig bite on the north end of the lake. As the water rises the largemouth tend to move up the extremities more and more. Water clarity will probably be fairly stained to muddy in these areas so make sure you add a rattle and upsize your jig a bit to help compensate. One lane at Red Top Mountain is now open. We have Gault's Ferry, Red Top, Gatewood and blockhouse open as of late and just recently Cherokee Mills (Little River) just opened up 2 days ago but use this ramp as last resort as this ramp is located all around shallow flats. If you are interested in the latest ramp info and happenings visit www.allatoonabass.com for the latest info on Lake Allatoona.
This Lake Allatoona fishing guides report for striper and hybrid has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282. email: eidson6260@comcast.net.
Line side fishing is slow and the shad kill has started. And like always when the shad kill starts fishing really slows down. And then you throw in all these cold fronts that we are having and it makes fishing even harder. Most of the fish are still mid lake. Kellogg's Creek is loaded but you just can't get them to bite. I have tried everything I can think of but nothing seems to be working right now. The only fish that I can get to bite is the ones that aren't on big schools of bait. If I see one or two single fish on my fish finder I seem to have a better chance at getting them to bite then the big schools at Kellogg's. Last year we had a great bite on trout. This year, so far, it seems our better live bait bite is on shiners. Shiners are even out fishing shad right now. But the key to catching these fish on shiners is to make sure you have premium bait. The DUGOUT has the best bait on the lake. But please remember when fishing small baits you must use small hooks. I use a size 6 hook on my shiners. Fish your shiners the same way you fish your shad and trout. Flat lines, planer boards and down lines. When the shad kill ends these fish will start eating big baits again. This is when you want to switch back over to trout and gizzard shad. Look for the fishing to really start heating up at the end of Feb. March has always been one of the best if not the best month for MONSTER Stripers on Lake Allatoona. SPECIAL NOTE. Just because the lake levels are falling don’t think you can’t load the boat with fish. The best fishing every year is when the lake is at it lowest. Remember with less water this also means less boats and less fishing pressure. I look for the lake record striper to be caught this year. And I truly believe it will be caught by one of my clients. First Bite Guide Service has its boats wet slip on Allatoona. Even if all the ramps close. We will be open all winter. Please call and book your trip today. STRIPER TALK. If you like to fish for stripers on Allatoona I got the website for you. www.lakeallatoonafishing.net we are a family friendly site. Please come join us membership is FREE.
Ken Sturdivant / Guide Services
Southern Fishing Schools Inc.
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
www.southernfishing.com
770-889-2654
CLARK HILL IS DOWN 13.5 FEET, SLIGHT STAIN & 47 DEGREES BY RAPALA PRO STAFFER TIM WHITE
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is slow. The water temperatures rose into the low 50's in the afternoon hours as a warm front brought some much needed rain. The Bass are using the deeper ditches to ambush small schools of bait fish. Points and small cuts or bowls are still producing bass according to Tom Hall of South Carolina. The #5 Shad Rap in the perch color along with a jig and pig has been accounting for a lot of the bass caught. A little top water action is still happening, but you will have to find the active bait fish for this to happen. Depending on where you launch or fish will determine the water clarity and temperature. One angler did manage to weigh in a nine pound fish last weekend, but couldn't come close to the eighteen pound sack it took to win a local tournament. A Carolina rigged lizard still seems to be the "bread and butter" for a good many of the anglers. The color of your bait will depend on the water clarity of where you are fishing.
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is slow. Try flipping large dark jigs up the river. The river is still off colored and go into the creeks and look for any clearing water. Down lake, use the bleeding shiner Rat L Traps, all white spinner baits, Zoom green pumpkin lizards and #5 Shad Raps and cast anything on the shallow bank cover. Ledges are holding schools of fish and they are tight on the bottom. The crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover will get strikes after mid day sun warms the grass. The deeper fish are being caught with spoons and heavy jigs, in the 25 to 28 foot range in the ditches right at the river. Its slow go no matter what. The weather looks tough over the next week, so If your headed out remember it's going to be COLD, the bite will be slow, so you've got to work the baits slowly.
kensturdivant@earthlink.net
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 12 FEET, CLEAR AND 47 DEGREES BY RAPALA PRO STAFFER TIM WHITE
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing continues to hold steady this week. A little bit of rain fell on Wednesday which will help some, not much, with the lake level. If you plan to fish this weekend, be ready as the forecast is to be a very windy day. Check the weather for any wind advisories before heading out. The afternoon bite seems to be the best this past week, but a few good Bass were caught first thing in the morning on points sporting small chunk rock. The DT10 in parrot and hot mustard colors are still working on these points. Now is a good time to go out and fish those old road beds. With the lake levels low, they are easy to find. Use those Carolina rigs, jigs and of crank baits. Cooler temperatures are arriving by this weekend and the water temperature might drop a degree or two. Always check those feeding tables and weather forecast before heading out.
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”.
Ken Sturdivant / Guide Services
Southern Fishing Schools Inc.
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
www.southernfishing.com
770-889-2654
JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 2.5 FEET, CLEAR AND 50 DEGREES, BY ED CAVENDER.
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is fair to poor but the stability in the weather has helped. The South river is stained while most of the lake remains clear. Late morning to mid afternoon seems to be the best time to fish. If the sun pops out for even a short while, it can be helpful to locating fish on deeper docks. Areas with combinations of depth, rock, docks, and brush should be worked thoroughly for multiple bites. Fish relating to such areas may be as shallow as 5 to 6 feet due to the shade offered by docks. At the same time you may find them in 20 foot of water. Whenever you locate fish willing to bite, work the area very well and return after letting the area rest. Be prepared to fish slowly and expect very subtle bites. By no means do I use fluorocarbon as a rule, but it is a big help right now for its low visibility in clear water, and most importantly the extra sensitivity. The best bait for my time on the lake is the same old same old. A jig head and worm. They have been on jigs this week as well. I haven't put much time into crank baits, but they should be tried and could be effective at any time. Jig heads and finesse worms just get more bites when it is tuff, and it can be tuff. You might want to shorten the finesse worms a bit. Definitely try shortening Trick worms if that is what you are using. If the bite is slow, go to plenty of dead sticking with a twitch here and there. Slow presentations will be important to success with jigs and cranks as well. A jig of 3/8ounce or lighter should be used for its slower fall. Long points, deep banks, and sand bars dropping into deep water should be fished this time of year. Wood cover in 15' or deeper can also be productive. Look for relatively deep docks where the owners have mounted rod holders. You will most often find deep brush has been planted out in front of the dock. A sunny afternoon may pull some fish up on shallow warming rocks. Shallow stained water will also have the same warming effect, but there is very little stain in the lake this week. A slow crank bait will be a good bait to search for shallower fish, particularly if the bite picks up. A shad rap is hard to beat. Something like Bandit 300 or a deep running Fat Free Shad can also be good choices. At a slow retrieve, these relatively deep runners will bang noisily into shallow bottom and rock. They will also cover deeper ranges well. Fish the crank bait with a pause retrieve on a long cast that quarters or nearly parallels the bank. Some folks are jigging spoons around congregations of bait as well.
By Ken Sturdivant
kensturdivant@earthlink.net
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 18 FEET, AND THE LAKE IS CLEAR & 49 DEGREES.
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
There are still humps, trees and long points exposed lake wide. Be very careful running the lake. See our site for the Lake Lanier Ramp calculator. Charleston Park’s two ramps are now open. Be sure to buy a pass at the ramp or you can get an annual pass Forsyth County’s Central Park. Up north Clarks Bridge ramp is open.
Largemouth bass fishing is slow. Most of the lake is clear with a little stained water in the mid to upper lake creeks. Bass will soon be moving under large docks, especially marinas and sandy backs. There are a few bass biting jigs and jerk baits even in the cold waters. The bass on the main lake are not to be found in any structure. Use the jigs and spoons early in the day until the water warms up. Small all black or all brown jigs with Uncle Josh pork trailers are the cold weather baits. Try a couple of spoons in different sizes and colors and use a slow lift and drop technique. There are a few anglers using small #5 bright Shad Raps in the jointed model in bright colors in the up river creeks. But this is an afternoon tactic and watch the water temperature gauge all day for the warmest water anywhere. Sometimes muddy water can warm up during the winter and stay warmer than the rest of the area.
Spotted bass fishing is fair. There are some big spots on deep docks lying right on the bottom. Use a Zoom icicle finesse worms but also try the six inch u tail worms as well. An occasional spotted bass will be caught at the mouth of the Little River and Wahoo Creek on the long run out points. The #5 Shad Raps in the brighter colors will take a few fish with a little warm weather. During the day, concentrate on rocky areas where wood is present. Some spots are being caught are being caught on jigging with a small profile and a slow flutter like the be a Flex It or a small Silver Buddy/Cicada type bait in the 1/4 1/2 ounce sizes. Use a white or silver color on a sunny day and a gold or solid white on a cloudier day. On sunny days, some fish are being taken on deep rocky banks out of the wind on suspended jerk baits in a silver and blue or an orange and copper color. Thompson Creek and Wahoo Creek along with Little River is your best for putting numbers in the boat. Jerk baits and small crank baits will work later in the day as the water warms.
Striper fishing has been fair and there are still some fish out there that can be caught. The north end of the lake is good up to Gainesville Creek and then back down to Browns Bridge. Look on the Lowrance and find the large schools of bait fish. There are bound to be some stripers close by and all your time can be either very good or very bad. The fish are moving and that is the key to catching these fish. Troll the single or double buck tails in the one ounce sizes. Start in the creek mouths mid lake and troll these baits along with large stick bait like the Rebel Wind Cheaters or the larger style stick baits. The Hopkins and Flex It spoons have also been producing better this week working the spoons vertically over the school while down lining live bait. If the fish are on top, double up your Super Flukes and cast to the breaking fish. Gizzard shad, large minnows and herring are all working, but medium sizes of herring are out producing the rest. Down lining and free lining are both working lake wide. Some really big fish may surface so watch for any single swirls. Most of the fish are going to be between wide ranges of depths anywhere from 15 to 35 feet deep with the majority between 20 and 35. Keep your bait just above the fish. Pull live bait on down rods and flat lines and mix up the bait sizes all day. During the day, look at 27 feet over a 45 foot bottom. No night bite yet.
Captain Chuck Biggers Southern Striper Guide Service 404 405 8280 *1/2 day trips are 6 hours now until March* Striper fishing is good but challenging with all of the rain we’ve had. Conditions are changing from day to day. Start in the backs of the creeks early in the morning with “planer boards” and “flat lines”, and work my way out to mid creek. Be sure to watch your graph! If you don’t see fish, fish the bait. Striper are still biting trout, but vary the size and kind of live bait you use with weather and temperatures changing. While fishing shallow along the banks, use a shorter “leader line” behind your planer boards, about 20 30’. Lengthen the “leader line” when you move to deeper water. This is the same for “flat lines”. Put out 30 to 50’ in shallow water and 50 to 100 feet when you get to deeper water. Later in the afternoon, you may want to switch to “down lines”, as the bait and fish move down in the water column. Striper are being caught at all times of the day.
Crappie fishing is good and there are some fish in the docks in the backs of the lakes creeks. Large docks are the best areas and small bass Pro Shops Squirt jigs in bright colors will work. The small 1/32 ounce lead head jigs on Sufix 4 pound test line has been the best combination. Depths are from 7 to 12 feet and the marinas also have some fish under them as well.
Ken Sturdivant / Guide Services
Southern Fishing Schools Inc.
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 44 DEGREES AND CLEAR BY AL BASSETT, 706 473 7758
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is slow. Lake Oconee is at full pool with a water temperature of 42 to 45 degrees. Due to the rain there is a little stain on the lake. You can find very heavy stain to muddy water up the rivers. The bass are very slow to bite due to the cold water. Look for schools of shad in the mouth of the coves and fish a Flex-It-Spoon on 10 pound test line. Fish this bait under the school of bait fish you find. The better bite is coming as the sun warms up the rock around the Sugar Creek and Hwy 44 bridges. In those areas, fish a ¼ ounce rattle-trap in silver and black or a number 5 shad rap. Fish the bait using a slow retrieve and let it fall as you move it away from the bank. The bites are light, so watch your line. We are only a couple week away from the fishing to start to pick up. This is a good time to check out your tackle and get ready for the spring.
Hybrid fishing is slow. Fish down the lake within sight of the dam looking for schools of shad on your depth finder. Using a spoon or live bait, fish these bait under the school of shad you find. You may also catch a largemouth or two during the process.
Crappie fishing is slow. There are a few fish being caught and those are good fish. Trolling is your best bet using Jiffy Jig tipped with a minnow. Cover a lot of water and keep a eye on your Lowrance sonar and when you find fish stay in that area. Start off fishing in the creek channel near a shallow flat and work your way for deep water to shallow.
“THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT”
Ken Sturdivant is on the Professional Fishing Staff at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia.
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 3.6 FEET, 45 DEGREES AND CLEAR
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is fair and the water temperatures are holding in the 45 degree range. Expect the colder temperatures at night to drop the temperatures 1 to 2 degrees by early morning. Anglers are catching bass with jigging spoons in the main channels and on the edges while jigging. An excellent jig to use for this method of fishing is the Blue Fox Rattlin' Pixie Spoon. They come in 12 different colors and 3 different sizes, 1/4, 1/2 and 7/8 ounce. With a lot of flash and rattles, you can't go wrong. Find the fish holding to the numerous timber around stumps that are located all over the lake. Some of these areas will be in water as deep as 40 50 feet deep. If the fish are showing up on your graph, drop a marker on that location and then go to work. Let the spoons down to the bottom and then take up a foot or two at a time and with short jerks, raise and lower the rod tip. Make sure not to over work the bait as these bass will be slow to respond. Repeat this and continue to raise the spoon one foot at a time until the right strike zone is located. To prevent numerous hang ups, change the treble hook to the single hook that is provided with each spoon. Use a premium line in the 12 to 20 lb class and a bait cast or spinning reel will do.
“THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT”
Ken Sturdivant is on the Professional Fishing Staff at Bass Pro Shops
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
kensturdivant@earthlink.net
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES BY JOE DURHAM
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is slow. The water is cold and the bass are biting later in the day with a warm up. Stay down lake and use worms and jigs. Fish the humps and points half way to the backs of the creeks. In the mouths of the main lake creeks blue pumpkin Zoom mini lizards. The backs of the lower lake creeks are clear and a use 1/2 ounce Stanley jig in black and blue Zoom pork imitation. The ledges right off the main lake are still good locations to find a schools of fish. But getting them to bite has been tough. Use a large jig with the Uncle Josh trailer and fish this bait just like a jigging spoon.
“THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT”
by Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR & 51 DEGREES BY JOE DURHAM
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
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Bass fishing is slow. The water is cold and the bass are biting later in the day with a warm up. Stay down lake and use worms and jigs. Fish the humps and points half way to the backs of the creeks. In the mouths of the main lake creeks blue pumpkin Zoom mini lizards. The backs of the lower lake creeks are clear and a use 1/2 ounce Stanley jig in black and blue Zoom pork imitation. The ledges right off the main lake are still good locations to find a schools of fish. But getting them to bite has been tough. Use a large jig with the Uncle Josh trailer and fish this bait just like a jigging spoon.
“THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT”
by Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
LAKE WEISS IS DOWN 3.2 FEET, STAINED AND 51 DEGREES BY MARK COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE 256 779 3387
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Please be careful with the low water levels. Now available for sale 50 of my proven 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
Bass fishing is fair and the fish have moved out to deeper water on the flats and the old river channels and main lake points. Use Carolina rigs, jigging spoons, drop shot rigs all day. Also use a ½ to 3/4 ounce double willow leaf spinner bait in chartreuse and white slow and slow roll this along with the other winter time baits. Spotted bass can be caught in Little River on any deep rocky banks, a Senko worm in green pumpkin is working well. Always remember that in winter the colder the water the slower you should fish.
Striper fishing is fair and the fish are starting to move up the Coosa River for the spawning run. Fishing live shad or cut shad on or near the bottom in the main Coosa River from Poole's Ferry to Mayo's Lock and Dam is a great way to catch these fish as they move up river for the spawn. The warm water discharge from Plant Hammond near the Hwy. 100 bridge always holds some good fish from February thru early March.
Catfish are biting great. Catfish are being caught all over the lake. Jug fishing in the flats of the main lake is a sure way to load the boats with some nice fish. Use live bream, cut bait, whole crappie heads or any kind of stink bait. Fishing the main Coosa river channel with cut bait, right below the Cedar Bluff bridge is producing some big Blue Cats, any of the deeper holes on the main Coosa River will hold large Catfish thru the winter months. The docks at JR's Marina are producing some 20 50 pound Blues and a few Flatheads on Crappie heads most every night. Make sure to use a good quality fishing line I suggest Ande line in at least 25 pound test. These big Catfish are strong and will fight very hard in the cooler winter months.
Crappie fishing is great and good numbers of fish are being caught on the main Coosa River ledges from Riverside Campground to Three mile Creek. Catch these fish by bumping bottom in 10 to 15 feet of water with live minnows and Jiffy Jigs. Some fish are also being caught trolling Jiffy Jigs in the main river channel in the Riverside area. The upper Coosa river is also producing some decent catches of crappie in the log jams and behind any structure that creates a current break. Fishing a minnow on a slip float 10 14 feet deep behind the log jams is always a great way to load the boat with some slab Crappie from Weiss Lake. The bays of the Upper lake and the bays in Little River and the Chattooga River are producing some good fishing , trolling Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ17, JJ25 and JJ20 www.jiffyjigs.com The piers at JR's Marina are producing a lot of Crappie casting jigs and minnows under floats 5 7 feet deep. The bumping bottom technique is a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce bell sinker tied to your main line then come up 12 to 16 inches above the weight and tie a eagle claw snelled hook in size 1 or 2 style # 127 to the main line, come up another 12 inches and tie on a Jiffy Jig in colors JJ13 and JJ17, fish this rig 1 to 2 feet above the bottom on the edge of the old Coosa River channel in the Riverside Campground area down river to Three Mile Creek.
THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT”
Ken Sturdivant is on the Professional Fishing Staff at Bass Pro
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-889-2654
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 6.1 FEET, CLEAR & 48 DEGREES BY CHRIS BRACKETT, WEST GEORGIA MARINE AND TACKLE 706 845 1004
Ken Sturdivant will be at the Guides and Outfitter Day at the Bass Pro Shops “Sportsman’s Warehouse” in Macon Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24, 2008. Ken will be hosting a FREE! “SONAR” seminar each day. See Ken’s new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” .
Bass fishing is still tough this week and Fish are far and few between. A 1/8 ounce Shakey Head with a Netbait finesse in bama bug and key lime pie. Deep points in 20 to 25 feet of water and also if you can find a ledge with sand and brush on it fish have been doing fair their also. A`#5 Shad Rap and bandit 300 has been working on the rip rap but it hit or miss from day to day. Jigging spoon is still working down lake just keep a good eye on your Lowrance. Hopefully next week will be better fishing and I will have some better info for you guys to come and catch the big fish.
Hybrid fishing really hasn't changed much from the past couple of weeks. Fish are being caught lake wide right now. The mouth of the river by the Indian Mound has been very productive and then all the way to the railroad trestle. Trolling is working for a lot of guys who don't want to mess with shad. The best trolling baits are buck tails, small crank baits and sassy shads. Troll your baits about 60ft behind the boat and adjust your depths on how you are getting your bites.
Crappie fishing is turning on again. Jiffy Jigs on a cork in 5 to 8 feet of water is doing well right now. Trolling the creek ledges is producing some real nice fish. Also bridge columns have some real good size fish on the now, but keep checking with me and I'll stay up to date on the crappie season.
Chris Brackett, cell 706 616 7480 105 Sage Commercial Drive, Lagrange Georgia 30240, Work 706 845 1004 ext 1, 2008 Sponsors West Georgia Marine & Tackle Stratos Boats, Quantum Reels, Strike King Lures, G Loomis Rods
“SONAR WITH KEN STURDIVANT” at Bass Pro Shops “Outdoor World” in the Outdoor Skills Workshop. Lowrance Pro Staff Member Ken Sturdivant will go over the settings for the sonar March 1 @ 2pm, April 5 @ 2pm, May 3 @ 2pm, and June 7 @ 2pm
Ken Sturdivant / Guide Services
Southern Fishing Schools Inc.
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040
www.southernfishing.com
770-889-2654
Inshore Fishing School (last class for 2008)
I still have a few spots left for this inshore school. For details please go to web site or call Captain Judy 912 897 4921…Just a note about my schools…Each and every school whether it’s inshore or offshore offers “the basics” as well as “up to date and proven fish catching information.” The reason being is that we are forever changing the way they we target fish. The way I look at it is this…”we school and so do the fish!”
Inshore fishing Report
I could tell you a “fish tale or not!” However, I’m just going to tell you like it really is in regards to the inshore fishing catching scheme. Yes, we are catching fish and we are fishing. However, it really is a “Hit and Miss!” The good news is that all this will be over in a matter of weeks, but I know there are those of you that want to know what to do now. Here are a few suggestions that could put you on some “Fish Bites!”
Fishing for Red Fish in the Cold Times
Although we haven’t had a real cold winter season, the now cold-water temperatures have taken their toll on the inshore fishery. During cold-water times fishing can still be good, but if weather doesn’t offer up any sort of warming trend the bite situation can get a little dull. This has been the norm at least for the pass few weeks. However, as I am writing this article the sun is shinning, it’s in the middle of the day, and the tide is low. Now that scenario alone lends to the fact that there should be some sort of bite activity today. When you have a warming trend along with a straight up sun during a low tide stage you have what I call “natural thawing!” The reason being is that mud is dark and it sucks in the heat offering up a bit of warmth to those down under. You can look at it as if you were sitting by the old fireplace. It’s definitely going to be warmer by it than away from it. The same happen with all fish in the immediate area. They naturally migrate to the newly made warmth.
During these cold times it doesn’t matter what you use as bait whether it real or not! The main thing is whatever you use that you need to present it quietly and give the fish time to eat it before you set the hook. It’s bad enough that the fish is cold as well a hungry, but if you set too quick “there is normally no chasing at this time of the year!” The secret is “slow-to-go!” If you are using a gold spoon, plastic worm, or jerk shad it needs to be basically retrieved in a matter so that it drags along on the bottom. I know what you must be thinking, I said earlier to present your artificial bait quietly. Well that’s true meaning once you have placed it, if it’s the sinking type let it do so and wait. If it’s the floating style artificial let it float a few seconds before moving it. Any baits once present can blend if you sufficiently “pay in your waiting time!” After all once the bait becomes part of the scenery, when it moves from that point, it really is your bait, but now definitely is what seems like a natural made meal to the fish. The short of this long explanation is that “slow to go is the way to go!”
When using any sort of live bait especially during cold times here are a few suggestions that you need to seriously take into consideration. If you are fishing an out going tide and the water is still up into the marsh grass this up coming suggestion is going to be a good one. You need to rig up a float rig, which should be as invasive as possible. The means small floats not popping corks need to be used. When targeting red fish any sort of noise will run them away from your bait not to it! The leader shouldn’t be longer than 6 inches, because when targeting red fish under these conditions “no fish is going to look at what’s holding the bait!” The reason being is that you are going to be fishing in the grass. As far as the fish is concerned the grass is what is holding up the interest of the bait. Heck, after all they are there to feed on what’s hiding in the grass in the first place. I suggest cast placing your float, which shouldn’t once adjusted be holding your bait any lower than 12 inches, into a clearing spot in the grass. Once this is accomplished let the float settle. As soon as the tide catches it, it will start to float out with the current. Believe this or not, but this is when you want your line to actually get hung in the grass. Once this takes place, basically place your rod in the holder and become what now is known as a “winter time float watcher!” When the sinking of the cork happens, don’t panic, just pick up the rod, softly set the hook, and reel your fish in! It’s a simple as that!
Savannah Snapper Banks
It’s time to starting thinking about going a little further offshore. Although spring is still a few weeks away “good fish signs” are already showing. I had several good solid fish catching reports from a few offshore boats last weekend. The reports were all pretty much the same meaning “they all caught fish and plenty of them!” The only complaint received is that they wished they could have caught more red snapper…. Well today is your lucky day, because I feel like giving up some real good information in regards to catching red snapper.
It’s true this is one of the most targeted fish and the least caught. It’s not that they are cunning or smarter than any other fish. The reason being is that most fishermen fish for them in all the wrong places. Firstly, most red snapper are found holding in around 95 plus feet of water. However, the have been known to migrate in to the closer artificial reefs and take up occupancy. Most all fish migrate with some feeling comfortable in places where they are not supposed to be and “just stay!’ I call these fish the residents. Heck, grouper do the same thing in the migration department.
Let rule out where those red snapper may or may not stay and talk about those that call the live bottom areas of the Savannah Snapper Banks their home. I know I talk about this all of the time, but lets go over it again. “Location, Location, and more location!” The red snapper is a ”shaker and mover.” This basically means they swim a bunch to get to their food. This boils down to the fact that they spend a lot of time off the bottom. This means they feed from the bottom and up into the water column. Larger fish normally only seek out areas that hold some sort of food source. When thinking about a snapper bite I suggest presenting your bait in the upper water column. The best strike zone for this fish is from the bottom up to 10 feet off. With that being said, “bait your hook, drop it to the bottom, and reel it up about 5 to 8 times.” Once you get at the depth desired I suggest do what we call “waving your bait!” Moving your rod up and down slowly, not wildly and not all of the time accomplishes this. Do it just enough to get the attentions of any fish that are near. While not waving you want to hold your rod tip almost down into the water. Your drag set should be not completely tight, but on the tight side more than normal. This is the type of “ready stance” is one that gets you ready to set the hook as soon as you get a hit. I suggest getting familiar with being able to quickly adjust your drag. The reason being is that the tight drag will help set the hook. However, in the event the fish proves to be on the “real large side” you will need to back off a bit to insure that you don’t pull the hook! “To catch a big fish there is always some sort of catch!”
Gulf Stream
Fishing The South Ledge
Trolling and some bottom fishing tips that you are going to want to know about! Trust me on this one!
There was strong 2-hour morning bite this past weekend at the South Ledge, which started at 6:15 AM and it was over by 8:15AM. During this time frame Captain Tommy Williams, “The Cracker,” Randy Davis and Jamie on the “Justin Teasin” caught three black fin tuna and lost two. They also received a few others unidentifiable screaming hits, which most likely were “Yahoo Wahoo.” Part of the South Ledge was covered with green 69-degree water, which was located in about 170 to 190 feet of water. When Captain Tommy expanded his trolling region he moved further offshore to around 250 feet and found the “rich blue water.” The water temperature in this area was a strong 73.9 degrees offering up what should be called “one fine temperature break.”
All fish black fin tuna hit the standard old time “cedar plugs which were pulled at steady 6 to 7 knots. The favorite colors, which were picked by the fish, were blue and white and plain old cedar lead head. They also mixed in their trolling spread several rigged ballyhoo baits. These baits worked, but none of the fish that found them interesting were landed. The hits received on the “rigged hoo’s” were real strong as well as serious, but were never seen. However, from what was reported they must have been “large Wahoo!” The good news was they had a strong morning bite and the bad news was that it didn’t last very long.
Bottom Fishing at it Finest!
As soon as the morning trolling bite ended the fishing team rigged up to do a little bottom fishing. The bait was cut and it consisted of frozen cigar minnows as well as cut squid. The double hook bottom rigs were loaded up and the 16-ounce banks sinkers were dropped 190 feet down at a steady pace. When these rigs hit the strike zone awaiting fish basically jumped on the hooks. The bottom bite was strong with the team catching large football vermilion snapper, genuine red snapper, grouper, knobbed porgy, and red porgy. To this list of normal deepwater catches pulled on board were those fish that Captain Tommy didn’t really have a name for. According to the report they were big, fun to catch, and looked like they were from some sort of a tropical line up. Here’s the bottom line especially when bottom fishing in deepwater, you really don’t ever know what might bite your hook. The only thing that you can be assured of is the fact that “you will get a bite!”
When I used to fish the bottom at a regularly I had a list of fish that were common and looked pretty tropical as well as strange. Here’s a list of what my customers use to catch:
Sand tilefish, which looked like a big eel with inverted teeth design. They were strong fighters and as I mentioned has a set of teeth that not only scared the heck out of you, but also could deliver one strong bite. When one of these fish was brought on board “out came the safety towel.” The next type of fish was actually called a “tilefish,” but certainly didn’t look like the old sand tile. What I called original “tilefish” was beautiful sporting a two tone “blue top and yellow bottom.” During my bottom fishing reign we only caught a few, but like the sand tile the original tile were definitely “stoppers to take a serious look-see!” They also had a set of teeth that definitely needed steering away from.
Little Miss Judy Insert Story!
The first time I ever saw an original tilefish was many years ago. Late one evening after fishing a commercial boat tied up next to us to take on a little fuel. According to the “salty old sea captain” that was definitely the real thing, he had been out for days and his fish box was full to the brim. I quickly asked to take a “look-see!” As I jumped, daddy was right behind me with eyes wide open!
When the old Salty Sea Captain opened his fish box we both were amazed at what we were seeing. It was a box full of mostly original tilefish. These fish had two-tone coloring consisting of blue-ish green top with yellow spots. On the fish’s bottom half it had a yellow tint with a vanilla background. This fish was sporting one set of fine looking eating teeth. The coloring was so vivid that they looked as though they were just taken from the water. As a child I didn’t even wonder once how this happen, because after thinking about it these fish were well over a week. They were packed carefully in crushed ice with each fish looking like it had it personal own freezing cavity.
As we looked he asked if we had ever had any to eat? We shook our heads and with that silent reply he grabbed a fish up, stripped it of its sides, dropped the fillets in a bag, and handed it over. All I can remember about this fish as it was cooked was that it was different tasting and we both liked it a lot! No ketchup needed!
List of other fish that I used to catch in the deep waters:
Here’s a few more fish types that we found hanging from deep-water dropped hooks: Big eye, which had a set of eyes that you could actually see into. Some of the big eyes were short while other was longer. I don’t know if there were two species or we just got in to some mutants. We caught triggerfish by the dozens. The most common caught was the “gray trigger fish.” However, one of its cousins was the “queen triggerfish,” which couldn’t be confused what-so-ever with the “gray triggerfish.” It actually did look like a queen with all of it beautiful colors. We also caught a few large, what looked like parrot fish, which is another one that can’t deny it’s given name. They really do look like what you would expect a parrotfish to look like. The fact of the matter is a cage is all that they need!
Now you get your identification book out: In the grouper family we caught Coney, gag, scamp, graysby, misty grouper, red grouper, red hind, and rock hind. All fish were adored with some unbelievable color designs. I could go on but I really do need to stop, because the list is long. However, I can’t close without mentioning two more fish.
The “tattler fish and the soap fish!”
The tattler fish is a small fish, which you never expect to catch among the larger fellows. However you do on occasion. I will have to say, “Survival from as ascend of 190 plus feet of water is normally nil!” There color is normally a brunt orange with a rust color mixed in. However, you will be able to identify this fish without any problem what so ever. It has a white rectangular spot located on each side of its belly. This fish makes good bait either cut up of dropped back hooked up whole.
Bait Killers Come is different size packages!
The “soap fish” is brown and has the shape of a grouper. The fact of the matter is I thought at first it was a juvenile grouper. So therefore as soon as it was brought on board I started trying to revive it. I found the fish’s inflated air bladder and quickly deflated it. Once you hit a fish’s air bladder with the sharp end of your fillet knife or with a syringe you can actually heard the trapped air escaping. Then I did what I usually do, which was to put them in my live well so that the fish can repaginate. (I love that word!) After a few minutes I looked to see how my new friend was doing. It didn’t take me but a moment to realize that all bait was dead on the bottom and my newly repaginated soap fish was thriving quite well. This is how a fisherman learns the ways of certain fish, which in my case was the hard way. They might look harmless, but in some cases they certainly aren’t. The small harmless looking soap fish didn’t attack to kill my hard earn bait. It must have given off some powerful deadly slime content or it gave all of my live bait “premature heart attacks.” Whatever the case maybe I suggest once reviving your caught soap fish that you release immediate and wash your hands! I could go on, but then this report would never end!
The bottom line to this situation is that you should always have a “fish identification book” with you on the your boat. That way you can still brag about what your caught and even can give it a name! Bottom fishing in 190 feet of water can be and normally is very interesting!
Freshies Report
A Cold Front Passing!
This information is great! It doesn’t matter whether you are going fresh or saltwater fishing. Before getting into this tip, I always strongly suggest that if you plan on going fishing and the weather messes you up as long as it not dangerous “goes anyway!” My old saying is “you don’t know unless you go!”
The bite pattern is normally good leading into a cold front, but once it’s on top of us, the bite is either off or very slow. It is said, “If a bite pattern happens it’s normally on the sluggish side!” During this time a largemouth bass will only slap at slow retrieved plastic worms. However, after the front passes “the bite will be red hot!” Join the weather watchers club!
“Little Miss Judy Believe It or Not!”
Big Shark Scoring!
Please remember, when reading this story that it happened a long time ago. We don’t want any confusion when reading this article. Many many many years ago when Captain Ray was a young boy he became Howard Jarrett’s long time fishing buddy! For those that don’t know, Howard Jarrett probably delivered most of the fuel oil that heated our houses back in the old days. According to Captain Ray everyone knew him and called him by his nickname “Pie!” As we talked I remember him delivering fuel-heating oil to our house on Wilmington Island. My father and him had quite a bit in common, but that’s another story!
Pie and little young man Ray went fishing a lot. They also loved hunting turtle eggs on the beaches in South Carolina. Little Ray preferred hunting to eating the things. As we talked he shared one of their turtle hunting expeditions.
While walking and searching for turtle eggs on one sunny day they went into another mode. However, let me tell you first how Pie found the buried turtle eggs. He had a broken off pointed end of an umbrella staff to which is would stick down in the preferred hole. Upon pulling the buried stick out of the sand, if it had egg yolk on it, this was the place to dig. According to young Ray, Pie knew what to look for so there wasn’t a lot of sticking going on. As they walked that came upon a tidal pond, which the ocean water had left as the tide receded. The closer they got the more they could see fins out of the water darting around. Pie, at first said, “Look at those tailing red fish!” As they made their way closer it was quickly ascertained that these weren’t red fish tails, but rather actual “shark fins!” Once reaching the now full of life saltwater pond they counted 10 large fins a cruising on the surface. According to Ray the best sights were yet to come. As they looked they saw 10 of the largest sharks that either had ever seen up close and personal.
Pie with sword or should I say “umbrella point shaft in hand” stabbed at the largest shark. The one killed turned out to be one of the largest lemon sharks, which definitely would be news worthy. After killing the big shark they pulled it across the sand and into the so-called records books. As soon as Pie got to a phone he called up the newspaper so that pictures could be taken. After all with this soon to be great fishing tail that was about to be spun, pictures indeed would be needed! Pictures would help boost this pretty much unbelievable story in the first place. As he was interviewed, he told of this great fight with him and the mega lemon shark. Pie was so excited that he even reported that he was turtle egg hunting at the time when he came upon the shark-ridden pond. At first no one, not even Pie, thought about turtle egg hunting being illegal. As soon as the big shark picture hit the papers along with all admissions made, Pie went into the waiting quietly mode. The reason being is that he figured that the officials were only a door knock away from paying him a serious visit! After all that pacing as well as worrying no officials ever showed up. So therefore his stories of the biggest shark ever were turned up a serious notch! Thanks to the now Captain Ray Crawley for sharing as well as remembering such an interesting story!
Hope you enjoy reading my reports!
Captain Judy
CAPTAIN JUDY HELMEY
11-16-2007
LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 16.5 FEET, 69 DEGREES AND CLEAR
This bass report is provided by Mike Bucca of Triton Mike’s Spot Country Guide Service
Bass fishing this past week has been pretty darn good for decent quality and numbers. We are starting to see a migration of shad into the creeks which signify the start of the fall patterns. I'm doing good for the bigger fish on a 11 inch swim bait and good for numbers on the spoon by fishing with the graph. I'm working anywhere from the mouth of creeks to about halfway back. The water is bit stained so the blade bite ain't where it should be but it should be picking up very strong once the water clears. Also some decent numbers on Flat Mini DR Lucky Craft cranks around the points are also doing good.
This Lake Allatoona striper and hybrid report fishing report has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770-827-6282. eidson6260@comcast.net.
Line side fishing is great. There are a lot of fish moving up on the flats now. Flat lines and planner boards along with down lines will catch these fish. Also mid lake is really starting to heat up. I have caught a lot of fish this week north of Stamp creek. But there is still a lot of fish south of the dam. And these fish are still deep 30 to 50 feet deep and live bait is really starting to work well. I still think the spoon bite is a good bite. But not as good as the live bait bite. Troll these areas with the Mack Farr umbrella rigs. As soon as you find one of these mega schools, drop live bait down to them or use a 1 oz spoon on them. The top water bite is really starting to get good. Look for these fish on top early morning and late afternoon. It's hard to beat a Sammy when these fish are schooling on top. If you really enjoy talking striper fishing. The next party boat trip will be on Oct 28. The cost of these trips is $100 per person. We only take out 6 people at a time so book your spot fast. These trip fill up fast. These trips are from 7am - 1pm these are 6 hour trips. SPECIAL NOTE. Just because the lake levels are falling don't think you can't load the boat with fish. The best fishing every year is when the lake is at it lowest. Remember with less water this also means less boats and less fishing pressure. I look for the lake record striper to be caught this year. And I truly believe it will be caught by one of my clients. FIRST BITE GUIDE SERVICE WILL BE OPEN YEAR ROUND THIS YEAR JUST LIKES YEARS PAST. I have a slip on the lake that is in deep water. November is one of the 2 best months for striper fishing for numbers and April being the other. FISHING IS GREAT RIGHT NOW. Call today to book your October and November trips.
Report Updated October 27, 2007
CLARK HILL IS DOWN 10.3 FEET, CLEAR & 74 DEGREES BY RAPALA PRO STAFFER TIM WHITE
Bass fishing continues to get better despite the low lake level. A good top water bite is occurring early along with a decent Spinner bait bite. Main lake points are getting a lot of attention along with the numerous islands that drop off to deep water. The best bite is coming off the X-Raps in and around these areas. The key will be to fish a point or drop off thoroughly before moving on. Try a variety of baits before moving to your next spot. Good baits to pack before heading out include the 3/8 ounce Terminator Spinner Bait in white or off white color, the Number Ten X-Rap in olive green or glass ghost and a blue/chrome Chug Big for that early morning action. Be careful while moving about this lake. Submerged timber can be found in unexpected locations.
Report Updated October 27, 2007
LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN .9 FEET, 78 DEGREES & CLEAR BY JOE DURHAM 229-431-3036
Bass is fishing good. The lake level is holding steady at 185.4. Over the past week, I have had several opportunities to fish the lake. The top water fishing has been great, buzz baits over hydrilla is producing numbers and quality. We have been able to catch steady numbers of fish (15+) on every outing. Frogs, flukes, and Spooks have all worked as well. Along with the top water bite, we have been catching some nice fish cranking grass, specifically inside grass lines. Our new custom color "sexy shad" has really been on fire. Ripping the baits out of the grass has gotten some wonderful results. If you are heading to the lake, look for some hydrilla and go for it The hydrilla in Cowikee creek is a good place to start. If you have clouds and any wind, throw top water all day. If it is bright and sunny, start moving to the secondary points throwing jigs and Carolina rigs. The month of October is an AWESOME MONTH ON EUFAULA.
Report Updated October 27, 2007
LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 9.5 FEET, CLEAR AND 73 DEGREES BY RAPALA PRO STAFFER TIM WHITE
Bass fishing is getting better as the water temperatures slowly fall and despite the ten foot or so of water that is missing from this reservoir. The pattern I used to place a whopping second place with big fish honors this past weekend, was running up the river and fishing the points. Start off the morning with a Blue/Chrome Chug Bug. A lot of small fish were knocking the fire out of the bait, but we did manage to bag a few keepers as well. As daylight approaches, switch to a Number Ten X-Rap in either the Glass Ghost (White) or Olive Green color. Fish both sides of the points while making long casts. This will fill your live well up with a few two pound plus Bass. By noon, switch to a Terminator 1/4 ounce jig and fish the rock wall and all of the lay downs that are still in the water. This pattern worked for several of the anglers that fished this past weekend. Don't be afraid to look into the pockets, especially those that hold the deeper water. A lot of fish were suspended in the twelve to seventeen foot range and they will move up as soon as the water temperature drops below the 70 degree mark. Popular Springs still has one ramp that is open at this time, with a $3.00 launch fee
Report Updated October 20, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES BY JOE DURHAM 229-431-3036
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has started to change some. However, the primary things haven 't changed. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing . top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-R's all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color. If we could get some cooler weather, the fishing would improve substantially.
Report Updated October 20, 2007
LAKE SEMINOLE IS FULL, CLEAR & 79 DEGREES BY JOE DURHAM 229-431-3036
Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has started to change some. However, the primary things haven 't changed. For those of you who are familiar with Seminole you know that this is normal. Fishing . top water baits around grass beds can produce some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks, and Pop-R's all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. I recommend flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol' Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a Carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either Watermelon Seed or Green Pumpkin or some other clear water color. If we could get some cooler weather, the fishing would improve substantially.
Report Updated October 27, 2007
WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 12.4 FEET, CLEAR & 75 DEGREES BY CHRIS BRACKETT, WEST GEORGIA MARINE AND TACKLE 706-845-1004
Bass fishing has really picked up since last week. The lake has slowly come up a few inches but I not sure what will happen in the next couple weeks. Guys if you like Rat-L-trap fishing now's the time to come to West Point lake. The bit is on with a 1/2 chrome/black back Rat L Trap. Fish the bait in the middle of the pockets and burn it as fast as you can and then kill it, this is normally when they about rip the rod out of your hand. This technique is working lake wide and water color doesn't seem to matter. Also I found a good follow up bait is a white fluke tied on a Shakey Head jig head. I find if you miss some fish toss the fluke back and let it slowly fall to the bottom. The jig bite is still very productive and the best colors for me are Chris's Capote Go to, and All About Watermelon.( Made by Bo's Jigs) All of the these jigs are colors that I have personally picked and developed for the Tournament Angler who has to catch fish day in and day out. This week down lake was the best spot for me catch fish mainly in Alligator Creek, Bird Creek, and Stroud Creek areas were the most productive.
Hybrids and striper fishing has been on this week but with the bad weather it's been hard to get on the lake to catch them big hybrids. Live bait is the way to go right now in water depths around 15-20ft deep. Watch your LOWRANCE 520c very well because you have the drop your baits right on there nose. Hanging up is still a everyday thing but just take enough tackle to have a great day. Fall is my favorite time to fish so call and booked your next Guide trip of a life time. For guide trip information or questions please call me on my cell phone.
Crappie fishing is good mid lake. Fish the points and pockets with a Blk/Chart Jiffy Jig. It seems like anywhere you find brush you find the fish stacked! I like to use 4lb clear Sufix Elite on a 8ft slab Seeker by Quantum/Zebco. Remember West Georgia Marine & Tackle is you Crappie Head Quarters on West Point lake and nobody will beat our prices. Just a few more weeks our new HUGE LIVE BAIT section will be ready. Stop by and see me if you need anything or if you just want to talk fishing. Thanks again and good luck!
We will soon start carrying the largest selection of live bait in the LaGrange area. And remember we will NOT be beat on prices.
Chris Brackett, cell 706-616-7480 105 Sage Commercial Drive, Lagrange Georgia 30240, Work 706-845-1004 ext 1, 2007 Sponsors West Georgia Marine & Tackle Stratos Boats, Quantum Reels, Strike King Lures, G Loomis Rods
From the West Point Lake Coalition. Please use caution on West Point Lake. There are obstructions showing up as well as sandbars that no one has seen in a number of years. The lake looks bad and we want to warn all using the lake that they should stay in the river channel. The solar buoys are there at night and hopefully will guide them during the day. Hopefully in the spring, you'll be able to come down and see how incredibly beautiful this lake actually is.