Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – May 2009

Allatoona: Level: 1.19 feet above full pool. Temp: 69 degrees. Clarity: Clear on the south end; good stain up north.

Bass: Good. Matt Driver said, “Fishing is good right now. With the spawn in its final stages and the water at full pool, late spring should be on fire. The month of May is a terrific time for topwater. I use a Spro Dawg 100 in white. I like to walk-the-dog in a quick retrieve. The secret with clearer water is you don’t want the fish to get a chance to get a good look at it. Also remember the postspawn fish will pull to a little deeper water, so fish a jig head or a small jig like Davis Paca Bug in PB&J or a Spankys jig in green pumpkin with a Zoom Swimming Chunk.”

Linesides: “The upriver bite is off the charts right now,” said guide Robert Eidson. You can catch 40 or 50 2- to 5-lb. hybrids a day up the Etowah from Knox Bridge to the ballparks in Canton. Small bait is the key to this bite. Go with medium shiners or threadfins. Fish right on the bottom. Cutbait and chicken livers will also work. If you don’t want to get into the boat traffic up the river, Allatoona Creek also has a ton of fish in it. Robert is catching bigger stripers and hybrids in Allatoona Creek, but not as many fish as up the river. They are hitting a little bigger bait, gizzards and threadfins on freelines and planer boards, than upriver. Robert said to have some type of topwater ready when you get bit. Bring the fish up to the boat, but don’t land it. Four or five others will follow it up, and you can get a double or triple by being quick with a topwater bait. Robert likes an X-Rap in the bone color.