Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – April 2006

Allatoona: Level: Down 5.9 feet below full pool. Temps: 53-55 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Excellent for spotted bass that are staged for the spawn and gorging on tiny threadfin shad. “Every staging area I know of is slap full of fish,” said guide Mike Bucca. “I’m seeing them breaking the surface and schooling in midday right along with the hybrids, which is generally a dead giveaway of a possible good staging area. Concentrate at the mouth of cuts and creeks that have spawning flats in them. Lots of baits are working right now.” He recommends the underspin-type baits tipped with a Fluke Jr., or Yamamoto Swimbait which mimics the size of the shad they are feeding on. “The Flashminnow 95MR jerkbait and spinnerbaits are producing some good fish as well,” he said. “This cold front is holding them back from committing to the spawn, but I suspect this full moon coming up will put the fish on the beds pretty strong provided we don’t get another cold snap. I saw just a handful of small largemouth on the beds in mid March during our warm spell, but they moved back out into the creeks awaiting warmer weather. For April, be thinking shallow since a lot of the big largemouth will be on the bed. If you’re not into sight fishing, concentrate on the small pockets that are protected from the wind but have access to good sunlight. Throw a Sammy over these areas, and you just might catch the fish of a lifetime. Overall the topwater bite should be very strong in April.”

Linesides: Good, but the stripers and hybrids are widely scattered right now. “There are fish from the south to the north,” said guide Robert Eidson. “This morning (March 27), we started south of Bethany Bridge and caught six, including one about 14 pounds. Then we came north near the dam and hooked up on a good fish that got off. Some of the big fish are already going up the river. Last week there was a 33-pounder caught near Knox Bridge, and we had a 25-pounder in Allatoona Creek the same week. The beaches are holding fish, too. Right now big baits on U-rigs are producing best. That big fish up the river hit a 12-inch gizzard shad. There are hybrids in the south end of the lake, and Kellogg Creek is holding a lot of fish. There are a lot of white bass in Kellogg right now. When the water hits 57 degrees, it will break wide open,” Robert said.