Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – August 2024

Allatoona: Level: 0.3 feet above 840. Temp: 84-87 degrees. Clarity: Clear to slightly stained.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “The topwater bite is still good. We are mixing it up with fluke-style baits and swimbaits. Chrome and flashy baits are working best on main-lake points. When fish are not up, they can be targeted with forward-facing sonar with jig-head minnow-style baits and drop-shot fluke-style baits. Catch numbers are slightly down from last month, but 20 to 30 fish is not uncommon. The brushpile bite is picking up at night. Jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits are working best. The night bite is slow, but some good fish are being caught.”

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson, of First Bite Guide Service, reports, “We are still catching decent numbers, but we are having to work a little harder right now than the past few weeks. The fish are on the move and are challenging to find at times. Downlining shad is still working, but shad are dying very quickly on a hook. Be sure to take plenty of bait with you. Downlines fished 14 to 21 feet deep is working best right now. The dissolved oxygen level is so low below 21 feet that bait is dying in less than five minutes on a hook. We have caught fish the past few outings as far north as Kellogg Creek and as far south as Allatoona Landing. These fish are on the move and never seem to be in the same place the next day. Hopefully this is just a minor setback in what has been a great summer live-bait bite on Lake Allatoona. The trolling bite has been my better bite the last few weeks, and this will probably hold true into the middle of September. I am pulling nothing but A-rigs right now. Color doesn’t seem to matter. It is more of a reaction bite right now. I have been having my best luck 145 feet behind the boat at speeds of 1.9 to  2.5 mph.”

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Crappie: Robert DeHaas, of Red Rooster Custom Baits and an OG from “Team Geezer,” reports, “The summer crappie pattern on Lake Allatoona continues through August, and based on our experience, notes and records, the summer pattern hasn’t changed over the years. Target structure in the 16- to 24-foot depth range as the thermocline and oxygen levels have been established at those depths. In short, this is where the crappie are comfortable during the summer pattern. Spider rigging with small crappie minnows is the tried-and-true technique for summer crappie. In the early morning hours, the crappie are suspended 2 to 3 feet above structure. They are active and hungry and will double your rod if you get those minnows within eyesight. You need to be ready because the action can get hot and heavy in a second. This can be a great time for your children because they won’t get bored as fast as the action happens. Your equipment doesn’t need to be expensive, but you do need an insulated and aerated minnow bucket, such as Cool Bubbles, and add some frozen water bottles to help keep your minnows active and alive. You can also buy a bait additive such as BETTER-BAIT at most bait stores, which is used to condition the water and maintain the life of your minnows. When spider rigging, 12-foot rods are my preferred length positioned in rodholders in the very front of the boat. My setup is a baitcaster spooled with 10-lb. test, a 1/2-oz. egg sinker, bead, barrel swivel with an 18-inch leader using 10-lb. test monofilament and either a No. 4 or No. 2 straight-shank hook. We use heavier line so we don’t break off in the brush. Years ago when we first started out, we sat on 5-gallon buckets with a seat cushion! Now that’s OLD SCHOOL! This time of year, we typically release all the crappie to keep the crappie population strong, but if you want a fish fry, please practice conservation and keep only what you need. We are still catching several active crappie with small jigs, like the Red Rooster Dagger, in the early morning when the crappie are most active. However, the jig bite slows around 9 a.m. when the sun makes its way over the treetops and the heat starts setting in. With that being said, spider rigging minnows still produces until around 11 a.m. The crappie don’t seem to be much in a chasing mood after 9 a.m. and prefer a lively minnow positioned only a few feet around the structure for an easy meal. You need to be on the water before sunrise for fishing and to watch the morning beauty of Allatoona come alive before your eyes. The boat and jet ski traffic doesn’t normally get started until 10:30, so get out early and enjoy that time before the water gets choppy. On a side note, please take inventory of all your safety equipment, fire extinguisher, throw cushion, life jackets, kill switch and a whistle or horn that works. The DNR is out checking boats and writing tickets to keep folks safe on the water. We want everyone to be prepared and safe! Team Geezer’s No. 1 goal is to help people enjoy the gift the Lord has given us with this beautiful lake with all kinds of wildlife and to catch a few crappie. Tight lines everyone!”