Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – December 2023

Allatoona: Level: 11.4 below 840. Temp: 59-68 degrees. Clarity: Stained to murky in some areas due to the turnover.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “Fishing continues to be amazing with 25 fish a day very common.  Tournament weights are averaging around 12 to 14 pounds. The deep jig bite continues to produce good bass, and so does the drop shot. I’m rotating between a 1/2-oz. Picasso Football Jig and a Picasso Little Spotty. I prefer a morning-dawn Roboworm on the drop shot, and 12 to 25 feet of water has been the target depth. The water temps are still warmer than in years past, but I believe we will see a drastic drop by the end of the month. We have also found the shallow cranking bite good, especially later in the afternoon. The only thing I believe will bring this amazing bite to an end is if the water drops into the mid 40s in January.”

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Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson, of First Bite Guide Service, reports, “The fall bite is starting to heat up. The north end of the lake is still producing some nice stripers, along with good numbers of white bass. The bigger stripers are eating gizzard shad fished on planer boards and freelines right at sunup and again at sundown. Look for these fish from Little River up to Fields Landing and as far south as Kellogg. The hybrids and white bass are really starting to school and are blowing up all over the lake right now. We have seen schools of surfacing fish from the dam to the S-turns. These busting fish will eat almost anything you throw at them. When these fish go down, they will still bite shiners and small trout. The seagulls are starting to show up and will make finding the fish a little easier for us over the upcoming holiday break. Remember Allatoona has very few loons. If you see birds diving on Allatoona, this normally means there are linesides nearby.”

Crappie: Robert DeHaas, of Red Rooster Custom Baits and an OG from “Team Geezer,” reports, “December can be a fantastic crappie fishing month on Lake Allatoona for both size and numbers. This year’s warm weather in November has definitely affected the how, when and where to fish. The troll bite has been hit or miss because the water temperature has not gotten cool enough for the crappie to roam and school very far from brush or structure. Covering water and scanning with forward-facing sonar has been the most productive. However, with that said, the cooler temps have arrived and the fish are finally starting to pull off structure and break off into small schools. Some are suspended in 6- to 10-foot depths or on the bottom 14 to 18 feet deep. Based on our past turnovers, the fish go deep or shallow. I have witnessed both scenarios and caught fish as shallow as 4 feet and as deep as 14 feet. The fish have been spooky and  move really fast, sometimes as much as 100 feet at a time, so you will need to troll and cover a lot of water. Most major creeks have schools and roaming crappie. Start halfway in the creek and work out to the mouth. This may vary due to water temperature. Remember your trolling speeds and jig depths, which are critical. Experiment with several jig-head weights to see what depths the fish are at: 1/32-, 1/24- and 1/16-ozs. are my go-to weights. Great December jig colors are Pappy’s magic, UV shad, watermelon ghost and mayfly. Don’t be afraid to use a light jig head. I’ve seen crappie in 3 feet of water in December. Make sure to visit Redroosterbaits.com and download the ‘Long Line Trolling Guide’ for more accurate details on jig-head size, speed and depths. December is a great month to not only fill your deer cooler but also your fish cooler with crappie. During the month of December, take a moment to remember the most important reason for the season: For unto to us (that’s everybody) a child is born, unto us a Son is given and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Merry Christmas to you and your family, and may the Lord Jesus bless you during this special time of the year. Tight lines to all and to all a good night.”