Lake Allatoona Fishing Report February 2012

Allatoona: Level: 9.1 feet below full pool. Temp: 48-52 degrees. Clarity: Dingy on the north end, medium stain from mid-lake down.

Bass: Fair. “It’s steady. You can go out and catch fish,” said Matt Driver. “Due to the unseasonably warm winter, fishing patterns are not typical for the month of February.” He said you can leave the float-n-fly and drop-shot rigs at the house unless there’s a major cold spell. “It doesn’t appear there will be a shad kill. Even if we have some cold weather, there’s not going to be a big change in fishing pattern. Basically, we’re on prespawn type stuff. We’re moving a lot and using crankbaits. A Spro McStick 95 jerkbait and lipless crankbaits are working the best. Fish are all over the water column right now. I think by around Feb. 5 we’re going to see a drop in temperature, and fishing will get a little tougher, but I don’t think we’ll see a mass migration to deeper water. Right now 15 feet is the average depth. Typically, February and March are your best months for big fish on Allatoona.”

Linesides: Very good. Guide Robert Eidson said the fish are biting well. He’s having 25- to 30-fish trips, when at this time last year big shad kills had almost shut down the fishing. The north end of the lake was so muddy at the time this report was taken that it wasn’t even worth fishing. Likewise, the south end — from Bethany Bridge to Tanyard — wasn’t worth fishing either, said Robert. Mid-lake, from Duck Hole down to the dam was where all the fish were. Robert said there are a few fish being caught from Duck Hole to Harbortown, but the highest concentrations of fish are from Galts Ferry to Clear Creek, and there are huge schools of fish and tons of boats in the 1/2-mile stretch at Bartow Carver. Robert said it’s almost like a late-summer bite, in that downlines are the deal. The fish are anywhere from 25 to 50 feet deep, and Robert suggested starting the morning with downlines at about 32 feet and then adjusting as you figure out where the fish are. Medium shiners and shad are working equally well as bait, with trout running a close third. Spoons are also a good option if the fish appear to be sitting near the bottom. A 1/4- to 1/2-oz. Flex-It in chartreuse will get gobbled as quickly as a live bait if the fish are on the bottom. An umbrella rig will also catch a few fish, but Robert said they won’t hit it in muddy water. Find the cleanest water available where you’re still marking fish before you pull a U-rig. His success with the U-rig has also come mid-lake.