Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – January 2009

Allatoona: Level: 13.9 feet below full pool. Temp: 48-52 degrees. Clarity: Mostly clear; except for stained water moving down the Etowah arm.

Bass: Fair. Guide Mike Bucca reports slow action on the south end because of a lack of baitfish, but the north end from the dam up the Etowah arm is better. “The best thing going is the deep spoon bite over the river channel,” Mike said. “I am using a white custom spoon that I make, but any Flex-it, War Eagle or Hopkins spoon will suffice. Some days the 1-oz. spoon works great, and others the 1/2-oz. and 3/4-oz. sizes work good. You want to change up your jigging cadence as well. Keep in mind that with water temps in the upper 40s the shad aren’t very active and moving very much. The drop shot is also a very strong pattern now. Small baits are going to get bit the best. Baits like the Tiny Fluke or the Tiny Ika from Gary Yamamoto are great baits to start with, especially in the shad colors such as the blue pearl with black flake. Use a small-diameter line like 6-lb. Triple Fish fluorocarbon and a 3/8-oz. Quickdrop Dropshot weight with a No. 4 drop-shot hook. Concentrate most of your efforts on structure in the main-lake area with a slow presentation. If the water remains clear, that’s the time to downsize your line and finesse them.” Matt Driver of the Dead Sea Mafia said anglers are catching good numbers of spotted bass and an occasional largemouth. “The winter months are by far my favorite time for big spots on Allatoona,” Matt said. The drop-shot pattern is still very strong, and they are catching most drop-shot fish between 15 and 35 feet of water off rock walls and channel ledges at the mouths of creeks, he said. “Tiny Flukes, Skinny Bear and Big Bite Baits Bio Shads have worked well fished on size 4 or 6 Gamakatsu drop-shot hooks. This time of year I will sometimes lower my line size to 4-lb. test, Sunline FCS or Seguar Invex fluorocarbon do well even in cold temps. The light line helps the bait get deeper faster, and the fluorocarbon has great sensitivity to feel those subtle bites. Guide Brian Cox said, “Start out fishing a medium-running Bandit crankbait in 200 or 300 series in crawfish colors to locate active spots, and if that doesn’t work locate balls of bait on your fishfinder, and drop them a spoon.” Brian says to work the spoon by slowly pumping your rod tip about 6 inches to a foot to prompt strikes from these cold-weather bass.

Linesides: Good for numbers for hybrids and white bass. Guide Robert Eidson recommends fishing from Illinois Creek up to Clear Creek. “In January, look for bait to move south to the Allatoona Creek arm. Then we’re talking about Iron Hill, Tanyard Creek and Clark Creek. They’re on a threadfin diet right now. The threadfin are real thick over the river channel, and they’re lethargic, so you can net bait in the middle of the day. Tie your anchor rope to your cast net to extend your tether, and let it fall down through the threadfins. Pull the threadfin shad on flatlines and planer boards on a 12-lb. fluorocarbon leader. Medium-sized shiners will work right now, too. Use No. 4 and No. 2 hooks. Pull those little baits real slow, so they don’t rise up. U-rigs are also good, and I caught lots of small hybrids and white bass pulling single 1/2-oz. bucktails.”