Lake Allatoona Fishing Report January 2015

Allatoona: Level: 16.3 feet below full pool. Temp: Low 50s, warmer closer to dam. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “Fishing is great as we enter into 2015. Expect things to slow a little toward the end of the month as temps begin to get into the lower 40s. This time of year is when we see a shad kill, if it does occur. As of right now, fishing is great with the Float-n-Fly bite in full swing. Fish the Red Rooster Carters Special on 9 to 12 feet of 6-lb. test Sunline Sniper leader on wind-blown bluff walls in the mid-lake areas. The Alabama rig bite is good, as well. The Yumbrella with blades and the Dayton Boat Dock rig are really good ways to find good schools of big spots. The key to the A-rig is slow rolling it. I’m tipping the rig with 1/8-oz. round-ball jig heads and Big Bite Baits 3.5-inch white Cane Thumpers. The drop shot and jigging spoon bites are great, if you can keep the white bass and hybrids off the line. While in search for productive water and as long as clarity stays good, you can pick a few fish up on the Spro McStick and McRip, but I haven’t had the results I would like to have on these baits yet. Don’t fish alone this time of year. Hypothermia is a killer.”

Linesides: Good. Guide Robert Eidson reports, “The fish are on the move and can be found as far north as the s-turns and as far south as the Blockhouse. This is usually the time of year I put my cast net up and fish exclusively with small trout, gizzard shad and Mack Farr u-rigs. Early morning I put out a full spread—planer boards, freelines and downlines. After 9 a.m., I switch to all downlines, and after 10 a.m., I pull u-rigs. Over all, the more consistent bite is mid lake from Kelloggs Creek to Bartow Carver. But as we move on into the month, look for the bait and fish to move to the backs of the creeks on the southern end and into the Allatoona Creek arm. Trolling has been my best bite for numbers, but we have also caught some nice fish the past few weeks on planer boards and downlines along with the u-rigs. On cloudy, rainy days, we are seeing some really good topwater action. A white Rooster Tail has been working best for my clients.”