Lake Allatoona Fishing Report January 2017

Allatoona: Level: 14.1 feet low. Temp: 61 degrees. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “January can be one of the toughest months on Allatoona, but only if water temps drop into the low 40s or lower. With the long-range forecast looking like it might be a mild year, it looks promising for good fishing. Spots and largemouth are fairly deep, with 14 to 23 feet deep being the best depths to cover right now. The Float-n-Fly is a consistent bite as long as the water stays clear. Bluff walls on the main lake are good to fish, especially the ones that have direct sunlight. Try blue, brown and green for clear water and orange and chartreuse if the water begins to stain. If the water is muddy, I tend to go to the jig. This month is also great for bouncing 1/2- or 3/4-oz. spoons on the bottom. Use the sonar to find arches just off the bottom. You will catch a mixed bag of spots, white bass, hybrids and an occasional catfish. Keep in mind that there are fish still shallow this time of year. Late afternoons the lipless crankbait can be very effective, especially in stained water that has sun on it. Never fish alone this time of year. Hypothermia is a killer.”

Linesides: Good. Guide Robert Eidson reports, “Normally a super moon will kill the bite, but that wasn’t the case with the super moon we had in November. It really jump started what was a slow fall. We really thought the second super moon in December was going to slow the bite, but it didn’t. It actually made the bite better. The schools that had been feeding before the rains are even feeding stronger now. Shad, trout and shiners fished on downlines, freelines and planer boards will all get you bit right now. The bite is nothing like it is in the summertime, but compared to the last two months, it is on fire. From mid lake north has been fishing best for my guides, but I bet there is a good bite on the south end, as well. This bite is running about four weeks late due to the warm weather, but I bet it will last into February, and if we don’t see a shad kill, it may be here to stay. The umbrella rig bite is probably the best overall bite if you’re looking for hybrids and stripers. Look for these fish to be on the smaller size. This week I have been pulling my rigs 75 to 80 feet behind the boat on a 16- to 20-foot bottom. These fish are on the move, so make sure you cover a lot of water. I have caught fish as far north as the S-turns this week and all the way south to the dam. The topwater bite is good. I have seen more topwater this week than I have seen in months.”