Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – July 2006

Level: Down 2.9 feet below full pool. Temps: 84-85 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Mike Bucca said he is catching good numbers of spotted bass, and the quality has been fair. He recommends topwater and swim baits early fished on rocky, main-lake and secondary points. The drop-shot bite is the best pattern right now, but you will have to cover some water. Try Yamamoto Flat Tails, 3 1/2-inch Cut Tails, Tiny Flukes, Baby Sluggos and Basstrix baits. The smaller fish and numbers are right on the bank out to 10 feet. For the bigger fish and less numbers, concentrate a little deeper in the 40 to 50 foot range, Mike said.

Linesides: Excellent. There are hybrids from Kellogg Creek to Allatoona Creek. Guide Robert Eidson said the magic depth in summer is usually 18 feet, but they’re catching fish from 18 to 42 feet. “Wherever you’re marking them, go down to them and you’ll catch them. There’s a good bite from 6 until 8 in the morning, then the last hour and 30 minutes before the sun goes down until an hour and half after dark is good. Umbrella rigs are great right now. Pull a three-arm, with seven 1/2-oz. chartreuse jigs. White won’t get eaten right now,” Robert said. “I’m glad a lot of people don’t have boats, or they wouldn’t need me right now. The fishing is great.” Robert reminds folks that the limit on linesides is only two above 22 inches long. Most of the Allatoona hybrids this summer are 22 3/4 inches or bigger, he said.