Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – July 2007

Allatoona: Level: Down 3.6 feet below full pool. Temp: 80-83 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good, said guide Mike Bucca. Start with topwater. “First thing in the morning there is a decent Sammy 100 bite. I’m concentrating on shallow flats that are very close to deep water. Our fish are in full bore summer pattern, and they are spending most of their time either deep or suspended. The magic depth for me has been around 20 feet for catching both suspended and non-suspended fish.” Mike said. He’s using a drop-shot rigged worm and working it around brush in the 20-foot depth level. “I am finding the fish liking small baits like Robo Worms, small Yamamoto Cuttails, as well as Tiny Flukes. I’m working mostly points that have brush on them,” he said. If you mark fish over deeper water they have been suspended at that 20-foot level, and Mike recommends a heavily weighted Lucky Craft Lipless Pointer 80, or a Sea Striker Gotcha fished over deep brush to catch those fish that are suspended over the deep brush. “For July, I expect the same above patterns to stay strong throughout the month, since both June and July have similar conditions. Usually in July I see brush playing a more important role in catching fish. But if our water level falls like it has been, expect the largemouth bite to pick up on big swimbaits since the creeks are draining, and that will position the largemouth close to or in the main lake,” Mike said.

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson said the fishing is fantastic. “Everything is set up on a summer pattern already. They’re biting so good in so many places, I’ll even give you locations. The mid-lake to the south is really good. Kellogg Creek is full of fish, and up to Illinois Creek is good. Stamp Creek is full of fish. The bite at the dam has been phenomenal, and they’re catching some bigger fish. Several 20-pounders have been caught on U-rigs (umbrella rigs) at the dam. I’m a southern kind of guy, so you know I love the south end. I’m fishing Allatoona Creek, especially at the mouth of Tanyard and Clark Creek. I’m averaging 30 fish on a half-day trip, and I don’t see it stopping,” Robert said. He said to fish live threadfin shad or shiners for the first two hours of the morning. Use downrods and put the baits 18 feet down. “That’s where the oxygen is the best,” Robert said. As the sun gets up, start pulling the umbrella rigs.