Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – July 2021

Allatoona: Level: A little over full pool. Temp: Low 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “Fishing on Lake Allatoona in July is good but tougher due to suspended and scattered bass. The bass are mostly out deep and suspended during the daylight hours. The boat traffic has been pretty constant, but you can still catch them if you don’t mind the waves. The jigging spoon, small hair jig and a Neko-rigged shad-shaped bait have been the best ways to catch fish during the day. In my opinion, Down Imaging and forward-facing sonar are a huge factor when targeting these suspended fish. I’m not saying you must have it, but it helps. Don’t spend too much time on fish that are not biting—some of the suspended fish are channel catfish. At night, I’m targeting bass that aren’t as suspended that are moving shallow to mid depths looking for cover and structure. The Picasso Night Time Thumper spinnerbait is a good nighttime bait to search areas for active bass, and I’ll mix it up with a Picasso football head jig and a Strike King 5XD and 6XD. Main-lake points and channel swings hold good schools of fish, but bluff walls are the most consistent place to get bit right now. I crank with a 5.2:1 Shimano Curado and a 7-11 fiberglass Shimano glass rod lined with 10-lb. Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon. The lighter line allows the bait to get to the desired depth easier. I have been getting the best results with a fast retrieve. In the evening, there are schools of fish around the Allatoona Creek area of the lake. They are small and difficult to catch. I suggest not wasting too much time on them, but if they come up close to your boat, have a spy bait or jerkbait ready. Have fun, be safe and watch out for distracted boat operators.”