Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – March 2008

Allatoona: Level: 9.5 feet below full pool and rising. Temp: 50-52 degrees. Clarity: The upper end of the lake is stained heavily. Most of the main lake is fairly clear.

Bass: Excellent. “Fishing is great right now,” said guide Mike Bucca. “They are killing Lucky Craft LVR 7s, and fish are moving up and getting ready for their spring feeding binge. Most of the fish I am catching are on the shallow flats. We are basically putting our trolling motor on high and covering water with the LVR 7s and 10s.” Mike said the bass are very scattered, so keep moving. “The quality is pretty good, and it will only get better as we move toward spring. Come March, it is one of the best months of the year to catch a trophy Allatoona spot or largemouth. A big variety of baits will work, but my favorites will be the big swimbaits. Fish will be migrating to the points and pockets of the lake to feed on the big gizzard shad. My favorite bait for this is the 8-inch Hampton Shad.”

Linesides: Good. “Hybrid numbers are excellent, and there are some big hybrids, too,” said guide Robert Eidson. “Last Saturday we put 23 in the boat, and we had a bunch break off. There are big schools all over the lake, and the best part is they are eating real strong.” Thanks to stockings of “original” hybrids in 2003 and 2004, Robert says they’re catching hybrids in the 10-lb. range. “Normally Georgia lakes are stocked with reciprocal hybrids, which are from female white bass and male stripers. The originals are from female stripers, and they get a lot bigger. This time next year, or maybe in a year and a half, we’re looking at some hybrids in the 13-lb. range and pushing the lake record,” Robert said. A couple of 18- to 22-lb. stripers were caught in the past week. “That’s good. I was afraid we lost the big stripers up the river during the drought. Robert said the schools of hybrids are all over the lake. On the Allatoona Creek arm, he’s caught fish within eyesight of Blockhouse Ramp to railroad trestle bridge. “Iron Hill is loaded with fish, and so is Bartow-Carver in the mid-lake. Kellogg Creek has a big school of fish — they’re from one end of the lake to the other, and every creek has fish in it. Three weeks ago we couldn’t find a fish, now they’re everywhere,” Robert said. He recommends flatlines and planer boards really early, especially on the Allatoona Creek arm. “Those big schools in mid-lake are 55 feet deep,” Robert said. “The key to this lake is being versatile. On the south end, it’s a normal winter pattern. On the north end, it’s like a summer pattern on Lanier — very deep fish. For those, drop live trout and shad down to bottom, crank the reel handle one time, and there will be a fish on it.”