Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – March 2009

Allatoona: Level: 9.1 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 40s. Clarity: Stained from Little River to Red Top Mountain. South of Red Top to Blockhouse is fairly clear, and north of Little River was clear as of last week.

Bass: Good. Guide Mike Bucca reports, “It seems like when the water started rising this week the fishing improved. Lots of quality fish are being caught on a variety of crankbaits and the Float N Fly. There are a lot of small fish inside the creeks, and they are hitting crankbaits pretty good. I am using a Lucky Craft Flat Mini DR for the shallower fish and a Lucky Craft Slim Shad for the deeper areas. Concentrate on the break lines on the flats within the creeks in pre-frontal conditions and the rocky shorelines on post-frontal conditions. Fish the main lake with the crankbaits for the bigger fish. I like my crankbaits this time of year to have some chartreuse or white in them. Points, breaklines, humps and deep structure are most productive with the Float N Fly. Vary your leader lenghts to find out what depth is best. I am fishing 8- to 13-foot leaders, and I am using 8-lb. Triple Fish Fluorocarbon line. I am using 1/16-oz. custom Lester Flies. The two-colored flies that seem to work best are the spot-candy colored fly as well as several variations of duck-feather flies with peach-colored hair mixed in. Vary your cadence as that seems to be a very important part of getting the fish to bite. Subtle is key, but incorporate some variations of pulls, pops and also dead stick to see what the fish prefer. The Float N Fly will continue to work as long as our temperatures stay lower than the mid 50s. March is usually transition time. We should start to see our water temps start rising into the 50s, and when it does the big largemouths will start to roam the shallows. Concentrate on the first points at the mouths of the spawning coves for these big prespawn largemouths. In March I am all about the big swimbaits to catch those trophy fish. My favorites are the 7-inch Bull Shad, made by Nature’s Tackle Box, and the Triple Trout. I work these baits sub-surface in and around the mouths of spawning pockets. Crankbaits will be a strong pattern in the spring in the same areas mentioned above.”

Linesides: Excellent. Guide Robert Eidson said the hybrid fishing is off the charts. “Fish are staging between Bartow-Carver and Kellogg Creek,” said Robert. He’s catching 15 to 16 in a good day, including some 7- to 8-lb. hybrids with a 10-pounder thrown in every now. He’s also boating a few small 8- to 10-lb. stripers with a 12- to 14-pounder occasionally. Put in at daylight, and look for the birds. Fish small trout, shiners and threadfins on flatlines and planer boards. “The Dugout has some small trout right now,” said Robert. By about 9 a.m. the fish have been busting shad on top, and the birds have been right with them. “It’s fishing for dummies,” said Robert. “It’s that easy right now. Everyone can have some fun.” Midday, look for the bite on downroads on the river channel in 18 to 40 feet of water. Look for fish the second week of March to be around the Delta, staging to go up the river. By the third week, the river run should be on. Fish cutbait and chicken livers. Robert said if you don’t want to go up the Etowah River, try the quieter Allatoona Creek arm.