Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – May 2024

Allatoona: Level: 1.2 feet above 840. Temp: 66-72 degrees. Clarity: Clear to a light stain.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “Fishing for the month of May is great. This month bass are postspawn and keying on shad and the shad spawn. The shad spawn occurs at night and usually ends shortly after daybreak. Threadfin typically spawn on hard surfaces, like rock and rip-rap. Blueback herring will spawn on red clay banks. During these times, fishing a jerkbait and walking-style topwater bait is the way to go. Fish are super aggressive and feeding up. Once the shad spawn bite is over, I’m switching to a swim jig and covering water. Fish are on the move. This time of year fish are relocating to summertime patterns. A lot of fish will be suspended in between those areas. You will notice a lot of fish suspended and feeding on bait in the 10- to 15-foot range this time of year. Normally, I say that one end of the lake or the other is better, but this time of year, we have equal chances pretty much wherever. Bass typically don’t move to brush until mid June and July, but you can find several good fish resting after the spawn on brush. This brush is typically shallower, in the 6- to 8-foot range.”

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson, of First Bite Guide Service, reports, “Fishing is good! The river run is in full swing. I think that everything that swims is spawning right now. Both cutbait and live bait fished on the bottom up either river will catch you a boat load of fish right now. If you’re limited to bank fishing, you’re in luck. The Acworth-Allatoona spillway also has a good run this time of year. A 1/4-oz. bucktail is working extremely well casting it into the running water. The main lake is also fishing well. Shad pulled on planer boards across any clay bank right now will probably get bit. Spring is here, but the fishing is about as hot as an afternoon day in early August. Grab the kids and hit the water.”

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Crappie: Robert DeHaas, of Red Rooster Custom Baits and an OG from “Team Geezer, “At the time of this report, the April full moon signals another wave of spawning crappie. Several crappie have already spawned and are in recovery mode. While the crappie are recovering, they will be choosy about what they eat. Minnows or small jigs, like the Red Rooster Dagger in natural colors, work well during this time. During the month of May, you want to target shallow structures in the 4- to 14-foot range. Structure can be anything from a dock, laydown, stump, stick-up and even floating logs in shallow water. The crappie, as well as bluegill, shellcracker and bass, will be hanging around shallow-water structures. Target major and minor creeks, and fish from the mouth to the very back. Fish the bank and any structure, and you may very well hook into some big roaming crappie. We are casting small jigs in natural colors on a small, 1/32- to 1/24-oz. jig head. THIS IS KEY: Keep your jig head as small as possible, as the crappie are finicky and will react better to a small profile jig and jig head. If you need more weight due to windy conditions, add a split-shot or clam shell about 8 to 10 inches above your jig. Casting to and around structure with a slow retrieve should work well during the month of May. Keep an eye out for the mayfly hatch and shad spawn, as this will be the main food sources. The Red Rooster Dagger in splatter back, watermelon ghost, UV shad, and gray ghost are great natural color examples and were designed for the clear waters of Lake Allatoona. Another great tactic right now is spider rigging. The month of May is a great month for crappie fishing on Lake Allatoona as the crappie will be aggressive and on the move until the summer heat approaches. Remember to be a conservationist and release the fish you don’t plan to use. The purpose of this report is to help you and your family have a successful and safe fishing trip. May the Lord bless you and your family. Jeremiah 29:11 says, ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’”