Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – October 2009

Allatoona: Level: 12.8 feet above full pool. Ramps open include Stamp Creek, Gaults and Gatewood. Temp: 78-80 degrees. Clarity: Surprisingly clear on the main lake.

Bass: Fair. Mike Bucca reports, “The lake level is insane. You can barely get under Bethany Bridge at Red Top. Fishing is OK. The biggest thing is to fish as shallow as you can and maneuver through the forest of trees. Try to find isolated cover if you can. Lots of shad are roaming around, so I am throwing the 5-inch Bull Shad mostly and burning it and letting them come up and get it. This is the time to beef up your line due to the heavy cover. Try to get as shallow as you possibly can, and fish the actual shoreline where the water meets the shore. It’s harder than you think in some areas due to the thickness, but if you can get in there, it’s worth your while. Another bait I am doing good on is a blue pearl Fat Ika rigged on a KSH original jerk weight. These little gizmos are the deal, and you will catch quite a few fish using this setup versus the traditional Texas-rig. I like the Fat Ika as it better resembles the profile and size of the forage, both threadfin and spot-tails. Same deal as the swimbait — throw it shallow and cover lots of water, but key on isolated cover. Most of your isolated cover is near deep water, since those areas don’t flood nearly as bad. The forecast has the water level back to full pool around the second week of November provided we don’t get any more rain. I would stick with the swimbait. I think the fishing will be on fire when the water starts to retreat from the forest. This will force the fish out of the timber to the edges, and they will be easy pickings. If you want to try for a trophy spot, throw bigger swimbaits like the 8-inch Bull Shad or 8- to 10-inch Triple Trout.” Matt Driver says the floods are not a bad thing when it comes to catching fish on Allatoona. “The corps has no choice but to open the flood gates, and current will be key for good fish catches the first part of October. Moving water means active fish. Because there are so many new areas to fish and tons of great ambush points, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs will be key for putting the big ones in the boat. Concentrate on shallow cover in 1 to 10 feet of water from the middle to the backs of creeks. Don’t let stained water discourage you. If the water is stained, use oranges and browns, and as the water clears, transition to shad patterns. Be careful of floating debris!”

Linesides: Excellent. “The small 2- to 3-lb. hybrids and 1-lb. stripers are busting topwater in acres right now,” said guide Robert Eidson. Throw a Junior Fluke on 4-lb. test with Junior Flukes, Robert said, adding that the schools are in the areas within sight of the dam. “The bigger fish will eat if you can get bait, but the backs of the creeks are flooded and muddy. The bait has moved out into the main river channel in water too deep to net. The 4- and 5-lb. fish are from mid-lake at Gaults to the dam. Use a downline on a 30-foot bottom, and the fish are hugging the bottom right now. The trolling bite with U-rigs is also good.”