Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – October 2019

Allatoona: Level: 5.9 feet low. Temp: 83 degrees. Clarity: 7 feet.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “The drought is definitely playing a part this month with water levels dropping. The month of October is great on Lake Allatoona. This year’s turnover should be a little behind due to warmer weather. November is a great month for creeks and the main river, and current is key. The crankbait bite has not started yet, as it has in year’s past, but I expect by the end of the month, it will begin to get good. When that happens, baits like the Spro Little John and Fat John in craw colors will be the ticket. Wood and shallow cover are good most of the year, but in the month of October, they make for great ambush points for transitioning fall fish. As always, October is one of the best buzzbait months on Allatoona. Fish are chasing shad, and the buzzbait imitates a fleeing shad perfectly. Throw the bait parallel to the shore. It allows the bass to corral the bait easier. Bluff walls near creek mouths are the best areas. As the water cools, the jerkbait will pick up, as well. Blowdowns and shallow brush are also great places to catch transitional fish. One of the other great baits in November is the hard-sided swimbait. Typically, November baitfish are larger, and bass feeding up for the winter are keying on gizzard shad and big threadfin. Also keep an eye out for schooling fish off the main lake and secondary points. If you see schooling activity, you can load the boat quick this time of year. The main thing to remember about November is to follow patterns that will be changing each week as the weather changes. It’s not just the temperature that affects the fish but the length of the day.”

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson reports, “Good! Probably the best September we have seen in years. The live-bait bite has been good. Downlines fished 21 feet over a 30-foot bottom in sight of the dam has been good right at sun-up. After that, we have been chasing schooling activity from the dam to Kellogg. The topwater bite has been awesome on most days. The flats at the mouth of Kellogg have been very good in the afternoons. The best bite in the morning has been in the Allatoona Creek arm. These fish will eat almost anything when they’re up. But our go-to bait has been a Rooster Tail. This is probably the best bite we have seen in September in years.”