Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – September 2024

Allatoona: Level: Full at 840. Temp: 81-88 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “Fishing continues to be good.  September can be a bit tricky sometimes. When water temperatures begin to cool, we see algae blooms that could slow fishing for a few weeks. It mostly depends on temperature, rain and current, which Allatoona doesn’t have much of. Not much changes at the beginning of the month. It is just a continuation of August with schooling fish and a productive topwater bite. As we move later in the month, we will see the temperature slowly cool off due to the shortening of the days. The spinnerbait, jerkbait and crankbait bites will pick up. We don’t see a major pattern change until somewhere around October. September continues to be a good month for the river pattern up the Etowah. A buzzbait and a jig on wood are always productive, and we see an occasional good largemouth with this pattern. The good thing about September is we start to see people go back to school, hunting season begins, and we see fewer people on the lake. Enjoy and be safe.” 

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson, of First Bite Guide Service, reports, “Lineside fishing is good. The full moon phase we had last week really slowed the bite. It is starting to rebound. These fish are scattered in the water column anywhere from 13 to 40 feet deep between Bartow Carver and Clark Creek. Shad, shiners and bream are all working, but threadfins and gizzard shad are hard to beat. Make sure you catch your bream on a hook and line, and be sure to carry plenty of bait and change it often. Frisky bait is the key to putting more fish in the boat. Trolling is working very well right now. For me, there is nothing better than the Captain Mack’s u-rig. I have had some really good days here lately pulling these rigs. Also, single bucktails fished 150 feet behind the boat at 2.4 miles per hour will get you bit. Topwater is good early in the morning and late in the afternoon. A white Rooster Tail is hard to beat right now.”

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Crappie: Robert DeHaas, of Red Rooster Custom Baits and an OG from “Team Geezer,” reports, “September will closely resemble August as far as the summertime crappie pattern is concerned. Spider-rigging crappie minnows is still the best way to catch those tasty slabs. Allatoona crappie can be found suspended in 12 to 16 feet of water on deep-water structures positioned 18 to 25 feet deep. You can still catch a few on a small jig, like the Red Rooster Dagger, depending on the mood and location of the crappie. Early morning crappie can be found suspended just above the structure until about 9 a.m. After 9, they are holding very tight to the structure and are slow to react. That’s where the spider-rigged minnow comes into play since it is a slow, vertical presentation. September can be a transitional month, depending on lake levels and water temperature. You will want to keep an eye on the lake levels toward the end of the month. As in years past, they begin to drop the lake levels to prepare for the winter drawdown. When the lake drops to 835 feet from 840 (full pool), that drop in lake level can trigger crappie activity. During this time, you can try your luck trolling for active crappie by pulling a 1/16-oz. jig over brush and structure. Clear-water jig colors, such as uv shad, watermelon, blue glimmer and fried pickle, are the first choices with multiple different jig-head colors. I like to give crappie many options to choose from when determining the color that works. Once a certain color or colors start working, you can change out the ones that aren’t. We are fanatical about long-lining for Allatoona crappie and don’t need an excuse to start. As we head into the fall, Red Rooster will give you all the details that you will need to prepare for a successful trolling season. Remember to keep only the crappie that you can use, and love your neighbor by being an Allatoona conservationist so the lake will thrive for generations to come. Psalms 86:5 says, ‘For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.’”