Lake Allatoona Fishing Reports – March 2021

Allatoona: Level: 10 feet low. Temp: 44 degrees. Clarity: Stained up the lake.

Bass: Tournament angler Matt Driver reports, “March on Lake Allatoona is almost magical. The big bass just appear out of nowhere! March is definitely one of the best months of the year to catch a quality bass. March madness truly fits Lake Allatoona this month. Bass move up shallow and have two things on their mind—food and spawning. This month is all about covering water. Crankbaits, scroungers and ChatterBaits is what I’ll be throwing. I like the Picasso spinnerbait with white willowleaf blades or a willowleaf/Colorado blade combo. Fish the spinnerbait on wind-blown points. For the ChatterBait, a Picasso Aaron Martens Shock Blade in white and blue is my shallow cover bait. I fish it on points in laydown trees. They are the best areas to target. Next is the scrounger. I throw a 1/4-oz. jig head tipped with a Big Bite Baits alewife 4-inch Jerk Minnow fished on 10-lb. Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon and a glass composite medium cranking rod. Make a long cast and just slowly reel it back. The scrounger may get several bites before the fish actually loads up. The scrounger will produce hybrid, striper, white bass and spotted bass. It will make for an interesting day. The areas around Illinois Creek, the mouth of Little River and the Sweetwater Creek area have been really productive.”

Linesides: Guide Robert Eidson reports, “Decent! Winter weather finally arrived and with it brought the beginning signs of a shad kill. We knew it was coming when the water temp hit 48 degrees. Now that the water temp is at 44.3, we are starting to see signs of the kill. The north end of the lake is heavily stained, and the bite is extremely slow up there right now, just like the rest of the lake. But as the lake starts to clear, we look for the fish to start grouping up and begin to feed before the spawn runs. I look for these fish to stage from Kelloggs up to Fields Landing. When this happens, planer boards and freelining shad and shiners will be the ticket. As of right now, I think your best bet to put a few fish in the boat is on the flats from Bartow to Clark Creek. Spoons and A-rigs are your best bet until the shad kill ends.”