Lake Weiss Fishing Report – December 2007

Weiss: Level: 6 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 50s. Clarity: The main lake is clear.

Bass: Good. Lake Weiss fishing guide Mark Collins said the largemouths are shallow in the main lake and in the backs of the bays. Work main-lake points, road beds, humps and flats near the main river channels with shallow running crankbaits like the Gizz 4 in green back and chartreuse back and the Bandit 100 series. Look for flats with shad working the surface near the main river channels in the main lake from the Cedar Bluff bridge to the powerhouse lake. The upper Coosa River is also producing some good fish. Look for the fish in the mouth of any ditch, channel or creek that cuts off of the main Coosa River channel. Double willowleaf blade spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white are producing some good fish also. Spotted bass are being caught on the Coosa, Little River and Chattooga river-channel ledges in 5 to 10 feet of water. Carolina rigs and crankbaits are working well.

Crappie: Good, said guide Kelly Matthews. “Fall crappie fishing here on Weiss this year has been great so far and should remain good as move into early winter fishing. The primary technique working on Weiss Lake right now is spider rigging the channel ledges on the old Coosa River. I have been working ledges in 12 to 14 feet of water looking for any structure in this depth range. I have been averaging around 45 to 55 good keepers per day. This technique will only get better as the water cools off even more. Areas that have been real good for the last few weeks have been Bays Springs, Yellow Creek, Sand Valley and right around the Alabama Belle Resort on the upper lake. I have been spider rigging with live bait using a 1/2-oz. weight. Come up 20 inches, and tie on an Eagle Claw No. 2 snelled hook and you are ready to go. Also shooting shallow water docks in 2 to 4 feet of water is producing good stringers of crappie using a Southern Pro Stinger grub in black/blue with chartreuse tail on a 1/24-oz. lead head. Crappie are really starting to school up tight around structure and are getting more aggressive as the water cools. We have had a mild fall this year, and this will only prolong the spider rigging technique. As we move into early winter fishing, look for the crappie to move up shallow and suspend, this is when I will start long-line trolling and this is the best fishing that Weiss has to offer. Look for the water temps to break that magic 50-degree mark, and the trolling bite will be on.”