Lake Weiss Fishing Report December 2013

Weiss: Level: 4.2 feet below full pool. Temp: Low 50s. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Guide Mark Collins reports, “A lot of bass are shallow on seawalls and rocky rip-rap banks and gravel points. A lot of fish are being caught from shallow stump flats, also. Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits are producing. Some fish are still being caught on the creek and river channel ledges, 6 to 10 feet deep on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jig ’n pigs and Carolina-rigged plastics. Submerged roadbeds and deeper main-lake points are also producing some good bass. Look for the largemouth to turn off over the next few weeks or so, depending on the weather. The spotted bass will stay active all winter long.”

Crappie: “Fishing is great,” Mark said. “This fall has been awesome with great catches coming in almost every day. The crappie are on the old Coosa River channel ledges from Cedar Bluff to Leesburg in 16 to 20 feet of water anywhere there is stumps and brush. The upper Coosa River channel around Riverside Camp Ground is starting to turn on, also. Spider-rigging with live minnows is the way to catch these fall crappie. Shooting docks is producing very few crappie this fall. Night fishing with lights over structure with live minnows and vertical jigging over structure is really good right now,” Mark said.

Striper: “Fishing is good, and they have started showing up in the main lake in good numbers,” Mark said. “They are in the main Coosa River channel from Cedar Bluff to Leesburg in good numbers. Downlining live shad 8 to 12 feet deep is a great way to catch these hungry fall stripers. Trolling with a 1/4-oz. jig with a 3- to 4-inch Sassy Shad body at speeds around 1.5 mph is also a good way to catch these aggressive fish.”

Catfish: Mark reports, “Catfish are biting good in the flats 8 to 20 feet deep on cut shad.”