Lake Weiss Fishing Report – February 2008

Weiss: Level: Down 3.2 feet below full pool. Temp: 45-48 degrees. Clarity: The main lake is clear, the creeks and the Coosa are stained.

Bass: Slow. Weiss fishing guide Mark Collins said the bass have moved out to deeper water on the old river channels and main-lake points. Carolina rigs, jigging spoons, drop-shot rigs and 1/2- to 3/4-oz. double-willowleaf spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white slow-rolled are all good winter baits. Spotted bass can be caught in Little River on any deep rocky banks. A Senko worm in green pumpkin is working well. Always remember that in winter the colder the water the slower you should fish!

Crappie: Crappie fishing is great on Weiss said guide Kelly Matthews. “I look for February and March to be awesome crappie fishing this year using the long-line trolling and the fly-and-cork techniques. I have had three 60-fish limits in the last few days long-line trolling, so Weiss is starting the year off right. Limit stringers of crappie are already being caught long-line trolling Southern Pro Hot Grubs. I have been targeting shallow-water bays just off the main river channel using this technique and doing well. Pulling single 1/24-oz. lead heads with a Southern Pro Hot Grubs is working great. Colors that are producing are black/blue with a chartreuse tail, orange crush and popsicle. This technique will only get better as we get into February as more crappie start moving up into these shallow bays. Also, good stringers of crappie are still coming from Three Mile up to Riverside using a fly-and-cork rig. Target log jams and work the backside using a 1/16-oz. lead head with a Southern Pro Stinger jig in popsicle color. If you are not set up to long-line troll, take this same fly-and-cork rig setup around 5 feet deep and target shallow flats just off the main river. The lower lake around Bay Springs is producing good stringers of crappie shooting a 1/24-oz. lead head with a Southern Pro Stinger jig in black/blue/chartreuse. Target docks in 6 to 8 feet of water.” Mark Collins said good numbers of fish are being caught on the main Coosa River ledges from Riverside Campground to Three Mile Creek, bumping bottom in 11 to 14 feet of water with live minnows and Jiffy Jigs. Tight lining a 1/16- or 1/24-oz. Jiffy Jig in color JJ17 on the upper Coosa River ledges is catching fish also. The upper Coosa River is also producing some decent catches of crappie in the log jams and behind any structure that creates a current break. Fishing a minnow on a slip float 6 to 10 feet deep behind the log jams is always a great way to load the boat with some slabs. The piers at JR’s Marina are producing a lot of crappie. Cast jigs and minnows 5 to 7 feet deep under floats.

Stripers: Fair, said Mark. The stripers are on the edges of the the old river channels and major flats of the Coosa River and Little River. Yellow Creek is also producing some good fishing. Try a 4-inch curly-tail grub in chartreuse glitter or a 3 1/2-inch Sassy Shad in pearl or chartreuse glitter on a 1/4-oz. jig head trolled at 1 to 1 1/2 mph on 12- to 15-lb. test Ande line. Target the area from the Cedar Bluff bridge downriver to Yellow Creek and up into the Little River and Chattooga River arms. Target any of the deeper roadbeds, humps and points in the deeper flats and any point that meets the old river channels. The Coosa River above the Hwy 68 bridge to Cowan Creek is also producing some fish.

Catfish: Great, said Mark. “Catfish are being caught all over the lake jug fishing. Use live bream, cut bait, whole crappie heads or any kind of stink bait. Fishing the main Coosa River channel right below the Cedar Bluff bridge with cut bait is producing some big blue cats. Any of the deeper holes on the main Coosa River will hold large catfish through the winter months. The docks at JR’s Marina are producing some big blues and a few flatheads on crappie heads almost every night. Make sure to use a good quality fishing line. I suggest Ande line in at least 25-lb. test,” Mark said.