Lake Weiss Fishing Report October 2012

Weiss: Level: 1.3 feet below full pool. Temp: 71-75 degrees. Clarity: Clear to stained.

Bass: Good, according to guide and tournament pro Warren Barnes. “The fish on Weiss are in the fall transition mode right now, and the bass are grouped up and feeding heavily. Revenge buzzbaits are still working well around docks early. The spinnerbait bite is really on fire right now as well. The Revenge with double willowleaf blades is working best, as the largemouths and spotted bass are feeding heavy on schools of shad. During the middle of the day, crankbaits seem to be working best. I am using the Jackall Aska 60 and covering a lot of water. Make sure you change up your presentations frequently. Throughout the day I have also been flipping slower-moving baits like the 6-inch Jackall Flickshake worm rigged wacky style around any type of heavy wood cover I can find to catch those very tight largemouths. As we move into fall and colder weather sets in, I would look for the baitfish to move out bunching up into tighter groups, and the bass will follow them. Crankbaits like the Jackall Mc60Sr will be a great bait of choice for getting those fish.” Guide Mark Collins reports, “Bass fishing is fair. A lot of bass have started moving shallow in the coves as the water cools. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics are catching fish on stumps and brush in 4 to 8 feet of water. Some bass are being caught flipping docks, also.”

Crappie: “Fishing is great. The crappie are really starting to bite,” Mark said. “Stringers of 30 to 50 keepers are being brought in, with a lot of under-sized fish (below the 10-inch length minimum) being caught also. The crappie will only get better over the next few weeks. The crappie are on creek and river channel ledges and in the flats in 10 to 14 feet of water on brush and stumps. Spider-rigging with live minnows is the way to catch these crappie. A few are being caught shooting docks with jigs.”

Striper: Fair. “They are starting to get lethargic due to the very hot water, but some fish are still being caught at the Cave Hole in Little River on live shad downlined about 8 feet deep and also on some flatlines,” Mark said. “They are also being caught in the Chattooga River. They are also being caught in the canal when they are generating power. Little Spring Creek is also producing some good stripers on live shad.”

Catfish: “Good in the flats 12 to 20 feet deep on cut shad,” Mark said.