Lake Weiss Fishing Report – September 2010

Weiss: Level: 1.8 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 80s to low 90s. Clarity: Lightly stained.

Bass: Very good. Guide Warren Barnes reports, “Bass fishing has been great. Although there are still some topwater fish being caught early, the abundance of largemouths and spotted bass are still on the river ledges. The two main baits I have been using to catch these fish are a 1/2-oz. Tackle Doctor football-head jig and a Jackall Muscle Deep crankbait worked along the top and bottom of the river ledges in about 12 to 22 feet of water. On slow days I can catch these fish by slowing down and finessing a Jackall Flickshake or a shaky-head rig on the bottom. The spotted bass seem to be keying on harder bottoms, and the largemouths are keying on the wood cover. As the water cools, I look for the bass to move into the creeks following the baitfish. Topwater baits should still produce early, but I would also throw a hard swimbait like the Bull Shad around any type of structure. Square-lipped crankbaits like the Jackall MC60 are also one of my favorite baits to throw this time of year. Try throwing these in the creek channels with a stop-and-go retrieve.” Guide Mark Collins reports fair fishing. “In the main lake, largemouth and spotted bass are being caught on offshore structure like main-lake humps and points, and a lot of bass are on the old river and creek-channel ledges. A Carolina-rigged Senko in green pumpkin/chartreuse or junebug/chartreuse is working on these fish. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Carolina rigs are all catching some fish, also. Some fish are being caught flipping deeper docks with a jig or tube. There is a good topwater bite. The bass are being caught on seawalls close to deep water early and late. There is also a good night bite. They are mostly being caught on lighted docks. The shad have moved up in the Chattooga River and Little Spring Creek. Both areas are several degrees cooler than the main lake. Look for the schools of shad, and fish the flats and edges of the river channel near them. Always watch for bass chasing the shad, and have a shallow-running crankbait ready.” For a hot-weather, shallow-water bite, see the article on page 82.

Crappie: Fair. “A few fish are being caught during daylight under docks on a 1/24-oz. Jiffy Jig,” Mark said. “The crappie will be on a night bite for the rest of the summer. Some good fish are being caught under lights at night off the deeper docks on live minnows and jigs. Also, crappie are being caught at night under lights in 8 to 14 feet of water on the old river-channel ledges in Little River and the old Coosa River channel.”

Striper: Fair. “They have left the main lake and have moved back up in the rivers and creeks,” Mark said. “The Cave Hole in Little River and up the lower Chattooga River and Little Spring Creek are producing some fair stripes. Live shad downlined 8 to 10 feet deep or freelined are the ways to catch these summer striper. The Chattooga River from Cornwall Furnace up past the Gaylesville bridge is also producing.”