Lake Weiss Fishing Report September 2012

Weiss: Level: 0.4 feet low. Temp: 78-82 degrees. Clarity: Clear to stained.

Bass: Good, according to guide and tournament pro Warren Barnes. “The bass on Weiss are in a early fall mode right now, and the fish are starting to group up, and a variety of patterns are working all over the lake. The early morning topwater bite is always producing. Buzzbaits and frogs like the Jackall IOBEE are still working well around docks. During the midday, the spinnerbait and crankbait bite seems to be working best right now. Stay shallow, make multiple casts, and vary your presentations to catch both spotted and largemouth bass. I have also been flipping slower-moving baits like a 6-inch Jackall Flickshake rigged wacky style around any type of wood structure I can find. As for the deeper fish, both largemouths and spotted bass are biting good as well. Finesse baits like the Jackall Flickshake or a Tackle Doctors shaky head are still working great. Fish these baits on points and roadbeds. As we move into October, I would look for the shallow bite to get better. The baitfish should start bunching up into tighter groups, and the bass will be feeding heavily on them. Shallow crankbaits like the Jackall Bling and the Mc60sr will be great baits of choice for getting those fish.” Guide Mike Carter reports, “It has been very good this past month with the fish being more consistent on the ledges and some of the grassbeds with some deep water close by. The ledge bite has been very productive with 1-oz. Scroungers and also 1-oz. jigs. The best colors for the jig have been green pumpkin and avocado. The grass bite has been most exciting using Chatterbaits and Trick Worms. When looking for these grassbeds, you will need to find the ones that have deep water nearby for the best bite. The spinnerbait bite is just around the corner. When it gets started, hold on for a very exciting bite. The topwater bite has been a little slow but really should pick up as the cooler temps start coming in, and then the fun will really start when those Coosa River spots start blowing your Spooks out of the water.” Guide Mark Collins reports, “The dog days of summer are here again. The bass are getting very lethargic due to high water temperature and low oxygen levels. Down-sizing your baits this time of year will usually produce a lot more fish due to all the smaller, freshly hatched shad that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. Look for the best bite to be early and late. Some fish have moved to shallow banks near deeper water in 4 to 8 feet of water. The best stringers of bass are still coming on a deep pattern on crankbaits and soft plastics.”

Crappie: Good. “The crappie are on creek and river-channel ledges and on the flats in 12 to 16 feet of water on brush and stumps,” Mark said. “Spider-rigging with live minnows is the way to catch these summertime crappie. A few crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs, and some are being caught under lights at night in 8 to 12 feet of water on the channel in Little River and off of docks under lights at night. I have targeted crappie several times the last few weeks and caught 50 to 100 each time out.”

Stripers: 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 or flatlined behind the boat,” Mark said. “They are also being caught in the Chattooga River and in the canal when they are generating power. Little Spring Creek is also producing some good stripers on live shad.”

Catfish: Good. “They’re biting on the flats in 12 to 20 feet of water,” Mark said.