Fishing

Lake level: Down 6.3 feet
Temperature: 60s
Clarity: Main lake clear, creeks stained

BASS: Bass fishing is good with many true quality bass being caught. The bass are set up in their fall patterns right now with the fish scattered from two feet to 40 feet.

Over recent days we have been working mainly four baits, a spinnerbait, a crankbait, an underspin and a spoon to catch them.

The main keys for the spinnerbait and the crankbait have been wind and rock either on or off the main.

For the spinnerbait it has been a white and chartreuses with either silver or white willow leaf blades worked steady at about five feet of depth.

The Rapala DT10 and the Spro 55 RKCrawler have both been productive when thrown to the bank and banged through the rocks. The key for both of these baits is to find the wind blowing on the chunky rock.

The shad are staging in balls right now in the creeks and you may see them from 10 to 40 feet deep and the underspin and spoon are great choices to catch them. For the underspin, a three eights Spot Choker with a two eight paddle tail swimbait will work either down the middle of the 30-foot ditches or around the depth of the shad that are up off the bottom. For the suspended shad FFS is a necessity to not only see the bait and fish but to get your Spot Choker to the correct depth. Look for structure in the ditches around the 35- to 40-foot range with bait around it. You can either target it with the underspin or get directly over it with a Georgia Blade spoon to draw strikes. With the spoon, a subtle two-foot lift and a free fall drop will trigger the bites around the structure. It’s important to keep the spoon directly under you and not drag it in order to not stay hung up.

It’s not complicated right now if you just follow the wind, you can catch fish. As the lake continues to drop, be sure to watch your electronics for depth as a lot of snags are just under the surface. It’s fun fall time so Go Catch ‘Em!

Report by: Phil Johnson; pjohnson15@hotmail.com, 770 366-8845.

STRIPERS: Stripers have been caught using a variety of techniques but live bait seems to work better than trolling. Trout, shiners, blue backs and gizzards are available at most local bait shops.

Down lines over 40- to 60-foot depths and locate the fish and put your bait just above them.

Weighted flat lines as well as naked free lines with your bait will help you land a fish or two. Always have your favorite lure ready to pitch at any moment the top water bite is heating up. Not all ramps are useable so check with your local bait shop for more information. Mid lake is a good place to start. Remember to wear your life jacket.

Report by: Buck Cannon; BuckTales, 404 510-1778.

News:

Jan 8 – 11, 2026 – The 2026 Atlanta Boat Show is Thursday, January 8-11, 2026 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Building B. See story in this month’s Lakeside for details.