Lake Allatoona Fishing Report – Week of August 22

 

Bass:

The bass bite is in late summer mode and can be hit or miss. Fish are schooling and on the move around brushpiles, rocky structure, and bluffs. When they’re up chasing bait, a 5-inch hard swimbait or a 3-joint hard bait burned back fast will get bit. When that slows down, switch to finesse drop shot with a Berkley Flat Worm or a jig head minnow. A 6XD crankbait in white/blue/chartreuse will sometimes pull an extra fish or two. At night, bigger fish are hitting spinnerbaits with Colorado blades. Also try rip-rap banks early with buzzbaits, Whopper Ploppers, Chug Bugs, or square billed cranks, then move to docks, points, and laydowns with trick worms or Carolina rigs once the sun is up.

 

Stripers/Hybrids:

The striper and hybrid bite is solid but you’ve got to stay moving. Oxygen is low below 21 feet, so don’t fish deeper than that. Downlines with shiners are working best shad die too quick in this heat. Fish are scattered from Kellogg Creek down to Allatoona Landing, so keep running until you find them.

 

Crappie:

Crappie fishing is slow right now. The heat has them sluggish, and the bite is hit or miss. Best shot is to get out there at first light and fish deeper brush with minnows or small jigs. Expect the action to taper off by mid-morning, especially once the boat traffic picks up.

 

Fishing Tips:

 

• Start early most bites happen at first light.

• Don’t sit on dead water, keep moving until you find fish.

• Shiners outlast herring or threadfin for stripers in this heat.

• Be ready to change baits fast when the bite slows.

• For bass, don’t sleep on the night bite with spinnerbaits.

 

 

Preferred Baits:

 

• Bass: 5″ hard swimbait, 3-joint hard bait, drop shot w/ Flat Worm, 6XD crankbait, jig-head minnow, spinnerbait (night), trick worm, Carolina rig

• Stripers/Hybrids: Shiners, Mini Macks trolled at 2.1 mph

• Crappie: Minnows, small jigs on deep brush early