Lake temperatures are around 70 degrees. The lake level is 1057.6 feet or just around 13«feet below full pool at 1071 feet. The main lake and creeks are stained to clear and the Chattahoochee River is clear.
Balus, Big Creek, Clarks Bridge, Charleston Park, East Bank, Little Hall, Little River, Shoal Creek, Tidwell, Vanns Tavern and Van Pugh ramps are all open.
Bass fishing should be very good this week. The bass are in all stages of spawn this week and you can just about pick your favorite spring pattern and do well. Many methods are working well including topwater, which will get even better in the next couple of weeks. A topwater plug like a SPRO Dawg or a SPRO Hydro Pop worked on the surface will produce explosive strikes. If the topwater action is not on, then switch to a Texas-rigged Zoom worm on a 2/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook or a jighead worm. Fish these worms around shallow docks and try the main lake and secondary points. Work your plastic worms from the bank on out as deep as 20 feet. The blueback herring will be spawning on sandy banks and large mouth and spotted bass will be hanging out in these same places. A weightless Zoom Fluke rigged on a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook will produce very well when the bluebacks are spawning. Live bait fished on a flat line will also ensure a good catch.
Striper fishing is very good. There are a lot of fish moving out on the main lake and feeding on all of the bluebacks. Topwater activity should start very soon and a SPRO Dawg, Zara Spook or even a Red Fin V-Waked on the surface will work well. Fish every main lake point near the river channel even if there is no activity on top. The strikes will be vicious this time. Watch your Humminbird electronics for the clouds of bluebacks and any arcs that appears around them. If the bluebacks or shad are present the stripers should be near. Live bluebacks on a flat line fished around these same main lake points will work very well. The night Bomber bite is almost over but some anglers are still catching a few after dark.
Crappie should be easy to catch in the shallows. Go shallow and find downed trees and docks. Use jigs or minnows under a float and fish as close to the cover as possible. If there is one in the area then stay around because these fish hang around in schools.
The Department of Natural Resources continues to stock plenty of ignorant, easy-to-catch trout on the Chattahoochee River. For the kids, and even the adults, try worms, salmon eggs, corn or Berkley Power Nuggets (where permitted) on a large split shot and a small hook. 1/16 or ¬-ounce Rooster Tails or Count Down Rapalas on 4-pound test are producing very well. Fly-fishing with dry flies is getting better.
Eric Aldrich is a part time outdoor writer, bass fisherman and is sponsored by Humminbird, SPRO, Gamakatsu, Tru Tungsten and Hammonds Fishing and Boat Storage. Reports are based on personal experience and permission from a close network of friends. I would love to hear from our readers so please email me at esaldrich@yahoo.com or visit my website at esaldrich.tripod.com. Remember to take a kid fishing!