Lake Temperatures are from the high 60’s to mid 70’s. The lake is down 7.2 feet at 1,063.8 feet and is slightly stained on the main lake and stained in the creeks. The Chattahoochee River is clear. Check generation schedules before heading out to the river at 770-945-1466
Bass
Fishing seems to be very good right now if you are in the right place. The right places seem to be main lake humps and points or docks located around rock and clay banks. These fish are surprisingly shallow and beating the banks is working. Usually I stay way off the banks, but this week I recommend that you position your boat to where you can hit the bank with the end of your cast. If you are fishing from the bank make sure to work your lure all of the way back on the retrieve. A good many of these bass are hitting lures 5-feet deep or less.
I have been really whacking big spotted bass by throwing a SPRO McStick jerk bait all the way to the bank and reeling it back with a medium steady retrieve. We caught over 20 keeper bass Wednesday in a four-hour trip, including two spotted bass over five pounds. Other moving lures like spinner baits, Zoom Flukes, Swirley Birds and Fish Head Spins should also produce well. Target windy banks for your best results.
If you prefer a more relaxed pace then slow down and work Texas or Carolina rigged worms and lizards around the main lake banks. Finesse worms on a jig head have also been producing well around docks with rock and clay.
Live blueback herring make very productive spotted bass bait, but medium minnows will also work well. Check in with Hammond’s Fishing Center as they carry all of the lures and live bait you will ever need!
Stripers
This report is brought to you by Shane Watson’s Guide Service and Hammond’s Fishing Center. We’ve had boats out on trips everyday this week and we continue to see good action on both stripers and spotted bass. This morning was no exception. The stripers were up shallow when the sun got overhead and they were blowing up on the bait strong. When our customers were reeling in fish, there would be three or four stripers following the one on the hook.
Crappie
The fish are through spawning and they have been a little tougher to catch this past week. Fish from 5-to 20-feet deep with live minnows, jigs and Crappie Spoons.
Trout on the Chattahoochee
The Department of Natural Resources is still stocking trout plenty of trout. Continue to use worms, salmon eggs, corn or Berkley Power Nuggets (where permitted) on a large split shot and a small hook. Rooster Tails or Yozuri Pins Minnows on four pound test are working well for fish below the rapids and in the deeper pools. Fly-fishing with dry flies is very good in the afternoons.
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. He would love to hear from his readers so please email him at esaldrich@yahoo.com or visit his website at www.aldrichfishing.com. Remember to take a kid fishing!