Lake water quality is excellent. The dissolved oxygen level is a life-thriving 7ppm at the Dam as per DNR reporting on 8/26/19. This shows that the water quality has improved greatly since previous measurements were documented in July. Add to that steady winds from all four corners the past week , and one cannot keep from thought or hope that Nature is starting to brew her autumn harvest to come. It's definitely showing.
The fish are in every bend and basin from Bethany to Victoria from our own experience this week, the water quality is great and the Allatoona fishery is thriving. We are receiving great reports from fellow fisherman as far south as Allatoona/Tanyard/Clark Creeks and up into and beyond Little River and North. Shhh...don't tell anyone the fish are everywhere!
The topwater bite has been showing itself, but maybe with less frequency these past few days.
When they are are not all over the top, one must adapt. Just because they aren't busting the surface does not mean they are not eating. Find their bait and you will note the fish are close by, even if just staying with the bait for the times they are hungry.
A few mornings this week I mixed it up with several other fishers -men and women- to my left and right on the leeward shoal of a point waiting with great anticipation a repeat of several golden hour extravaganzas we have enjoyed earlier this week and last. But they didn't break - at least not like we had hoped. I rousted up a few nice young stripers on a topwater just before sunrise, and with that the thrill is never gone. But the fish just didn't break. Look closely - are the fish even there where you last left them? If not, go to them. I do not mean go chase the school that just broke for 10 seconds 200 yards out. Why? Because by time you get to them they are likely 200 yards in a different direction, and a very good chance that they are boiling right in the space that you just left! Now, if you're not marking any fish, headed toward a breaking school is a good starting point as you now know where they were last. Look on the channel edges. The past few mornings, moving out of the shallows and onto the channel has been a game changer. In some areas, the bait has been stacked from the bottom at 25 feet and 10 feet high! Drift/troll a nice little frisky threadfin shad at 14-15 feet and you are in the game. Sometimes these fish are not even responding to a finesse jigged spoon, but it is hard to beat a live threadie to trigger a bite. For the most part, every artificial we use is designed to mimic their bait - Most times when the bite is slower, the real deal wins hands down. The evening has been similar - the fish are not breaking in their usual haunts. They may still be there and will respond well to a little A-rig or spoon worked off the bottom or a threadfin on a freeline or downline. Maybe they are not even coming in there at dusk, so move! We have caught loads of fish 6/7 nights straight (did not fish one night), and having a mutitude of nice holes, we simply moved away from the pack and subsequently found all kinds of fish and had them all to ourselves into sunset. Trolling U-rigs and such - likely a great technique right now and have even read osme positive reports, but we at HOA have been catching them just sitting still/jogging using smaller artificials and live bait and have not had to rely on this technique the past 2 weeks. Happy to report more on this once we utilize and have results on this method.
Please consider us to guide you through some of the best techniques and turns on lovely Lake Allatoona. We are blessed to have enjoyed some spectacular trips in August, having clients from all corners of the U.S. and all walks of life. The most common theme we have found this year overall is that many of our guests actually live on/near and often fish Lake Allatoona, have for years, many have their own boat even and simply want to gain the tools to go out and successfully do it on their own. We have a 100% success rate in effectively teaching our guests something new and catching fish on Lake Allatoona, and it will be our absolute pleasure to have you on board. Please give us a call at 404-919-4918, any time!
