The Spring rains that we welcome as fishers have allowed for creeks to fill and flow, and the waters are abundant with food for all the fish and other wildlife that make the North Georgia outdoors alive.
Current Lake levels are holding at around 845 feet, and even with continual rains, a fairly continual generation schedule being maintained by the ACOE should keep it around that for the next week or so. Water temps are rising again and around 52-54 lake-wide this week.
The NWS has issued a wind advisory for Friday with the wind howling early. Be safe if that is your day. Saturday and Sunday look as sweet as apple pie.
What's biting? Every species is eating - from Bream and Crappie to Cats and Bass. Even hooked a long-nose gar for all of two minutes this week.
The Hybrids and Stripers appear to be forever on the move these days. Smaller pods of these fish appears to be the norm right now. The live-bait bite is always hard to beat. They are loving their native shad snacks and they can be caught on a crappie minnow just as quickly when they are eating good. For presentation, one day the down-lines are the best and the next it is free-lines for the win. I can only suggest start with both and see what they want that day, and hope they want both. Trolling, casting and jigging artificials have all been productive in their time these past 2 weeks. Mini-Macks and crankbaits at 2-3 mph have been golden when we run across willing fish. There's a nice Striper/Hybrid tournament next week hosted by the Allatoona Striper Club that is open invitation. These are a blast and we get to spend the day hunting for wiley linesides, taking their pic on the measuring board and releasing them to grow bigger. I let quite a few go last year that I would hope to catch again this year myself. Check out Allatoona Striper Club, NOE Outdoors or the Graph Shack on FB for more details.
The Crappie and Bream (tenderloins of the reservoir) are eating. Small fatheads or shiners on light line with small hooks under a float (bare and jigs) have been bringing some nice messes in. There are crappie in Tanyard right now being caught from the road bank. I'd bet Red Top or Galts has some nice real-estate to sit on and drown a minner. If you are out on the boat and have a mission in mind, pulling 6-10 lines with small jigs in a rainbow of colors has been producing. Well, maybe start with a rainbow and hone in on their preferred colors for the day. *There is also an Allatoona Crappie Tournament benefiting KSU at Kellogg Creek this Saturday that you still have time to join if you'd like. Bank fishing is permitted so you do not need a boat.
This is the real thing. Spring is here, so get you a couple poles and some worms and minners and such and get out there. Take some time for a lake shore stop after work. We will be springing forward in time this Sunday. That's like extra clock-daylight just in time for Spring fishing. And it's the full worm moon, too. Get you some worms and go fishing, friends!
