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 Allatoona Fishing
Get ready for fall fishing
To be sure, summer is not over and September weather
tends to be on the warm side here in north Georgia. However,
change is just around the corner. With shortening days, the average
amount of sun exposure is decreasing and axial tilt of the planet
will soon make it a lot more pleasant to spend a day on the lake.
With the kids back in school and hunters spending their free time in
the woods, you’ll find less boat traffic and angling company in your
favorite fishing areas. I don’t know of any angler who doesn’t
appreciate that. In early through mid September, our lakes remain
stratified with a pronounced thermocline. Gamefish typically hold in
this level of the water column making deep water fishing the order
of the day. While this can be very productive, it’s nice having
alternatives to fishing brush piles in 30 feet of water. Based on
several factors, changes in the water column begin in mid September
to early October. It’s actually quite interesting. If you would
like to learn more about this, visit the Georgia DNR web site.
You’ll find a thorough and understandable explanation of this
process. What does this mean for the fisherman? These changes,
often called lake turnover, will cause fish to scatter in many areas
and can disrupt the solid deep water patterns you enjoyed during the
summer. It’s a gradual process and not all areas of the lake are
affected at once. If you hit several very dependable deep water
holes for bass and draw a blank this is certainly something to keep
in mind. If this occurs in several different parts of the lake a
change of strategy is in order. The key to fall fishing is adapting
to change by trying different patterns. Sometimes there is really no
dominant pattern but several things are working to put fish on the
end of your line.
Don’t forget the Shakey Head Rig
It pays to have several rods rigged with different
bait categories this time of year. Through late November, always
have a ready rod on the deck for schooling fish. This can be rigged
with your favorite topwater plug, a 3/8th ounce in line spinner, or
any shad imitating bait. Stick with natural baitfish colors. Keep
the size modest and choose a lure that lends itself to great casting
distance. Depending on the bait of choice, you may want to opt for
spinning tackle and eight-pound test line. On some days, you may not
spot any surfacing fish but in instances when they’re on top and
feeding, you’ll have a distinct advantage. Don’t stow this rod in
the locker; if you have to dig it out it’s not a ready rod.
It goes without saying that you’ll want to have a
spinning outfit with a shakey head plastic worm. Keep the lead head
size at 3/16th ounce for all around versatility in both shallow and
deep presentations. Any green or earth tone color will usually get
the job done. Don’t pass up a blow down or other prominent piece of
cover without giving the worm two or three casts. A double willow
leaf style spinnerbait can be great during the fall. Smaller profile
3/8th ounce versions are the best choice. Here again, pick colors
that imitate shad or herring. I would toss this on baitcasting
tackle with a good fluorocarbon line but spinning tackle will work
as well. If you go for the spinning approach, monofilament line
tends to perform better when casting. One very exciting lure to
fish through the fall is the buzzbait. Some anglers throw the
standard single prop versions while others swear by the twin prop
models. I’ve used both with success. White and chartreuse is always
a sound color choice but I’ve seen guys tear them up using all black
all day long. The key here seems to be putting the lure in the right
place. Crankbaits are classic bass producers this time of year.
They’re another great choice for covering a lot of water. Pick your
plug based on the depth zone you wish to target. For the most part,
baitfish colors work well although I’ve seen a couple of very odd
colors get a lot of attention from the bass.
Super Rooster Tail is a Super Choice
Fish will often move up to shallow or mid depths off
points and reefs this time of year. One fine technique for a lot of
action is to target these areas with the double willow leaf
spinnerbait discussed earlier. Some wind action with a light chop on
the water surface can really enhance this bite. In clear water keep
the retrieve speed very fast and burn it back to the boat. Often,
baits out of the package have excessive drag and will roll with the
speed required. To trick out your spinnerbait, switch out the large
rear willow blade for a smaller size and clamp a 1/4th ounce rubber
core sinker (remove the core first) on the hook shank beneath the
skirt. A trailer hook is always a good idea.
These modifications will allow for super long casts
and fast retrieves without the roll effect. If the fish are finicky
or you’re getting hits but few hookups try a 1/4th ounce white
Rooster Tail or similar in line spinner. Cast all the way to the
shallows and give the rod tip a short snap to ensure the blade is
turning. Having blade rotation is super important for this lure to
produce. Some accomplished anglers use the Super Rooster Tail which
has an open safety pin shape. This design allows the blade to spin
freely at any retrieve speed. Whatever you opt for, cover lots of
water. Medium size swim baits such as the Yum Money Minnow are also
excellent choices for fishing point and reef type structures. For
this bait, a good starting point is a specialty hook weighted at
1/4th ounce. Several companies manufacture these. Some of the hooks
can be quite large. You definitely want enough gap to easily
penetrate a bait and hook a bass but be sure to keep the hook in
balance with the body size. Some people hang a high quality treble
hook off the bend as a cure for short strikes. Simply cast this lure
out, allowing it to sink to the desired depth and slowly bring it
back.
Drive bass crazy with a Crazy Crawler
Starting in the latter half of September, try slowly
moving through the shallows in coves and pockets with the electric
motor on low without casting a lure. Be sure to wear a pair of
polarized sunglasses. In most light conditions copper lenses will
give the best color contrast. You may be really surprised at how
many bass you see cruising in just two or three feet of water. Some
are singles and you’ll often spot groups of two and three fish
together. While I am no good at catching visible bass, this exercise
tells me that probing the shallows in a methodical manner could be
well worth the time spent. Especially early and late in the day, the
buzzbait rod is a good one to pick up in this situation. It’s
another easy lure to fish. Strikes on this odd bait never fail to
get the adrenaline going. A couple of points are key. As in most
situations, cast well beyond your target whenever possible. A
buzzbait landing nearly on top of a bass in skinny water will send
it rocketing away like a torpedo. The other key is deflection. Try
to place the cast where you can actually knock against objects
during the retrieve. Wood cover and the corners of dock floats are
always good targets. If all you see is one lone tiny stick up, try
to bump it. For some reason, this tactic really does trigger an
aggressive reaction strike. Keep the lure moving and you can bring
it through a surprising amount of cover.
If you want to give the bass a different look, try a
Crazy Crawler. This lure is a real old timer that is still produced
under the Heddon brand name. It’s not as weedless as a buzzbait but
I’ve heard several reports that it can be a real killer on shallow
bass. Keeping in the theme with covering a lot of water, shallow and
medium depth crankbaits are fall staples. Some disciplined anglers
stick with a hierarchy of baits from one manufacturer. I prefer a
hodge podge of different plugs that seem to work for me. If I could
only choose one (really meaning two) it would be the original Shad
Rap by Rapala in sizes seven and five. To really stretch my “one
plug” theory to the max I would have them in three colors – natural
shad, crawdad, and chartreuse back with pearl belly. In my lure math
theory one equals six. My second favorite is the Bandit 200 series.
If I want to fish a bit shallower, it’s the really old fashioned and
overlooked Wee Rebel produced under the Rebel brand name. If you
really want to ply the shallows, tie on a Mann’s One Minus which
runs at a foot or less. Some pro anglers swear by this plug and say
it catches fish that have seen too many spinnerbaits. Again, try to
bump cover whenever possible. You will definitely get extra strikes.
In closing, whether you’re still catching fish deep
or having shallow water success, the autumn season is a super time
to hit the lake. The changing leaf colors makes for great scenery to
go with great weather. It’s a fine time to take the family out for
an on the lake picnic and put some fish on everyone’s line.
Until next month, take care and enjoy the lake!
Tommy
Wilkinson is assistant manager for Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in
Duluth. E-mail Tommy at
tommy@lakesidenews.com
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