THE SOUTHERN FISHING REPORT
by Ken Sturdivant
106 Hickory Ridge
Cumming, Georgia 30040

August 15, 2008

LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 16.7 FEET, AND LAKE IS STAINED AND THE CREEKS AND THE RIVERS ARE STAINED & 86 DEGREES.

SPECIAL NOTICE: BE VERY CAREFUL RUNNING LAKE LANIER AS WATER LEVELS FALL. THERE ARE MANY AREAS THAT HAVE TREE TRUNKS, STUMPS AND ROCKS JUST BELOW THE WATER LEVEL.

Largemouth bass fishing has been slow with just a little action up in the rivers. Both the spots and largemouth have moved up into the northern part of the lake and a variety of baits are being used. Top water early is fair very early and the go to a #5 suspending Shad Rap in the natural shad color. Work short run small rocky banks in the middle of Wahoo Creek around Marker #4, as well as any points that hold small rock and wood. At daylight the bass are in the shallows and are feeding on small threadfin shad. This shallow action will last until the sun makes it way over the trees. Up the rivers, there are schools of fish on top and you have to be there at daylight. This action only lasts until 8am. Be very careful up in any creek lake wide and especially in the rivers Top water baits work well and small baits seem to attract more strikes. The Zara Spook Jr. in the shad or bone patterns will work. They make break out on top especially early but have a bait ready and hit the swirl!. After the sun in high the bass move to the deep wood and brush around docks. Start the day with an all white buzz baits, cast all white, spinner baits and small $5 Shad Raps in baby bass and shad patterns. The chrome and black back Spittin Image shad top water lures right on the banks as well as white Lunker Lure buzz baits are drawing strikes from bass. The fish are shallow at and before daylight and it’s best to be on the water as early each morning this week as possible. These bass are after recently hatched small shad and small sunfish right on banks both up and down lake. A green Zoom trick worm with a # 2/0 Mustad offset worm hook on a spinning reel will get the fish out from under docks. Skip this bait as far into cover and into docks.

Spotted bass have been fair early and late shallow on points on the main lake. Some spots are being caught in the middle of the day but deep brush piles are the best areas at 25 feet. There have been fish caught shallow every day from daybreak until 8am on the lower lake on finesse worms rigged on a jig head or Spotsticker jigs. The top water bite is improving daily, especially on the south end where there is more oxygen available. Spots are being caught on humps from 15 to 30 feet deep. Anything shallower than the 15 feet is poor. When you can see the Lake Lanier Islands, you are in a great area and just pick reef markers and humps to fish and target the grass and brush on them. Try points with the larger rocks half way out to the main lake in Bald Ridge Creek, Four Mile Creek and in Shoal Creek. Shad Raps that suspended and soft jerk baits like the Zoom pearl Super Fluke will work on any suspended fish. Keep a ½ ounce all white Rooster Tail ready while using blue back herring. Top water baits of choice are a Zara Spook Jr, and a Lucky Craft Sammy 100 and/or 115 in any color. The spotted bass can also still be caught on a Zoom Super Fluke with a 3/0 Offset EWG Mustad hook in the white pearl or any shad color around the schooling fish. Spotsticker jigs are deadly for deep spots lake wide and use the 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 ounce sizes. Fish brush piles and wood on points and humps at these depths for success. As always, in August, have a "ready rod bait" ready for when fish come up and surface.

This report is from Captain Chuck Biggers at Southern Striper Fishing Guide Service 404 405 8280, www.southernstripers.com

Striper fishing has slowed somewhat with the cooling of the water the last few days. You can still find fish from mid creek channel to the mouth. If you can’t find them there you should look in the pockets close by these places. As the water warms up they should show back up in force in the places where they were a week ago. Again look from Browns Bridge south. When you find them check your map and look for other places that look about the same like a flat bottom river channel etc. Trolling is always a good way to find fish to drop bait on. We have been catching fish on lead core fished 7 to 9 colors out with a 2 oz buck tail and Mr Twister trailer. Check out my website at southern stripers.com see you on the pond!

See www.lowrance.com for the current Summer Rebate Program on consumer products through September 30, 2008 starting with the LMS-520c @ $50.00. Buy a LCX-113cHD and get a $300.00 rebate.

Our new DVD, “FINDING FISH WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY” is now on sale! You can see a FREE! Sample on www.havefunfishing.com

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Professional Fishing Staff will be conducting FREE! Sonar Seminars at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia. All seminars start at 2pm. These are the dates. August 30, September 27, October 25, November 29, and December 27, 2008.
“All seminars are subject to change without notice”

If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net and ask for the “Sonar Setup Quick List”.

We have these BASS FISHING books for sale: “BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA” “BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE”, “BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL”, “BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE” and “BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL”. These books are written exclusively for bass and each book covers every week of the year. Each book $39.00. If you would like a sample of any book, send us an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.

We have 3 books that cover ALL SPECIES in these lakes, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE ALLATOONA, “52 WEEKS ON LAKE LANIER”, and “52 WEEKS ON WEST POINT LAKE” on sale. Each book is $23.95. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.

Take a look at www.aquavu.com. You really need a camera. Call us to set up a school "Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass". See our web site, www.havefunfishing.com for more details or call us right away, 770-889-2654.

Copyright 2008, Southern Fishing Schools Inc.770-889-2654.