Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
2070 U.S. Hwy. 278, SE, Social Circle, GA 30025
| Best Bets |
| SPOTTED BASS, HYBRID STRIPED BASS, STRIPED BASS & CRAPPIE |
| Largemouth bass | ||
| Prospect | Though much less abundant than spotted bass, largemouth will typically weigh-in at larger sizes. The average fish will be around 1.25 pounds, with a few reaching more than 5 pounds in size. Largemouth abundance in Allatoona fluctuate little from year to year, so expect similar numbers to past years. |  |
| Technique | Baits vary from season to season, but a good arsenal of spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits or plastic worms are all good baits to throw for this species. | |
| Target | Target the coves and backwaters in the Little River, Etowah and Allatoona Creek areas of the reservoir. This is where some of the better largemouth habitat is found. Largemouth may also be found holding in the numerous shoreline habitat improvement sites scattered around the lake. More than 700 shoreline trees have been toppled at these sites since 2007. | |
| Spotted bass | ||
| Prospect | Spotted bass are the dominant black bass species, making up 80 to 90 percent of the black bass population in Allatoona. Sample data again show better numbers of 14-inch, 1- pound spots in the population this year. Larger 4-5 pound spotted bass are caught each year, but these veteran fish are not common place at Allatoona. |  |
| Technique | Drop-shot rigs with small baits like a 4-inch zoom tiny fluke or robo worm, or vertical jigging spoons (flex-it or hopkins shorty's) are both excellent approaches to targeting spots year-round. Live minnows are also a great means for consistently hooking-up with Allatoona's spotted bass year-round. In the cooler months of spring and fall, when spots can be feeding aggressively, use more reactive baits like shallow to medium diving crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, or even larger swimbaits. In addition to these baits, fall anglers can try senko baits in light, natural colored patterns. Wintertime anglers may provoke spots to hit using subtle float and fly rigs that imitate a dying minnow. Traditional shad patterned crankbaits retrieved over rocky shorelines is another good winter spotted bass bait. | |
| Target | Spotted bass tend to remain in deeper habitats than largemouth. Spots will however, move to shallow depths during their April-May spawning period. In summer, try fishing in and around the more than 36 deepwater fish attractor locations placed in the reservoir by the DNR and the COE. These fish attractors are best fished from fall through spring. In fall, the key to success will be locating schooling shad in creek mouths. Find shad, and hungry spotted bass will be close by. With the onset of winter, spots are again deep. Target steep bluff walls and large chunk-rock shorelines for wintertime spotted bass. | |
| Hybrid Bass | ||
| Prospect | Increased hybrid striped bass stocking in recent years continues to be a success on Allatoona. Recent DNR sample data indicates hybrid striped bass abundance remains solidly above the long-term average. The average hybrid will weigh around 2 pounds, but good numbers of 4 pound fish will be available. Older, larger hybrids will top out in the 7-8 pound range, but will be less common than in years past. |  |
| Technique | White or shad patterned spinners, spoons, jigs or crankbaits will produce hybrids, but serious hybrid anglers should slow troll with 4-6 inch live shad on simple free-line or down-line rigs. During fall, winter and spring, live shad remain very effective techniques, but trolling umbrella rigs or vertical jigging with spoons can make for a good "white fish" outing. For the bank angler, winter hybrids can be caught using cut shad fished on the bottom near Allatoona dam. | |
| Target | Hybrid fishing is available year-round, but is best for numbers during the heat of summer. Low summer dissolved oxygen in Allatoona’s depths typically concentrates hybrids in the 20-30 foot depth range. While summer is good for numbers, winter hybrid fishing is typically characterized by catches of larger individuals. Though possibly found anywhere in the lake chasing shad, the mile of lake above and below Galt's Ferry boat ramp is a year-round hot spot for hybrids. | |
| Striped Bass | ||
| Prospect | Between 30 and 60 thousand striped bass fingerlings are stocked annually in Allatoona. Higher than normal stocking rates in 2007 has led to an abundance of medium sized stripers this year. Anglers should expect members of this large year-class to be 24 to 26 inches long in 2011. Due to severe drought conditions in 2007 and 2008, anglers should again expect fewer catches of stripers over 20 lbs this year. |  |
| Technique | Though striper fishing techniques abound, slow trolling live shad on free-lines or weighted down-line rigs is a favored approach to consistent catches at Allatoona. Striper fishing is best from October-June when water temperatures are relatively cool. Though stripers may feed at anytime, concentrate your efforts during the early to mid-morning hours to maximize your chance of encountering actively feeding fish. | |
| Target | In winter, stripers will be in the main body of the lake, but will migrate to the upper reaches during their spring spawning run. As summer heats up, smaller stripers (less than 10 lb) will remain in the main lake, while most larger linesides will migrate up the Etowah River seeking coolwater in which to beat the summer heat. Then, with the onset of fall and cooling lake waters, these large stripers migrate back into the main lake, again feeding voraciously on shad as they pack on pounds lost during the hot summer months. | |
| Catfish | ||
| Prospect | Channel, blue and flathead catfish are all found in Allatoona. Channel catfish are the most abundant, while flatheads and blues are fewer but typically larger in size. The average channel cat is around 14 inches and 1-pound in size. Larger channels will tip scales in the 5 pound range. Flatheads and blues are less numerous, but most caught will be 5 to 10 pounds or larger. |  |
| Technique | Use chicken livers, worms or cut bait for channel cats. Switch to live baits, such as bream or shad, for flathead and blue cats. | |
| Target | Pursue catfish on the rocky banks in the Etowah River arm of the lake. The numerous rip-rapped banks found around the lake are also good areas to target for catfish. Such habitats are common around bridges and fishing jetties. Catfish may also be found in the recesses of the woody debris jams that are often found in the very backs of Allatoona’s coves. | |
| Bream | ||
| Prospect | Bluegill, redbreast and redear sunfish are all present in this reservoir. Bluegill are the most abundant of the three. They average 5 inches, with few being more than 7 inches in length. Though fewer in number, redear tend to be larger than either bluegill or redbreast sunfish. Larger redear can top 9-inches in length. |  |
| Technique | Crickets or worms fished under a bobber or on the bottom, micro-jigs or flies are all common baits used to catch bream. When on bed, nesting colonies of bream can be weary to an angler's approach and cast. Approach slowly, casting first to the periphery of the nesting group, so as not to disturb them all. Make subsequent casts further into the congregated fish as you go. | |
| Target | From early to mid-summer, bream will speckle the bottom of shallow coves with their circular nests. These nests are commonly visible to anglers, and nesting often occurs in the same general areas year-after-year. The best locations are often associated with some type of woody debris that offers a level of nest protection. | |
| Crappie | ||
| Prospect | Crappie fishing should be consistent with years past in terms of numbers. The average fish should measure around 9 inches, and weigh about 1/4 pound, but larger 1 to 2 pound slab crappie are available. |  |
| Technique | Small jigs or live minnows fished beneath bobbers are both proven methods for catching crappie. Trolling jigs is a good way to cover a lot of water and locate actively feeding schools of fish. | |
| Target | Target spring spawn crappie from March to April in the shallows of Kellogg, Illinois, Stamp and Tanyard Creeks, as well as the Etowah River area of the lake. During summer, seek deeper brush piles or other fish attractors located on humps and channel ledges, as crappie will concentrate in deeper habitat during this time. Also try night fishing with lights using light tackle around docks and bridges. During fall and winter, target crappie near old stream channel ledges in Allatoona's many coves. | |
| Other Species | ||
| Prospect | Carp and gar are numerous. Carp are widely distributed and grow to moderately large sizes. Most will be around 5 pounds, with the biggest common carp usually weighing no more than 15 pounds. Gar are strong fighters and abundant around Allatoona. Gar 3 feet in length are typical, but 4-footers can also be found. | |
| Technique | Carp should be fished for using bottom rigs with offerings of prepared "dough" baits, corn or worms. For gar, live shad or minnows fished just below a bobber, or sight fishing with hookless handmade rope lures, constructed from 6-8 inch pieces of frayed cotton rope, will work well. | |
| Target | Target carp on shallow flats and in the backs of coves, especially around submerged timber or tributary mouths. Gar are often seen cruising shallow flats and tributary mouths, but can also be found ambushing prey on rocky main lake points. | |
| Additional Information |
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The COE, DNR, local non-profit organizations and volunteers actively work to improve fish habitat in Allatoona. Anglers can find information and current maps showing the location of these deepwater fish attractors and shoreline habitat improvements on the DNR Web Page. For the bank angler, most of the areas around the more than half a dozen public fishing jetties around the lake have been "sweetened" with hundreds of Christmas trees within easy casting distance of the bank.
In late 2008, DNR began stocking lake sturgeon in Allatoona in an effort to re-establish this native fish to the upper Etowah River system. Anglers accidentally catching a lake sturgeon should release the fish immediately. Fish hooked deep will often survive if anglers cut the line near the hook and release the fish with the hook. Those wondering what impact sturgeon will have on their favorite game species can rest easy. Because of its low reproductive potential, sturgeon do not establish themselves as a prominent species making its impacts to other fish negligible. If you catch or otherwise see a sturgeon, please contact the Calhoun DNR office (706-624-1161) to report the location from which the sturgeon was caught. Such information is extremely valuable to biologists assessing the survival and dispersal of these magnificent fish. |
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