Allatoona in December

Little River did very well during October and November. Whats the best place in December? Kellogg, Sweetwater, still in Little River?

I wish I could tell you and I wish I was there to help you find 'em. That Allatoona sure is a pretty lake. I've got a friend in Cartersville and another in Canton. I doubt either of them have been doing anything besides sitting in a deer stand this time of year though.

On Sunday, I found 'em in my favorite lake (here in central NC) close to the bottom near ridges off the main river channel in the lake I was fishing last weekend. The main channel there is 50-70 feet deep and the big cove I was fishing has a few ridges that get within15-20 feet of the surface with a 30-38 foot channel bottom. It is on the east side of the lake, so fish were hanging out in warmer water from the afternoon sun. The crappie were up on the sunny sides of the ridges or near the edges of deeper flats, all deeper than 10 feet. The thermocline appeared to be about gone (though I didn't mark fish below 25 feet) and water color was stained, so the lake is turning over.

I caught 30 fish (just two over 10") on Arkie 2.5 XL Pro Curltail minnow bodies in chartreuse back with a white belly on 1/8 oz. jigheads. Head color didn't seem to matter. The breeze was blowing enough that I'd paddle the kayak into wind over the main channel, set my lines out, and let the breeze carry me across the cove. I got bit on every pass, but the fish were scattered and not in tight schools. I missed as many as I caught, as paddling and fishing multiple rods at the same time can be tricky. Plus, no strikes were hard. It was great fun though. There were only two other boats on the entire 350 acre lake besides me and they were fishing someplace where I couldn't see 'em.

I don't mean to hijack your thread, I just hope some of what worked for me helps you.

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Here's me smiling real big!
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Good luck next time you go. I hope you catch 'em in droves.

Jim

You don't mess around do you? I'm going to try a new spot and see if I can't expand my fish catching territory this weekend. If I don't find any I'll go back to where I know they are. Just looking for a little change of scenery.

You have to fish where the fish are so get out and find them. If they are not normally where you catch them then you will have to go exploring.

I only have a limited time to fish (we all do as far as that goes), so I need to be as efficient at catching as possible. Even though I found & caught fish, I never figured out where the grown ones were hanging out. One day, I will. Maybe it will be next time, maybe not. Either way, I have fun trying to put the pieces together. They're kind of predictable if you study habits, behavior, and seasonal movement patterns. The crappie have 350 acres to hide from me on that lake, so it was a matter of eliminating unproductive water and focusing on the favorable areas & lure colors before I started connecting. I didn't mention that it took me almost 2 hours of paddling around with no bites before I figured things out, but once I found 'em and what they wanted, it was game on.

The crappie are in that lake somewhere, I hope you can find & catch 'em. Good luck, be safe, and have fun!

Jim

I was there on Sunday. Fished near little river marina. Fog was horrible and they really didn't start to bite until it lifted. Managed 8 on my boat and about the same on the other 3 in my group. Caught some nice white bass, a few spots, and a Striper. Not in there like I like em yet but getting close.

fished Kellogg Creek Tuesday, nothing.... I mean nothing... fished the cove, under the bridge, out to Owl creek, out to the main lake... nothing. Might have had 2 bites. The wind blew me off the lake by 10. Headed to Little River tomorrow.

Hope to get over that way next weekend. Off Friday and Monday so hopefully get 2 trips in. Gonna study a lake map to see where they'd move to if the colder weather has affected them just in case they have left Little River. Hopefully that fog won't come back.

fished little river yesterday from 2-6. Caught 6 spots. fish were all over my screen but nothing biting.

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we didn't catch a lot but a couple real nice white crappie.

I was thinking about heading over there Friday but this cold front coming back may keep me away.