Lake Allatoona covers 12,000 acres with 270 miles of shoreline, with good fishing to be had from a boat and from the banks. Allatoona has over twenty-four boat ramps for larger watercraft, while canoes and kayaks can be launched from the banks. Allatoona has many island, points, channels, ledges, and humps and bumps to provide cover for over a dozen gamefish species. These include Crappie, sunfish, catfish, bluegill, bass, striped bass, and hybrid stripers. Allatoona is well-populated with tackle shops, lodging, camping sites, stores, restaurants, marinas, and other amenities which make a prime destination for a fishing trip.

driving directions

Lake Allatoona’s “best fishing bets” include the Spotted, Largemouth, Hybrid, and Striped Bass, and Crappie.

Spotted Bass are the most abundant black bass in the lake, accounting for 90 percent of the bass. They like deeper habitats than largemouths, but in their April-May spawning period, they will move to shallower waters. Lake Allatoona has over 36 deepwater fish attractor locations. Make use of drop-shot rigs with small baits year-round at these spots. Live minnows are always a good choice too. In cooler months, spots are hungrier and more aggressive, and respond well to reactive baits like shallow- to medium-diving crankbaits.

Baits for catching Largemouth Bass vary through the seasons, so come well-armed with crankbaits, plastic worms, spinnerbaits, or swimbaits, which are always reliable. Best locations to find largemouths are the Little River (coves and backwaters), Etowah and Allatoona Creek sections of the reservoir. Note too that hundreds of trees have been dropped along the shorelines, and largemouths love these hiding spots.

The best season for Striped Bass is during October-June, and you’ll maximize your catch chances in early- to mid-morning hours when the stripers are hungriest. Smaller stripers will remain year-round in the main body of the lake, but during the spring spawning, bigger stripers can be found in the upper reaches of the lake, and during the summer, they migrate up the Etowah River. The local recommendation for striper fishing is slow trolling live shad on free-lines or weighted down-line rigs.

Hybrid bass are available year-round. Summertime produces the largest numbers of fish, and winter tends to produce the larger individual fish. Hybrids can be caught anywhere on the lake chasing shad, but the waters a mile above and below Galt’s Ferry boat ramp are a hybrid hot-spot. Slow troll with 4-6 inch live shad, using a free-line or down-line rig.

Crappie have a spring spawn in the shallow waters of these areas of the lake: Kellogg, Illinois, and Stamp Creeks, and Etowah River. To catch crappie, use small jigs or live minnows fished beneath bobbers. Trolling jigs will let you cover a lot of water and find schools of fish. During summer, crappie seek deeper waters, around brush piles and other fish attractors. Night fishing with lights and light tackle around bridges and docks can also be effective. In fall/winter, find crappie near old river channel edges in the coves of Lake Allatoona.

Lake Allatoona boat ramps:

The following boat ramps provide access to Lake Allatoona.