Put in at Balus today; went on back to Flat and passed one guy fishing-- the rest of the area was empty. NOTHING back in Flat--freelining BB's and casting without even any spots hitting the baits; made my way back out of the back bay there and fished out of the channel. Caught up to the guy who was still there--the light bulb finally went on-- and asked-- he'd landed 9 stripes after i cruised by earlier and lost a few more: ALL on downlines 20-30 ft. We worked the area with him but the action was gone. I switched half the rods to downlines, but had nothing go after them all day--- I think he hit a ball of bait at the magic moment; I'm not convinced the downline is here. hat's off to him either way.
Worked our way into the Chestatee bay-- a few spots here and there, all on freelines; finally landed a couple of rogue stripes back up the hooch a bit-- nothing over 8 lbs. All fish today seemed to be scattered-- everything was on freelines; the thinner lines seemed to get the most hits (2 rods had heavier mono on them down to the leader to keep the bait higher--- I think things are transitional?). I don't know where the fish are congregating, but I certainly missed the memo.....

Could be the storm last night set things back a bit-- most of the action seemed to come after 11 am. Glad i remembered my cigars so i had something to keep me relaxed and enjoying a beautiful day on a near-empty lake!

Thanks for the fine report. Enjoy that "near-empty" lake while you can, because the pleasure boaters will be coming out in full force real soon.

Nice job! and good report Wormboy.
You better believe they are already out on the weekend.

I have to wonder why they call it pleasure boating because when they are out it is anything but that.

Yup-- on weekends the cocktail cove crew's out and about, mixed in with anyone with a weed eater hooked up to a watering trough. Can't blame 'em, it's there's as much as mine--- it's simply a common problem wherever 6 million people share a recreational lake.....
I definitely agree with the "pleasure boating" misnomer, and I am still pondering why someone would want a boat too big to fish out of..... we can be an odd species (as if Michael Jackson wasn't proof enough of that!)

In the summer it's either weekday fishing or very early sunday on and off the water before church lets out....one of the many benefits of being a very lapsed catholic!

see y'all out there!

The biggest thing I hate about fishing from shore is pleasure boaters. They wake your shoreline without even thinking! I've had guys speed by me leaving 2' waves maybe 40' off shore.

Last weekend I seen a guy on a jet ski, chasing some geese around on the water.. Just circling around them over and over.
I'm not an animal rights activist by any means, but it just pissed me off.

I think fishermen and pleasure boaters see the lake differently. We see it as a give-take scenario.. they see it as take-take-f the lake.

no doubt the speeders are mindless morons at best and a--holes at worst. we used to go to a small lake in which the cove we were on was a favorite ski and jet ski spot--- we'd get wakes that would go over the floating dock we were fishing from. I'd just pull in the lines, swap out to 1 oz weights and start casting--- got a lot of crap and anger, but I'd just happily wave back at the fingers like I was the moron, and they'd eventually leave