LAKE ALTOONA CRAPPIE

Contributed By: Tim Dangar

With Crappie fishing shallow water winding down, we got into some fun bow fishing. This year water level and water temperature happened to hit at the same time for Gar and Carp to move into shallow water to spawn. That’s not always the case on Lake Allatoona but when it happens, have the bows ready for some big fish action. The water level needs to be at full pool or higher, and the water temp is best around 71 degrees. Clearer water, of course, is best but not essential because most of the time the fish are really shallow. If you got a tail or fin out of the water, it makes for an easy shot. If fish are submerged, judging the depth can be challenging. The best rule of thumb is to aim low. When you stick one of these lake monsters, be ready for the fight of your life. When landing a big Gar, gloves are a must due to the sharp teeth on the long nose, hence the name long nose Gar. The scales on a big carp are also very sharp so gloves are also a good idea when landing them as well. On this outing, in the pictures, my grandson Tyler and I were fishing, and his twin brother Chase