LAKE LANIER IS .60 FEET UP FROM FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED & 66 DEGREES



Bass fishing is good and the spawn is ramping up quickly. More fish are in the process as the warmer temps seem to have gotten them jump started. There are many fish very shallow in the weed lines in the backs of creeks and pockets. A small jig head and worm combo will catch these fish as will a fluke. The main lake fish are moving up shallower on the points and humps. A Davis Shaky Head, a wake bait, and a Fish Head Spin have been our best weapons for the main lake fish. Other top water baits are starting to work as are many other options. Spooks, Chug Bugs and Pop R top water baits are good all day. Throw these baits when you see schooling fish. The dock bite is good also. Davis Shaky Heads and worm combo, Senkos or a Fluke around the docks are hard to beat. I have the following dates open next week: May 8 and 9. I am also have some dates open the following week.

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 642 7764


This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com

Striper fishing remains up and down. Good one day, and not so good the next day. The key is on bright sunny days; try to get your fish early. Once the sun gets high in the sky, the fishing gets tough. On cloudy days with some wind, the bite can last all day. The fish have moved up shallow on points and flats from halfway back to all the way back in the creeks. Cover as much water as possible with planner boards and free lines. Set your bank side board 10 to 15 feet back, and increase the distance behind your deeper water boards. Add a split shot to a couple of lines to cover as much of the water column as possible. We are using mostly herring but have had some of success with trout and gizzard shad. We are not marking many single fish and no multiples. Don’t bother trying to mark fish just keep baits in the water. We should see some action within the next week or two. Again, the key is keeping baits in the water and pull flats and points. There are fish in every creek from the south end to the north end. Try not to fish around a lot of other boats. The fish are very spooky and if someone catches a fish the odds are the other fish will move out of the area.

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, President of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. 404 425 4059

Crappie fishing is excellent. The water temperature is an average of 65 degrees, with some spots in the backs of creeks we’ve marked as high as 71 degrees. The early morning or late afternoon bite is your best bet. Try fishing blow downs and the weeds in shallow water, using a popping cork and a curly tail. Minnows will also work if you prefer live bite. You will notice that you’re catching mostly darker fish, (males) in the shallows, as the females have pulled away from the spawning areas toward deeper water around docks. We’ve been catching fish as shallow as one foot away from the bank. Docks in fifteen to twenty feet are still producing bigger fish than in the shallows. The best method for fishing the docks is shooting your jig in toward the darkest part of the dock. Crappie are structure oriented fish so finding a dock with some type of structure below will be helpful. Hair jigs and soft body jigs are both working around the docks. Last Saturday our club had our monthly tournament. Every boat caught fish and brought in impressive catches to the weigh in. Our best “catch of 7” weighed in at a whopping 10.7 pounds. Our big fish weighed in at 1.98 pounds. These are post spawn fish, which means the females have already laid their eggs, of course weighing less than pre spawn. As we mentioned before, there are two ways to learn how to catch crappie: first, time on the water, or second, you can join Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. We have seasoned fishermen who will share tips to help you learn how to fish for Crappie, and it’s a great way to meet others who share a passion for Crappie fishing. Be safe on the water as the lake is getting more crowded. Wear your life jacket, it can save your life.

Dan Saknini is an avid fisherman and President of the Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com

Call Ken Sturdivant about the ON THE WATER SCHOOLS for Sonar or the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass or a full day STRIPERS School. Call 770 889 2654 for details. Send an e mail to ken@southernfishing.com