LAKE LANIER IS FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED & 73 DEGREES

The surface temperatures on Lanier have started to recover after the cold front last week. The water is lightly stained in the back of the creeks and clear on the main lake both North and South. The spawn is starting to wrap up and there are also several post spawn fish showing up as well. There are still a few fish left to spawn, typically more main lake oriented, and that should happen as we end May and head into June. The main lake fish are still up shallower on the points and humps and have been spawning in those same places. Look for 15 feet and shallower to be loaded right now, especially on the rock. In addition, in many of the same type areas the spots are spawning, the blue back herring are spawning as well. Great choices to fish the herring spawn: fish head spin, spinnerbait, wake bait, jerk bait and a fluke. Look for these fish to be extremely shallow at daylight. A Fish Head Spin has been good on the schooling fish you see. Get the bait into the fray when you see them schooling and you can almost guarantee a hook up. I have the following dates left open for the month of May: 27, 29, and 30. I am also booking for June which is traditionally a great top water season and a great time to go spot tail minnow fishing!


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 is good. The kids are out of school and the fish are biting. Between the Stripers and the Spotted Bass there is plenty of action to keep the kids and parents busy. Leave the electronic gizmos at home and take your son or daughter fishing. It is a great way to spend the morning. The primary pattern continues to be the creek mouth and main lake points. This pattern should hold for the entire month of June. The Stripers are starting to move out into a little deeper water, still off the points, but we are catching more fish over a 30 to 50 ft bottom. A few fish are being caught with the Red Fin and Chug Bug but that bite will not last much longer. Weighted free lines on planner boards and out the back of the boat is working but the down rod bite will continue to get stronger as the water continues to warm. The bait of choice continues to be Herring. A few fish are being caught with the Umbrella rig and the summer time Umbrella rig bite should "kick in" any day. There are fish lake wide but the North end of the lake has been the strongest. Father's day is June 15th. Remember the times your Dad took you fishing? Maybe it is time for you give your Dad a gift Certificate for a Striper Fun Fishing trip on Lake Lanier for you and your Dad with Big Fish On Guide Service.

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

Crappie fishing is good. Mother Nature has once again proven her unpredictability. With the recent cool snap, water temperatures have dropped eight to ten degrees and is currently in the mid to high sixties. Actually, that is not bad for fishing, which remains good to excellent. The crappie we are targeting are still on docks with structure at about twenty to twenty five feet deep. Brush piles at the same depth are also good targets. Submerged brush close to a creek channel and toward the backs of creeks seem to be producing well. The fish are willing to bite, and are doing so aggressively. If you don’t get a bite in the first few casts, move to a new area. If you have Lowrance down scan and side scan, this will make it easier by locating the fish on the screen. Initially your bite is a little deeper, but once you get the school chasing your bait, you will notice them moving more shallow, and sometimes this will create a feeding frenzy. The key to putting a lot of fish in the boat is to be willing to move from one dock and brush pile on to the next. We usually pre plan our trip ahead of time so that we have an idea of which docks and brush piles to hit first. Some tend to do better earlier in the day, and some do better later in the day. If you notice bait around your fishing spots, that is a big advantage. Always use four pound test line. Our favorite continues to be the high visibility line. Jig colors still do not matter much this time of year as the fish are feeding well. May is one of our favorite months of the year for fishing. We have witnessed the end of the spawn of the crappie, followed by the spotted bass spawn, and last week with the full moon, the bluegills are on bed. Hopefully you’ve been able to do some bluegill fishing around the full moon cycle. All you need is light tackle, a tube of crickets, a cork, a small split shot and a number six long shank hook. Last Friday we managed to put more than seventy bluegills in the boat, most of which you could barely grasp one handed. This trend will continue a few days before the full moon and through the full moon phase for the next couple of months. On a calm day, with good polarized sunglasses, you can actually see the fish on the bank and place your bait right on top of them. Enjoy fishing, and be safe on the water! 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

We have a new Bait Shop on Buford Dam Road at the Buford Dam Quick Stop at 2595 Buford Dam Road. Open daily from 6 to 6, Marty Kenney has Herring and other baits like shiners ready to go to the lake. Please call him at 706 867 5102 and say hello.

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