LAKE LANIER IS FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE STAINED & MID 50’S

Bass fishing has improved dramatically over the past week. The weather has really helped and the spots are starting to move up nicely. This trend should continue as the long range forecast looks fairly stable. The dock bite has been our focus over the last week. Both largemouth and spots can be taken around docks in 15 to 20 feet and shallower. A Spro McStick jerk bait and a fluke have been working well. The fluke bite is always a blast and is just getting started. Work the fluke slowly around docks and give the bait plenty of time to fall on a slack line. Watch your fluke and your line for indications of a bite. With the jerk bait, include pauses of 3 to 4 seconds between twitches. Wind is always a plus for these presentations. When the moving baits are not working around the docks, switch to a 3/16 ounce Davis Shaky Head with a finesse worm or creepy crawler or you can opt for a weightless or whacky rigged Senko and skip these baits around docks. Look for the docks with the black floats and metal poles, as these will hold heat the best, and therefore attract the bait and fish more readily. Please give me a call ASAP if you are looking to shake off the stench of winter! Here is what I have left open in March right now: 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 Give me a call and let's go get 'em!

​This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jimbo Mathley. www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764

The DVD's from my January 17th Seminar are now available. They are $39 each. Give me a call if you are interested in purchasing one: 770 542 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 but has slowed on the south end of the lake. The Threadfin shad die off seems to be more sever on the south end of the Lake. This makes for "easy pickings" for the fish. With a lot of bait on the bottom there is no need to chase live bait and the fishing tends to slow. However, this situation should play itself out this week and the fishing will improve. It is spring time and the fish are getting frisky. The proof is the spotted bass have started to move up shallow on flats in less than 20 feet of water. The Stripers will also start moving to shallow water. Live bait continues to be your best bet. Blueback Herring is the bait of choice when fished on un weighted free lines 100 feet behind the boat. Keep your trolling motor speed between .6 and 1.2 miles per hour. We have not used Umbrella rigs this past week as the live bait bite has just been too good. Fishing the Creeks and river channel from Browns Bridge North to Highway 60 Bridge is probably your best bet. The water is lightly stained on the main lake with heavy stain in the backs of the creeks.

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, Member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com

This Lake Lanier Crappie report is from Dan Saknini, Member of the Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. 404 425 4059. See our club’s website, www. laniercrappieanglers.com

Crappie fishing is good to excellent this time of the year. Water temperature is very critical. If you can find water temperatures above the mid fifties, it will work to your advantage. The trolling bite is good using double rigged curly tails in a variety of colors. Try tipping some with minnows. This technique will result in bagging bigger fish. For dock shooters, the bite has been consistent all day long, targeting shallower docks, fifteen foot depths or less. As you start at a dock, you will notice you are catching the bigger fish. As they tend to get smaller, move on to another dock. As we mentioned in the past, you are competing with a large number of fishermen this time of year, so it is very important to keep moving if you are not getting bites. The secret to putting a lot of fish in the boat is to simply cover a lot of water. Keep moving! We’ve been asked the last several weeks, “What happened to the fish on submerged brush piles?” They have abandoned their brush and moved into shallow water, preparing for the spawn. Four pound high visibility line is very important. Your jig color should vary depending on the water color. The more stain, the darker the jig. Stay away from heavier jig heads. 1/24 ounce remains our number one choice. As we mentioned in the past, keep asking your friendly bait store to carry that type jig head. They tend to be difficult to find. We’ve been painfully avoiding the words “blow down”. Normally at this time of year, we target blow downs, but the water temperatures are not yet supporting that. Water temperatures need to be around 60 degrees for a few days in a row, which we’ve not consistently reached. Watch for it though, it’s coming, and that will be the first sign of the spawn. Best blowdowns are the ones that have been submerged a year or longer, in the backs of pockets. They’ve had a chance to build algae, which attracts the plankton, which attracts the bait…..you get the picture! Stay safe on the water, always wear a life jacket!

PRODUCT FEATURED THIS MONTH: Take a look at these new stickers for tackle boxes: www.highwaterscreations.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 Stop by www.gon.com on the forum page for current events.