LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 9.9 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR & 50’s

Bass fishing is good and is getting better. The lake level has been stable over the past week and the water temps are on the rise. The fish are ahead of schedule with all the warm weather we are having. The fish have been shallow over the past week. We are starting back shallow in ditches early, and remain shallow to 15 feet or so through the day. Focus on the key features you find shallow near the ditches as well such as clay and rock points. We are starting in ditches and staying in them through the day as well as working shallow pockets just off the main lake or main creek channels. Most days we are focusing in 15 feet of water or less. We are starting with a SuperSpin tipped with a boot tail type trailer right in the ditch. Also, a Spro McStick or McRip has been a good choice as far as jerk baits go, in addition to a Megabass Vision 110. A finesse worm on a Picasso Shake E Football Head or a Chattahoochee Jig has been a good alternative if the fish are not as aggressive. As the sun gets up, check the shallow docks in ditches and pockets for activity. Work a jerkbait beside these shallow docks, as well as a jig and worm. These fish are already starting to stage in preparation for the spawn. You will find spots and largemouth in these places. This pattern definitely works better when the sun is out as opposed to cloudy conditions. The clouds make the fish scatter. While they still remain close to the dock, they are often not directly under the docks. The fishing is definitely more random under cloud cover.

This Report brought to you by: Jimbo Mathley, www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542 7764

This is a great time to learn the early spring bite on Lanier. They are up and moving! Here are the dates I have open in March: 1, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31 Give me a call and let’s get out and have some fun.

I am now guiding in a Brand New Xpress Bass Boat 21’3″ powered by a 250 Yamaha SHO and equipped with the latest Lowrance HDS Gen III units featuring 3D Structure Scan technology. Come take a ride in this beauty!

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West 404 561 2564. Contact us on our web site. www.bigfishonguide.com

Striper fishing is good. We are having spring weather in February! The lake water temperatures continue in the low to mid 50’s. The bait and the Stripers continue to be scattered lake wide and have not concentrated in the back of the creeks as in previous years. Consequently, you can find fish from the North end to the South end of the lake and at any depth. Your Lowrance HDS is a critical tool in finding these fast moving fish. Because the stripers are feeding on small threadfins, medium minnows have been working better than herring. Deploy both unweighted and weighted free lines with a medium minnow on a #4 or a #2 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. We tried both 10 pound test and 12 pound test leaders this week and both worked. We also caught a few fish with blueback herring which could indicate a switch to larger baits. We used the umbrella rig this week and it also worked which may also indicate a switch to larger baits. The key is to stay flexible and in terms of where you look for fish and the techniques used. The lake is 10 feet below full pool and the water is clear on the main lake and slightly stained in the back of the creeks. The water temperature is in the low to mid 50’s. Call Big Fish On Guide Service at 404 561 2564 to schedule a guided fishing trip on Lake Lanier.

The Lake Lanier Crappie report is by Dan Saknini. see our club’s website, www.laniercrappieanglers.net

Current water temperature is 54 degrees, and on a warm and sunny day in the backs of creeks the afternoon water temp is reaching 57 degrees. For this time of year, this is significant because we are in the pre spawn. If we do not have another cold snap, our best estimate for the spawn is that it will begin with the next full moon in about 2 ½ weeks. The fish are roaming around their brush piles in pursuit of the abundance of bait. The bite is excellent. This is the time of year when we experiment with different color and types of crappie jigs to put them to the test. If they don’t work now, they most likely will never work! Having said that, in my opinion, how you present the jig is the most important factor in catching fish. How you move it in the water is critical. The majority of strikes occur when the jig is falling. So when you reel in the jig, shake the tip of the rod while retrieving. After every 2 or 3 cranks, pause for few seconds to allow the jig to fall. Watch your line carefully during the fall, and if you see slack in your line, set the hook. The fish we are catching now are on or around docks. Pay attention to the bait, they will lead you to the fish. If you go in a pocket and don’t see bait, even if it is a favorite spot, don’t spend too much time on it, as they are really following the bait. As the water temps rise in the next couple of weeks, the female fish should start checking their spawning grounds and moving to the blowdowns. As of today, we have not seen any indications they have begun moving that direction. Long line trolling remains a very effective way to catch fish, and the minnow bite is producing equally well. Pick your favorite method and enjoy this early spring weather. Boat traffic is increasing, so stay safe on the water and wear your life jacket!

On April 29, 2017 in Blue Ridge Georgia, the Blue Ridge Trout Fest will be there for their second year. Vendors, seminars and much more are planned. http://blueridgetroutfest.com/

Ultrex and Cable Guard protects external Transducer cable for remote control trolling motors. The cable guard will allow the transducer cable to turn kink free and the shaft can be raised or lowered without pinching the cable. No more messing with cable ties or black tape. For Factory Direct Pricing contact Precision Sonar at 270 703 6133

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Pro Staff will teach two Free SONAR classes at the Cabela’s in Greenville, South Carolina, Saturday February 25, 2017 at 10 am and again at noon.

Ask for a free sonar set up sheet by sending me an email to ken@southernfishing.com. Please tell me what model machine you have.

We recommend Overboard Designs for 2956 Waterworks Road Buford, Georgia 30518 Phone 678.714.7122.

Advantage Boat Center in Cumming Georgia offer sales, service and storage close to Lake Lanier. 678 771 8745. Ask for Myra.

We recommend Transducer Shield and Savers. Protect your investment.

We have the LOWRANCE Gen 3 Touch and the game changing technology in the NEW 3D Lowrance Technology on our boat. Bring any HDS machine only to Lake Lanier and learn it ALL in one day. Call Ken for details. See our Southern Fishing Schools page for the latest screen shots of the LOWRANCE 3D technology. See bass over a ladder in 10 feet of water, 168 feet from my boat. www.lowrance.com.

Anglers have these books for sale BASS FISHING ON WEST POINT LAKE, BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE and BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL. These books have lots of bass fishing and covers every week of the year. Each book $39.00. If you would like a sample of any book send us an e mail to ken@southernfishing.com.

We offer these waypoints for sale. You get the coordinates and you load them into your GPS unit for
Lake Allatoona for $99.00 Lake Lanier for $99.00 Lake Oconee for $99.00 Lake Weiss for $99.00 Lake Hartwell for $99.00 WAYPOINTS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE

Saturday, March 25, 2017 2pm at Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville, learn BASICS OF ELECTRONICS BY LOWRANCE PRO STAFF, KEN STURDIVANT