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Daily Lake Levels Lake Lanier Info. Lake Lanier Travel and Tourism Guide LakeLanier.info is your complete guide to Lake Lanier in Georgia, USA, real estate and resorts, to fishing, boat and jet-ski rentals.
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Weather Radar Lake Level and other information Lake Sidney Lanier ramp calculator: once on the spread sheet, at the word HERE blank that word out and then add the current lake level for that day. Today's elevation is 1061.83. Hit enter and the spread sheet will automatically calculate the end of the ramps for the entire lake Georgia
Weather Radar Georgia Fishing Reports
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Report Updated July 28, 2008
LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 15.2 FEET, AND LAKE IS STAINED AND THE
CREEKS AND THE RIVERS ARE STAINED & 82 DEGREES.
SPECIAL NOTICE: BE VERY CAREFUL RUNNING LAKE LANIER AS WATER LEVELS FALL. THERE ARE MANY AREAS THAT HAVE TREE TRUNKS, STUMPS AND ROCKS JUST BELOW THE WATER LEVEL. Largemouth bass are suspended under docks and on the slats up the lake’s rivers. The warm water has the fish active especially early and late up the lake. There is little action down lake. These up lake fish are in the shallows early at daybreak and Yellow Creek and Wahoo Creeks are good areas. Zoom U tail green works on a Texas rig and stick baits are fair. Use the dark smoke red and green worms in the Zoom u tail style on a light Texas rig. The Texas rigged worm with the sinker pegged and a 3/16 ounce weight cast on and around the bank cover and around docks in the creeks will get strikes. With high water temperatures fish fast especially mid day the rest of the weekend. Major feeding periods are in the middle of the day. The bass are shallow and feeding up lake with the fish very close to the banks and structure and use bright crank baits. The fish are right on the bank so casts should be very shallow. The #5 jointed Shad Rap in shad and baby bass will work but use a stop and go retrieve. Skip a green Zoom trick worm under shallow docks in the backs of creeks and get really shallow. Use these lures and crank baits in the backs of creeks up and down lake. Work the back of lower lake creeks around any marina. Zoom white ice Super Flukes will fool a lot of fish. Skip them under docks and use a 4/0 Owner offset hook. Spotted bass fishing has been good and the spots are on primary points and main lake humps. The spots have migrated into their summer patterns and holding areas. The spotted bass are being caught on a Zoom Super Fluke in white pearl or a shad color. Also spots love a Zoom finesse worm rigged on a 3/16 ounce Tru Tungsten screw in weight Texas rigged. The better colors this week are sand, watermelon, natural blue natural green. Also a Lucky Craft Pointer 78 and the 100 model in shad colors work in the middle of the day on humps and reef markers on the main lake. The fish are more active on the sunny days as they feed on bait schools tightly bunch up with the high sun. Still no firm development of a thermocline but we can see the stripers relating to 25 to 40 feet in the creeks. SO there is a cool line of water developing. The spots will come up shall off main lake deep points and cuts to feed on baits including down lined shiners and herring. Work the on brush piles and large rock points and humps from 15 to 40 feet deep. Here needs to be a sharp drop close by any area you plan to spotted bass fish. This report is from Captain Chuck Biggers at Southern Striper Fishing Guide Service 404 405 8280, www.southernstripers.com Striper fishing continues to be very good even though we have had a few storms to dodge we have been catching considerable numbers of fish. The patterns remain very similar this week with most fish found in pockets in the early hours and then moving to mid creek channels as the day progresses. I expect that relatively soon we will see some fish moving on the flats in the channels. This brings up an important point. If you do not have or are not using a GPS, I have a Lowrance and the Navionics chip, considering investing in and/or using one. This great piece of technology allows you to mark fish, see areas of the lake in real time, and allows you to return to potential fishing grounds much more quickly and easily than just using a map. If you check out an area and mark one or two fish, you can easily return at a later time and see if there are more fish. With the movement of the schools around Lake Lanier, this is virtually a must have for successful striper fishing. There are numbers of fish holding in the 30 to 40 foot range, but do not hesitate to fish a little deeper, as often the bigger fish are holding the bottom. Sometimes the introduction of a frisky little herring into their habitat is all it takes to get a good bite. Bait size has improved a little this week, so I have moved up to a #4 hook. I can't stress enough how important it is to keep fresh lively bait on your lines. In the heat, they have to be watched closely in the tanks and in the water as well. Keep them cool and they will perform better. I offer guide trips and educational trips to learn some great striper fishing tactics. Contact Captain Chuck Biggers 404-405-8280 Crappie fishing has been fair as the fish set up in summer locations. Bridges, lighted docks and lights with minnows for bait is the best combination. Both up lake and down lake fish are biting and the clearer the water, the deeper the fish. Down lake 13 feet and up lake in the off colored water look from 5 to 8 feet both day and night. From www.lakelanier.com: Unfortunately, it’s that time of year again. Boat ramps are closing again on Lake Lanier. We had a good winter with a good number of ramps reopened but the lake has been falling again during July and the situation isn't looking great. The solution? The same as it was last year extend the ramps. The Hall County Taxpayers Association is first up with a plan, suggesting that Bolding Mill and Dunlap Landing could be reopened using $2,000 to $2,500 for gravel and inmate labor. Expect to see more of these suggestions in the months to come.
2007 Drought Ramp Construction Info.. The United States Corp of Engineers has been working with the private sector to work on ramps around Lake Lanier. Many ramps out of the water now are being repaired by the Corp. As the water rises this spring, many ramps will reopen a lot sooner as a result of the work the Corp has done. ATTENTION: The Corp has also established an “Adopt a Ramp” partnership. Within this partnership, many anglers and local businesses have created accounts to accept contributions for this partnership. Anyone can contribute to any ramp project they wish through this program. Also, there is a “Coffer Dam” project in the works. This is a system that will allow a ramp to be extended that is marginal or even closed. By placing a “dam” around an existing ramp, drawing all the water out and then laying a new base, a new concrete ramp can be extended and then reopened. Only a few ramps have been approved for this particular project due to the slope of the water and the existence of an acceptable and workable foundation at the end of the ramp. Michael B. Lapina is the Chief Park Ranger that initiated this set of programs. His efforts are to get many ramps repaired and even get one or two ramps re opened as the lake continues to fall. Predictions are that the lake will be 24 feet low by mid January 2008. This is the current state of the projects. Michael sent out an e mail this week and said ”concrete was poured at East Bank Ramp by the Corps yesterday. More concrete will be poured Thursday and this supply was paid for by a group of 10 partners who were rallied by Captain Quin. Thanks to Quin and the others for coming through with the supplies to make this possible. Captain Quin has an Adopt A Ramp account for contributions. He also has a signed partnership agreement with the Corps to supply concrete for other ramps as funds become available.” According to the Crop, should the lake rise soon and we can get 3 feet of water over the new extensions at the East Bank Ramps, the ramps will re opened. Four ramps open anywhere, is a great thing! Candy Hammond is still diligently working with Forsyth County and with Joey Nichols, who owns Viking Concrete, to use the coffer dam to extend Charleston Park Ramp. This project is on track but they still need some funds to complete this project. The coffer dam will cost around $25,000. Contact Candy if you would like to help! Tom Mann Jr. and Ryan Coleman have coordinated with the Corps and will be supplying the concrete to extend the ramp at Van Pugh North. Darrell Stone of the US Army Corp of Engineers thinks weather permitting, this ramp may be poured by the 2nd week in January. These anglers will have a Partnership Agreement for this project soon. Kerry Hicks is forming a partnership with Hall County and they plan to extend the Clarks Bridge Ramp. The idea is to reuse an existing metal extension by placing it into the water after the concrete has been poured to the water level. Contact Kerry if you need more information or want to help with this project . From Michael B. Lapina: “This is the brief summary. Much more is going on behind the scenes to make this work. Thanks so much to those who are working so diligently to make this effort to come together. Planning, getting contributions, supplies and negotiating the best deal is hard and underappreciated work. I am glad to be working with all of you! Have a Merry Christmas” Michael
If you are interested in assisting with these projects, please contact:
For more
information, please contact Michael
B. Lapina Chief Park Ranger
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PRIME SPOTTED BASS TIME IS NOW By Bill Vanderford Many anglers look at our current conditions and cringe! High blue skies, bright sunlight, and almost 80 degree days are not considered “text book” times to catch more than 40 bass per day on Lake Lanier. Add to that the fact that most spotted bass seem to be scattered along “nothing-looking” red clay banks in less than 15 feet of water and are attacking a very small lure as though it had magical qualities. All of these conditions go against the standard thinking of most bass fishermen, but that’s exactly what is happening. The best part, however, is that these feisty bass will continue being aggressive in the same general areas until the morning surface temperature exceeds 80 degrees. A little more understanding of this prolific bass can help all anglers be more productive. The spotted bass was first accurately identified in Kentucky in 1927, and for many years, it was believed to be the only state they inhabited. Because of that mistake, they were called Kentucky spotted bass. Since they have been found in certain areas from coast to coast, however, the Kentucky has been dropped and they are referred to simply as spotted bass. The coloration of the spotted bass is similar to that of the largemouth bass, but contains a little more brown. The section between the dark upper back and the lateral spotted line appears to have diamond-shaped markings, and the lower side of most spotted bass has several lateral lines that appear gold in color, while the largemouth is usually white. Additionally, with the mouth closed, a spotted bass's lower jaw only comes even with its eye, while the largemouth's extends all the way behind the eye,. The spotted bass's tongue contains a small patch of teeth that looks like a black spot in the middle of the tongue, while the largemouth bass has a slick tongue. Spotted bass were not stocked in Lanier, but lived in the original river systems that feed the lake. They are a much hardier and faster spreading fish than the largemouth bass, and are more active than any of the black bass. In fact, here at Lanier, nearly eighty to ninety percent of the black bass catch is spotted bass. Despite heavy fishing pressure and boat traffic, spotted bass grow quickly and in great numbers in Lake Lanier, which allows it to keep its title of the best spotted bass lake in the United States. Even when big weather changes such as major fronts occur, the spotted bass continue feeding, especially during spring and early summer. The spawning ritual of the spotted bass is very similar to that of the largemouth. They tend, however, to do it later and at greater depths. In fact, spots prefer 5 to 20 feet, but can often be seen spawning with the largemouth bass in the 2 to 5 feet of water. Also, spotted bass usually seek out clay banks rather than the sand chosen by largemouth. The most fun way to catch spotted bass during April and May is by casting 1/8th ounce Swirleybirds from the shoreline or from a boat near shallow stumps, rocks, and other debris along red clay banks. These practically invisible structures can be seen by using polarized sunglasses and looking for darker shadows. After one is spotted, throw the Swirleybird several feet past the target and swim it slowly near the object. If a male spotted bass is nearby, he'll nail it! From now until all of the spawning activity is over can be the most productive time of year for spotted bass at Lake Lanier. A bad day for me and my clients during this period is less than 40 bass each day. All that is needed is a little knowledge of the lake, and a few Swirleybirds. These lures are deadly both during the spawn and in the tougher post-spawn period. Anyone who can cast will become an expert with this lure immediately. Since the tiny blade turns from the time it hits the water until it reaches the rod tip at the end of the retrieve, the action is extremely tantalizing to spotted bass and many other fish. These lures can often be as effective from the shoreline as they are from a boat. From the bank, look for deeper rock or rip rap formations, blown down trees, docks, or over brushy areas in many of the Corps of Engineers parks. Fly fishing enthusiasts may also capitalize on this prime time of year for spotted bass by using the new, much smaller, flyrod-sized Swirleybird. Regardless of how one goes about it, by thinking small and slow and making plenty of casts, a day of fishing on Lake Lanier right now is guaranteed to leave every angler with wonderful memories! Bill Vanderford has won numerous awards for his writing and photography, and has been inducted into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Guide. He can be reached at 770-289-1543, at JFish51@aol.com, or at his web site: www.fishinglanier.com
LAKE LANIER AND CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER FISHING REPORT Surface temperatures at Lake Lanier are creeping above 60 degrees, and the lake level is about 15 feet below normal pool and rising. Spring has finally arrived and Lake Lanier's fish are feeding heavily, especially bass, stripers, and crappies. Stripers are being caught in 5 to 20 feet of water on live herring and 1/4 ounce Swirleybird spinners near the backs of major creek channels. Crappies have moved into brush all over the lake, and are beginning to spawn. The big spotted bass are going nuts chasing 3/16th and 1/8th ounce Swirleybirds in less than 10 feet of water, and "Swirleybird Season" has begun and will get better as the water warms! We're actively booking jet boat trips for walleyes, stripers, and shoal bass on the upper Chattahoochee River. We're also beginning to book father/son or mother/daughter trips to see the wildlife and seasonal changes with the jet boat. Trout fishing in the Chattahoochee River
below the dam for both rainbow and browns has been fantastic! Most trout
are being caught during lower water levels on Swirleybird spinners,
small spoons, and smaller crankbaits. Jet boat trips are great for this
type of fishing, just call 770-289-1543. |
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