LAKE LANIER IS 4.6 FEET BELOW FULL POOL, THE MAIN LAKE AND CREEKS ARE CLEAR & MID 50’S

Bass fishing is good. The lower lake temps are right around 56 degrees in the morning, and right now the lake sits at 3.52 feet below full pool, which is about a half foot up from Sunday prior to the rain. The fishing has been very good for the most part. The rain we got Sunday definitely spread them out a bit more than they had been. Prior to Sunday, there were several dependable patterns out there. They are all still there, just a little more looking around to find them. There have been some very shallow fish, some mid depth fish, and some fish in 35 to 50 feet around the timber edges. In the mornings, a spinnerbait and a crank bait on windy, rocky points has been very good for some big bites. In the mid to late morning hours there have been some good spooning opportunities out in the timber. In the afternoons, we have been working a jig and a shaky head around rock in 5 to 30 feet of water. There are some variations to this protocol, but this has been our normal schedule each day. The ditch bite with the fish head was coming in very nicely last week, but has since dissipated some. We thank the rising water for that as well as the fish and bait moving around a bit more. They should get settled down and deeper as things stabilize and the water continues to cool. Look for timber bite to strengthen and the bigger fish to be out deep more consistently. This is a great time to learn the timber bite with a spoon and a jig or shaky head out deep. Again, this should only get better. We are hopeful the fish head bite will return in strength as well. The ditch bite on Lanier is key to some big stringers this time of year. Bait choices this past week have included a Strike King 6XD crank bait, a white spinner bait, a Chattahoochee Jig, a Davis Shaky Head, and a War Eagle spoon in nickel.
This Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On Service 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com

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

Striper fishing is good and it looks like the weather is starting to stabilize. The Stripers will continue to move into the creeks and can be found on points with deep water nearby from the mouth of the creeks to half way back. The fish are moving and you can find them shallow on one point and suspended at 30 feet over a 60 foot bottom on another. It is important that you check out an area at all depths. Trolling live Herring, Trout or Gizzard Shad at .5 to 1 miles per hour with a combination of free lines, weighed free lines and down rods is your best bet. Set your free lines back 70 to 100 feet behind the boat. Use a small split shot on some of your lines and vary your trolling speed to locate your baits at various depths. If you are using planner boards set your bank side outside board at 15 to 20 feet behind your board and the inside boards at 40 to 50 feet behind the boards. Adjust your down rod depth from 10 to 30 feet depending on the water depth. In addition, put someone on the front deck throwing a buck tail jig; you may pick up an extra fish or two. The Umbrella rig is still working when pulled over points at 90 to 110 feet back. There are fish in all of the creeks and the best advice we can give you is to check the creeks for bait and fish where you find the bait. The North end Creeks are a picking up and probably a little better than the South end. We have Christmas gift certificates available. Call Big Fish On Guide Service at 404 561 2564 to purchase a certificate.

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

Crappie fishing is fair to good. Your best bet will be fishing brush piles in twenty five feet of water. Make sure you fish it from different angles, and if that doesn’t trigger a bite try positioning the boat directly above the brush pile and jig vertically. As you approach, make sure you set your trolling motor speed on the lowest setting to avoid spooking the fish. Crappie minnows should work as well as jigs. If you are a dock shooter you will most likely catch the bigger fish in this manner at twenty to thirty foot depth. The fish need to fatten up for the winter, so should be biting well after adjusting to the colder water temperatures.

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 [email protected]